Where the #*@! is My Coolant Going??

I'm surprised to hear it even has cam bearings.....I guess because of being a truck engine. I was always under the impression that when using a belt the tension wasn't high enough to need them.

If it's the original radiator, it's good insurance anyway. Don't sweat that.

 

It has cam bearings on the front of the passenger side intake cam where the tension side of the chain connects, but nowhere else I'm pretty sure (would have to double check, they blend in with the aluminum). I also wonder if those timing stepper motors cause more wear there too.

Edit: I was thinking that having 4 cams and 24 valves would put a lot of stress there. This makes me feel better about the bearing. If the rods or mains looked like that one, I would be worried.

 

Cam bearing is to cover the access opening to that front head bolt, or stud

 

I understand that, but HUGE difference between normal few drops and steady stream creating a puddle in under 5 minutes. Ive seen the drip from brand new, then bad head gasket, then new head gasket, then failed head gasket replacement.

 

id replace guides also for the smaller chans, $100 for piece of mind.

 

Hell, I forgot they even went to a chain for the 4.0, ha, no telling how many times I've told my boss he was gonna have a busted belt one of these days. Now I can rag him about gaskets.
Water off a ducks back though, he just doesn't worry.

btw: I looked at his mileage yesterday, 438K.......your truck will live a long time after this. He said he's had a driveshaft, clutch and the hydraulics and everything else has been tune-up related....oh and front wheel bearings.....pretty good record for a first year rev.

 

besides the head gasket issue, only manditory parts ive replaced has been, all 4 wheel bearings ( one went out so changed all four), carrier bearing (it died), and i change u-joints every year or 2 for good measure. Front brakes, I had to change 1 caliper, pads 3-4 times, rear shoes still original. So all and all considering the HELL my truck has been through, its been great! Just the head gasket thing and the outside air cowling design flaws really piss me off. The rear leafs were failing, they did replace those, did a great job! I bought it new, paid cost for it, ZERO markup, $21,300 for Quad Cab Prerunner TRD Sport Package #2, and have spent at least $20,000 in just mods, LOL! Other, expences, like excessive changing of fluids and what have you (extra expences I probably didnt need) are on me, I dont count that as extra cost of ownership.. End result... I love my Tacoma and one of us will kick the bucket first before she is ever sold! LOL!

 

I know I'll get shit on for this, but GM makes pills that you crush up and put in your coolant. I used them on a 2.4l z24 engine that was notorious for head gasket failure. I ran that car for 14 years and 350k without a single engine issue. I believe that the pill in the coolant system would prevent a leak in its infancy. That and letting an engine warm up thoroughly helps. (Remote start)

 

*just in case no one gives you shit

 

Thanks. Appreciate it

 

BTW, first time my head gaskey failed, it passed dealer compression test. I told them to replace head gaskets, they said I did not need it. I insisted, I paid for it, guess what, when they took it apart... head gasket was bad!

 

Aren't those just a form of concentrated Bars Leak?

 

They used to be made from walnut shells, but I don't know if that is still the case.

 

concentrated bullshit GM made to reduce lawsuits and replacement engines

 

Well by the sounds of this thread maybe Toyota should take notes. brand loyalty makes me laugh. I had a plastic fitting on my motor that was the cause of a leak, I couldn't tell where it was coming from. I tried bar leaks, Preston leak stop crap, they didn't work worth a shit. put my car on "the pill" and it solved the problem until someone knowledgeable about my specific motor knew what was the likely culprit.

Like I said I judge products by first hand experience, not hype or blind following, and I think the gm pill is added assurance against a head gasket failure.
Flame away

 

your comment about brand loyalty if you are trying to slam toyota makes me laugh

toyota makes the most reliable,
and 'least costly to maintain for the life of the vehicle'
vehicles across the board, worldwide. hands down, end of story.

you will always get defects somewhere, there are millions of parts...
things breaking that should never break, but when you
add it all up Toyota is in a whole different higher league than the
other makers, period.

so, whatever.

I don't have 'brand loyalty', I am loyal to whatever maker has shit that doesn't have endless stupid problems
and toyota is that maker


what skews a lot of peoples minds is a forum like this

a) only a very small percentage of toyota owners are members.
like 1% if that. the other 99% toyota owners don't post on toyota forums, ever.

b) of the people who do post here, it is about 10% about problems of
some type, so it only appears that 'Toyota has a ton of issues' but if you
take off the 'forum goggles' and look at the big global picture, toyota wins reliability irrefutably

 

Not slamming Toyota, was responding to your comment that was slamming GM. With your last comment I further solidify my opinion.

I am not slamming Toyota, so you can stop laughing.....

I have 2 toyota's and just sold my 2004 Tacoma. Both Tacoma's I've owned have had more issues than the gm's I've owned. Not to start a war here, as I know some of you are very touchy when it comes to someone even suggesting the all mighty Toyota brand isn't all it's cracked up to be, but Toyota isn't what it use to be. Same goes for Honda and other manufacturers running on their rich history of QDR.

All manufacturers have, as you put it, "endless stupid problems" want to list a major one, cough....frame...cough. Only been since 1996......

Yes they make great products, but suggesting domestic brands, such as GM, is total garbage makes me laugh.

Have a nice life

 

A few observations.

We've done quite a few head gaskets on 03-05 4Runners/Tacomas with the 4.0. There has been a part number change for the gaskets which usually indicates a design/material change.

They all like to leak at the tiny cooling port in-between the cylinder walls.

Have yet to see a warped cylinder head or block.

We found it easier to pull the engine out and do the work on a stand then struggling to do it in the vehicle. After doing an initial torque down, Toyota calls to tighten the head bolts an extra 180*. To do this in the vehicle SUCKS. It has to be exact as if you go past that 180*, you have to remove the cylinder head, replace the gasket and do it again. The gaskets are multi layered steel and rely on proper torque to seal correctly.

In addition to the cylinder heads, the front timing cover is much easier to clean and reinstall when its directly in front of you. Making sure it's sealed correctly is important as if it leaks oil, it's a major job to tear it back down and correct it.

Actually got one in the shop now - also a member on these forums.

 

How much cheaper would you estimate it would be if you didn't have to pay labour to remove the engine from the truck? Just asking as my engine will be out during frame replacement, and depending on cost I might have it done then as my engine has 130k roughly.
Thanks

 

Also, additives are nothing more then band-aids and often times cause more issues in the future. Radiator/Head gasket stop leaks are designed to build up and clog small passage ways over time.

I wouldn't use GM as any sort of example going off their spectacular track record lol.