WTH is going on with my 3rd Gen??

fightman80

fightman80

New member
My old girl is not feeling like herself. :sobbing: On it's maiden voyage after being stored all winter, the truck was found to have low fluid and the temp gauge was high.

I immediately turned the truck off, and let it cool. I then went across the street to the local parts store (Canadian Tire), and bought and filled up my reservoir with more premixed coolant. (I know... I know... it's not Toyota Fluid... truth be told.. I've been running green fluid for years)

After 3 weeks of driving it without issue, I was driving home today and noticed the RPM gauge was surging around 2000 rpm. I couldn't keep my speed above 90km/hr (55 mph), and when I did, it would rev to 3000rpm.

I got home and let it cool down for a couple of hours. After doing so, I pulled it into the garage, and checked all the fluids. Trans fluid looks normal, and was within specs. The coolant level was low again, so I topped off the reservoir and also checked the Powersteering level for fun. It was low too.

I topped off all the fluids, and thinking of driving it tomorrow to see what happens.

Anyone got any thoughts?? I'm really stumped here.... PFA.

 
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Bummer, man! Did you try burping the coolant system to see if that would help? Also, notice any white smoke? If not, more than likely a coolant leak.
 
Did it run like it had a misfire? I would pull a spark plug and see if it’s fouled with either oil or coolant, that could cause the driving behavior you describe
 
How low was the coolant when the stumbling began? Curious if it was low enough to cause a significant loss of power or potentially just some air escaped since you topped it up at the beginning of the season.

Perhaps the odd driving behavior is associated with plug/wires, MAF, etc. rather than the coolant per se?
 
2 things.

Where did the coolant go? Did you have a puddle under the truck where it sat? Was there any wet areas underneath?

Secondly, the surging RPM issue sounds like and issue with the throttle position sensor.
 
ToyotaBrah said:
Bummer, man! Did you try burping the coolant system to see if that would help? Also, notice any white smoke? If not, more than likely a coolant leak.
Click to expand...

My truck always had some kind of white smoke at initial startup... but oil and coolant are not mixing... so it seems to me like it's not HG related.

RandyBobandy said:
Did it run like it had a misfire? I would pull a spark plug and see if it’s fouled with either oil or coolant, that could cause the driving behavior you describe
Click to expand...

Didn't seem to be misfiring...

tgreenwood75 said:
How low was the coolant when the stumbling began? Curious if it was low enough to cause a significant loss of power or potentially just some air escaped since you topped it up at the beginning of the season.

Perhaps the odd driving behavior is associated with plug/wires, MAF, etc. rather than the coolant per se?
Click to expand...

^^ I think it was just really low on coolant...

JRZEE2000TR4LTD said:
2 things.

Where did the coolant go? Did you have a puddle under the truck where it sat? Was there any wet areas underneath?

Secondly, the surging RPM issue sounds like and issue with the throttle position sensor.
Click to expand...

I didn't see any puddles... so guessing it was a slow leak... and I just haven't checked it regularly enough.

alumarine said:
Are you also checking the coolant level in the rad?
Click to expand...

I wasn't... but did this morning. I topped it up, and drove it to work. No issues.

T4R2014 said:
Pressure test the system before anyone starts trying to work you up with potential head gaskets.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't know how to pressure test it... but I did top it up, and it ran like a charm today.

absalom said:
Stories like this are what we discourage me from running anything but Toyota red.
Click to expand...

I know what you're saying... but after 15yrs of ownership... I've never had an issue using the green stuff.

det107 said:
Could be nesting materials from mice hibernating in exhaust pipe causing overheating?
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Nah... it didn't sit that long... I took it out almost weekly, and drove it slowly around my block, just not HWY driven for 6mths.


To followup with you guys...

I topped up the coolant in the rad this morning, and drove to work. The truck started doing it again at first... but once the truck reached O.T, it was fine. (I'm thinking, it took some time for the coolant to run into the system)

Someone on FB group page, suggested that it may be low on coolant, which is causing the truck to not go into Overdrive. (Possibly a safety system for the trans??)

Anyway, I then drove it back home tonight... no issues. I'm going to look at it again tomorrow... but my guess is that my rear heater line fix, (which I did several years ago), probably needs another repair... and is slowly leaking coolant.

This winter, I kept finding small amounts in the snow in my driveway... but I thought it was my Tacoma. (then I realized, my Taco still has the red coolant in it).

I'm going to look over those heater lines thoroughly tomorrow, and let you all know, in the meantime... truck is driving just fine. :)
 
T4R2014 said:
Pressure test the system before anyone starts trying to work you up with potential head gaskets.
Click to expand...

x2 on pressure test. I bought a cheap kit from Harbor Freight but have heard that some auto stores will rent pressure testers for free.

If it's a hose or water pump leak you'll see it, or in my case, hear it.
 
Didn't get a chance to look at it today... ended up working over 8hrs on this now firepit setup tonight.

Moving cement chunks, shoveling dirt, rince... repeat. lol!



Alot more work to get done in this yard.... but gotta take a good look at the truck tomorrow. lol
 
Well, coolant doesn't magically disappear. If you're not seeing coolant dripping under the vehicle, the engine is eating it. It could be a bad head gasket. When it's sitting over night, coolant could be making it's way into the cylinder(s). Upon start up, you get the tell-tale smoking as the engine burns up the coolant. By the time the engine is at operating temp, the coolant has burned off and everything is hunky dory until you stop it and let it sit overnight again.

If it was just a coolant leak, I would suggest pressure testing the cooling system to see where the coolant is leaking from. Since you're not seeing an obvious leak, I would do a compression test of all your cylinders. For any cylinder with a low number, I'd follow it up with a leak down test.

Here's two videos you can use as a reference to get this done. I think you can rent a compression and leak down tester for free at an auto parts store like O'Reillys but I may be wrong.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ky7bndfFpO0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8yuCHzqH7MY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Do you know about where under the truck the coolant was noticed in the snow? When I first got my 99 I had and issue with the rear heater lines. They run right under where the A/C condenser drips and had a small pin hole leak. I ended up just bypassing the whole rear heater system. But took me a while to diagnose and nothing up front (where one would normally look) showed any signs of leaking.
 
I spent another blasted day doing yard work, before black fly season starts.... figured we'd get started with setting up the yard for the wife's gardening.

That being said, the parts stores out here, don't lend the tools. I'd have to buy them... or take to a garage to diagnose. (Which may happen... if I don't find an obvious leak.)

During the winter, I'd find the green spots randomly in the yard... but never thought much of it.

You guys might have hit the nail on the head with the headgasket... because the exhaust does blow out white smoke on startup.... but I always assumed it was my refurbed injectors shooting more fuel in the cylinder than needed... as it always has a bit of a fuel smell when it's running.

Sorry for letting your guys hang so long... you have no idea how crazy the blackflies get out here in the early summer... June is hell. lol! I'm almost done... so gonna be doing some paint maintenance and other work on the Toyotas soon! Might even post a video on my Youtube about some of this work.

BTW... if anyone wants a good look of my tire carrier setup... I recently uploaded this:

YouTube
 
alumarine said:
Canadian Tire has a lend a tool program.
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Not mine... I asked before... looking for a balljoint separator... they wouldn't lend it to me.

I know in most cities you can... I've borrowed tools from Canadian Tire and Part Source in the past... but here... they want your money. lol
 
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