THREE symptoms appear all at once. Problem?

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Unbelievable. It's an epidemic. I guess it is fortunate that we're all on this forum and everyone is alert to these symptoms. Left unchecked, this can take out an engine. Had I not been aware of some of you guys having HG failure, I really don't know how quickly I'd have concluded mine had let go - and I'm reasonably aware of my truck's mechanicals.

Keep us posted. Blackstone is small enough that you can call and speak with the receptionist about your specific sample and ask that it be processed, as well as get immediate verbal confirmation if there's coolant in the oil.

DougM
 
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It's so good to have a bunch of knowledgeable and interested, nay caring, guys like you all around.

I'm better off than most because I have an extended warranty transferable from the previous owner. I'm wondering if I'll have aggro to enforce it or find a reliable mechanic to do the job. Maybe they will pay me to do it as I have the video! Anyway, let's wait on Blackstone. I'll pull #6 plug in the morning and see if there is anything to be seen.

Mike
 
michael,
just on the oil loss, did you by any chance take it on a highway run? It is common for my truck well into an oil change to need a quart after the first 200 miles or so after which the oil becomes steady. I have read that the highway speeds burn off fuel that seeps into the oil.

Also, do you have the thick dipsticj with the cross hatches? On mine, one side of the dip stick usually looks full even as the other side registers the drop. This can be very hard to spot with synthetic.
 
MH,

To see into #6, you'll need a hand mirror and a penlight flashlight. Get a plank from the right fender onto the oil cap and engine lift eye for 3 point stability (rag under fender) so you can get atop the engine on your knees. Hold the mirror approximately up against the underside of the hood above the #6 cylinder and shine the flashlight into the mirror (and thence into the cylinder) and if you've pulled the other plugs you should be able to see a difference. Either #6 will look wet, or it will be cleaner. The plug may also come out different - again wet or cleaner.

Once all the plugs are out, you can also pull the EFI fuse (in rectangular box behind battery - just wiggle and pull up) and have someone crank the engine while you look for a spray/mist being blown out of only #6. You may smell the coolant when it mists out. Another hint is that after shutdown the large hoses will still feel tight like a tennis ball when you squeeze them. If you've got a blown HG where coolant is going into the cylinder this will leak down in only a few minutes and the hose will be noticeably easier to squeeze. On a properly functioning system the hoses will feel like a tennis ball for much longer - how much longer depends on ambient temps and how quickly it cools.

So, there are a few tips. The Blackstone data will be useful, too.

DougM
 
when my HG went at 170k it started with what yours is doing... or something similar. In Texas in 100 degree heat the ac would stop working everything else was just fine.. no overheating or other problems.. toyota designed a really good cooling system..

but when I started to monitor water and oil it was plain that I had a problem.. I agree with pulling the plugs.. when I did it was easy to see #6 was getting water..

When I pulled mine down I was amazed at how little the gasket had to move to have a leak and how the gasket could fail with no overheating or other issues. Took me a day and a half start to finsh. and that included cleaning the head.

Sounds like you caught yours early I would be curious to know what the oil analysis shows...

Good luck

HG and other gaskets are around 200+, I added to my cost with hoses, belts, stat, radiator and a few other items-- heck I was there... and didn't want to go back.. also a good time to clean the throtle body and EGR out... and fix all the oil leaks...check the chain ramps for the timing chain..
 
MH_Stevens said:
Don't think so CJF. I have now have clouds of white smoke on fire-up! It's beginning to look like HGF!

Blackstone will have my oil tomorrow or Tuesday.
Click to expand...

Dang!

Mike, I've been out of town since my last post in this thread. I was really hoping I'd come back and find you saying, "OK guys, it's all good." :frown:

Hang in there,

Curtis
 
I'm just thinking if it is HGF as it looks, why the big oil loss when it happened? Does this mean the piston or ring got shot? What other explanation is there?

Mike
 
Blackstone says "wear is low" and "no coolant in oil." So what do I do now? I'll still look into the #6 plug hole tommorow.

UNIT NUMBER 97 LANDCRUIS
CODE: 20/21234/37 REPORT DATE: 1/17/06
OIL REPORT LAB NUMBER: C64434

MICHAEL: Wear levels read quite low in this sample from your Land Cruiser. The universal averages column shows typical wear from this type of engine after 5000 miles on the oil. You ran this oil 7000 miles and the engine looks great, as far as we can tell. We don't see any signs of antifreeze (potassium and sodium) or a head gasket (copper, most likely) problem. No fuel or moisture found.
We are sorry to hear that you're losing coolant, but at least it's not getting into the oil and hurting wear.
Check back to monitor.
PALM DESERT, CA 92260
EQUIPMENT MAKE: Toyota
EQUIPMENT MODEL: 4.5L 6-cyl (1FZFE)
FUEL TYPE: Gasoline (Unleaded)
OIL USE INTERVAL: 7,000 Miles
OIL TYPE & GRADE: Mobil 1 5W/30 (Gas)
MAKE-UP OIL ADDED: 7 qts
ADDITIONAL INFO:
COMMENTS UNIT CLIENT
4929 S. LAFAYETTE STREET
FORT WAYNE, IN 46806 (260) 744-2380
 
I think your HG is fine at this point, and it's time to start with a very bright flashlight (non LED - want fine point) looking all over the engine for some pinkish foamy deposits (from the red coolant). Put a plank on the engine and crawl up and way back to peer down at the hoses between the head and firewall. Those would be suspect and you'll never see the leak from daily observation. Ditto the PHH area. Also, look closely at the three head sensors under the intake manifold, especially the one almost at block's center that has a pair of vacuum hoses sprouting upward. Pull the skidplate under the radiator and check the bottom hose/radiator bottom and look up at the upper hose's connection to the aluminum pipe sprouting from the block.

Also, put a piece of tape on the overflow and mark the stone cold level every morning.

I think you just have an external leak in a difficult to see spot and the oil loss was either mismeasurement or from the normal fluctuations of condensation and fuel buildup. No worries.

DougM
 
But Doug - My main concern was the massive oil loss, the cleanish oil that suddenly went black, the start up smoke and the unusual start up smell. It's not just the coolant.

Anyway I have decided to start driving her again and just see what happens. I have your tape on and I will mark her daily cold.
 
Don't jump on the oil loss too soon as it's easy for oil level to vary considerably based on how a vehicle is driven. For example, trips around town in the absence of oil consumption by the engine will raise the oil level due to condensation into the oil and also raw gas into the oil. Go out on the freeway for 400 miles and you'll remove every drop of those.

Other oil variations can occur that either add to these variations or cancel them. Not waiting long enough for the oil to settle. Checking the oil on a slightly sloped gas station apron (regs require them to slope). Checking the oil when there's accumulated oil in the dipstick tube. Etc.

I always check my oil first thing in the morning. If I'm concerned with a particular vehicle I'll increase the accuracy by opening the hood when I park it, pulling the dipstick and laying it across the engine. The next morning this both reminds me to check it and it guarantees there is no oil in the filler tube.

So, check your oil this way, and make your coolant marks on the tape this way for a week and see where you're at before drawing any expensive conclusions. Also you said your warranty was "transferable" which is different from "I filed the paperwork and paid the fee to transfer the warranty and have the paperwork from the warranty company in the glovebox." Most of these transferable warranties have various expirations and terms that differ so be sure you know where you stand. In writing. Especially before making any noises about a claim.

DougM
 
UPDATE:
I'm feeling a bit confused and possibly stupid this morning. Yesterday I drove 130 miles including elevation change of 4000' and about 20 miles of towing and the old girl did not use any oil or coolant.

Maybe paranoia over the HG thing got to me. I know I needed add about a half pint of coolant last week and a fair bit of oil but maybe I will never know why. I feel bad for those who have had real problems and for waisting every ones time. I do still think she is idling a little rough and I still believe she smells like she is making unpleasant fumes she did not before. The white smoke occurs only after a period of standing without use. Is that a leaky valve or something like that?
 
Don't feel confused or stupid; that's silly; this is good news! And don't even start imagining you have a leaky valve or some other problem.

Is the morning coolant level still good?

Curtis
 
Ditto to Curtis' question.

DougM
 
Besides being an old Jap car tech, I am familiar with Monteros, which habitually run for years with small cracks seeping coolant. The Mitsu 2.6L is known for this behavior and we don't usually fix it until the head is removed for some other reason. Yes, it does smell sweet and rarely shows in the exhaust stream if seeping small quantities. One way to see steam in the exhaust is to have a friend follow at night. shining headlights may show a small amount of steam that isn't otherwise visible. In anything other than a Mitsu I would expect a seep to grow larger pretty quickly.
 
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