Hi,
I own a 4wd super-extra, 1991 and the expansion tank needs refilling every 50-75kms.
We are in a hot climate (Zambia), can this account for such loss?
What should I look for to intentify the cause?
Thanks.
- (#13591) Chris Sparks, 3 Oct 04 01:38
Are there any external leaks? If not, it's likely to be a head gasket issue. Plenty of reading in the archives...
- (#13591) David Miller, 3 Oct 04 02:46
Hello David,
No leaks that i can see, engine done 55000kms, seems clean and good condition, oil is not gunky, performance ok. No strange smoke or smells. rad cap has some cracks in rubbers and gets build up of light brown stuff smelling and feeling a bit like putty.
Hoping for anything but head gasket as good mechanics here are a rare breed!
thanks
- (#13591) Chris Sparks, 3 Oct 04 03:10
Chris,
Get the system flushed, refill with 50/50 mix of antifreeze and get a new rad cap, and make sure you get a Toyota one.
Antifreeze in Zambia? Yes I know but it does raise the boiling point of the coolant, as well as adding lubrication to the water pump.
Clive in damp wet Bristol mutter mutter......
- (#13591) Clive (Bristol, UK), 3 Oct 04 03:25
Thanks for advice Clive, as you suspect it is hot and sunny here, but at least you're near the sea heh?
Will flush etc, cheers again
Chris
- (#13591) Chris Sparks, 3 Oct 04 03:35
hi,
i'm from the philippines. i own a 92 lite ace. i just
had my ace undergo repairs like: replaced hoses,water pump, new radiator and caps. it looses coolant whenever i travel, say, 100 kms. i have to stop and top it off with coolant because the temp rises to 1/2. i cant find any leaks. the reservoir just fills and doesnt draw back the coolant. engine runs perfect and i think head gasket is no issue. i already tried draining to remove bubbles. still had the same problem.
thanks in advance!
- (#13591) boogie, 4 Oct 04 21:48
Boogie,
Check the pipe inside the expansion tank, it may just be collapsing in itself as it tries to suck back.
Both of you could try to get a mason alarm see Ace answers.
- (#13591) Clive (Bristol), 5 Oct 04 01:43
Just to update on this problem as looking around, a lot of people get such problems.
I was beginning to panic about h/g yet it just didn't seem right in such a low km toyota engine, but lots of looking revealed no clues to a leak and rad cap made no difference.
Wierdly one day we came to the car after visiting the bank and a river of coolant was starting from the engine and flowing down the road. This meant I was able to locate the problem as a leak from the vertical radiator, n/s top. Putting a hand over the top after removing the foam revealed this as the grill was crumbly and deposits were left on my hand. The toyota dealers confirmed, but I took the car home for the weekend and took it back monday and in the meantime no sign of a leak again after 100km or so. It happened only once and was otherwise undetectable. This might be a common fault so i thought it worth posting to give others an idea of where to check and comfort that untraceable coolant loss doesn't lead inevitably to h/g jobby.
Having said that its early days after the repair, and this is africa, so anything could happen!
- (#13591) Chris Sparks, 12 Oct 04 11:13
thanks for the advice Clive. i checked the pipe and i guess its not it because its a thick one. i checked my engine again and found out that there was no thermostat. whats the effect of having no thermostat?
if i go fast, the temp is 1/4 . when im stuck in traffic, the temp goes 3/4. does having no thermostat
exert pressure to the point that the rad cap opens and
drains to the reservoir when at cruising speed? i tried
topping up at a gas station and drained the reservoir then drove at cruising speed while monitoring the temp. it was steady at 1/4. after nearly cruising for 2 hrs, the temp then rose to just below 3/4. i then stopped to check the reservoir only to see that it was full. any comment will be appreciated. thanks
- (#13591) Boogie, 3 Nov 04 02:02
No stat can lead to overheating. No stat to restrict the flow can mean the speed the coolant passes through the rad does not allow it to cool, and so you end up with super heated coolant!
Also warm up time will be longer and this can increase engine wear.
- (#13591) Clive (Bristol), 3 Nov 04 04:22