60 owner with a 4runner question (1 Viewer)

[John Staton]

Not sure if any of you have posted outside of the 60 section, but way less activity with the 4th gen 4Runner guys. Not sure why...maybe less problems. I thought I would throw my question in here for some feedback. Puchased an 03 4Runner and it was well maintained, timing belt recently changed, runs great, shifts great, etc.. Had drove it for over a week and even had a longer trip between Austin and Houston....no problems. Then the starter was acting up so had it replaced. No time to took it to my mechanic and he swapped it. When I picked it up and went about 12 miles down the road I noticed a bit of smoke so checked under the hood and there was transmission fluid dripping from the dipstick. When I unlatched the stick and started to pull it out is started squirting out as if under pressure. Have never seen this. The shop never messed with anything below the intake manifold (to change the starter) and never added any fluids. Any idea what would cause that? first thought was maybe a breather of sort was plugged causing the pressure...any ideas.

 

[SteveH]

At least you have a dipstick....

I would park the truck, let it cool, and then start it and check the ATF level, color, and condition. If water gets in ATF, it can boil and cause it to blow out. There should be a vent in the transmission and I suppose it could be plugged. Hard to say what caused this until you carefully review what's in the transmission. Might be worth changing the trans fluid, if you never have.

 

[BlackCat]

An 03 would be a 4th gen and does not have a timing belt unless it’s a 2UZ V8. A 3rd gen 5VZ has a belt though but wasn’t available in 03. Regardless, if it is in fact a 3rd gen, google pink milkshake. It happens on 3rd gen’s when the trans cooler inside the radiator fails allowing coolant to enter and overfill the transmission.
4th gen’s don’t typically get pink milkshake but I guess it’s possible. Last year of the 3rd gen was 02.

 

[John Staton]

An 03 would be a 4th gen and does not have a timing belt unless it’s a 2UZ V8. A 3rd gen 5VZ has a belt though but wasn’t available in 03. Regardless, if it is in fact a 3rd gen, google pink milkshake. It happens on 3rd gen’s when the trans cooler inside the radiator fails allowing coolant to enter and overfill the transmission.
4th gen’s don’t typically get pink milkshake but I guess it’s possible. Last year of the 3rd gen was 02.

Thanks....it is the V8. No milkshake, just dark red fluid

 

[BlackCat]

Thanks....it is the V8. No milkshake, just dark red fluid

Then yeah, other than verifying the level is correct, I’d suspect the breather is clogged.

 

[Gimme a 60]

Yea I am a new 4Runner owner too.
This vehicle is defiantly a better daily driver, but no where near exciting.

I suspect the trans cooler.

 

[John Staton]

Someone overfilled the fluid. I bought the truck and drove it from Austin to Houston and then made that trip again before the problem showed up. That was the reason I never considered that as a problem. Still a mystery why it waited a couple of weeks to become a problem. Anyway, thanks for the feedback. Again, not a lot of talk on the 4Runner forum...but can always count on some type of feedback from the 60 crowd.

 

[BlackCat]

Someone overfilled the fluid. I bought the truck and drove it from Austin to Houston and then made that trip again before the problem showed up. That was the reason I never considered that as a problem. Still a mystery why it waited a couple of weeks to become a problem. Anyway, thanks for the feedback. Again, not a lot of talk on the 4Runner forum...but can always count on some type of feedback from the 60 crowd.

kind of odd since an 03 has a dipstick. Either way, glad it was a relatively easy fix.