Coolant drip

2009 Tacoma 235,000 miles
6 months ago had leak from bypass and now seems I have another. Any advice before I head to the dealership again. Thanks
Brandi

 

Just from the picture it would appear to be leaking from the radiator seam but you need to do further inspection to see if it's the radiator, a hose, radiator cap, or overflow bottle.

 

Don’t take it to the dealer! Take it to an independent shop instead. Good luck, welcome to the forum.

 

I'd replace the radiator cap and note to see if it changes anything.

I had a drip a while ago. Turned out to be a deteriorated seal in the radiator cap.

 

Do a pressure test. Then you will see where it is coming from

 

Thank you guys for the valuable information!
I’ll try it all!! Before I pay someone I may hit you guys up to see if it sounds legit.
Thanks
Brandi

 

Not the cap. Called an independent shop and explained to the best of my abilities what was happening. They said $50.00 to diagnose but it sounded like the radiator, $300.00 or it could possibly be the water pump,$400.00.
Sound reasonable to you guys?

 

not the water pump leaking from that area..and without a pressure test, you wont know exactly where its coming from (radiator seam or valve). Thats what you should do first instead of having anyone throw parts at it. EDIT: also an OEM radiator is $216.65 from Toyota...so $400? is kinda steep...

 

Edit: forgot to mention that it would be a good idea to replace the T-stat as well


I'd recommend to replace all of the coolant hoses when you do the radiator including the heater core hoses located at the firewall based simply on your mileage. This is for preventative maintenance. And consider replacing the water pump as well if that hasn't been done yet.

I just replaced all coolant bypass hoses last weak when I did my headgaskets. . One of my coolant bypass hoses had a pinhole leak that wasn't visible just by looking at it ,but was obvious from the pink powdery residue. I'm at over 300k. And back in December I replaced my water pump and installed an aftermarket double row all aluminum radiator..

This bypass hose that I'm pointing at was the one that had the pinhole..

 

First things first. Confirm that drain plug is tight, wipe it dry & clean. Drive it a day and recheck to determine exactly where the coolant is coming from. Likely radiator, but you might get lucky. Could be as simple as an o-ring on the drain plug, looks like dampness on the port to me.

 

I’d pay the $50 to get it diagnosed. Reassess after. If the OEM rad is $216 (assuming they use an OEM and not and aftermarket) and they charge $300 to install (including the coolant) I would consider that reasonable.

 

I thought I saw a wet spot on the drain port as well. When I replaced the coolant a few months back on my Tacoma I didn’t tighten the petcock enough, for fear of over tightening it, and it dripped ever so slightly. OP, tighten it until it won’t turn anymore with light pressure applied. You can use a six point socket, I just can’t remember the size.

 

Went look in the other forums…22 mm socket to tighten. Wiped cleaned. Ran it for a good 20 minutes and no drip. Went check 15 minutes later and started a small drip. Seems to drip when it’s not running. So I’ll try and get an o-ring tomorrow and see if this girl is lucky..fingers crossed! Thanks again everyone for your time.
Brandi

 

I’ve never seen just the o-ring available. Just the drain valve as a whole.
But they are pretty common to replace. Dorman makes one if that tells you anything.
I’d personally go with an OEM plug they are about $15 at the dealer.

It could be the valve, but the seam is pretty wet on the radiator.
That’s also a common place for leaks. Plastic, it will get you every time.

 

Agree with a leak in the seam, likely higher up so a new radiator will likely be needed. Whatever you do, stick with an OEM radiator. Avoid the ones from local stores such as Autozone, Oreilly's etc.. Don't be duped by their lifetime warranty unless you enjoy swapping failing radiators often. The OEM has gotten you this far to 235k miles. Like stated above, take it to a local shop versus the dealer. Better yet, there's no reason why you can't tackle this job yourself with basic hand tools.
https://www.yotatech.com/how-tos/a/toyota-tacoma-how-to-replace-radiator-416144

 

Update! It’s the radiator. 460 with OEM

 

Again..thank y’all very much. You guys information was very much appreciated!!!

 

Thank you for the finale to the thread. So many times questions get asked, advise offered, and *poof*, never heard from again as to the outcome.
Good job!

 

I love these forums. I’ve gotten so much help..especially when folks post pictures and results. Just hoping I can help someone else! This is the first time I couldn’t find a picture or something similar (that I understood) was my problem.

 

You can find a Denso radiator from rockauto for $130 before shipping.