So this just happened...boom! (1 Viewer)

[basalt51]

40 minutes into my kids senior trip to Lake Tahoe with a bunch of friends, they give me a call and say "The car started to make a funny sound, I pulled over, and it blew-up spraying brown stuff and smoke everywhere." Luckily they pulled off in a pretty good spot of Interstate 80. Took me 45 minutes to get to them, swap vehicles and send them on their way.

Didn't get any pictures before cleaning it, but as you can see the radiator exploded - literally. Hood and windshield were completely covered in coolant, hood buckled! That must have been some experience. My kid said it was about 15 seconds from the car sounding funny, pulling over, and then it went boom. Thank goodness they were already stopped.

My first reaction was I guess the Rad cap malfunctioned (lol). But later when they told me the full story, that it sounded funny, lost power, and was overheating I knew it blew a head gasket. So I thought. It definitely blew a head gasket but...

I decided to start it briefly this morning just to confirm the obvious missing sound and rough idle, but oh damn - I was greeted with a very loud knock. This isn't something I have heard before. Almost clunking with every revolution. Did it throw a rod?, piston smacking a valve? Any ideas? Sure thinking its now a new motor not just a head. Luckily they are going to college in NYC and won't need a car! Though they are going to wish they had it for the summer

Bummer, time to start researching v8 swaps in California (one can dream).

 

[SpenserAK]

What's the maintenance history on this truck? That radiator looks well overdue, for one....

Glad everyone was okay.

 

[Kernal]

Do not attempt to start or crank the engine with the spark plugs still in place

17 ways to go about this but here's one method:

Drain all coolant from the cooling system: easiest is to remove the radiator seeing that it already exploded. Or for now remove or cut the lower radiator hose off. Also open the engine block drain (left side of engine via the wheel well).

Then remove the spark plugs and if you have a borescope (or buy a cheap one that attaches to your phone) look into each cylinder via the spark plug holes. You'll be looking for water/coolant.

Or (after the spark plugs are removed) have someone else crank the engine, while you're watching which spark plug hole(s) the water/coolant comes out of. Remove the EFI fuse before doing this. You could then put an ounce of oil into each cylinder, crank the engine again (spark plugs out), idea is to keep the cylinder wals lubed while you plan out your repair.

If you see water/coolant in any cylinder (or blowing out), you have your answer (blown head gasket). The knocking could be due to water/coolant in one or more cylinders causing the piston to bang into it (hydrolock) as the piston came up; that could have busted the top of the piston or bent the connecting rod for that piston.

Drain the engine oil and remove old filter, collect a sample and send it to Blackstone laboratories for an EOA (Engine Oil Analysis).

Install new oil filter and fresh oil and crank the engine (spark plugs out) for 30+ seconds (5-10 seconds at a time) to circulate fresh oil around the engine until you see the oil pressure needle start to move. Idea is to remove any water/coolant that has gotten into the oil galleys and around the bearings. Do this after the cooling system has been emptied.

You could also put a couple ounces of engine oil into the cylinders, point is you want to help prevent the cylinders from rusting. Not as important if you're going to repair this immediately, but it wouldn't hurt.

If you're curious you could remove the Thermostat to check it in a pan of boiling water to see if it's stuck closed or if it opens as it should. Either way it should be replaced.

Start watching videos of how to replace a head gasket (Search u tube for OTRAMM Head Gasket FZJ80)

IIRC there're four parts, here's part 1:



Others with more experience will chime in.

 

[simple]

Well that's why we say if a Toyota radiator is brown it is time to replace it.

I guess instead of begging for Venmo donations to party they will be putting that towards a repair?

How much does out of state tuition to a NYC school cost these days? Like 3 to 5 Land Cruisers a year?

 

[basalt51]

Well that's why we say if a Toyota radiator is brown it is time to replace it.

I guess instead of begging for Venmo donations to party they will be putting that towards a repair?

How much does out of state tuition to a NYC school cost these days? Like 3 to 5 Land Cruisers a year?

Right! Thought about just leaving it on the side of the road for a few days to see if they got any donations lol. But I couldn't leave it alone.

I suppose Landcruisers/year depends if you're selling California Landcruisers or not! They got a 50% scholarship so that was fantastic, but ya its still probably more like 5+.

 

[simple]

Smart kids. Well you don't need a car in NYC anyway so they've got that going for them. Bummer for the old LC but you live and learn.

 

[basalt51]

Smart kids. Well you don't need a car in NYC anyway so they've got that going for them. Bummer for the old LC but you live and learn.

Yup, I even already had my parts list for new Rad, fan clutch, hoses, etc. Was hoping it was going to make until they left.

 

[basalt51]

Do not attempt to start or crank the engine with the spark plugs still in place

17 ways to go about this but here's one method:

Drain all coolant from the cooling system: easiest is to remove the radiator seeing that it already exploded. Or for now remove or cut the lower radiator hose off. Also open the engine block drain (left side of engine via the wheel well).

Then remove the spark plugs and if you have a borescope (or buy a cheap one that attaches to your phone) look into each cylinder via the spark plug holes. You'll be looking for water/coolant.

Or, while someone else is cranking the engine, watch which spark plug hole(s) the water/coolant comes out of. Remove the EFI fuse before doing this. You could then put an ounce of oil into each cylinder, crank the engine again (spark plugs out), idea is to keep the cylinder wals lubed while you plan out your repair.

If you see water/coolant in any cylinder (or blowing out), you have your answer (blown head gasket). The knocking could be due to water/coolant in one or more cylinders causing the piston to bang into it (hydrolock) as the piston came up; that could have busted the top of the piston or bent the connecting rod for that piston.

Drain the engine oil and remove old filter, collect a sample and send it to Blackstone laboratories for an EOA (Engine Oil Analysis).

Install new oil filter and fresh oil and crank the engine (spark plugs out) for 30+ seconds (5-10 seconds at a time) to circulate fresh oil around the engine until you see the oil pressure needle start to move. Idea is to remove any water/coolant that has gotten into the oil galleys and around the bearings. Do this after the cooling system has been emptied.

If you're curious you could remove the Thermostat to check it in a pan of boiling water to see if it's stuck closed or if it opens as it should. Either way it should be replaced.

Start watching videos of how to replace a head gasket (Search u tube for OTRAMM Head Gasket FZJ80)

IIRC there're four parts, here's part 1:



Others with more experience will chime in.

Thanks! I did the head on my old XJ, should be pretty similar.

 

[basalt51]

What's the maintenance history on this truck? That radiator looks well overdue, for one....

Glad everyone was okay.

Cooling system rebuild was the next thing on the list. I thought maybe all that brown was just dried coolant (its not) and it is definitely worse than I realized.

 

[Kernal]

Assuming it's the head gasket, the thinking is that the radiator blew up because the cooling system became over-pressurized by combustion gases via the head gasket leak and the old radiator was the weakest link. A stuck closed Tstat or malfunctioning (or wrong) radiator cap could also add to the pressure in the system.

With a new radiator the HG still would have leaked if it was it's time to go, it just might not have blown the top off the radiator. The increased pressure would blow out the next weak point in the cooling system or end up bubbling over into the overflow tank.

 

[Kabanstva]

40 minutes into my kids senior trip to Lake Tahoe with a bunch of friends, they give me a call and say "The car started to make a funny sound, I pulled over, and it blew-up spraying brown stuff and smoke everywhere." Luckily they pulled off in a pretty good spot of Interstate 80. Took me 45 minutes to get to them, swap vehicles and send them on their way.

Didn't get any pictures before cleaning it, but as you can see the radiator exploded - literally. Hood and windshield were completely covered in coolant, hood buckled! That must have been some experience. My kid said it was about 15 seconds from the car sounding funny, pulling over, and then it went boom. Thank goodness they were already stopped.

My first reaction was I guess the Rad cap malfunctioned (lol). But later when they told me the full story, that it sounded funny, lost power, and was overheating I knew it blew a head gasket. So I thought. It definitely blew a head gasket but...

I decided to start it briefly this morning just to confirm the obvious missing sound and rough idle, but oh damn - I was greeted with a very loud knock. This isn't something I have heard before. Almost clunking with every revolution. Did it throw a rod?, piston smacking a valve? Any ideas? Sure thinking its now a new motor not just a head. Luckily they are going to college in NYC and won't need a car! Though they are going to wish they had it for the summer

Bummer, time to start researching v8 swaps in California (one can dream).

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That’s the most yellow looking radiator I’ve ever seen lol. Prob original too

 

[BILT4ME]

My radiator blew up like that due to the cap not being able to properly relieve and the radiator being old like that.

Fortunately, the HG on mine had been done by the PO at 145K and the radiator exploded at 210K. I was concerned about it as well, but I did a compression test and all was well, and it is currently at 345K.

Make sure to do as @Kernal suggested about pulling plugs BEFORE you tried to start it, however, I think it's too late for that. (I thought I read you tried it)

Good luck!

 

[basalt51]

My radiator blew up like that due to the cap not being able to properly relieve and the radiator being old like that.

Did you lose a bunch of power first, or just go kaboom!?

Ya, I did the head gasket probably less than 20k miles ago, but it was likely 10+ years ago.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Ya, I did the head gasket probably less than 20k miles ago, but it was likely 10+ years ago.

A couple questions. Why did you replace head gasket 10 years ago, because it had failed? Also, was the exploding radiator original or had you also replaced it at time of head gasket job?

 

[BILT4ME]

Did you lose a bunch of power first, or just go kaboom!?

Ya, I did the head gasket probably less than 20k miles ago, but it was likely 10+ years ago.

I was pulling WOT coming onto the interstate, AC was on, and it was about 95°F outside. After I backed out of the throttle, I went about 1/4 mile and then the BOOM suddenly happened. I thought I blew a tire it was so loud, but I could still steer. I saw the hood jump about 2" up, then coolant blowing back onto the windshield. There was no warning, sounds, or loss of power.

When I opened the hood, I was expecting a radiator hose, but it split mine lengthwise down the center much like yours.

The belts on the water pump had come off and wrapped around the pump and locked it up. The radiator cap had lots of gunk under it and it didn't allow it to open to relieve the sudden pressure increase. I am assuming the belts came off first and stopped the water pump, but I cannot confirm because I couldn't see the alternator light on until I moved in the seat (it is blocked by the steering wheel for me).

The coolant that was in my truck was a brown blend of green and red coolant from the PO. They had the head gasket done 4 years and about 65K miles (I had put on 2 years and 25K of that 65K). There was lots of gunk in the cooling system.

I was VERY concerned about the HG, but it has been good. I do know that the PO had the local Toyota dealer do the repairs and they did it the "right" way. I have the receipts to back it all up, fortunately. If you used a Toyota HG on your rebuild, I think you could be lucky enough that it's not damaged.

Make damn sure you do a PROPER diagnosis on it and not just assume it's the HG, because they could have experienced and done the same as mine.

However, you claim and lot of odd noises, so that could be damning.

Definitely get some oil analysis done (Blackstone Labs) to confirm or deny. I get my oil analyzed every other oil change to keep tabs on the engine and what's happening.

 

[calokie]

Being a CA resident and having researched LS swaps (a little) your looking at north of $30k with a 1-2 year lead time. unless done yourself and then you have to deal with OBD2 regulations since yours is a 97 . Or..... you could EV swap it, get a no smog cert then swap in an LS

 

[LongDuck]

I had the exact same experience, and as a prior poster noted, the Radiator Cap never vented, resulting in super high temps, though I was running it in the red in hot outside temps and being stupid. The many indicators of impending doom were high engine temp, then loss of power, trans slipping, then after I thought I was in the clear and temps were starting to come down, BOOM!

I was expecting to see pistons flying through the hood, it was that violent. It bent the front wings of the hood up about 2" on each side, and locked the hood from opening. Once I did manage to get it open, I saw what was in your picture, almost exactly that. My knocking turned out to be piston slap on #3 And #4 cylinders, and while it got quieter with an oil change to synthetic, and was only loud on heavy throttle, I went with an OEM short block and a top-notch LC shop to do the work. I may have been able to drive it that way for years, but I wanted it done right as I plan to be buried in my 80.

End result - new TYC-1918, oil, filter, belts, hoses, water pump, thermostat, radiator cap, Toyota red coolant, and then an OEM short block from Japan and all that entails...

When you remove that radiator cap from the twisted wreckage of your top tank - get a picture of the sealing gasket and mating surface. I'm betting it glued itself to the Radiator resulting in a no vent situation and excessive pressure.

I'm going out to the garage right now to remove, clean, and reseal my radiator cap... excuse me.

 

[basalt51]

A couple questions. Why did you replace head gasket 10 years ago, because it had failed? Also, was the exploding radiator original or had you also replaced it at time of head gasket job?

Sorry, missed this one. hard to see all the posts on the phone.
Yes, the HG failed towing our boat in 115 degree weather. I really don't remember if the radiator was replaced then or not. I know we replaced a lot, just can't say if it included the radiator. I think they said the heads were good but I think they still went to the machine shop. What for, I don't remember.

And some of this I might be mixing up with my XJ cause it had a bad HG too at some point.

The Lexus has been a daily driver again for about a year now. I really wanted to replace all the cooling stuff before this trip. Just ran out of time. Obviously this is a costly reminder. I was dumb and sharing so hopefully others don't make the same mistake.

 

[basalt51]

I had the exact same experience, and as a prior poster noted, the Radiator Cap never vented, resulting in super high temps, though I was running it in the red in hot outside temps and being stupid. The many indicators of impending doom were high engine temp, then loss of power, trans slipping, then after I thought I was in the clear and temps were starting to come down, BOOM!

I was expecting to see pistons flying through the hood, it was that violent. It bent the front wings of the hood up about 2" on each side, and locked the hood from opening. Once I did manage to get it open, I saw what was in your picture, almost exactly that. My knocking turned out to be piston slap on #3 And #4 cylinders, and while it got quieter with an oil change to synthetic, and was only loud on heavy throttle, I went with an OEM short block and a top-notch LC shop to do the work. I may have been able to drive it that way for years, but I wanted it done right as I plan to be buried in my 80.
View attachment 3350514
End result - new TYC-1918, oil, filter, belts, hoses, water pump, thermostat, radiator cap, Toyota red coolant, and then an OEM short block from Japan and all that entails...

When you remove that radiator cap from the twisted wreckage of your top tank - get a picture of the sealing gasket and mating surface. I'm betting it glued itself to the Radiator resulting in a no vent situation and excessive pressure.

I'm going out to the garage right now to remove, clean, and reseal my radiator cap... excuse me.

mind sharing what that cost or pm'ing me.

 

[COYS]

I went with an OEM short block and a top-notch LC shop to do the work. I may have been able to drive it that way for years, but I wanted it done right as I plan to be buried in my 80.
View attachment 3350514
End result - new TYC-1918, oil, filter, belts, hoses, water pump, thermostat, radiator cap, Toyota red coolant, and then an OEM short block from Japan and all that entails...

Please don't take this any other way than me just being curious, but why would you take it to a "top-notch LC shop", pay up for a new OEM short block and want to be "buried in [your] 80" yet stick it with a made in radiator?

It's like getting the best table in the Vegas night club and then saying f it, I'm just poppin' bottles of Bud.