Transmission issue.

[rocky_ride]

Good morning all.
Just bought my first 4 runner yestarday and I love it but I'm having a problem and I'm hoping maybe I can get some good insight or advise.

1993 Toyota 4runner
3.0 V6
Auto
2WD
200k miles

What happened was I was taking a cruise down the highway sustaining a speed of about 65mph for about 45 minutes on my way home from picking the vehicle up from the previous owner and the temp gage jumped to hot and I lost a lot of transmission fluid. Thankfully I was able to get home but what confused me is that I cleaned everything off, put some more transmission fluid in it and checked for leaks and have even driven it and it has yet to drip a single drop or over heat. Was this a freaky fluke or something I should be worried about?
I'd like to think of myself as mechanically inclined but this has me stumped. Please feel free to ask any other questions

 

[77'911]

Check your coolant for atf, there is a cooler in/on the rad. If it fails, sometimes it can intermix.
regards

 

[2ndGen4runner4x4]

You were at "highway" speeds for 45 minutes when this happened. Have you repeated this since?
If you get it out on the open road at speed for that time again, I bet you will have a repeat performance. That is an indication of a head gasket issue.

 

[rocky_ride]

Thanks for the replys. I will check them both.
The trans fluid looks a bit dark. Infact it looks more like dirty motor oil rather than trans fluid so needless to say that's going to be fixed, the coolant is green but it looks like someone put stop leak in it. is there anyway I can check the head gasket?

 

[KidVermicious]

You could start with a compression test, or a leakdown test would tell you a bit more if you have a source of compressed air.

Drain the oil, see if it's contaminated. The stop leak in the coolant is bad bad sign, I'd call the guy you bought the truck from and give him a piece of your mind if it turns out to be a bad head gasket, because that means he knew it and ripped you off.

 

[2ndGen4runner4x4]

Just curious... Is this the one that you bought?
!!!1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER!!!
Power locks/windows
AC/heat
Cruise control
Pioneer stereo
NOT 4X4
Needs head gasket but will run roughly 45 miles before getting hot
$1000 OBO

 

[KidVermicious]

Uh oh...

 

[rocky_ride]

You could start with a compression test, or a leakdown test would tell you a bit more if you have a source of compressed air.

Drain the oil, see if it's contaminated. The stop leak in the coolant is bad bad sign, I'd call the guy you bought the truck from and give him a piece of your mind if it turns out to be a bad head gasket, because that means he knew it and ripped you off.

Ill give that a try and see what happens. I appriciate your help.
True that. Ill be pist if that's what it is.

Just curious... Is this the one that you bought?
!!!1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER!!!
Power locks/windows
AC/heat
Cruise control
Pioneer stereo
NOT 4X4
Needs head gasket but will run roughly 45 miles before getting hot
$1000 OBO

Nope that's not it. Mine is a 1993 and it's red. Got it here in Ft Worth.

 

[fourwd1]

If he lost ATF, how does this become a blown HG issue ??

OP, exactly where was the ATF leaking from?
Old but good ATF is dark red, burned ATF can be dark brown.

 

[rocky_ride]

If he lost ATF, how does this become a blown HG issue ??

OP, exactly where was the ATF leaking from?
Old but good ATF is dark red, burned ATF can be dark brown.

Well I'm not sure that iv pin pointed in exactly but I believe it's coming from somewhere up top between the trans and the motor. Being that I was going so fast it kinda sprayed everywhere so it kinda hard to pin point and like I said it hasn't leaked since but then again I haven't been out on the highway either.
Also I noticed something else just today when I got home from work I was fiddling with it and noticed some kind of gold flake material in the coolant and also I kind of whining sound from the trans while in park and also during exceleration while in gear. It seems to intensify at higher RPM and decrease when I let off the gas.

 

[rocky_ride]

UPDATE!!!
Well I did some more research and I decided to drain the transmission fluid, clean the filter and refill with fluid and some Lucas transmission treatment and ill be damned if it isn't running great now. That even took care of the whining sound I was getting while driving. I'm going to put a few miles on it and them drain the fluid again, and replace the filter with a new one.
The fluid as well as the filter looked awful. Iv changed a few transmission filter in my life but none looked that bad. The fluid had a almost rotten smell and the filter grids where so packed full of shit I don't see how any fluid at all was getting through.
As far as all my fluid leaking out while drive on the highway my only hypothesis is that the pump built up so much pressure from the filter being clogged that I lost the fluid out the dip stick tube where it separates.
Any ideas?