Greetings,
I am new to Toyota ownership (1988 4x4 pickup, 22RE), but I've had my truck for over a year now with no complaints. I've noticed recently that I have small puddles of coolant forming underneath my skid plate. The presence of the skid plate actually makes it difficult to determine where the leak is coming from (the bolts are stripped and would probably need to be cut off, but I can't do anything like that in my apartment complex), but I can see drops of water/coolant forming at the joint of the bottom hose and the radiator. I would be comfortable replacing the hose or even the radiator, but I realize that the trouble may be with the water pump and I have no idea how to diagnose that problem. What are some common symptoms of water pump problems?
For as long as I've had the truck, it seems to have run very cool (according to the temperature on the dash). The thing never seemed to heat up so, at first, I assumed the thermostat was broken. I drove it through the CA desert and the needle started to move from cool to warm, so I figured that the thermostat was fine but the engine was just freakishly cool. I'm planning a long drive (camping and off-road driving included), but I don't want to put my engine at risk.
The reason I suspect that something is wrong is this: I notice a small puddle of coolant under my skid plate any time I leave my truck sitting for an extended period of time, but the coolant level in the reservoir stays the same. I have noticed that the level in the radiator is slowly receding, but I suspect that coolant from the reservoir isn't making it into the radiator. It might just be in my head, but it seems like the engine is staying warmer for longer periods after I stop driving. I usually check the coolant levels an hour or so after I stop driving, but now the radiator cap and engine bay seem warmer (so I have to wait longer).
I apologize for the novel, but I wanted to give the backstory. What symptoms should I look for if I suspect that my water pump isn't working properly?
I am new to Toyota ownership (1988 4x4 pickup, 22RE), but I've had my truck for over a year now with no complaints. I've noticed recently that I have small puddles of coolant forming underneath my skid plate. The presence of the skid plate actually makes it difficult to determine where the leak is coming from (the bolts are stripped and would probably need to be cut off, but I can't do anything like that in my apartment complex), but I can see drops of water/coolant forming at the joint of the bottom hose and the radiator. I would be comfortable replacing the hose or even the radiator, but I realize that the trouble may be with the water pump and I have no idea how to diagnose that problem. What are some common symptoms of water pump problems?
For as long as I've had the truck, it seems to have run very cool (according to the temperature on the dash). The thing never seemed to heat up so, at first, I assumed the thermostat was broken. I drove it through the CA desert and the needle started to move from cool to warm, so I figured that the thermostat was fine but the engine was just freakishly cool. I'm planning a long drive (camping and off-road driving included), but I don't want to put my engine at risk.
The reason I suspect that something is wrong is this: I notice a small puddle of coolant under my skid plate any time I leave my truck sitting for an extended period of time, but the coolant level in the reservoir stays the same. I have noticed that the level in the radiator is slowly receding, but I suspect that coolant from the reservoir isn't making it into the radiator. It might just be in my head, but it seems like the engine is staying warmer for longer periods after I stop driving. I usually check the coolant levels an hour or so after I stop driving, but now the radiator cap and engine bay seem warmer (so I have to wait longer).
I apologize for the novel, but I wanted to give the backstory. What symptoms should I look for if I suspect that my water pump isn't working properly?
