So I have a 1997 4runner, just found out the guy who had it before me only used water in the radiator. Haven't had any issues with the radiator YET. but I guess my question is what should I do now scrap the radiator or just flush the water and and coolant from here on out. Anything helps guys thanks.
Water in radiator
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Singtoe
New member
Are you in a climate that doesn't freeze? If your in a hot area, water is actually better then antifreeze. It has better cooling properties. It transfers heat faster then antifreeze. The only problem with plain water is that it can cause corrosion.
Singtoe
New member
Even though your area might not get cold, your in a state there are freezing situations and you wouldn't remember that your car wasn't winter ready. Do you foresee yourself going to the mountains or any where that is freezing, just drain, run the good ol water hose through it for 15 minutes or so and fill it back up with 50/50. .
TheDurk
Elite Member
Lots of ?'s How long had he owned it? How many miles on the truck? How bad does the water look? How does it look looking inside the radiator cap? Any old garden hose water or distilled/demin?
If he had done this since new, I would stay VERY far away. If he hadn't had it that long, and it doesn't look too bad, it might be okay. Yes, flush and change to coolant, and look carefully at what comes out.
If he had done this since new, I would stay VERY far away. If he hadn't had it that long, and it doesn't look too bad, it might be okay. Yes, flush and change to coolant, and look carefully at what comes out.
brian2sun
Elite Member
I agree with TheDurk. Running water only is bad news. Water will corrode the internals and it'll turn into rusty sludge if left in there for a while. I've seen a few Toyota head gasket failures due to rust/corrosion in the cooling system in my years. Like TheDurk asked, how long has it been like that? At the very least, I would replace the radiator. If it's an auto tranny, that corrosion could also eat through the lines on the internal tranny cooler inside the radiator and cause the "strawberry milkshake". so that's another reason to replace the radiator asap.
Ron Helmuth
Senior Member
brian2sun has it right as usual-
but a key question would be-tap water or distilled water? If he used distilled water all this time that would lessen my worry a bit.
But if you're an automatic then by all means just replace the radiator and do a thorough flush out. $120 or so for a new KOYO A1998 radiator is cheap insurance against a much pricier auto tranny.
but a key question would be-tap water or distilled water? If he used distilled water all this time that would lessen my worry a bit.
But if you're an automatic then by all means just replace the radiator and do a thorough flush out. $120 or so for a new KOYO A1998 radiator is cheap insurance against a much pricier auto tranny.
Thanks guys, I really just screwed up and bought the truck off impulse, I don't know how long he was running water and the inside of the radiator there is some traces of rust but not alot. I'm kinda strapped for cash right now so what's a general rate for a radiator change? Cuz I'm gonna go thru with the change.
brian2sun
Elite Member
It takes an hour or less to swap a radiator. So an average shop will probably charge you $65-85 plus the price of the radiator and the coolant. No reason to pay a dealer more just to do that IMO. If the water itself isn't rusty, then I doubt you have anything to worry about, but get some coolant in there soon and like the others said, mix it with distilled water.
Singtoe
New member
FWIW. I spent several years in Thailand. The average temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit all year long. The average speed during rush hour is like 3 mph. The cars aren't over heating and 90% of them use water as the coolant.
Every internal combustion driven boat and jetski is cooled using water from what ever they are boating in.
Just something to think about.
Every internal combustion driven boat and jetski is cooled using water from what ever they are boating in.
Just something to think about.
TheDurk
Elite Member
In Brazil, people use water, too. (I lived there for 15 years.) Same temps, same traffic. But everywhere you go (gas stations, supermarkets, etc.) they sell little plastic sacks of liquid anti-corrosion additive for the cooling system. My Brazilian HiLux SW4 (aka 4Runner) gets real coolant, as do the other two Toyota 4x4's in the family--a diesel HiLux p/u and another HiLux SW4. I think most people use the little sacks in domestic cars--the manufacturers certainly recommend it--except for the large number of little air-cooled engines out there. I would bet the thousands of HiLux's in the middle east at least get anti-corrosion additive. Terrorists don't want to overheat in the desert.
Larger marine engines use a dual coolant system where raw water goes through a heat exchanger cooling real coolant that goes through the engine. The exchangers are non-ferrous and designed for this, plus it's once through, flushing out any corrosion products and they don't have small passages to block up. Outboards don't have dual coolant, but they also don't have cast iron blocks. Plus it's once through, and again, no small internal passages in the block--just an external jacket. They are all designed with the corrosive properties of raw water in mind.
So nothing you mentioned is comparable to our engines. But you did make me think about it.
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brian2sun
Elite Member
I actually worked as a mechanic/service manager at a marina for several years. That is true about most boats using raw water only. However, boats always have a continuous cycle of new, fresh water constantly flushing the motor. It's not the same water sitting in there, recycling through the system, getting rustier everyday like in a car engine.
Outboards also self-winterize every time you turn the motor off. In other words, they pee out the remaining water in the block after you turn the key off. Inboard water-cooled boat motors keep the water inside the block when they are sitting. If that's for a short period of time, no big deal. Next time you drive the boat, new water will flush the old water out and any rust with it. But, for those people who don't winterize their boats because they live in hotter climates and think it's not necessary, you'll still have water sitting in the block. I cannot tell you how many rusty old boat engines I've worked on with cast iron blocks, full of rusty sludge because they never got winterized. Probably a hundred. Usually it seems the HGs are the 1st thing to go, but rust can do a lot of damage to other components too.
LodeRunner
New member
I agree with the posts suggesting to replace the radiator. It's CHEAP insurance against a potentially catastrophic transmission issue caused by the infamous strawberry milkshake. Even if you're not too mechanically inclined, you can do this job yourself very easily. I got a KOYO radiator from Amazon for $105 shipped, and put Zerex Asian vehicle formula in the new one. All told, it was about $160 bucks.
