High coolant temps (1 Viewer)

[hammerheadfistpunch]

Cool outside but going up over the mountain I saw up to 205 F. (2008 gx470) Radiator was supposedly replaced by the place we bought it. They clearly mixed in green but who knows how much.

Water pump should be less than 10k old according to the service sticker.

What are the first Places to look? What's the method to burp the system? Gives at 194 steady at 80 with the ac on, drops to between 186 to 192 with speed down to 70 on level.

 

[GXO]

Incline (engine up) and open the cap...start and idle, let er burp. If you have mixed coolant it can clog the rad.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

you need to flush your radiator and the engine core. go either toyota red or prestone green...but don't mix. I did that 12 years ago and it ruined the radiator on my 1996 80.

 

[JLee]

205 isn't enough to worry about, IMO. Still in the center of the temp gauge?

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

205 isn't enough to worry about, IMO. Still in the center of the temp gauge?

Yeah, center of the gauge but my experiences with Toyota temps gauges tell me they all work they same. Fine. Fine. Fine. Too late.

205 just seems high for cool temps and light load. My 80 series never goes above 195 fully loaded towing a 3500 lb trailer in the Utah summer... At whatever speed it can muster.

I'm going to flush it out for peace of mind, I just wondered if this was a uz or gx thing.

 

[half k cruiser]

How high was this mountain you were going over ? I would expect to see over 200* temperatures if making a 10,000' or higher pass. My 80 will run as high as 220* going west out of Denver despite the fact that the air is cool. The rest of the time it runs 185 like clockwork. Its just a big strain on the motor.

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

How high was this mountain you were going over ? I would expect to see over 200* temperatures if making a 10,000' or higher pass. My 80 will run as high as 220* going west out of Denver despite the fact that the air is cool. The rest of the time it runs 185 like clockwork. Its just a big strain on the motor.

Maybe 9000, the 80 still locks into 195 up over this same pass even mid summer. Unless your 80 is supercharged id say your temps are high too. My cooling system is all new and it's never seen 200 ever

My worry is what happens when I load up the trailer.

 

[half k cruiser]

Maybe 9000, the 80 still locks into 195 up over this same pass even mid summer. Unless your 80 is supercharged id say your temps are high too. My cooling system is all new and it's never seen 200 ever

My worry is what happens when I load up the trailer.

My cooling system is all squared away also. The issue is pushing 35's and all the armor and camping equipment on stock gears. Its quite normal to see such elevated temperature given the load the engine is taking. I'd say flush your system, hook up the trailer, then go for broke !

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

UPDATE: temps got up to 209 and would have kept climbing. Also it seems like my electric kicker fan isn't running. I understand there is a typical cause for this?

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

My cooling system is all squared away also. The issue is pushing 35's and all the armor and camping equipment on stock gears. Its quite normal to see such elevated temperature given the load the engine is taking. I'd say flush your system, hook up the trailer, then go for broke !

Broke isn't what Im aiming for. I'll flush is out and check things out but if its not where it ought to be I'll be using the 80 to tow the trailer again this trip until I get it figured out. That thing is ice cold towing. Slow and noisy, but ice cold.

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

UPDATE: Coolant replaced with pink, new T-stat installed and I went for a torture test tonight:

tent trailer attached (3000 lbs)
90 degrees ambient temps
ac on full including rear
7 miles up a 9% grade.

coolant quickly got up to 205 and maxed out at 217.8, hovering around 215. That's Hot. Hansel.
It smelled hot at the top too

BUT

Temp gauge didn't budge (maybe its like the 80 series that only shows a problem when you are WAY too hot?)
A/C didn't cut out

Fuel ratio got richer for sure.

Clutchfan checked, its audibly and visibly functioning fine
A/C fan working fine.

Whats the deal?

Something something jiggle valve? (4runner guys talk about a jiggle valve and its orientation for the t-stat)

Talking my Toyota guy he says 220 F is the worry zone, and I'm flirting with it. Looking at the V8 4runner guys, most are around 196-205 on their gauges day to day

The aisin T-stat that went in is an 82c unit that should start opening around 182 and be fully open at 203.

Thoughts? anyone tow with their GX that have scangauges?

Worried I am going to get up over SR20 in Utah and be REALLY hot and get in trouble.

 

[kbahus]

Check the timing belt tension and belt condition, if too loose/worn it will cause slippage against the water pump pulley leading to slightly decreased cooling performance. It could also be a plugged and/or crap Chinese radiator that has piss poor cooling capacity. Any armor or lights up front? Undertray installed? All of that could be a problem too.

 

[SIMKGX]

If the tstat is anything like it was in my 1st gen Tacoma it should be oriented with the jiggle valve in the 6 o'clock position. This was the difference of about ~15 deg (cooler @6 o'clock). I haven't done my due diligence on this engine yet. YMMV

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

Check the timing belt tension and belt condition, if too loose/worn it will cause slippage against the water pump pulley leading to slightly decreased cooling performance. It could also be a plugged and/or crap Chinese radiator that has piss poor cooling capacity. Any armor or lights up front? Undertray installed? All of that could be a problem too.

Belt sticker says replaced at 97k (115k now) done by a lexus dealer so without tearing into it its probably fine. Rad was replaced but they claim oe replacement.

 

[Onefastrx7turbo]

I was towing a 16 foot trailer this past weekend. I didn't weigh it, but my estimate was about 2600lbs. I was climbing the hill into Payson, Arizona with ambient temperatures in the 99-104F range. I was doing my best to maintain at least 50mph and at times, it was in 3rd gear @ 4K rpms for 30 seconds then back into 4th and it was really working. I had the A/C on and I was watching the water temp with a scan gauge.

Freeway cruising @ 65MPH = 199F
Climbing hills @ 50mph 4th gear = 207F
3rd gear, 4K rpm and roughly 45mph or so the hottest temperature I saw was 212F.

As soon as I crested the hill and the load was reduced, I could watch the temperature fall by 2-3 degree steps back down to 200-203F. For comparative purposes, I dropped the trailer off and in 105F ambient temperature on the freeway with the AC on @ 65MPH, I was seeing 199F and roughly 130F AIT.

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

I was towing a 16 foot trailer this past weekend. I didn't weigh it, but my estimate was about 2600lbs. I was climbing the hill into Payson, Arizona with ambient temperatures in the 99-104F range. I was doing my best to maintain at least 50mph and at times, it was in 3rd gear @ 4K rpms for 30 seconds then back into 4th and it was really working. I had the A/C on and I was watching the water temp with a scan gauge.

Freeway cruising @ 65MPH = 199F
Climbing hills @ 50mph 4th gear = 207F
3rd gear, 4K rpm and roughly 45mph or so the hottest temperature I saw was 212F.

As soon as I crested the hill and the load was reduced, I could watch the temperature fall by 2-3 degree steps back down to 200-203F. For comparative purposes, I dropped the trailer off and in 105F ambient temperature on the freeway with the AC on @ 65MPH, I was seeing 199F and roughly 130F AIT.

Thats more in line with what I'm seeing. Im a little worried because my AIT's are about 20 degrees cooler for my tests and my temps are still a little higher. According to one of the engineers that worked on this engine the needle on the gauge will move quickly from the middle to the red around 230F at which point you need to take immediate measures to cool it down.

 

[Onefastrx7turbo]

Could be something to look into. On downhills with it in the 3rd or 4th gear and coasting, the temps quickly dropped to the low 190s, while the AIT rose (since the throttle was closed). 217 is mighty warm, what speed were you going? I'd wager that if I tried to maintain 65mph up the hills (some were 7% grades) I would have seen 215+ pretty easily. I decided to take it easy on the hills, slow and steady wins the race.

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

40 to 45 mph. Coolant temps dropped fast when stopped or headed downhill

 

[Onefastrx7turbo]

Interesting. I'd try to flush the radiator, make sure the coolant is the correct ratio and replace the T-stat with a Mr. T genuine unit.

 

[hammerheadfistpunch]

Interesting. I'd try to flush the radiator, make sure the coolant is the correct ratio and replace the T-stat with a Mr. T genuine unit.

All of that has been done. New Aisin Tstat, fresh coolant flush with 50/50 Toyota pink.