- Joined
- Sep 17, 2003
- Threads
- 64
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- 4,427
- Location
- Sunnyvale, CA
- Website
- www.george4wd.taskled.com
The other day I got a call from my wife that smoke/steam wisps were coming out the front of the vehicle when she was stopped at a light. She drove a bit further to her destination and I got her to pop the hood. In her words there was a noise like some animal eating things, well more like weird gurgling sounds.
Anyhow, drove to where she was parked and put a gallon of water into the radiator and drove it the few miles home. Then with it parked on the driveway and still hot, I had a look around the radiator area since there was a few drops of coolant coming out the bottom. Turns out the Koyo Rad had started seeping along the top seam between the plastic tank and the radiator aluminium. The top foam was soaked, so pretty clear it was time for a new radiator. This one had lasted 10+ years.
So, some pics. Peeling the onion to get the radiator out, pull both batteries and trays and open up the front to be able to remove the 2 toyota-what-were-they-thinking bolts that are accessed on the inside edge of both light assemblies. I find it easier to spend 10 minutes and remove the light assemblies.
Anyhow, it's not a particularly technical project, but just made a bit harder in my case due to the dual batteries and the S/C giving a bit less clearance to get the shroud and fan out.
Since I was ripping into the cooling system it seemed a good time to flush the whole system and then just move to green coolant once and for all. It was also a good time to check the various hoses in the system. Bought new radiator hoses and was giving all the other hoses a 'flexibility' check and found the hose that goes from the thermostat housing area to the throttle body was quite stiff and hard. Also some small surface cracks on close inspection. The hose is where the red arrow points (older pic when I changed out the dead thermostat a bunch of years ago).
Seemed like a good idea to just purchase some new 5/16" heater hose to replace the old one. Anyhow....
The hose just broke into pieces as I was removing it. Brittle and hard as a rock. I would suggest anyone with a S/C should replace this hose if it all appears hard. The original hose that came with the S/C kit shows it is a fuel rated hose (gates) so I'm guessing it doesn't play well with coolant... It also runs over the exhaust manifold heat shield area.
Basically a time bomb waiting to kill the engine.
cheers,
george.
Anyhow, drove to where she was parked and put a gallon of water into the radiator and drove it the few miles home. Then with it parked on the driveway and still hot, I had a look around the radiator area since there was a few drops of coolant coming out the bottom. Turns out the Koyo Rad had started seeping along the top seam between the plastic tank and the radiator aluminium. The top foam was soaked, so pretty clear it was time for a new radiator. This one had lasted 10+ years.
So, some pics. Peeling the onion to get the radiator out, pull both batteries and trays and open up the front to be able to remove the 2 toyota-what-were-they-thinking bolts that are accessed on the inside edge of both light assemblies. I find it easier to spend 10 minutes and remove the light assemblies.
Anyhow, it's not a particularly technical project, but just made a bit harder in my case due to the dual batteries and the S/C giving a bit less clearance to get the shroud and fan out.
Since I was ripping into the cooling system it seemed a good time to flush the whole system and then just move to green coolant once and for all. It was also a good time to check the various hoses in the system. Bought new radiator hoses and was giving all the other hoses a 'flexibility' check and found the hose that goes from the thermostat housing area to the throttle body was quite stiff and hard. Also some small surface cracks on close inspection. The hose is where the red arrow points (older pic when I changed out the dead thermostat a bunch of years ago).
Seemed like a good idea to just purchase some new 5/16" heater hose to replace the old one. Anyhow....
The hose just broke into pieces as I was removing it. Brittle and hard as a rock. I would suggest anyone with a S/C should replace this hose if it all appears hard. The original hose that came with the S/C kit shows it is a fuel rated hose (gates) so I'm guessing it doesn't play well with coolant... It also runs over the exhaust manifold heat shield area.
Basically a time bomb waiting to kill the engine.
cheers,
george.
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