Engine temp Low - help?

Hey all- got kind of a sticky situation for you looking to see if I might be able to get some clarity.

Just bought a 1998 Toyota Tacoma 4x 4 with an extended cab and within a week my radiator blew. Prior to buying this truck I had taken it to a mechanic to get the buyer's inspection and they notified me of a moderate leak in my water pump. when my radiator blew I decided that since I was already removing my fan, my shroud and my radiator, the extra room would help in replacing the belts and pump. Once we got the water pump in, replaced all the belts and replaced my radiator, I finally got the truck running again but now I'm not maintaining a proper temperature- it's actually running too cold. I'm also smoking out my exhaust- not really sure what it's coming from and wondering if the two are related. Also, idle is beginning to run a little high (~1100).

Hoping this is enough information for you all to give me some insight. This is my first Yoda and I waited long enough to be able to find the right one- just long enough it seem to grab one that would keep me on my toes. Thanks in advance and I appreciate any insight.

**EDIT: Upon research I've found some conversation that it might be my thermostat o-ring missing? Does that sound reasonable?

 

More importantly is the smoke billowing. When the radiator blew, did the engine overheat at all?

 

I had a 98 ford ranger that ran cold. I found my issue was the thermostat. I can't imagine a thermostat is very expensive

 

The smoke is billowing and it did overheat

 

The technical term for your situation is "fucked". You pretty certainly blew a head gasket. Sorry man.

 

Is there anything this could be? Or is that pretty much the 'x' equals 'y' to it?

 

Unfortunately, that's why I asked you that above. Bummer. Without jumping the gun, it does sound like a blown head gasket. You could pull the spark plugs to see if they look like they've been 'steam cleaned'. Typical symptom of a blown head gasket. There are tests you can do as well to verify this. If your oil on dipstick looks milky, another typical sign, though it sounds like your leaking coolant into the cylinders not into the oil, thus the smoke out tailpipe.
Where does the needle on the temp gauge ride at now? And before? Does your heater blow hot air?

 

So my "billowing" smoke has calmed way down- I sort of suspected that the warmer weather coming in the day might influence the size of that plume.

My temp was sitting way under the 'C' but when I turned on the heat it brought the temp up to midway where it should normally sit. However the beta may have helped, my heat inside the truck was not blowing hot.

Also you were right my dipstick is not milky.

 

As suspected, regardless of the head gasket situation, it sounds like there is still air trapped in the coolant system. Can be a pain to clear it all out. Prolly what is keeping the heater from blowing hit air. Do you do your own car work? Or if someone is helping, let them know it sounds like coolant requires further 'burping'. Pretty normal after a radiator swap or anything requiring coolant.

Edit: wow, my 1000th post here..... I gotta get a life..... But I can't, Toyota is life.

 

That white 'smoke' is your coolant boiling away. Your head gasket is no longer holding back coolant.

 

Did you replace the timing belt and install a new thermostat when you replaced the water pump? I can assume that you did, and that you did it right, but "inquiring minds want to know". Did the truck smoke as soon as you started it after replacing things, or did it run nicely for awhile and then start to smoke? Also, is the white "smoke" really smoke (take a whiff) (or maybe just some water in your exhaust that vaporizes in about 5 to 10 minutes)?

 

My next step is burping my coolant system, there is most definitely air trapped in there.

I did replace all three of my belts when I replaced the water pump but I did not mess with my thermostat. It started to smoke pretty soon after getting everything back to running- maybe a few minutes of nothing but then it started. It was pretty late and cold so the plume was quite large. It also doesn't smell like smoke, exhaust yes, but it doesn't smell like anything other than run of the mill. I have let my engine run for about 10-15 minutes and the plume just gets smaller, not necessarily disappearing or burning off.

 

Just do a compression test, that will tell you if the HG is good or not. But generally white smoke=coolant.

 

Get air out of system. Check thermostat, then if they check out get into a compression test.

 

Compression test first, drain the oil and post pics on here, burp the system some more.

 

You did not say if you replaced the timing belt. That's the long, serpentine belt that has to come off after you remove the other 3 belts (the ones that you can see).

Anyways, if you get it off one tooth one way or the other I'm not sure what will happen when you restart the engine but you will have problems. Just something I was thinking about...

 

Just burped my system and the engine temp has stabilized where it's most happy.

However, I still have a bit of the white "smoke" and my heater suddenly doesnt work.
Are these related or a different t ball game all together?

 

The white smoke is likely coolant that your engine is burning in the combustion chamber/s. This is usually due to a blown head gasket or a cracked or warped head. And those things CAN happen due to an engine overheating.

 

OP hasn't mentioned the motor. I'm thinking its a chain-driven 3RZ, so no timing belt.

 

So, maybe I'm wrong, but the smoke pictured just looks like every vehicle I've ever seen after being started in cold weather...

Does the "smoke" ever go away? Your heater not blowing hot (after warm up) is a clear indication your engine is low on coolant.

You can buy a test kit from Napa that has the blue fluid in it. Comes with a little cylinder that has a rubber grommet on the bottom and a little one-way filter. You place it over the radiator fill opening and if there is any combustion gasses in the cooling system the fluid will turn green.

Also, does the white smoke smell like coolant?


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