3B Coolant Leak - Diagnosis Confirmation Help.

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We-Cruz

We-Cruz

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Threads
11
Messages
174
Location
West Kelowna
My 82 BJ42 has recently starting leaving big puddles of coolant on the ground after running for a few minutes. I've crawled underneath the vehicule to try and find the source. The last area I can see goes to the backend of the waterpump housing? (It's wet as fair as I can reach with my finger) - Has to be the waterpump housing seal? Am I missing another possible source?

Arrow shows last area I can see.

Thanks for looking!!!

Leak1.webp
Leak1.webp
 
As much as I can guarantee anything, that definitely looks like a waterpump to me. Mine has the same drip pattern. It's just as often leaking out of the shaft as the gasket.

Last time I bought one, it was $140 from Toyota, with the metal gasket.

HTH,
Craig.
 
lumpy70 said:
As much as I can guarantee anything, that definitely looks like a waterpump to me. Mine has the same drip pattern. It's just as often leaking out of the shaft as the gasket.

Last time I bought one, it was $140 from Toyota, with the metal gasket.

HTH,
Craig.
Click to expand...

Thanks Lumpy

So when I pull it all apart - if it's wet by the shaft waterpump is most likely the culprit. I wasn't thinking waterpump as I though it would be leaking on the front side of the waterpump casing.
 
Take a close look at your thermostat housing not the top but the main body that bolts to the head as they are noted to leak. Mine had a hairline crack that only leaked as the engine sat in the shop stone cold for a couple of weeks while the suspension was being worked on. Does that make sense? What started as a couple of drips turned into a small steady leak down the side of the motor. This was not easy to see and could easily have been thought to be another location if not for the fact that the fan was not blowing it all over the place.
 
Waterpump Housing Off

Well I pulled the waterpump housing to check the gasket and it seems the gasket was likely the source. :eek: It's almost totally disappeared in some areas !!


Water1.webp


I spun the waterpump and pump spins very freely and feels very tight at the shaft - any other checks I should do on waterpump before re-assembly??? Ordering new gasket tommorow.

Thanks
Water1.webp
 
I have to chime in. My 3B is showing the same pattern of leaking from the water pump area. I have a spare, though I think I have the paper type gasket only. Incidentally I just put a freshly re-cored radiator in, and a new cap- perhaps the old leaky radiator was allowing the waterpump to go about its business under less pressure, and now the pump/gasket is showing its age.

I have another weird symptom though, perhaps someone can help me understand. My power steering intermittantly stops functioning. The steering will get stiff either turning right or left and stay like that for a few turns. After letting the truck sit it more or less recovers, but I am baffled as to why. The pump was rebuilt 15Kmiles ago and the reservoir has adequate fluid. Is there a connection between the failing water pump seal and my power steering?
 
lumpy70 said:
Make sure you get the metal gasket, not the paper one...MUCH better.
Click to expand...

When I called 4 Wheelauto - it wasn't a part they normally stock? They told they could track one down but that sounded like further delays. I figured the old one held for 25 years... So I'll take my chances with the "old regular style" - Hopefully I won't regret it ;).
 
Sykoslug said:
. Is there a connection between the failing water pump seal and my power steering?
Click to expand...

Not very likely unless you have some strange setup using "the same belt" for both the Waterpump & PS Pump. One pump would have to "load or fail" enough to temporarly stop the belt from spinning properly - creating belt squeal.

You should treat (:wrench:) each problem individually.

My $.02
 
We-Cruz said:
Not very likely unless you have some strange setup using "the same belt" for both the Waterpump & PS Pump. One pump would have to "load or fail" enough to temporarly stop the belt from spinning properly - creating belt squeal.

You should treat (:wrench:) each problem individually.

My $.02
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice! The water pump comes off this weekend, and the new one with METAL gasket goes on :)
:clap:
 
I wish someone would have said something about a metal gasket when I did mine, it's seeped a tiny bit from day one... not enough to matter, or even drip on the driveway, just enough to be fxxxin annoying
 
Any chance of posting a photo of this "metal gasket".

When I replaced my water pump I damaged my new gasket by using the wrong fitment technique and had to order a replacement all the way from Japan ........ So I know my gasket wasn't easy to obtain.

But far from being all-metal - as I recall it was essentially "flimsy paper stuff" except for around the one crucial port - and this was area was indeed metal. (Copper I think.)

Is this the type of gasket people are referring to as a "metal gasket"?

:cheers:

(By the way - mine doesn't leak)
 
.Sorry to hear that Eric.
I just finished my swap- new OEM pump, with Metal Gasket- Yes the entire gasket is 1MM thick metal, with rubber around the H2O inlet/outlet ports. Also threw in a new T-stat, the old one waited till 95 C to open, supposed to open at 88C... So now I will run a little cooler.:clap: So far no leaks, though I wish I had new belts handy, woulda been nice to swap those while I was in there.

I like jobs like this one, cause you end up improving/repairing other little bits along the way, like my alternator belt tensioning bolt/threads- which were stripped ;) nice.
 
The metal gasket "used" to come with the Toyota OEM waterpump, I'm not sure if it does anymore as I don't have a 3B engine anymore.

The OEM waterpump was one of the few things I actually bought from Toyota as it was virtually the same price as aftermarket and you got the metal gasket instead of the paper one.

Aside from being what I feel is a better seal, you can reuse it provided you don't kink it. If you don't have the right tools in your garage, or on the trail the paper one is a nightmare to remove as it sticks to everything once it's been wet.

I'd ask Toyota, or call a Canadian dealership if the US ones give you grief. I might be able to help facilitate one if someone were in desperate need.

Craig.
 
Where did you get it and how much?
 
AJAEbj42 said:
Where did you get it and how much?
Click to expand...

4 Wheel Auto ended up "selling" the gasket they said was in stock - So being good guys they "borrowed" a gasket that comes with the new Aisn waterpump. Not sure if they hadn't "borrowed" if I would have recieved the metal gasket or not? Price was $16 CDN

My new Aisn waterpump that arrived today also had the "metal gasket".

Took the truck for a short drive and leak seems to be fixed!!!
 
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