2004 Tacoma 3.4 Overheating After Extreme Cold Start

I have a 2004 Tacoma with a 3.4 v6 engine. It was -10 degrees this morning when I went to start the truck. It was a rough start but that is normal when it is this cold. After warming up, there is still a whining noise coming from the engine. I went to drive the truck, and the temp gauge started to rise so I went home and shut the truck off. I started it again about 30 minutes later and the whine was still there. I revved the engine for a couple minutes and the temp started to rise again. After doing this I noticed a tick as well. The engine temp never hit the red line during all of this. What do you think?

 

Did the water pump seize?

 

Not sure if the water pump seized. Would I see coolant leaking if that happened?
There is no coolant leaking that I can see

 

Water pump is hidden unfortunately, its under the timing cover.

The sound could be the belt rubbing against the seized pulley.

These are all things that are hard to diagnose in that cold of a temp. Needs to get into a warm shop.

 

Do you mean the timing belt or one of the outside belts?

 

How is the anti-freeze? If it turned to slush or froze the engine will run but not cool.

 

I let the engine warm up for 25 to 30 min before I drove it, I am pretty sure the coolant was fine

 

Ill bet the vanes on the pump are wiped out. When it dethaws take the radiator cap off and start her… there should be some movement of coolant, the level may drop slightly, even with the thermostat closed.

 

Even if there is no coolant leaking, could it still be the pump?

 

Yes

Is this the exact water pump for your truck, probably not but you get the idea of the vanes being wiped, or bent or?

https://parts.toyotaofnashua.com/oe...y-corolla-matrix-1610009170?c=az0x&origin=pla

 

Yeah that makes sense

 

At some point you are going to have to take the pump off to verify or to move on to the next thing…

 

On a different vehicle a dealership did a recall that involved changing coolant. Next winter I was starting after a cold soak at -31°C (-24°F). It started normally and I warmed it up for quite a while, until I noticed the temperature gauge didn't look normal (can't remember if it was too much or too little). I was traveling, so decided to take it to another shop like 5 minute drive away.

Shortly after departing and merging onto the highway, I see a puff of steam from under the hood and smell coolant! So, I pull over, call for a tow and start waiting.

What happened?

The shop that replaced the coolant didn't mix it properly. It only tested to about -10°C (14°F) freezing point. The lower radiator hose froze solid and didn't permit fluid circulation. Warming up the engine didn't heat things evenly enough to melt this frozen "plug", resulting in the overheat.

Fortunately no permanent damage was done.

I wouldn't have guessed that this was possible, but it most certainly is.