I’m at the beach, 3 hours from home. Noticed coolant leaking under the car. Can you tell what this might be?
Coolant leak…how concerning does this look? (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter dstewart3ss
- Start date
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That looks like freon, check the condenser for rock damage. The images are good but hard to tell what's going on here.
If you have green coolant and you know this is coolant by the smell, check the rad and rad hoses for leaks. If not there, this could be the water pump weep hole. It's a sign of water pump going, but doesn't mean the pump isn't working.
If it were me, I'd grab a few gallons of distilled water at the grocery store and drive it on surface streets keeping a very close eye on engine temp. At any sign of temps increasing, pull over and let it cool down completely. Top up coolant with water and continue.
If you have green coolant and you know this is coolant by the smell, check the rad and rad hoses for leaks. If not there, this could be the water pump weep hole. It's a sign of water pump going, but doesn't mean the pump isn't working.
If it were me, I'd grab a few gallons of distilled water at the grocery store and drive it on surface streets keeping a very close eye on engine temp. At any sign of temps increasing, pull over and let it cool down completely. Top up coolant with water and continue.
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- Thread starter
- #3
Great feedback, I appreciate it. I have red coolant in the radiator. The water pump was replaced with timing belt about 15k miles ago by the dealer I bought it from. Here’s a few pictures from underneath with red arrows - trying to point the highest points in the engine where I saw leaking. By the time it gets to the “bottom” of the engine, it’s dripping from several different places. Coolant level in the radiator appears to be down some from what it was last time I checked.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Look in the water pump weep hole. I’d also check the thermostat housing, oil cooler hoses, and and front bypass pipe gaskets.
I agree green is usually Freon as coolant should be red
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
See post #3. It’s clearly red coolant dripping down the front of the engine.
Yes see it now
- Thread starter
- #8
Here’s a few better pictures - first one pointing to the spots where it was dripping at it’s lowest point. Second is the general area where the coolant seems to be coming from. Third and forth are the main areas where it was wet and coolant was visible.
Lastly, it has been parked on a slope leaning to the left for the last few days. I’ve now had it parked on a flat surface for a few hours and the leak has appeared to stop - no dripping anywhere visible.
Lastly, it has been parked on a slope leaning to the left for the last few days. I’ve now had it parked on a flat surface for a few hours and the leak has appeared to stop - no dripping anywhere visible.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
First picture -> Check oil cooler and associated hoses.
Your pictures only tells us, it's from front of engine. We need to see where all possible leaks can be from front of engine. Open the hood and remove engine cover and look.
I see some dried coolant. Which indicates leak did not just start while at the beach.
I can't zoom well enough (low res) to tell for sure, in your pictures. But this hose clamp, may be in wrong position on hose. If this the case it or other clamps on coolant hose(s) connecting to oil cooler & pipe and their various connection points may also be in wrong position.
It very possible this or other clamps not put back in place, after service work.
This is VVT (06-07) engine, which has a little routing than non VVT (98-05).. But you'll get the idea, of the many coolant leak points
I see some dried coolant. Which indicates leak did not just start while at the beach.
I can't zoom well enough (low res) to tell for sure, in your pictures. But this hose clamp, may be in wrong position on hose. If this the case it or other clamps on coolant hose(s) connecting to oil cooler & pipe and their various connection points may also be in wrong position.
It very possible this or other clamps not put back in place, after service work.
This is VVT (06-07) engine, which has a little routing than non VVT (98-05).. But you'll get the idea, of the many coolant leak points
- Thread starter
- #11
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve got some more investigating to do once I get time. Since the day I originally posted last week, I haven’t seen any sign of coolant leaking. Drove it home 3 hours from the beach and around town this week…nothing. Does the fact that it was only leaking when parked on a side slope leaning the truck toward the left give any more clues as to what might be the problem?
If coolant only leaking (noticed) when parked leaning left. Doesn't tell much.
You must open the hood and look for signs. Toyota coolant leaves a pink/red trail. Since coolant seen bottom front of engine. Likely leak on engine. But we still need to look at radiator and its hoses. So also look up from below between radiators and from front through grill at radiator top area (plastic to metal fins).
You must open the hood and look for signs. Toyota coolant leaves a pink/red trail. Since coolant seen bottom front of engine. Likely leak on engine. But we still need to look at radiator and its hoses. So also look up from below between radiators and from front through grill at radiator top area (plastic to metal fins).
- Thread starter
- #14
Can’t see any signs of residue or active leak looking down from under the hood or through the grill. Last few days no leaks have reached the ground but I crawled underneath a few minutes ago and could see active coolant dripping down. Pictures below are of the highest point I can see “wet” looking straight up laying on my back.
I’m hoping to look into it further on Friday.
The hose with protect spiral plastic wrap, in first picture you posted above, in post #14. Is a coolant hose. Coolant passes through it from block to oil cooler. This hose rarely leaks, unless removed or disturbed.
If you've been parked "left of vehicle lower" and front of vehicle lower than rear. The leak may be from heater Tees. Typically we see the signs of Heater tee leak on bottom of bell housing. But that's when parked relatively level.
The 2 plastic Heater Tees, are circled at top of picture (between firewall and engine) The have 3 hoses each attached to them.
The worst (hardest to repair) leak is head gasket, which is hard to see. But with undershielding off and a flashlight, it's possible. These typically occur from overheating engine.
Some times head gasket leak is only seen from inner side (in valley, under the intake manifold). This leak, is rarely bad enough to make it anywhere visible, outside of engine valley. Due to moisture cooking off fast in the very hot area of the valley. So very unlikely this is leak your seeing. But we do get the sweet smell of coolant from these as we do from any coolant leak.
If you've been parked "left of vehicle lower" and front of vehicle lower than rear. The leak may be from heater Tees. Typically we see the signs of Heater tee leak on bottom of bell housing. But that's when parked relatively level.
The 2 plastic Heater Tees, are circled at top of picture (between firewall and engine) The have 3 hoses each attached to them.
The worst (hardest to repair) leak is head gasket, which is hard to see. But with undershielding off and a flashlight, it's possible. These typically occur from overheating engine.
Some times head gasket leak is only seen from inner side (in valley, under the intake manifold). This leak, is rarely bad enough to make it anywhere visible, outside of engine valley. Due to moisture cooking off fast in the very hot area of the valley. So very unlikely this is leak your seeing. But we do get the sweet smell of coolant from these as we do from any coolant leak.
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- Thread starter
- #17
Found the source of the problem. Water pump gasket is leaking. The idiots that replaced the water pump before I bought the truck in mid 2020 didn’t screw all of the bolts on tightly. And they used some garbage paper filter not an OEM gasket. Bolts are now tightened down.
So now I have the dilemma of leaving it alone and hoping the leak stops or remains minimal OR pay for all of the labor to replace the really cheap $ gasket. And my TB was replaced 15k miles ago so won’t need to touch that for awhile.
So now I have the dilemma of leaving it alone and hoping the leak stops or remains minimal OR pay for all of the labor to replace the really cheap $ gasket. And my TB was replaced 15k miles ago so won’t need to touch that for awhile.
shtbrwn86
SILVER Star
Didn't you say it was replaced 15k ago by the dealer you bought it from? Was it a Toyota/Lexus dealer? If it was some independent (sketchy) dealer did they do the work or did they send it to the dealer?
If it was a Toyota/Lexus dealer I'd go back and make them pull the WP and replace the gasket with an OEM gasket. If it was some independent mechanic then you probably won't get very far.
- Thread starter
- #19
so I’m leaking coolant again. I’m guessing it’s from the water pump and the gasket is too compromised to hold after tightening down the bolts. I took these pictures underneath. If the water pump is leaking, would I see coolant here??
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Remove the skid plates and look in the weep hole. Pooling at that part of the skid plate could be anything from the water pump to the lower radiator hose to the thermostat housing to a bypass pipe gasket to a heater hose/T.
