1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

A question of balancing risks in the West...

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by toyon, Jan 4, 2016.

  1. Jan 4, 2016 at 10:01 AM
    #1
    toyon

    toyon [OP] Keepin your public lands public

    Joined:
    May 31, 2014
    Member:
    #130996
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Idaho
    Vehicle:
    1997.5 4WD V6
    The Patient
    • 1997 Tacoma, 5VZFE v6, 233,000
    Patient History
    • Continuous proactive maintenance
    • Radiator failure 2,000 miles ago (first breakdown ever)
    • Engine temp spiked hot, pulled vehicle quickly and got towed
    • Radiator replaced
    Current Problem
    • Since radiator replacement, coolant drawdown at a rate of 1 reservoir per 2,000 miles
    • Radiator has bubbled over into reservoir twice after use of 4wd
    • Add'l info: no visible leaking, engine temp indicator holding at spec
    The Main Issue
    I have to drive from Bishop, CA to central Idaho this coming weekend (700 miles). Cold climate driving, numerous moderate elevation passes, essentially no services

    The Questions of Risk:
    1. What do you think is wrong?
    2. What diagnostic info can I get a mechanic give me right now that would help?
    3. What is the risk??

    Thank you!!
     
  2. Jan 4, 2016 at 10:09 AM
    #2
    Indy

    Indy Master of all I survey.

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2013
    Member:
    #112518
    Messages:
    2,582
    Gender:
    Male
    1. Head/head gasket.
    2. He'll test the coolant and will find exhaust gasses in it.
    3. You'll die in the mountains :)
     
  3. Jan 4, 2016 at 10:11 AM
    #3
    Steves104x4

    Steves104x4 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2010
    Member:
    #35468
    Messages:
    17,264
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    Buffalo NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 RC 2.7 4x4
    BUCKLE UP! It makes it harder for Aliens to pull you out of your Truck.
    Drop another motor in the bitch by Friday.
     
  4. Jan 4, 2016 at 10:32 AM
    #4
    toyon

    toyon [OP] Keepin your public lands public

    Joined:
    May 31, 2014
    Member:
    #130996
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Idaho
    Vehicle:
    1997.5 4WD V6
    Yeah the head seems to be the consensus, and my wife and I are agreed on an engine swap as opposed to junking her. Question remains, how far has this problem progressed, and can I expect to pull 700 miles more based on current symptoms?
     
  5. Jan 4, 2016 at 10:42 AM
    #5
    Steves104x4

    Steves104x4 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2010
    Member:
    #35468
    Messages:
    17,264
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    Buffalo NY
    Vehicle:
    2010 RC 2.7 4x4
    BUCKLE UP! It makes it harder for Aliens to pull you out of your Truck.
    Will the truck sit and idle for 15 minutes without overheating? If it doesn't overheat I think you can use Bars Leaks Head Gasket and Cooling system sealant (but don't trust your life to my opinion!)
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2016
  6. Jan 4, 2016 at 11:12 AM
    #6
    toyon

    toyon [OP] Keepin your public lands public

    Joined:
    May 31, 2014
    Member:
    #130996
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Idaho
    Vehicle:
    1997.5 4WD V6
    Yes. Temp indicator holds at spec, and radiator doe not bubble back into reservoir after shutdown.

    To gauge severity of problem Ive been told to get a leak down test and a cooling system pressure test - true? Dealership calls it a 'block test' for $200. A test that gauges the problem could be helpful. A test that simply confirms the head problem is a waste of $.

    Thoughts?
     
  7. Jan 4, 2016 at 11:24 AM
    #7
    skeezix

    skeezix Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2010
    Member:
    #45512
    Messages:
    2,330
    Gender:
    Male
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    1998 Limited
    Take it to a radiator specialist for your $200 test and save $150.
     
    Steves104x4 likes this.
  8. Jan 4, 2016 at 12:57 PM
    #8
    toyon

    toyon [OP] Keepin your public lands public

    Joined:
    May 31, 2014
    Member:
    #130996
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Idaho
    Vehicle:
    1997.5 4WD V6
    Useful advice, thanks gents.
     
  9. Jan 4, 2016 at 2:13 PM
    #9
    Indy

    Indy Master of all I survey.

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2013
    Member:
    #112518
    Messages:
    2,582
    Gender:
    Male
    Heads can warp pretty easy with an overheat, and it may have been getting a lot of heat before you notice the problem. A gasket can be damaged in pretty short order as well. There's no way to say that it will last x miles and fail at Y. Assuming the gasket is going it could hold on for a year, it could fail the next time you start the truck. If the head is warped, eventually the gasket will fail where the warp is. You may not need a new engine, you may not need a head, the only way to tell for sure is to pull the head and check it. Once you pull the head, no matter what, you'll need a head gasket. With mine I pulled the head thinking I needed a gasket, found the head was cracked, and decided against putting a new head on an old engine so did the swap.
     
  10. Jan 4, 2016 at 2:19 PM
    #10
    toyon

    toyon [OP] Keepin your public lands public

    Joined:
    May 31, 2014
    Member:
    #130996
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Idaho
    Vehicle:
    1997.5 4WD V6
    Indy, come repair time what do you think of doing a full swap if it proves to be only the gasket? Our rig is at 230,000 and we've decided to re-invest in it. Our thought is the swap (including tranny) is worth it, so we can be confident it will run to 400,000k.... Thoughts?
     
  11. Jan 4, 2016 at 4:01 PM
    #11
    Digiratus

    Digiratus Adventurer

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #34006
    Messages:
    23,830
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Roaming the PNW
    Vehicle:
    The RedHead
    2002 XtraCab TRD 4x4 SCv6 AutoTrans With Lots of Mods ADS COs w/Compression Adjusters Camburg Uniball UCAs Whiteline Lower Control Arm Bushings Kartek 7" Limit Straps Plastics Guy Front Bumpstops Total Chaos Sprindle Gussets Custom Alcan Springs +800 lbs +3" ADS 10" Stroke Triple Bypass w/Resi Rear Shocks Custom Rear Shock Relocate All-Pro U-bolt Flip w/Timbren Bumpstops 4.88 Nitro Gears ARB Front Locker ARB Twin Compressor Black 17x8 Konig Countersteer Type X 285/70r17 Falken A/T3w Gunmetal 16x8 SCS Ray10s 255/85r16 Maxxis Bighorns Limited Edition (Relentless) Elite Front Bumper Smittybilt X2O 10K Winch Diode Dynamics SS3 Sport Selective Yellow Fog Lights in the Bumper Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro 4,000 Kelvin SAE Driving Lights with Clear Lenses on the Bumper Morimoto D2S Projectors XB35 Ballasts + 4300K Bulbs Badland Sliders FrankenFab Tire Carrier Swingout bumper w/kitchen BudBuilt Front & Bellypan Skids BAMF Rear Diff Skid Dometic CFX 55im Fridge/Freezer Alpha II Hardshell RTT Badland Custom Bed Rack Denso 210-0461 105 amp alternator Dual Northstar 24F AGM batteries BlueSea 7622 ML-ACR Battery controller Peak DBI Dual Battery Voltage Monitor Haltech IC-7 Display with Mako Dash Insert Haltech Elite 2500 Standalone ECU Magnuson MP62 Supercharger w/URD 2.2" Pulley Doug Thorley Headers Denso 650cc Fuel Injectors Aeromotive Stealth 340 Fuel Pump TransGo A340F Reprogramming Shift Kit OEM ECU Delete Full A340F Trans Control with the Haltech 2500 ECU 2.5" Magnaflow Hi-Flow CAT Magnaflow 18" Muffler w/Vibrant Resonator 13WL Brake Calipers with OEM Rotors & Pads Braided Steel Brake Lines Kenwood TM-71A Dual Band Ham Radio STI-CO Flex Whip VFH/UHF 1/4 Wave Antenna Midland MTX275 GMRS Radio w/Roof Mount Antenna Pioneer DEH-P9400BH HU Alpine Amps & Type R components (F) and coaxials (R) Wet Okole Seat Covers Weathertech Digital Liners Deck Plate Mod 1" Diff Drop Carrier Bearing Drop
    How many miles on the waterpump?

    Worn impellers don't circulate the coolant effectively. You wouldn't see an issue at idle but under heavy load it would show up.

    How are you determining the issue is not being indicated by a fluctuation of the coolant temp. I would not rely on the gauge in the dash. An OBDII scanner that can read the ECU data would be a much better indicator. UltraGauge? ScanGauge?
     
  12. Jan 4, 2016 at 4:39 PM
    #12
    toyon

    toyon [OP] Keepin your public lands public

    Joined:
    May 31, 2014
    Member:
    #130996
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Idaho
    Vehicle:
    1997.5 4WD V6
    55k on the water pump, replaced concurrent with timing belt and thermostat. Radiator thermostat also replaced with recent radiator failure. It's possible it was damaged when the radiator blew, but probable?

    As yet there is no direct evidence to support head warping or gasket breach, just informed guesses that that is the likely culprit. I assume the only reason the engine temp indicator remains at spec is because the cooling system is (at present) successfully compensating for the increased heat load from an engine problem.

    Pressure test of cooling system tomorrow. Hope to deduce whether leak is external or internal....

    Oh and GO HAWKS
     
  13. Jan 5, 2016 at 10:59 AM
    #13
    Indy

    Indy Master of all I survey.

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2013
    Member:
    #112518
    Messages:
    2,582
    Gender:
    Male
    If the head is ok, I'd do the gasket and wouldn't worry too much. The truck I had, around 260k on the clock if memory serves, too many miles for me to want to put a new head on it. And my head was trash so just milling it flat and reinstalling wasn't an option.


    Besides it shooting all the coolant out as soon as I put in a thermostat it ran really well. The head gasket is a pain in the butt, but $ should be quite a bit cheaper than a full swap. Off the top of my head I ended up with about $2k in the engine swap (new clutch etc) doing all the work myself. I'd budgeted a couple hundred for just the gasket, included random bits and piece to replace on the way.

    Unless I was having transmission issues, I wouldn't think about replacing it. Throwing money at it just to throw money at it.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top