I can’t start my engine – urgent help needed!

[Izzy]

On my way back from work my Toyota LC80 FZJ80 failed.

I would like to ask you for your opinion what could be the reason of the problem. Perhaps some of you had similar experience?

Shortly and in the order I will describe what happened:
1. Suddenly after approx. 20min of my ride the heating in the car failed i.e. worked but not heated.
2. While I continued the ride with 35-40mph engine worked smoothly, but when I stopped at traffic lights started to work irregularly. Then I spotted the orange light "check engine".
3. When I started from traffic lights the engine worked irregularly - when I reached 35mph it was OK again.
4. Suddenly the temperature indicator turned into red. I immediately parked the car, turned off the engine and waited 5-10min.
5. The engine did not started again - I tried only short 2 times in order to not to damage it completely.

Is it a head gasket and thermostat problem together?

 

[Driley]

Any smoke? Is there a puddle of coolant?

Riley

 

[Izzy]

The good news are:
- no smoke at all
- coolant is full and has good temprature

 

[elmariachi]

Alluding to your post title, I wouldn't even try and start it at this point. I would pull and diagnose those codes first along with taking a look at the coolant level and oil on the dispstick. A number of things could have caused the temp to spike and codes to fly but regardless, you want to try and find the issue before starting it again.

 

[Izzy]

elmariachi, thanks for advise. Fortunately a friend of mine has a PC with diagnostic tool and an interface to the car computer.

What could go wrong? What do you think about head gasket?

 

[elmariachi]

elmariachi, thanks for advise. Fortunately a friend of mine has a PC with diagnostic tool and an interface to the car computer.

What could go wrong? What do you think about head gasket?

It could be that, but you would likely have coolant/water in the oil and the oil on the disptick would be cloudy/milky. Check that next. Thermostat could have stuck as well I suppose. Can you tow it (flatbed) to some place where you can pull the spark plugs when you read those codes?

 

[Stumpalama]

Sounds just like what happened to mine when the head gasket went.
Classic syptoms... no heat, rough idle, CEL, temp gauge. Don't drive it.
Good luck.

 

[Izzy]

I will work on it the first thing in the morning.

While I spoke with my friend about the issue he also mentioned the spark/water test.

If the test will be positive (we will have a FZJ80 fountain) with which consequences I will have to deal with?

 

[Izzy]

Sounds just like what happened to mine when the head gasket went.
Classic syptoms... no heat, rough idle, CEL, temp gauge. Don't drive it.
Good luck.

How your story ended? What were the consequences and approx. costs?

 

[Grench]

Or, less dramatic...

Your thermostat may be bad. (Highly likely in my non-professional opinion.)

However, what damage was done by continuing to drive with an overheated vehicle... I'm not even going to speculate.

The no heat, overheating issue should have resulted in the radiator cap popping and lots of steam shooting out from the hood.

YMMV

 

[sdbrassfield]

hydrolocked / blown hg ? Should have coolant loss though. Hard to tell by looking at the overflow. Need to check level in radiator.

 

[Izzy]

The coolant level in the radiator is OK.

This is my best guess: the thermostat failed, overheated the engine, HG failed and engine stacked.

I have bad thoughts about the consequences...

 

[Grench]

Check the oil. Any sign of coolant?

Pull the plugs. The tool in the factory tool kit is the easiest way to do this. Are any of them wet?

Both are easy to do.

Minimum, I'd change the thermostat right away. Use a real Toyota thermostat. When you're draining the coolant to do that, capture it, let it settle and see if there is any oil in it.

Get the codes out of the computer and post them up here (and/or look them up). You do not have to start the engine to do this.

YMMV.

 

[Izzy]

Thanks.

I finally parked the car at the garage. At least I won’t be worried about it during Christmas.

I made the arrangement with the mechanic that the car will wait till next Friday. Then together we will go through the procedure.

I will right down our findings.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

 

[Squash]

This red crap you speak of, are there signs of sludge to the right of your timing marks when looking down and to the right?
Any wet spots or weepage on the ground or steering arms?
Seems like something is leaking which is then picked up via the fan and or belts and deposited in the engine bay .

You could check for weeping at your frost plug/block heater just forward of the oil filter, other possibilities include hose or rad pin holes...

 

[Monkeyboy]

I could be remembering this wrong but when the thermostat went in mt 69 FJ40 and in my 91 FJ80 (actually split almost in 2) both blew HOT air. I remember having the heat up and the windows down to try and get it to cool down (both went out in central WA). It was night when the 40's went and I remember the exhaust manifold was literally red like molten metal. It was freaky! Anyways that is my 2cents. Maybe it depends on when the thermostat gets stuck (open/closed)?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Thermostats are built to fail open. Virtually all do, though I suppose it's possible the 80 is different. Doubt it, though. I had one fail on my 84 Tercel back in the day, and it would never warm up, ie it was open.

My guess is that the HG just failed. See the many threads on it's replacement.