Is this my mysterious coolant leak?

[DocuDude]

So I've had a slow coolant leak for a while.

I finally had time to look and discovered this.

Have I found my leak?

 

[baselfish]

hmmm...tis the outlet from the heater control valve to the PHH.
I beleive - lest you have your heater valve open - coolant does not just circulate through there...

get you car running - pop the hood and have a buddy check the hose as you turn your heater on / off -
see if any coolant comes of it....

BTW you heater valve looks a bit sketchy / discolored too - tis made of plastic and if it fails internally or the hose "nipples" fail -
you indeed will have catastrophic coolant loss - which is the leading cause for any HG issues....

took me mere seconds (thank go I was pulling up to my garage) - but when mine failed I lost 2 gallons of coolant in seconds and my temp shot up to the max. lest you have a hose to do a quick "field" by pass- there aint no even no limping home - would be tow truck city...

bF

 

[DocuDude]

Thanks @baselfish --- I am looking at the FSM but cannot find the heater valve.
Is it easy to replace? Something I get from cdan?

Is it most likely water leaking out the heater valve?

I am trying to avoid replacing all my coolant hoses, but I guess I need to bite the bullet and do that and the PHH.
I am at 157k miles.

 

[slow95z]

the heater valve is the black piece in the top of your picture

 

[DocuDude]

I know where it is in the photo. I was looking to read about it in the FSM.

Coolant can leak from there, correct?

 

[120mm]

It can and does. The outlet hose clamps look original, so the hoses pry need replaced as well.

 

[Jason hansen]

Look at the bright side. At least you are not in the middle of nowhere, off road, on vacation with no cell service.

 

[shadowless]

I had heater hoses that were seeping as well. Including a failing heater valve that had cracking ports. I replaced the seeping hoses and clamps. Still had consumption somewhere but no smell and nothing on the ground. Then on a cold night on the way to the zoo which is about 20 miles from home I noticed steam from my radiator when I parked. Had a cracked upper tank. I replaced the radiator only to find my true coolant leak. There had been a slow leak from the middle of the radiator on its front side. Slow enough to consume about 1/2gal of coolant every 2k miles. Not a drop visible on the ground, no smell only able to see it after I removed the radiator from the truck.l because it was cracked. Also found out it was full of sediment and weighed a ton compared to the new one previous owners were probably topping off with hard water. Just thought I would throw this possibility out there.

 

[NLXTACY]

I've had a HCV that looked fine on the outside but crumbled in my hand when I was repairing a leaking hose. Do yourself a favor and change it out.

 

[baselfish]

Indeed if you are going to fidget with the fhh (firewall heater hoses) - be prepared to replace the HCV.
the minute you pull those cotter pin clamps the HCV might totally crumble.

Mine died - stealership wanted like $135 on special order. Just went to autozone and got a denso replacement for $35.

Back to you original inquiry , is it your leak source. Tough to say. Only way to figure it out is find the source. Idle the car for 20 mins over cardboard and see if you find a drip somewhere.

By

 

[DocuDude]

The radiator is at least 8 years old. Possibly more. How long they last?----Looks like I'll be doing HCV, all coolant hoses, & PHH within next few weeks. Does PHH bypass mean 2nd row passengers don't get heat?

 

[120mm]

The radiator is at least 8 years old. Possibly more. How long they last?----Looks like I'll be doing HCV, all coolant hoses, & PHH within next few weeks. Does PHH bypass mean 2nd row passengers don't get heat?

PHH bypass is when you replace the perfectly good metal tube with a hose. It doesn't change flow of heat to 2nd row.

The rear heater bypass cuts off flow to the rear heater.

I think the PHH bypass is not only a waste of time, but it puts stress on the relatively fragile HCV. The rear heater bypass is up to you. The 12mm hose going to the rear heaters is harder to install than the PHH, imo.

If I were you, I'd replace your fuel filter at the same time you do the PHH. Also, I'd unhook the line to the knock sensor first, and tuck it out of the way so you don't break off the knock sensor like many of us have done, while you do the PHH. Be sure to hook it back up when you are done.

Replacing the PHH is easy, imo. If possible, do it on a lift. Go in through the driver's side wheel well with the wheel removed. Remove the soft skirts, and just cut the PHH.

Then, go in through the top and cut the top hose, and undo the top bolt. Once this is done, push the rigid line back and forth, (from the top side) while simultaneously twisting. After about 15 minutes (which seems like forever, I know) the bottom tab will snap off. Then you can remove the rigid line. At this time, remove the half of the PHH from the block and tube side. Be sure to remove any corrosion from the tube and shoot some paint on it, while it's off. Then, just reinstall.

 

[baselfish]

double down on the knock sensor - tis super easy as one is trying to pull off the PHH (by hook or crook) and
collaterally damage the knock sensor harness.

tackling the PHH / FHH / HCV - you might also consider flushing your rad and replacing your tstat and rad hoses - can also throw in yer
water pump (if budget permits) since you will be opening up the whole water system....

tis debatable - but I had "much success" with the prestone radiator t-kit flush - but you can read up about such and decide for yourself.


bF

 

[DocuDude]

Ok, so I will replace HCV (and hoses), Coolant Hoses, PHH, and Fuel filter.
What else while I am in there?

And am I screwing myself by not removing the front driver tire?

 

[baselfish]

at a minimum do the thermostat (dont forget the gasket too) and to orient the jingle valve properly....
tis cheep and an easy PM.

lest you water pump is "dying" - can be a later fix when you have $$$$ - keep in mind you will have to again "break" your water system.
but tis not rocket science to replace.... loosen aletnator - remove belts - remove fan clutch (4 nuts) - and unbolt and water pump -
tis fairly cut and dry....

if you are referring to the PHH - removing the front tire is a must - they are tons of tips - loosen the metal tube bracket - break the metal tube bracket - remove the tranny dipstick - bypass around the brake booster....

tis likey ~4 hr job- with the most stuggle being to contort your arm to physically grab the phh and its cotter pins...
and getting light to actually see what you are doing -(fyi it is just to right of the starter motor).


so drain (flush system and rad - or not you read up and decide) - empty - replace hoses, tstat, and hcv.
fill back up (red toyota coolant 50/50) - run with rad cap off for a bit to "bleed" system of air - top off rad and over flow bottle...

bF

 

[Kernal]

Pick up some genuine Breeze constant torque clamps (McMaster Carr, my local NAPA store sells made in China copies). I had the same leak as shown in the top photo. There was some wetness and a bit of staining and at first I couldn't believe I was losing as much coolant as I was from that location, until one day I had some drippage off the bottom of the bell housing. Assumed the worst but all it needed was a better hose clamp, replaced the cheapo hose clamp with a Breeze clamp, problem solved.

 

[120mm]

tis likey ~4 hr job- with the most stuggle being to contort your arm to physically grab the phh and its cotter pins...
and getting light to actually see what you are doing -(fyi it is just to right of the starter motor).

I am so glad you brought that up:

@Tools R Us and @inkpot taught me the "free magnetic light from Harbor Freight" trick. HB occasionally puts out a flyer where you can get one of these free with ANY purchase.

27 LED Portable Worklight/Flashlight

Get a few of those and put them around the interior of your wheel well/workspace.

Also, don't try to get the PHH clamp off before removing the hard line; cut the PHH and remove the hard line with half still on it. Then you only have half the struggle.

 

[englaneato]

Get a brass radiator