engine troubles....... :-(

[Rob]

Just replace the thermostat and rad cap with new ones and see how it goes (cheapest option). If it happens again, get the head taken off / inspected / replaced.

Ideally, I'd get someone (or yourself) to get the head off straight away and find out for sure what's going on and save messing about!
If it is the head, I'd personally replace rad cap, thermostat, possibly even the radiator (or at least have it inspected / tested by rad specialist) anyway.

[Driver]

Hi Carbonman, I had exactly the same symptoms as you - Gauge went into RED !!! Expansion bottle overflowed !!! Thought it was end of the World !!! But I did not have the white Smoke. I refiled the system a number of times but it kept on overflowing from the Expansion bottle. I replaced the Thermostat and Radiator filler cap on the thermo housing refilled with a good quality Antifreeze and checked and double checked for Airlocks this appears to have cured my Overheating problem!!! I have since done approx 1500 MILES and had no further problems. Try this first its the cheapest option and it definitely worked for me . GOOD LUCK.

Andy.

[Smurf]

Hi
My head went not long into ownership and i suspect it was gone when i bought the car, it took a drive to York and back to open up the cracks in the head and highlight the problem but once it reared its head it stayed and water would bubble into the expansion tank from cold startup but the engine wouldnt overheat until it had pushed out most of the water and run for a good 15 minutes or more. I hope for the sake of your wallet that it is just an airlock or stat problem. If it occurs again for no reason i would pull the head off as if you continue to use it with water getting into the bores or oil you could cause damage to the block ie bearings etc which will make things even more costly. As mentioned earlier pull the rad cap off from cold and see if it bubbles up out of the system, if it does then you really should have the head off.
Hope you get it sorted, good luck!!

[carbonman]

Thanks guys, more then enough suggestions there, so I will give that a try.

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers and thanks again for your help.

[carbonman]

Update.......

Took it on a reasonably long journey after changing the rad cap and eventually it got hot, after about a hour and nearly boiled, i stopped this time before it did!!

Things i noticed which may or may not be of significance.....
a) I can't hear or see the electric fan coming on.. when i stopped this last time i left the ignition on, and the electric fan was definitely not on... should it have been??
b) When i stopped after it got hot this last time, i tried turning the viscous fan, and it was pretty stiff, not very easy to turn at all. I tried turning it last night, and it would nearly spin a bit on its own, whereas when i tried when it was hot, it was very stiff and no turning on its own whatsoever...

The journey was mostly dual carraidge way where the air from driving seemed to keep it at bay mostly, however if I pushed it over 60mph or up a hill the temp gauge would move up. As soon as I pulled off the dual carriage way, the gauge just started to go up real quickly when i had to pull over almost immediatly.

I'd like more opinions if possible, i am trying to avoid what i think is the inevitable end diagnosis of the head gone, and have arranged for a combustion gas test of the water in the next couple of days.

Could it be the fans causing the problems?

Cheers all and thanks as always...
CM

ps from cold, if i fill the water shroud thing til its full, then run it, it does seem to constantly overflow, now and again it seems to burp then the water level will drop a bit but its always going up either to the brim or thereabouts and back down to the bottom of where you can see with the rad cap off...

[stimpy30]

warning

hi don,t want to be mesenger of doom but going of your first post when a head or gaskets fail one symton is engine won,t turn over starter just gives a loud clunk this can be caused by hydraulicing it means water getting on top of pistons through gasket or cracked head i,m only saying this as if this is the case don,t force it to start again as you have a chance of bending conrods and this is very expensive if not engine killing

[mark s]

Hi Carbonman,
Just to let you know I have had exactly the same symptoms as you, locked up starter, boiling coolant, and white smoke. I have tried the above fixes, thermostat and new cap, but the symptoms still persist, I have also been told by the local toyota dealer to replace the viscous fan with a uk spec one at £134 it's quite expensive and some importers are changing them as soon as they come into the country, I will fit one after replacing the head , I think the symptoms you and I have had proves the head is knackered, and it is definatly worth striping the head off as to lay your mind at rest. Oh well out with the tool box....... Does anyone know where I can get a new cylinder head from and how much should I pay ? Thanks.

[carbonman]

Yes on with the saga... seing how I pay for the RAC I thought i would breakdown and get em out to have a look at it....

They did.. they put a compression test on, and within about 10-20 seconds of it starting it was already up to 5psi... He also put the fluid test on to check for combustion gasses which also failed and went green.

:-(

I dont need any more convincing that its the head / head gasket..

Is it likely that my head might be the ok sort? One that was replaced in Japan for a re designed one? Is there anyway to tell...?

As the above post... im in the south west, anyone know where I can get a new head cheap as poss!!!

Thanks for your help guys

I have to say for anyone reading this who is new to surfs, that all cars get problems and the benefits and pros of the surf outweigh a head going anyday!!

Surf on! or not for the moment!

[Koi]

Milners do a head as do uk cylinder heads in Cornwall, both deliver. Milners is a bare head while UK cylinder heads is ready to bolt on. Both supply gaskets not sure if milners do genuine but UK cylinder heads do.

[dirtydog]

how comes everyone here seems to be a mechanical genious!!?!!

[marky]

how comes everyone here seems to be a mechanical genious!!?!!

Cause weve all been there at some point.

[rubblebags]

Milners do a head as do uk cylinder heads in Cornwall, both deliver. Milners is a bare head while UK cylinder heads is ready to bolt on. Both supply gaskets not sure if milners do genuine but UK cylinder heads do.

Ive had the milner head and thats genuine Toyota. The gaskets were not. The extra I paid to have the bare head bought upto fitting standard out weighed the UK cylinder head price. Need I say more.????

Good Luck
Geoff.

[carbonman]

I think you need not!
I have to say the idea of a bolt on new top end did sound like the best option..
Gonna be better in the long run.
Cheers geoff

[esson]

Hi

Well re your head trouble and white smoke.
I run a 1989 2.4 td and have had both troubles,I dont no if this is a option to you.But my surf blew up in Spain 3 months ago .And id herd of the 2.4 head problems and mine had been gurgling since i got it.
Well i was pulled in to a Toyota of Bilbo North spain main dealer.
Had new rad, thermostat,and a NEW HEAD all in inc labour came to £1200
Which i think using gen toyota parts ent bad.
Now to the white smoke i had this problem 2 weeks ago thought id blown it again.I to have started to run on veg oil 30 / 70 mix for about 2 months now.
Been running fine till the other night,the surf totaly cut out with a mega size cloud of white smoke.but then just cleared after the hard to start bit.
Looked on a few vegi sites and it sayes if the cars old then there are likely to be build ups of gunge in the tank and pipes.And Veg oil propertys breaks this down and so travels though the system.Well am hoping this anyway
And ive done 1300 odd miles since with no problems.
Hope this may help......

[Vagrant No2]

how comes everyone here seems to be a mechanical genious!!?!!

Some of us just are !

Rick