Maintenance...Water Pump, T-Stat, Oil Cooler, Flush Engine/Radiator, now head-gasket blown :( (1 Viewer)

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Thought I'd do a little maintenance on the Cruiser while everything is shut down....like so many others are doing. I haven't checked or changed out my T-Stat in 5-6 years...so thought I'd do that. Found some deteriorating rubber on one of the seals.

Also, was curious what the impeller might look like on my 23 yr. old Water Pump with 316K miles on it. It wasn't leaking and still turned smoothly, but figured I'd replace it anyway. It was remarkably clean and still usable...but I will replace it anyway.

I am also going to remove the Oil Cooler and clean it up internally. I haven't removed it yet...but I am expecting to see a little grunge there.

I am so thankful I don't live in the 'rust belt'...since removing studs, bolts, nuts isn't a concern. A little penetrating oil and they come right off. Then just lightly brush them and put them back on (those that are not one time use).

Got to get back out there and get after it. Might post pics of the Oil Cooler later if there is anything interesting to show. I have all new internals and seals for it.
Tstat1.jpg
Tstat2.jpg
EXH studs and nuts.jpg
23 WP.jpg
Clean.jpg
 
@flintknapper At 275k, I recently replaced my water pump, tstat, fan clutch (10k toyota fluid), and all hoses. Like you, my water pump did not need replacing. It worked fine I think and made very little noise/vibration when turning, but still very functional. I'm keeping it as a spare (along with my Eaton fan clutch).
 
Well........I'll be damned. Got everything done, took me all afternoon. (New Water Pump, Cleaned and rebuilt Oil Cooler, New T-stat) Flushed radiator and engine. Refilled and got white smoke out of the tailpipe, engine overheating, Upper radiator hose hot, bottom ones not. Pulled T-stat, same thing, no heat from heaters. Bubbles in radiator.

Flushing must have finished off my headgasket (original HG, 23 yrs. old 316K miles). Crap.....!
 
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Oil cooler looked good though, not all grungy... like I thought it might be.

Water Pump New.jpg
OC1.jpg
OC2.jpg
OC3.jpg
OC4.jpg


Continued next post:
 
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Anyone happen to know the part # for a complete engine gasket set for a '97? I have oil leaks I need to deal with also. Don't know if I'll pull the engine right now or just do the head and head gasket, button it up and pull the engine later when its more convenient.

Was getting ready to do some work on the Wife's LX470 and it's right in the middle of Tax Season (her busiest time of the year), so I need to fix mine first before doing Her's (steering gear, wheel bearings, ball joints, TRE's and all bushings).

Edit: Engine kit? 04111-66036
 
Anyone happen to know the part # for a complete engine gasket set for a '97? I have oil leaks I need to deal with also. Don't know if I'll pull the engine right now or just do the head and head gasket, button it up and pull the engine later when its more convenient.

Was getting ready to do some work on the Wife's LX470 and it's right in the middle of Tax Season (her busiest time of the year), so I need to fix mine first before doing Her's (steering gear, wheel bearings, ball joints, TRE's and all bushings).

Edit: Engine kit? 04111-66036
Wit's End sell.a complete kit.
 
Anyone happen to know the part # for a complete engine gasket set for a '97? I have oil leaks I need to deal with also. Don't know if I'll pull the engine right now or just do the head and head gasket, button it up and pull the engine later when its more convenient.

Was getting ready to do some work on the Wife's LX470 and it's right in the middle of Tax Season (her busiest time of the year), so I need to fix mine first before doing Her's (steering gear, wheel bearings, ball joints, TRE's and all bushings).

Edit: Engine kit? 04111-66036
I just finished a head gasket on my LC. A few people told me to pull the engine and I contemplated it not knowing better. After having completed my head gasket I have no idea why anyone would pull the engine to do a head gasket. I have recently pulled the motor out of an LC and have replaced my head gasket on my LC so I have experience in both. Unless you want to completely rebuild the motor, don't pull the engine. Head gasket is a time consuming job but not hard, just follow Otramm's video. I bought my head gasket kit from Cruiser Outfitters and it was about $300. Did a lot of "while I'm in there" repairs as well. Anyone who tells you to pull the engine to do a head gasket is someone that has never needed to do just a head gasket repair and not a reliable source. No disrespect to anyone on this forum that has pulled the engine to do a head gasket but it is 100% not necessary. Yes it is easier to repair the head gasket with the engine removed, but that is a stupid argument in my opinion. Coming from a normal guy that is not nearly an expert in LCs as most are on this forum, I repaired my head gasket with no problem with it in the engine bay. Don't pull the engine unless you need to rebuild the whole thing. Trust me.
 
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I am in the middle of a head gasket right now. A few people told me to pull the engine and I contemplated it. I have no idea why anyone would pull the engine to do a head gasket. after having done it now. I have recently pulled the motor out of an LC and am now doing my own head gasket so I have experience in both. Unless you want to completely rebuild the motor, don't pull the engine. Head gasket is a time consuming job but not hard, just follow Otramm's video. I bought my head gasket kit from Cruiser Outfitters and it was about $300. Did a lot of "while I'm in there repairs as well.

I had been planning on pulling the engine and going through it at some future point anyway...as I have a lot of oil leaks. Perhaps a full engine rebuild depending on what it looks like. I've owned it since it was 3 years old and have done all the maintenance and repairs on it. So....I don't think it will be that bad. I am retired and don't drive it a lot anyway.

I was thinking about having the head rebuilt, re-ring it, do rod and crank bearings at a minimum, fix all the oil leaks and address any other 'while your in there things' (hoses, etc). But that is a project I wanted to put off until later this year.

To that end...I am thinking about just replacing the head gasket and head bolts (and any associated gaskets) buttoning it back up so I can move on to doing the things I want to do on the LX470 and then pull the engine on the 80 series later and go through it.

I know its a lot of work....just to have to go back in there later, but time wise...this happened at a really bad time. Might be easier to swap in a lower mileage engine and rebuild mine as I have time. I just have so many things to do around the ranch this time of year. Oh...well, I'll figure it out.
 
That sucks. No real advise, but kudos to your maintenance 👍 The coolant system is remarkably clean.
 
Anyone happen to know the part # for a complete engine gasket set for a '97? I have oil leaks I need to deal with also. Don't know if I'll pull the engine right now or just do the head and head gasket, button it up and pull the engine later when its more convenient.

Was getting ready to do some work on the Wife's LX470 and it's right in the middle of Tax Season (her busiest time of the year), so I need to fix mine first before doing Her's (steering gear, wheel bearings, ball joints, TRE's and all bushings).

Edit: Engine kit? 04111-66036

Yes, but there are other gaskets/seals etc that you need that are not included in the engine gasket kit. Make sure to get all of those as well.
 
Yes, but there are other gaskets/seals etc that you need that are not included in the engine gasket kit. Make sure to get all of those as well.

I remember you saying that in a thread a few years back. I can search that out and find it. Thank You for reminding me, appreciate it.
 
No worries. Good luck. 1FZ-FE HG is a rite of passage these days.

Agreed. And given the age of mine and the fact that I've somewhat beat the odds (original HG at 316K miles) it is to be expected.

Thanks for everyone's input and help.

Flint.
 
I am in the middle of resealing a 1FZ-FE and this is a list of gaskets and seals for the engine. Quantity is in the right column.

04111-66036 GASKET KIT, ENGINE OVERHAUL - 1
15785-6010 GASKET, OIL COOLER - 3
16119-66020 GASKET, THERMOSTAT HOUSING - 1
00295-00103 FIPG, OIL PAN - 1
90430-27001 GASKET - 1
90430-27005 GASKET - 1
 
Just for fun....I restarted the engine this morning to have a better look at it and had NO white vapor from the tailpipe, what the heck? I thought that odd..since it DEFINITELY DID last night.

Also the temperature only slowly rose and had not many bubbles from the radiator, no more than you would expect from the system burping itself. So...I was thinking maybe, just maybe the engine had an air lock. I let it idle for about 15 minutes and the coolant temp never got above 180° F. BUT...as I was standing there watching it... I heard a slight ticking sound start coming from the lower end. OH NO..........!

Shut the engine down and pulled the oil dipstick. Oil looked very runny and not the right color (just changed oil a week ago).

So I drained the oil pan and pulled the oil filter. Not sure why or how the coolant has taken a 'new' path...but it has. Definitely getting into the oil now.

 
You seem pretty on top of things so have probably thought of this but is possible that something is off with the oil cooler and not the headgasket? I may be losing track of symptoms here but I wouldn't jump into a HG job until you confirm it's needed given that you have many reasons to wait on the job until you can pull the engine for other work.

I'd borescope the cylinders to look for steam cleaning as one part of the investigation. Blackstone oil analysis, checking out the oil cooler, etc. could also be worth doing before you jump into the HG job. Nothing wrong with ordering parts as you'll need them at some point it sounds like but maybe there's a way to get the truck going more quickly so that you can do the HG job on your own schedule, not the trucks.

Edit: didn't watch your vid until after I posted this. Blackstone analysis not needed! ;)
 
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You seem pretty on top of things so have probably thought of this but is possible that something is off with the oil cooler and not the headgasket? I may be losing track of symptoms here but I wouldn't jump into a HG job until you confirm it's needed given that you have many reasons to wait on the job until you can pull the engine for other work.

I'd borescope the cylinders to look for steam cleaning as one part of the investigation. Blackstone oil analysis, checking out the oil cooler, etc. could also be worth doing before you jump into the HG job. Nothing wrong with ordering parts as you'll need them at some point it sounds like but maybe there's a way to get the truck going more quickly so that you can do the HG job on your own schedule, not the trucks.

I'm going to pull the spark plugs tomorrow, if any look suspect I will borescope the cylinders, I have a borescope.

The oil cooler did occur to me...but I'm having a hard time seeing it as the issue. It could certainly cause oil and coolant to mix but I don't have oil in my coolant, just coolant in my oil. The design of the oil cooler is quite simple and parts very robust. Mine was very clean (NO corrosion of the cooler, housing or block). I used all new gaskets and the only internal moving part are a spring and a plug.

My best 'guess' is that my head-gasket was about to fail and flushing the system pushed it over the edge. Probably a failure between a water jacket and an oil passage. The coolant being the higher pressure at idle is most likely finding it's way into the oil system. That's my WAG for now.

But I won't pull the head without first looking at all possibilities a bit further. Don't see the oil cooler being the issue, but I am happy to be corrected.
 
@flintknapper seems like sound analysis from my understanding, for the limited value that endorsement may have :)

The lack of consistent smoke/steam from the tailpipe does seem to point to failure between coolant/oil passages vs into a cylinder. I was hoping you had possibly broken an oil cooler gasket during install or something like that which could allow getting back up and running more quickly. The HG job isn't too bad though, especially if you don't get into all of the "while you are in there" stuff since you may follow up with an engine pull in the foreseeable future.

Good luck finding the problem and getting the water and oil sorted back out!
 
@flintknapper seems like sound analysis from my understanding, for the limited value that endorsement may have :)

The lack of consistent smoke/steam from the tailpipe does seem to point to failure between coolant/oil passages vs into a cylinder. I was hoping you had possibly broken an oil cooler gasket during install or something like that which could allow getting back up and running more quickly. The HG job isn't too bad though, especially if you don't get into all of the "while you are in there" stuff since you may follow up with an engine pull in the foreseeable future.

Good luck finding the problem and getting the water and oil sorted back out!

Thank You Sir....

Appreciate the support and ideas.
 

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