Gurgling sound in cab (1 Viewer)

[FatlessLemon]

Hello all,

I've got an 86 HJ60 that has a gurgling sound behind the passenger side dash.

It only makes the sound when heat setting is turned to hot, if it's turned to cold it stops making the sound pretty much immediately. I already burped it with an anti spill funnel until there were no more bubbles coming out. It continued to do it after I did that. Truck doesn't overheat, it stays cool even if I'm pushing it on hills, no smoke either.

It seemed to start gurgling after I did a coolant flush. There was also an old coolant heater from the previous owner that was Tee'd into the hose that comes from the block to the heater control valve and then went down into a what I assume was a freeze plug. I removed it since I couldn't pull the valve cover off since the heater was in the way.

Is it possible there's an air leak somewhere in the hose from where the T was that's pulling air into the system? Or am I looking at a future head gasket job?

Thanks all

 

[Skreddy]

Did you burp it with the heat on hot?

The sound is water rushing through the heater core when you turn the heat on. Hearing that sound was my cue to top my coolant on my 60 with a slow coolant loss. Until it wasn’t slow anymore.

 

[FatlessLemon]

Did you burp it with the heat on hot?

The sound is water rushing through the heater core when you turn the heat on. Hearing that sound was my cue to top my coolant on my 60 with a slow coolant loss. Until it wasn’t slow anymore.

Yeah I had the heat on max in the front and rear with recirculate on aswell. I had it topped right up with coolant when I was done burping it. Maybe I didn't burp it for long enough and there was still an airlock inside?

 

[Skreddy]

I’d fill the reservoir to about half full and drive it, let it burp itself and suck back in the coolant it wants. Just keep an eye on the reservoir and maintain that half-ish full until it seems like it doesn’t suck anymore back in.
I wouldn’t be worried about it getting air into the system unless you saw leaks or were noticing the reservoir overflowing, that’s a different topic…

 

[FatlessLemon]

I’d fill the reservoir to about half full and drive it, let it burp itself and suck back in the coolant it wants. Just keep an eye on the reservoir and maintain that half-ish full until it seems like it doesn’t suck anymore back in.
I wouldn’t be worried about it getting air into the system unless you saw leaks or were noticing the reservoir overflowing, that’s a different topic…

I filled the reservoir to about half full already and it seems to stay at half full, it doesn't seem like it's replacing any purged air with coolant. I'll keep an eye on it though and continue to run it with the heat on and hopefully it burps itself. It's such an irritating sound when it gurgles it's driving me crazy!

 

[OSS]

It’s just bubbles in the heater core. Eventually they’ll purge themselves out after lots of driving. A non issue

 

[FatlessLemon]

It’s just bubbles in the heater core. Eventually they’ll purge themselves out after lots of driving. A non issue

That's what I'm hoping, I'll keep trying to purge them out and hopefully it'll go away.

 

[CruiserTrash]

That's what I'm hoping, I'll keep trying to purge them out and hopefully it'll go away.

Same experience here every time I've flushed and refilled the coolant on my 2F. Imagine the heater cores are plumbed in a similar way to your 2H or 12HT. It's just a loop with a mini radiator under the dash, with a fan next to it. Make sure your radiator cap is good (cheap to replace from Toyota), and that you top up your overflow reservoir to the proper fill line as the air pockets in the heater loops purge themselves. You'll be alright.

 

[FatlessLemon]

Same experience here every time I've flushed and refilled the coolant on my 2F. Imagine the heater cores are plumbed in a similar way to your 2H or 12HT. It's just a loop with a mini radiator under the dash, with a fan next to it. Make sure your radiator cap is good (cheap to replace from Toyota), and that you top up your overflow reservoir to the proper fill line as the air pockets in the heater loops purge themselves. You'll be alright.

Awesome that's reassuring!
I suppose patience is all I need then lol.

Thanks!

 

[roadstr6]

Also verify that your overflow hose is not clogged.