The reality of the Landcruiser Head Gasket Issue

[madisonr34]

I have over 300k on my original head gasket. I'm sure there are other factors that causes head gasket failures in these engines such as the EGR system. I took my EGR off a long time ago.
Another thing I've noticed in my years own an 80 is that there is some type of solid grey matter builds within the cooling system. When I replaced my radiator, the old one was about 10 lbs heavier full of the grey stuff. Now I have a coolant system filter installed. I also flush the system every year.

 

[jaymar]

I have over 300k on my original head gasket. I'm sure there are other factors that causes head gasket failures in these engines such as the EGR system. I took my EGR off a long time ago.
Another thing I've noticed in my years own an 80 is that there is some type of solid grey matter builds within the cooling system. When I replaced my radiator, the old one was about 10 lbs heavier full of the grey stuff. Now I have a coolant system filter installed. I also flush the system every year.

Details on filter?

 

[Plains Cruiser]

The saga continues. I replaced my leaking radiator after the hg and now this hose is seeping. Most likely just a bad clamp?

 

[Devils Paw 80]

The saga continues. I replaced my leaking radiator after the hg and now this hose is seeping. Most likely just a bad clamp?

Gotta be the hose or the clamp. Are those the original clamps? Try some new ones.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Reusing spring tension clamps that are 25+ years old. Hmmmm wonder why it’s leaking?

 

[jaymar]

Reusing spring tension clamps that are 25+ years old. Hmmmm wonder why it’s leaking?

Got to be the head gasket.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

Changed my vote because my 1994 hg failed at almost 200k. So it goes.

 

[LockedCollector]

Changed my vote because my 1994 hg failed at almost 200k. So it goes.

So any symptoms that you can think of prior to the HG fail? Where you wheeling, towing, etc. What preventative maintenance work had been done? Just curious.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

So any symptoms that you can think of prior to the HG fail? Where you wheeling, towing, etc. What preventative maintenance work had been done? Just curious.

Nothing dramatic. I don't drive it a lot. Late last year I noticed mild symptoms maybe consistent with a failed radiator cap, replaced cap. It badly needed front end work, and i was no longer taking it out once a week to help my friend pick up his little girl from school every Friday because they moved.

In January i drove it about 65mi round trip to have a recommended mechanic do front axle service, install new rod ends, do front brake job, some other while he's in there stuff.

Then drove it about 80mi round trip to pick up a wood CNC.

And then it mostly just sat parked until last week, when i needed to go get a pizza oven. While doing pre-trip check i discovered coolant oozing from the top radiator tank seam.

Ordered the RELD exhaust gas test kit and it very decidedly failed.

I picked up my head gasket kit from Cruiser Outfitters today. Got the FSM, will watch the videos, etc. It's fine if it takes me 6 weeks to complete the job. I'll take the head to a machine shop to have it gone through.

 

[thelal]

Currently at a campsite in Sarajevo, Bosnia as part of a 3 month Balkans trip from Ireland, trying to diagnose over hearing. Looking to replace Thermostat and radiator cap with new coolant mix to see if helps. Hoping it's not HG

 

[flintknapper]

Currently at a campsite in Sarajevo, Bosnia as part of a 3 month Balkans trip from Ireland, trying to diagnose over hearing. Looking to replace Thermostat and radiator cap with new coolant mix to see if helps. Hoping it's not HG

Do you have coolant loss?
Are there bubbles in the coolant with radiator cap off (engine cool, at first start up)?
Check your engine oil dipstick....is the level high or oil milky looking?
Does the engine over heat 'rapidly'?
Is your fan clutch working properly?

IF your engine (now at over 300K miles) has never had the original HG replaced.....then it might indeed be suspect.

Replacing T-Stat and Radiator Cap won't hurt anything....especially if they are old. But there are some simple tests you can perform (or have done) that will give you more direction.

IF you have a minor HG leak.....you could use some BarsLeak or similar HG sealing product to get you through the rest of your trip and then address the issue when time permits.

 

[Plains Cruiser]

Back again... before I had my head gasket replaced I noticed that the overflow coolant wasn't making its way back into the radiator after the engine cooled. I'm noticing this is still the case after the gasket replacement and new radiator. The fluid level in my radiator is not much higher than the fins, but the overflow is a few inches above the "full" mark.

While I have a new Aisin radiator cap, I'm going to purchase a new one from Toyota and also check to make sure the line from the radiator to the overflow is not plugged. Anything else to look into?

 

[jpoole]

@Plains Cruiser you can check the plumbing from the rad fill neck to the overflow cap and into the overflow res. All of those lines need to be air tight so that they can suck coolant back into the rad and not air. Those lines need to be clear and routed correctly, you can do some simple tests to ensure that a vacuum under the rad cap will pull from the "straw" tube that sticks down in the overflow tank.

 

[flintknapper]

@Plains Cruiser you can check the plumbing from the rad fill neck to the overflow cap and into the overflow res. All of those lines need to be air tight so that they can suck coolant back into the rad and not air. Those lines need to be clear and routed correctly, you can do some simple tests to ensure that a vacuum under the rad cap will pull from the "straw" tube that sticks down in the overflow tank.

^^^^^

Correct.

@ Plains Cruiser should first look to see that tube in the Reservoir has not deteriorated (if original). They can become clogged or so soft that they collapse. Also that the line from the radiator nipple to the overflow cap is not restricted.

Lastly that the lines are routed correctly and the cap on the overflow is not clogged in anyway.

 

[Plains Cruiser]

Awesome. Thank you so much for the helpful photos.

 

[jpoole]

You said you are getting a new rad. cap so I left out the following but for the sake of completeness:

The radiator cap return valve, which is the small metal disk in center of rad cap bottom, can get clogged up. If it does get clogged coolant doesn't flow back into the cooling system well and you'll likely see the radiator hose(s) collapse as the engine cools and tries to suck coolant back in. If there are leaks anywhere in the cooling system then air may be sucked into the system instead of coolant from the overflow bottle.

You can remove the radiator cap, pry the return valve up gently with a finger tip and then spray under the return valve with a stream of water to try to clear the passage out and remove a clog. Stop leak or other sediment in the cooling system can cause clogging at this point in the radiator cap. This can be a good thing to know and look for if there's gunk in the system and once cleaned an otherwise good radiator cap should be fully functional again.

 

[flintknapper]

You said you are getting a new rad. cap so I left out the following but for the sake of completeness:

The radiator cap return valve, which is the small metal disk in center of rad cap bottom, can get clogged up. If it does get clogged coolant doesn't flow back into the cooling system well and you'll likely see the radiator hose(s) collapse as the engine cools and tries to suck coolant back in. If there are leaks anywhere in the cooling system then air may be sucked into the system instead of coolant from the overflow bottle.

^^^^
Like this...?

 

[thelal]

Do you have coolant loss?

** very small - had small drip at stopcock drain so had it as the 'culprit'

Are there bubbles in the coolant with radiator cap off (engine cool, at first start up)?

** wasn't any when checked yesterday - would be steady idle at 178f. Pushed it to 2K and no bubbles, some small bubbles at 3K but only for 5 secs then stopped. Nothing at 4K (for brief spell but fan roaring at that revs). Turned off and let all cool down before next step below

Check your engine oil dipstick....is the level high or oil milky looking?

** all fine ; normal ; no water/milky nor its cap

Does the engine over heat 'rapidly'?

** no - was only on hill climbs when would get above 210f

Is your fan clutch working properly?

** yep - plenty roar on startup and as rev more.

IF your engine (now at over 300K miles) has never had the original HG replaced.....then it might indeed be suspect.

** engine is approx 90K on a rebuild

Replacing T-Stat and Radiator Cap won't hurt anything....especially if they are old. But there are some simple tests you can perform (or have done) that will give you more direction.

IF you have a minor HG leak.....you could use some BarsLeak or similar HG sealing product to get you through the rest of your trip and then address the issue when time permits.

** may do that ; not sure what can source locally
see answers inline above **

so had done static test - see above

Did radiator flush with a cleaner for 30 mins running with heaters on. Let cool and drained block, rad & replaced thermostat with new (not OEM) and new rad cap (not OEM). Coolant looked fine (green color) and clear with some small bits of sludge/dirt but very minor.
Did boiling test on both tstats and 20mm on old and 17mm on new so both look fine. Original rad cap I believe works as when overhitting (at sitting on hill waiting for it to cool down with boiling angry coolant and hear it into the overflow - some over split but once cooled down wiill have sucked it back and overflow normal-ish level.

Changed coolant to 20:80 antifreeze:distilled water. Ran this morning and ran heaters for a bit (to circulate) and idling at higher temps and kept climbing. Rad top hose only warm and bottom 'cool'. Turned off at 210f with constant bubbling in overflow !!
Seem to be going backward.

What is strange is should be 'better' (with new stuff) but now worse. Wondering if pushing it to 4K (hardly ever if drive more than 3K) was what pushed it over the edge.
Presume its HG gone at this staf

 

[thelal]

** very small - had small drip at stopcock drain so had it as the 'culprit'

** wasn't any when checked yesterday - would be steady idle at 178f. Pushed it to 2K and no bubbles, some small bubbles at 3K but only for 5 secs then stopped. Nothing at 4K (for brief spell but fan roaring at that revs). Turned off and let all cool down before next step below

** all fine ; normal ; no water/milky nor its cap

** no - was only on hill climbs when would get above 210f

** yep - plenty roar on startup and as rev more.

** engine is approx 90K on a rebuild

** may do that ; not sure what can source locally
see answers inline above **

so had done static test - see above

Did radiator flush with a cleaner for 30 mins running with heaters on. Let cool and drained block, rad & replaced thermostat with new (not OEM) and new rad cap (not OEM). Coolant looked fine (green color) and clear with some small bits of sludge/dirt but very minor.
Did boiling test on both tstats and 20mm on old and 17mm on new so both look fine. Original rad cap I believe works as when overhitting (at sitting on hill waiting for it to cool down with boiling angry coolant and hear it into the overflow - some over split but once cooled down wiill have sucked it back and overflow normal-ish level.

Changed coolant to 20:80 antifreeze:distilled water. Ran this morning and ran heaters for a bit (to circulate) and idling at higher temps and kept climbing. Rad top hose only warm and bottom 'cool'. Turned off at 210f with constant bubbling in overflow !!
Seem to be going backward.

What is strange is should be 'better' (with new stuff) but now worse. Wondering if pushing it to 4K (hardly ever if drive more than 3K) was what pushed it over the edge.
Presume its HG gone at this staf

If top radiator hose is at 148f and bottom at 96f (engine temp at 215) what does that indicate?
Also temp on top of the rad decreases going from R->L (R is DS with #1 battery) as in either hand touch or temp measuring.
Bad radiator or bad water pump?
With rad cap open at start (no sign of bubbling there or in overflow) I don't see any "movement" looking down into radiator thru the cap. Should I see some movement and some sort of flow?

 

[ppc]

If top radiator hose is at 148f and bottom at 96f (engine temp at 215) what does that indicate?

That seems to point to a defective thermostat, not fully opening when engine heats up.

With rad cap open at start (no sign of bubbling there or in overflow) I don't see any "movement" looking down into radiator thru the cap. Should I see some movement and some sort of flow?

You won't see movement until the thermostat opens