2013 LX coolant disappears (2 Viewers)

[TeCKis300]

Man, don't let this minor issue deter you to believe the 200-series is any less than the the enduring and storied nameplate that it is. Any complex machine will need maintenance and repair. It's a Toyota and a Land Cruiser. You bought it because it will outlast any of its competitive set.

Head gaskets are way blown out of proportion and not a systemic issue in the 3UZ-FE. Any reciprocating motor has the potential for headgasket issues and a few cases does not mean an inherent problem.

Run her hard and take care of her. She'll reward you with adventures of a lifetime and more importantly, get you home.

If you're not up for the job, drop her off at a shop. It's a 3.5 banana job but also a bit of a PITA because of access for a few bolts and the long reach over the engine bay which can be tough on the back.

@bloc makes a great suggestion that this isn't a required emergency repair by any means. It'll likely go thousands of miles leaking at a low rate. Do it on your terms when you're ready.

 

[linuxgod]

Call around about the valley plate repair. My local dealer was $1400. A big Toyota dealer probably sees a lot of these on tundras and knows they can knock it out quickly. They were done in about 8 hours. Keep the coolant topped off and you can take some time to find a shop that can do this reasonably priced, it doesn’t look like it’s leaking very fast.

FYI the J2Hundy gasket still uses sealant, just less of it

 

[LC CT]

Call around about the valley plate repair. My local dealer was $1400. A big Toyota dealer probably sees a lot of these on tundras and knows they can knock it out quickly. They were done in about 8 hours. Keep the coolant topped off and you can take some time to find a shop that can do this reasonably priced, it doesn’t look like it’s leaking very fast.

FYI the J2Hundy gasket still uses sealant, just less of it

Yea I’m getting quotes north of $2000 and most dealerships I called had no idea what I’m talking about. I’m located in CT. Prices here are insane with everything. Couple places told me it’s a 2-3 day job. Their lack of understanding didn’t make me feel all that well to have them do the work.

 

[gasman4u]

Blackstone analysis apparently has some guru's at the oil forum saying they're not as accurate as they should be. It's beyond my skill to explain why, but I've switched to "Wear check" oil analysis. They're based in NC, so for me their turnaround was a bit quicker comparatively. HTH.

 

[LC CT]

Blackstone analysis apparently has some guru's at the oil forum saying they're not as accurate as they should be. It's beyond my skill to explain why, but I've switched to "Wear check" oil analysis. They're based in NC, so for me their turnaround was a bit quicker comparatively. HTH.

Appreciate the info!

 

[aM200]

Just as a note, like @TeCKis300 and @bloc said, the valley plate leak is not something that needs to be addressed urgently. It's such a slow leak most of the time that you can nurse it along by just checking and topping up fluids periodically. A bottle of the Toyota coolant is like $40 and can last a long time with a slow leak.

I noticed mine had the valley plate leak over 2 years ago and I just keep an eye on it and add fluid as necessary. I've gone through 1 bottle of coolant in that time. It's on the list of things to fix eventually, but it's really low priority to me. The best analogy for the 3UZ-FE is to treat it like the old Jeep inline 6. It will basically always run, but will also leak a little along the way.

 

[LC CT]

Just as a note, like @TeCKis300 and @bloc said, the valley plate leak is not something that needs to be addressed urgently. It's such a slow leak most of the time that you can nurse it along by just checking and topping up fluids periodically. A bottle of the Toyota coolant is like $40 and can last a long time with a slow leak.

I noticed mine had the valley plate leak over 2 years ago and I just keep an eye on it and add fluid as necessary. I've gone through 1 bottle of coolant in that time. It's on the list of things to fix eventually, but it's really low priority to me. The best analogy for the 3UZ-FE is to treat it like the old Jeep inline 6. It will basically always run, but will also leak a little along the way.

Well that’s reassuring. I try and fix things asap as I’m a little nuts with stuff, sometimes it’s a good thing sometimes it drives me nuts lol

 

[gasman4u]

Well that’s reassuring. I try and fix things asap as I’m a little nuts with stuff, sometimes it’s a good thing sometimes it drives me nuts lol

This is the song of my tribe that lives in my head. I struggle with anything operating at less than pristine condition and have had to strive to accept that sometimes things will just work even though they're leaking, etc.

@aM200 has a solid point and others have also had to deal with this leak that seemingly comes to most if not all 200s.

 

[AcmeSys]

Piston crowns are not great, not terrible. I'd do some heavy techron treatments for a few tanks and an Italian tuneup just before the next oil change.

 

[LC CT]

Piston crowns are not great, not terrible. I'd do some heavy techron treatments for a few tanks and an Italian tuneup just before the next oil change.

Can you elaborate? I just don’t have the knowledge of what they should look like vs their current state. I’d love to learn more. I honestly don’t even know what I was looking for other than a shiny clean piston. I appreciate any insight

 

[AcmeSys]

Just looking at the carbon build up to be consistent across the jugs and not one that has been steam cleaned by a head gasket leak. The build up happens and PEA based detergents (techron or SI-1) will de-crud the intake valves and pistons without going invasive.

 

[LC CT]

Just looking at the carbon build up to be consistent across the jugs and not one that has been steam cleaned by a head gasket leak. The build up happens and PEA based detergents (techron or SI-1) will de-crud the intake valves and pistons without going invasive.

Thank you for the info