Cooling system problem 3fe (2 Viewers)

[sdbrassfield]

Water is more efficient at transferring heat...That does not mean that it does not boil faster without the coolant...It does. Antifreeze also has boil over additives...

Cooling systems are also run under pressure to raise the boiling temp of your mixture. Your rad cap may also be suspect. Two easy things to check.

My friends problem went away when he corrected the coolant mixture (by adding coolant instead of straight water). I have seen the boiling over problem first hand with dilute solutions of coolant/water.

 

[jonheld]

Testing your logic....I always thought that a system with more water compared to a system with more anti-freeze was better off in hot weather. I thought anti-freeze was just that, anti-freeze. Products like Water Wetter are what I thought did what you are saying coolant does.

On the Toyota red bottle, it's called coolant/antifreeze IIRC. A 50/50 mix gives the widest temperture range of protection, but when I get home I'll check the bottle again.

 

[jonheld]

The fan clutch has not been replaced yet and neither has the thermostat. The cap was replaced with a stant lever cap because it has made it easy to peek in the radiator with this ongoing problem.

OK. Get all OEM parts so you'll have a level playing field to start with. Again, a cracked head or headgasket leak would make itself known to you in short order. I seriously doubt you would have been able to make a 600 mile trip without issue.

How long ago was the rad replaced? Did the "loosing coolant" issue happen right after? Maybe there was a ton of air in the system that needed to work it's way out?

 

[sseaman]

It sounds like time to step back, take a deep breath and follow Jon and Curtis's advise. Remember most of the headgasket threads are not related to the 3fe. It is easy to get bogged done in those threads and start thinking that way. I did it also when i was losing coolant, and found i had a leak on one of the hoses.

Good Luck

 

[alkaline747trio]

On a 3FE you're probably not dealing with a crack or a blown gasket IF it in fact IS a head issue, but probably a warped head. I'm thinking you just need to baseline your system starting with the stuff that needs to be replaced anyways, then work towards bigger problems that may or maynot be present.

 

[91Cruizer]

The radiator was replaced about 4 months ago. The problem has been there before and since. The old radiator had leaks and was part of the problem but with the new radiator the problem has not totally gone away. Im glad to hear that I may not be dealing with a headgasket issue.

 

[alkaline747trio]

Hoses, gaskets, thermostat, clamps......any of those that are there and haven't been replaced are possible culprits. Start small and work up, normally the little things will do the trick.

 

[CJF]

A 50/50 mix gives the widest temperture range of protection

Not quite true.

The higher the coolant concentration, the higher the boiling point and the lower the freezing point.

So why not run 100% coolant?

Because as sdbrassfield said, water is (much) better at conducting/transfering heat. It's all a compromise.

 

[jonheld]

I'm gonna look what Mr Tojo says on the bottle. There was a chart on the bottle with temperature ranges, proper mix ratios, circles and arrows.

 

[CJF]

 

[Cruiser Jimmy]

I think I recall Alkeline running 100% water some time back (before a hokkie edu.) IIRC, he had a pic of brown coolant. Guess that's why rust prohibiter is in it also.


let us know.

 

[robmir]

I'm gonna look what Mr Tojo says on the bottle. There was a chart on the bottle with temperature ranges, proper mix ratios, circles and arrows.

Because coolant is so "cheap" we always fix whatever is causing the problem and once it´s 100% covered we let the vehicle working a week with distilled water just in case a problem arise again.

If everything is okay then will drain the water and fill with our tested correct mix ratio (for our all year around hot weather it works well) with 40% Mr. T coolant and 60% distilled water.

Now we got from Mr. T the 160K ultralong life premixed coolant available, but I am more biased to the standard longlife which cost a lot less (on our old cruisers when driving 160K there is more chances a hose will break and I will waste this ultralong life cooler)

 

[alkaline747trio]

Straight water is bad, you're right...lots of rust just a few days after a good flush. I've been running a dilute mixture since then because I thought water by itself moved heat (was more effective) better than anti-freeze, but didnt want that damn iron filled water. Seems now that there is a balance closer to 50/50 that moves heat and has a high enough boiling point.

 

[91Cruizer]

Just to update I found out it is indeed the headgasket. When doing a leakdown test you can hear bubbles in the radiator from the #1 cylinder. What a bummer. I don't know if I am up to the task of replacing this. It looks pretty involved even though others say it isn't bad it may be beyond me. Any ideas what a shop may charge? Anyone want a side job? Im in Temecula, CA

 

[Izeloz]

I am having some of the same issues you described with my 3FE. I had the gauge go into the red while offroad so I shut it off and let it cool down. I replaced the fan clutch and the problem went away for a little while. Now I am having an issue with the gauge not going much above half but the coolant overflowing and boiling in the overflow reservoir. I replaced the thermostat, all the hoses, the water pump, and am in the process of replacing the radiator with a new cap (all OEM parts). I hope mine's not the head gasket but I guess I will find out when I get everything put back together.

 

[91Cruizer]

Sounds like its the headgasket but I really am just guessing. It took me a while to believe it because it runs so well, compression is good, plugs look ok, but you can hear the air escaping when you pressurize the cylinder and has the overflowing problem.

 

[Izeloz]

I will have to do a leakdown test I guess. Ugh...this is getting expensive fast.

 

[91Cruizer]

Tell me about it. I think this is why the previous owner sold it to me.

 

[91Cruizer]

Is there any reason not to try to just retorque the head bolts see if anything happens?

 

[M23TLC]

Is there any reason not to try to just retorque the head bolts see if anything happens?

Bit of a thread revival here. Im too am having a mysterious coolant loss issue and would like to hear any answers you guys may have to the above question.