This video isn't worth more than entertainment, if even that, but it'll give you an idea of the bummer that just happened on the day I put the 250,000th mile on this '01 LX470.
The good news is that whatever blew didn't blow until after I stopped the car. I had just driven 240 miles towing a small camper, backed the camper into a spot, shut it off and was letting the dog out when something under the hood made a loud high pressure whooshing sound followed by the smoke in the video coming out from under the hood. I got the dog away and tied her up in case anything was about to catch fire and waited a couple of minutes, not knowing what the hell was going on.
Under the car, some watery-feeling fluid appeared, dripping from the skid panel. At first I didn't think it was brake fluid because it felt too watery, but it had a reddish cast. Under the hood, there was more of the reddish fluid—though not much of it—in the engine compartment. When whatever blew, blew, it seems to have blown downwards, with some splashing upwards.
I immediately noticed that the brake fluid reservoir, which I am certain had not been overfilled, was now way above the max fill line. And there was more of the fluid around the reservoir cap and on top of the reservoir. Is it possible that some pressure release blew more brake fluid up into the reservoir?
Also, fluid was present on top of the aluminum cylinder mounted to the firewall just inboard of the reservoir. When I wiped that cylinder down to get a look at the top of it, I noticed what appears to be a crack at one o'clock in the yellow plastic cap.
Meanwhile, more fluid had dripped out underneath the car onto the gravel. Apart from that crack, I could not see the source of this failure. I can't see anything under the reservoir because of all the plumbing there. It doesn't seem like that fluid could have blown out that crack because though the area around that yellow cap was all wet, there weren't any signs of fluid on the sides of that cylinder to account for the amount that ran down past the skid plate onto the ground. It seems like some failure must have happened underneath the reservoir. I have no idea but think it might be master cylinder or some kind of line under there.
Any thoughts and guidance would be hugely appreciated. I am in Challis, Idaho (far enough in the sticks for the nearest Walmart to be 120 miles away) and totally effed and stuck.
What happened? Anything I can do? Any suggestions for anyone who can repair this somewhere in this part of the world?
Thanks!
R
The good news is that whatever blew didn't blow until after I stopped the car. I had just driven 240 miles towing a small camper, backed the camper into a spot, shut it off and was letting the dog out when something under the hood made a loud high pressure whooshing sound followed by the smoke in the video coming out from under the hood. I got the dog away and tied her up in case anything was about to catch fire and waited a couple of minutes, not knowing what the hell was going on.
Under the car, some watery-feeling fluid appeared, dripping from the skid panel. At first I didn't think it was brake fluid because it felt too watery, but it had a reddish cast. Under the hood, there was more of the reddish fluid—though not much of it—in the engine compartment. When whatever blew, blew, it seems to have blown downwards, with some splashing upwards.
I immediately noticed that the brake fluid reservoir, which I am certain had not been overfilled, was now way above the max fill line. And there was more of the fluid around the reservoir cap and on top of the reservoir. Is it possible that some pressure release blew more brake fluid up into the reservoir?
Also, fluid was present on top of the aluminum cylinder mounted to the firewall just inboard of the reservoir. When I wiped that cylinder down to get a look at the top of it, I noticed what appears to be a crack at one o'clock in the yellow plastic cap.
Meanwhile, more fluid had dripped out underneath the car onto the gravel. Apart from that crack, I could not see the source of this failure. I can't see anything under the reservoir because of all the plumbing there. It doesn't seem like that fluid could have blown out that crack because though the area around that yellow cap was all wet, there weren't any signs of fluid on the sides of that cylinder to account for the amount that ran down past the skid plate onto the ground. It seems like some failure must have happened underneath the reservoir. I have no idea but think it might be master cylinder or some kind of line under there.
Any thoughts and guidance would be hugely appreciated. I am in Challis, Idaho (far enough in the sticks for the nearest Walmart to be 120 miles away) and totally effed and stuck.
What happened? Anything I can do? Any suggestions for anyone who can repair this somewhere in this part of the world?
Thanks!
R
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