Well, this is unusual.

[MCObray]

So, I got a slew of maintenance items taken care of in the last few days day. The Timing belt, water pump, misc. seals, drive belts, valve cover gasket, plenum gasket, spark plug, wires, radiator (Denso), upper & lower radiator hose, radiator cap and a few other odds and ends were replaced. All new OEM parts were used straight from Toyota.

Before major maintenance. Engine Temp: 195-198. Transmission Temp: 140-160.

1st test drive after I get the Runner back:
I go on a 5-6 miles drive, mainly flat, with speeds varying from 45-60 MPH. I notice my Engine Temp, per ScanGuage II, unusually high at 204. My Transmission Temp seems good, sitting at 132-145. I take it back to the shop, and ask what position the jiggle valve on the Thermostat is. They say 12 o'clock. I ask to change it.
First snap:

2nd test drive:
Coolant drained, thermostat placed to 6 o'clock. Coolant refilled, and now sitting a bit over the full mark in the reservoir. I take the same drive as I did on the first drive with good results. Engine temp at 190, holding steady. Transmission Temp fluctuating from 140-152. Great, my Runner is back! I snapped this pictures after 5 minutes of standstill in line for a train.

3rd test drive, back home 12 miles or so:
Engine temp continues to hold steady at speeds from 65MPH-70MPH. The Transmission Temp continues to slowly climb, with no end in sight. 160... 170... now at 180 after I exit the off ramp. I come to a stop, accelerate to head home, and the trans hits 190, and holds steady till I get home. What in the fuuu... I let it sit for 5 minutes, and slowly, more so than ever before, the Trans Temp gets to 183. It cools a degree about every minute; just doesn't seem right. I just spent a good amount of money to make this right... and it's not.

Anybody have any suggestion on what is going on? Is the recent coolant refill to blame? Toyota RED was used. Would it have something to do with it being over the "FULL" amount on the Reservoir? Would adjusting the jiggle valve somehow make the Transmission Temperature climb? Scangauge II gone rogue?

I still plan on installing the B&M 70264 Transmission Cooler I have, but the Transmission Temperature still seem unusually high for a new Radiator.

The way it is right now, it just seems as though Transmission Temperature is not dissipating at all when driving. It only slowly cools down, say a degree a minute, when sitting idle.

I am baffled.

 

[the great him]

you dont have a trans cooler, you have a temp regulator.... the factory set up has the atf running through the radiator, thus the hot coolant at 190* will warm up your trans fluid to the same and try to regulate it around that temp.

once you install your trans cooler it should drop -provided that you eliminate the radiator out of the system, and use the cooler stand alone. because if you still leave the radiator in the system, it will just warm the fluid back up to 190 after it goes through the cooler. i suppose you could run the external cooler after the radiator but your still fighting the radiator heating the fluid more often than its cooling it unless you tow a lot or are alway climbing hills ect.

the temps you are seeing are perfectly normal given your set up and situation

 

[MCObray]

you dont have a trans cooler, you have a temp regulator.... the factory set up has the atf running through the radiator, thus the hot coolant at 190* will warm up your trans fluid to the same and try to regulate it around that temp.

once you install your trans cooler it should drop -provided that you eliminate the radiator out of the system, and use the cooler stand alone. because if you still leave the radiator in the system, it will just warm the fluid back up to 190 after it goes through the cooler. i suppose you could run the external cooler after the radiator but your still fighting the radiator heating the fluid more often than its cooling it unless you tow a lot or are alway climbing hills ect.

the temps you are seeing are perfectly normal given your set up and situation

The Transmission Cooler (B&M 70264) will bypass the radiator and be stand alone as the source for cooling in the coming weeks

In bold, are you using the example of NOT having the Transmission Cooler bypassed the Radiator?

Thanks [MENTION=60147]the kid[/MENTION]

 

[Xinirgi]

I'd start by checking your transmission fluid level. You want it at operating temp, truck parked on level ground and in neutral. Do that and report back.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I'd start by checking your transmission fluid level. You want it at operating temp, truck parked on level ground and in neutral. Do that and report back.

This is my suspicion too. I'm betting the rising temps could be due to low fluid level. The old fluid was running through the radiator too, no reason it should be warmer now.

 

[the great him]

The Transmission Cooler (B&M 70264) will bypass the radiator and be stand alone as the source for cooling in the coming weeks

In bold, are you using the example of NOT having the Transmission Cooler bypassed the Radiator?

Thanks [MENTION=60147]the kid[/MENTION]

yes i was.


low fluid level is a possibility but knowing the shop you had your vehicle worked on at, id be surprised if they over looked that when putting everything back together. besides, the amount of trans fluid that would be in the radiator is not really enough to affect temps... your talking about a 14-16qt system and missing only like half a qt at max... not enough to cause a noticeable temp change

 

[vipergrhd]

Not to worry

I will stop staring at that gauge if i were you coz it might cause you to get in a wreck.Your temp. is fine like what others said it is normal due to the cooler being inside the radiator,i would add an auxiliary cooler if it really bothers you i have seen temps. around 270* on diesel trucks and still work fine your average ATF boils around 590*F.

 

[MCObray]

I checked the Transmission fluid level, when hot and in Neutral, and it checked ok. The temps I observed yesterday were good, and showed similar characteristics of how it acted yesterday. I took the exact same off-ramp exit on the way home, as well as the same route, and got the transmission temperature up to 186 degree. I got it home and let it idle, slowly cooling down into the mid 170s range. It appears that this is just how the Radiator will act with no Transmission Cooler.

Now onto my next problem... this is getting frustrating.
Yesterday what I awoke to:

Today what I awoke to:

I believe I am losing Coolant.

 

[the great him]

Check hose clamps... They might not have gotten one tight enough its very possible especially being as though they replaced some of the hoses... Not a big deal. How far is toyswaps from you? If its close enough have them take a look at it

 

[LittleCaesar]

This is the first, maybe second time I have heard of the head gasket needing to be changed on a 99-02. Why?

Take off the skid plate and see where it is coming from. Maybe a bad heater hose in the rear?

What kind of transmission fluid did they use? When you install the B&M, put in right up against the condenser in front of the fan. Check the condition of your fan clutch at the same time.

 

[MCObray]

This is the first, maybe second time I have heard of the head gasket needing to be changed on a 99-02. Why?

Take off the skid plate and see where it is coming from. Maybe a bad heater hose in the rear?

What kind of transmission fluid did they use? When you install the B&M, put in right up against the condenser in front of the fan. Check the condition of your fan clutch at the same time.

Typo: I meant valve cover gaskets.

Why? Here is what I was told; "We are realizing at this point to properly install your cam seals we will have have to remove your valve covers. That requires us to remove your intakes." It seemed reasonably to me. I just figured since they were in there, might as well.

I took a stroll outside and gave it peak. The leak seems to be coming from where the radiator hose goes into the engine... thermostat area. I agree, removing the skid plate will give me a better idea.

I do not believe the transmission fluid was tampered with. Previous the purchasing the Vehicle, the original owner to do all new fluids and used AmsOil synthetic.
Just snapped:

 

[MCObray]

Check hose clamps... They might not have gotten one tight enough its very possible especially being as though they replaced some of the hoses... Not a big deal. How far is toyswaps from you? If its close enough have them take a look at it

12 miles down the road. I've tried to get in contact with them, but no dice. It says they are closed today, so I might just be S.O.L.'d. I've got to wait until the apartment manager leaves his post to crawl under with some tools... I hate living in Apartments.

 

[nissanh]

Same reason why I hate living in an apartment.

 

[LittleCaesar]

That stinks living in an apt. When I lived in two different ones, I had a gas backpack and blew the parking lot in which my building was. I blew the lot once a week and the manager let me work on cars on the weekends. The other time in a different city I changed the manager's oil and kept her tires inflates. Ditto that the DIY work was only performed on the weekends.

What may have happened is that one of the studs that holds that thermostat housing onto the H20 pump may have come loose, thus a tight seal can't be made. It does require draining the coolant for a fix. Or possibly someone forgot to install a clamp around a hose (I have been there before).

Good luck.

 

[Blazerpounds]

Your heater control valve sits on the firewall almost center of vehicle. It has a screw in the center, and they tend to leak a lot from there. It's black and has some heater hoses attached to it. Check that.

 

[MCObray]

Your heater control valve sits on the firewall almost center of vehicle. It has a screw in the center, and they tend to leak a lot from there. It's black and has some heater hoses attached to it. Check that.

Are you referring to this area of this vehicle? If so, I browsed around and could not find any residue, or anything pointing to an ongoing leak.

What I did find, is the lower radiator hose inlet to the engine, seemed suspect. I believe the leak is coming from this area. Still slowly leaking...

 

[the great him]

Try gently tightening those bolts... Remember that stuff is aluminum so don't get to Arnold on it

 

[MCObray]

Bringing it back into the shop today. Leak is still persistant. I'm going to purcahse some 1 3/4" Worm Hose Clamps, local Dealership is out of OEM hose clamps, and have those swapped out.

Fingers crossed. I miss my 4Runner.

 

[kolelt]

Sorry to hear that about ur 4runner. I know how it feels. I had to replace my enginge due to head gasket failure. Anyways, check all your clamps, get under the car and check the hoses there also,and the clamps, check your tranny lines going from radioator, check your rear ac lines also. I had my friend disconect the rear acines cuz they were corroded and leaking.

Also what kinda set up is that on ur steering ? To check the temperature?

 

[MCObray]

Sorry to hear that about ur 4runner. I know how it feels. I had to replace my enginge due to head gasket failure. Anyways, check all your clamps, get under the car and check the hoses there also,and the clamps, check your tranny lines going from radioator, check your rear ac lines also. I had my friend disconect the rear acines cuz they were corroded and leaking.

Also what kinda set up is that on ur steering ? To check the temperature?

Yeah, it's just a bummer sitting around all weekend... slowly watching it leak. I'm optimistic though, and believe it is something simply. Once it is in the shop, i'll be going over with the guy who worked on it visually, to try and get this taken care of for once and all.

To check engine temp, as well as numerous other running features, I am utilizing the ScanGauge II.

I'll post an update tonight.