Help!! Explosive radiator leak

[notyourmomslx450]

Hey guys, I need some diagnostic help. As I was pulling onto my street today, the temp guage shot up, and a CEL threw. As I stopped in front of the house, the radiator let go from somewhere on the bottom end, but the view was obstructed by the skidplate. I'm about to go pull it, but thought someone might know of where to look. It's a '97, and the leak seemed to be centered around the lower rear driver's side of the radiator. HELP ME, PLEASE!!!!!

 

[MLX450]

Is it the radiator or hoses? Hummmmm......... time or a brass radiator! (plus fan clutch and hoses)

 

[e9999]

there is a petcock on the DS back of the rad IIRC

 

[notyourmomslx450]

that'd be nice if that's all it is.

 

[notyourmomslx450]

Okay, so I took the afternoon off work today to check into it. (I was tired of driving the 4runner 20 miles each way to work). Anyway, I checked the petcock and it pretty much fell out. Now, how the heck do I get to it to put a new one in? Am I gonna have to take out the whole radiator just to get to it?
Help, please.

 

[Beowulf]

Remove the front skid plate, insert the new petcock, righty-tighty.

-B-

 

[Grench]

The petcock goes in back from the back side of the radiator on the far drivers side of it. Although some members have posted that its possible to get to it without removing the stone-belt guard plate, you likely wouldn't be able to see the hole to do it.

The plate I'm refering to connects with 4? bolts and looks like its partially woven into a bunch of bars. Pull the bolts (may have to PB blaster then and drink a beer first). The plate slides around and about counter clockwise to come out the front end through that jungle gym.

Now, follow the radiator over to the far drivers side end of it. Up behind those bars on that end is a hole where your petcock burst out of. Thats where it goes. The petcock should have a little black rubber O ring on it. If it doesn't... call your Toyota dealer to see if they have one for you today. It should be cheap enough by itself that it isn't worth waiting for the UPS guy. Otherwise I'm betting Dan could get you one quicker than your local guys if they say they have to order it.

Anyway, thats the petcock. The MUCH bigger question is why would it blow out of your radiator. I very much think that it is more likely a symptom than a cause. Shouldn't the radiator cap pop before the petcock?

 

[notyourmomslx450]

Well, I think it's the original one, and the plastic that the petcock is made of is pretty brittle. I took off the skidplate, but there are quite a few hard lines running around back there, which makes it incredibly difficult to get the petcock in there. I guess it's just gonna take some finnagling (sp?), or my fiancee's skinny arms to get it in. Anyway, local guy says he's gonna have to order it in, so Dan may be getting a call.

 

[GXO]

There are tranny cooling lines in there, I hear your pain

The petcock should (obviously) not do this. It was either not put in correctly or the cap is bad and you got luck to lose the petcock vs. your radiator grenading.

 

[notyourmomslx450]

is it not possible that the plastic just got brittle and made it let go? It's so brittle that it just kinda breaks with a fingernail.

 

[GXO]

even scarier...that is the same plastic the tanks are made of I believe...eeep

 

[Grench]

Have Dan send you a new radiator cap too. My grey '96 had a non-spec cap on it and I didn't realize it until I compared it side by side to my wife's when we got it in May.

Cap should go first unless you haven't done the PHH...

 

[notyourmomslx450]

PHH has been done. I think maybe I'll get a new cap, too. Here are some pictures of the petcock.

Notice the deterioration on the end and in the threads?

You can see where it kinda crumbled from just my fingernail.

More bad threads

Broken thread

 

[IdahoDoug]

That's a different plastic than the radiator tanks are made of. Is that the original Toyota radiator? Wonder if it was overtightened from a past monkey, or cross threaded by same. Plastic into metal and cross threading are bad combos.

DougM

 

[Brentbba]

Is the rest of the petcock still in the radiator?

I've got a brand spanking new one sitting in my garage that I didn't have time to put in before my radiator cracked on me, meaning an emergency replacement at a dealer far far away.

Probably more expensive to mail it then the cost of a new one tho!

 

[Grench]

A big junk of that petcock is missing btw. While its drained consider your hoses, thermostat, etc... Did you do a full ststem flush & fill with the PHH? Fluid is already mostly drained, may as well kill as many birds as you can since you're going to be throwing rocks anyway.

 

[97 FZJ80]

I should have a new OEM radiator cap somewhere if you need it in a hurry. PM me.

 

[notyourmomslx450]

how long is the threaded portion of the petcock supposed to be? I cant get an angle to be able to see into the hole. Maybe I can use the camera to take a pic inside it.

 

[GXO]

rest assured the remaining portion is in your radiator

sleep well!

Sucks!

 

[Brentbba]

how long is the threaded portion of the petcock supposed to be? I cant get an angle to be able to see into the hole. Maybe I can use the camera to take a pic inside it.

Longer than the pic you posted my friend. Probably twice as long as what your pic shows. Have you tried pouring in some distilled water to see if the flow from the petcock area is a trickle or a good flow. If the later, you may be lucky. If not a screw out tool may be needed. And yes, the location is a BIATCH to get a straight view of, much less get a solid handle on any tool to use!