Coolant leak need help ID part and fix

Looks like it needs a radiator.

 

Looks like either the radiator or the hose clamp. My money is on the radiator, probably along the seam. Turn engine off after it warms up and check if you can hear or see coolant bubbling out. Thees tension clamps can lose tension, leading to a leak. But if that were the case. I think there would be more dried coolant on the hose.

 

That's the transmission cooler hose, the coolant appears to be coming around where the cooler port enters the radiator or the radiator is cracked in that area. Either way it needs a radiator.

 

Ah shit, you’re right. That makes the repair a little more urgent as a crack could exist into the ATF tank. OP may want to check the ATF fluid for cross contamination.

 

sorry if this is a stupid question but what’s my best way to go about checking that? Not a mechanic by any means but also not a complete idiot, 800 miles away from home visiting family right now so want to get this taken care of asap

 

The easiest way is when you remove the ATF transmission lines. The ATF inside the tank will trickle out. Not much will come out, so you want to be ready and collect as much as possible to analyze. The ATF fluid should be reddish if under 30K miles. Brownish with various degrees of red tint in the 30k-70k range. Dark brownish beyond. Coolant present in ATF will have various degrees of a milky look, depending on level of contamination.

 

On the side of caution, you can do an ATF flush after replacing the radiator. Not a bad thing if it hasn't been done in past 50K miles. Toyota recommends a flush every 60K if you tow, off-road, etc…

Note that contamination goes both ways. ATF will also get into the coolant. So if coolant looks nice and red/pink, you may not have an internal rupture.

 

Coolant is still color as it went in atleast in reservoir and haven’t been leaking much, there’s a local rad shop down the road I’m going to take it too in the morning, would love to do it all myself but got an 800 mile drive home in two days so time is unfortunately of the essence and don’t know if I want to risk that drive with the info I’ve been given without having someone take a proper look. Thank you for all the advice

 

radiator is generally a 100k mile item.

the hoses look old.

the end tanks are plastic. With age and what it’s exposed to, it won’t last forever.
Last original Toyota radiator I replaced from that happening was 140k.

 

My radiator was still good when I replaced it at 200K as preventive maintenance - same with daughter’s 06 Camry. The radiator in wife’s 07 Lexus ES350 ruptured at about 70K, just past the warranty period. You just never know when one will go. Generally speaking, Toyotas have been pretty good.

 

Got any write up on replacing hoses and the lot? Unfortunately being out of town going to be at the mercy of rad shop for radiator but when I get home would like to further the preventative maintenance

 

Yeah it all seemed good before my trip haven’t been leaking and fluid didn’t notice that hose at All but was just tinkering around in the hood today and noticed it, put a real damper in my day but going to take it to a rad shop tomorrow and hopefully not get done in too bad

 

Those ATF hoses look good to me, they are just a little dirty from road grime and stuff. I wouldn't worry about them as long as they stay rubbery and don't have any cracks/rips. I went ahead and replaced mine when I upgraded my ATF cooler. That was at about 180K. The hoses had started to harden a bit in the middle, the section exposed to the ground. The radiator hoses I always replace by 150K, along with the thermostat and serpentine belt.

 

The ATF isn't in the tank, it's in a metal pipe inside the tank. Don't worry about contamination, just replace the radiator

I just did one on a 4runner last week, didn't even have to take the fan off. Just move the shroud toward the engine and pull the rad out. Easy peasy..

 

id like to throw a shiny new condenser and radiator in there
Brand new metal. No removal for soaking, spraying, cleaning, etc. especially if I happen to work at a shop at the time with access to a $5k AC machine as free to use.

the only drawback that makes me question doing this is folks saying supposedly the original radiator in this truck back in the day was made as better quality than what is being made today.

was looking at a regular plastic end tank CSF around $100 from RockAuto; not the $400+ full metal options
Would probably do hoses too if doing that.

worst scenario I can think of is something going wrong on black bear pass.
-long drive to get there
-long drive to get home
-kind of in the middle of nowhere
-the trail is long, one way up and one way down, uneven ground, narrow to where you’re not really not turning around

that would the worst place for a part on the truck to call it quits such as a radiator springing a leak

I know whistlindiesel did that on purpose with a Hilux on Moab, but that was a diesel with iron block that can absorb more heat than aluminum can and was basically chosen to be demolished from the start (the durability test video). The part where he busted the radiator and it kept going.

 

Koyo and CSF can be a little too cheap. Denso has always fit right and been good quality..

 

Thanks man, found a local shop that’s reputable to do it pretty cheap so I could enjoy my last day visiting family and not spend part of the day fixing the truck, if I was home would love to do it myself but being 800 miles away and having to head back tomorrow needed to make sure I could get it done quick and right. Hoping to do the next one myself and might look into replacing some of the hoses when I get back just as a peace of mind

 

Also any recommendations on an upgrade for radiator? Not sure what rad shop is going to give me but know it’s not going to be denso probably

 

Posts like this make me want to run out to my truck and look at my radiator. lol