Rad leak? or just overflow?

[jesterminute]

Afternoon all!
I'm just trying to figure out whether I've borked my radiator

Me and the missus were driving around the coast in Devon this last weekend (really nice area - first time I've been there) when I noticed an orange warning light on the dash reading 'Check' and the temp needle in the red - not 100% sure how long it'd been there but I'm guessing at least 10 minutes.

Stopped off at the nearest place and discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty (note to self : check levels before doing a long trip). Luckily we had a couple of ltrs of water with us so we threw that into it and nursed it to a car park (temp needle dancing up into the red each time we did).

Parked it up. Popped to the local garage to pick up coolant and more water and waited a hour for things to cool down.

From there I poured coolant/water mix directly into the radiator until it was full (took maybe 8-10 ltrs?), checked the oil (all fine there) and took it back on the road - where the temp needle stayed steady at just under half the whole way home.

Happy days. Problem fixed....or so I think.

This morning I notice there's a modest 'puddle' of water that has accumulated under the front of the car. Fearing a leak (but needing to get to work) I dropped another half ltr of water/coolant into the rad, checked the reservoir (plenty in there) and drove it into work - about 45 minutes and no blip from the temp guage. All appears fine.

Parked it up. Steady drip drip drip of 'water' coming from under the front of the car forming a neat puddle again.

So. I'm in work now (but luckily i've got about 5 ltrs of water with me in case I need to limp home) and my question is :

Does it sound like i've buggered my radiator? OR is it likely i just over filled it and the reservoir and it's just the excess spilling out?

When I drove it yesterday and it was half full of water/coolant the temp still bounced up to red (albeit slower) but when it was totally full it stayed steady...as it has this morning.

For reference, thankfully that 'Check' warning light vanished as soon as we put coolant in it - so I don't think i've broke the engine

(there goes my opportunity to give it to Vince and get a Lexus transplant!)

I'm assuming buying a rad online and swapping isn't too difficult anyway but I thought i'd check before I started spending cash.

Thanks for any advice.

Ant

[BUSHWHACKER]

Hey Ant!

Could just be an airlock causing the loss of coolant after your first top-up.
Before you leave work tonight, make sure the truck's heaters are set to hot then completely fill the rad with coolant. Once full, replace the cap and half fill the expansion tank.
Leave the heaters set to hot for your journey home and keep any eye on the temp gauge and hopefully all should be well.


P.s. I have your locking wheel nut key here!

[jesterminute]

Cheers for that Vince - I shall check that out!

These radiators, could they crack/spring a leak if it'd run with no coolant for a bit?

(by a bit I mean the 10-20 minutes I didn't notice the needle was in the red/'check' light was on)

Those triple roof bars you made me have held up to some significant abuse/weight btw mate - absolutely awesome bit of kit.

doh on the locking nut thing front! I was looking for that the other day when I thought I'd sprung a slow leak (I hadn't) - mind if I send you some pennies for postage and get you to fire it across to me?

Ant

[tashtego]

Cheers for that Vince - I shall check that out!

These radiators, could they crack/spring a leak if it'd run with no coolant for a bit?

(by a bit I mean the 10-20 minutes I didn't notice the needle was in the red/'check' light was on)

Those triple roof bars you made me have held up to some significant abuse/weight btw mate - absolutely awesome bit of kit.

doh on the locking nut thing front! I was looking for that the other day when I thought I'd sprung a slow leak (I hadn't) - mind if I send you some pennies for postage and get you to fire it across to me?

Ant

Ant, if you topped up with 8 or 10 ltrs it means you were running on empty for a while, hence the overheating. Can you see where the leak is from?
You might have cracked the head. The flip side is, your Lexus opportunity might still be on.

[jesterminute]

I can see where the leak is running _to_ but not where it's coming from.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Ud...p=docslist_api

It's fairly centrally running down, I can't say whether it's one side or the other really. It's not pouring out though.

Is there an easy way of visually checking if i've cracked the head?
I'm guessing, like most other cars, that a cracked head basically spells inevitable doom for my poor hilux?

Ant

[M8WHR]

Your hilux will last forever. Like a wise man once said "I've had this broom for twenty years, it's had 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time"

[shokenore]

Does the water pump have a tell tale?

[tashtego]

Your hilux will last forever. Like a wise man once said "I've had this broom for twenty years, it's had 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time"

Ha ha, very true...

If it is the head, you can get it replaced,so don't panic . It's a bit expensive but in the scheme of things better than buying a new Surf. Just find a good garage which can do a proper job and also check or replace rad, thermostat etc.
In my opinion the best way for you to know ( if it is the head or not) is to get a garage to test for exhaust gases in the coolant.
Cheers

[andyverran]

In my opinion the best way for you to know ( if it is the head or not) is to get a garage to test for exhaust gases in the coolant.

Or buy one of these:
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=261114363003

[jesterminute]

So. Update after driving it home.

Topped up the coolant in the rad (about 500ml) and reservoir.
Got home. Definitely coolant leaking out (it's blue).

It appears to be leaking in two places (or the leak appears to be travelling there).
1). the main leak, like a steadily dripping tap, is coming out of a large hole in a 'thingy' that looks structural. I assume the leak must be coming from somewhere above it, travelling through it and dropping out the hole.

Pictures are :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8U...it?usp=sharing
and
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8U...it?usp=sharing

2) the other leak appears to be coming from the left somewhere and is much slower.

Also

Where the big fat hose that connects the radiator to the engine there is a steady dripping around the clamp - I can't tell if it's coming from the clamp itself or from above it perhaps.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8U...it?usp=sharing

Finally

I also randomly found this plastic thing just knocking around in there. Any idea what it's broken off?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8U...it?usp=sharing

I remain hopeful that it's something other than the head but I await your judgement

Giving head
Also. I don't know any garages near me - Birmingham - that I haven't had immediately #### poor experiences with. I think i've asked before but i'll check again - does anyone know any places within 1-2hrs of brum that might be able to fit a new head?

Vince? Is this something I could cross your palm with? (since I could do it on my way to surfing)

In case I _do_ need to replace the head I'm assuming that I want a Cylinder Head kit aka the £810 one from Rough Trax or the £456 one from Milner. I assume the more expensive one is made of magic dust (or maybe offers performance improvements?)

Thanks for your patience all!

[Growler]

Ant,

If you want a second opinion let me have your address and I'll drop over for a look

Andy

[jesterminute]

Hi Andy, cheers for that but I'm going to try a place near one of works offices tomorrow as I can commute in and leave it without losing a days pay. Depending on how good or bad they are I might take you up on that kind offer later?

How's the back doing? Better I hope?

Ant

[jesterminute]

Rad leak to...gasket? or glow plugs..

Hi all, just an update.

Took it over to our (not very local) garage - left it with him for two weeks and he reckoned that i hadn't damaged the gasket or head, it was a problem with my water pump (and a pin hole in the big pipe connecting to it).

So, much relieved I got him to replace it and while he was at it give it a service (because I never seem to find the time).

Got it back, drove it home, job's a good un.

EXCEPT! (dun dun duuuuun!).

Now when she starts she kicks out some white smoke and runs rough for about 30 seconds (there's also a kinda diesel smell...but that could be my imagination).

So, i dutifully searched the hilux threads and it generally seemed to point to head (again) or glow plugs.

ran the engine for a bit, popped the radiator cap off, no bubbles (slight movement from the engine but nothing i'd quantify as bubbles). The reservoir looks a little low for something that was (apparently) recently topped up but otherwise all fine.

Does the bubble test more or less definitively tell us that there's nothing wrong with the head?

Aiming for the glow plugs next but the only other oddity (apart from the smoke and lumpy start) is a weird high pitched ticking noise, somewhere near the engine or under the turbo. Wasn't there before.

Any other thoughts?

[Dobbslc]

The rough starting could be a duff glow plug BUT after running it completely out of coolant and overheating it I would say that it's coolant being pushed into one or more cylinders after you turn it off. The gasket could be blown but it's likely the head has cracked also.
As andyverran says get a co2 testing kit, that will tell you if there is gas getting into the cooling system.
I've got a cracked head on my 3rd gen that pushes out bubbles into the expansion tank and it drinks coolant too, it also starts lumpy with white smoke then runs well after a few seconds.
I've tested for co2 and found my system full of it, I've also pressure tested it and it has a slight leak there too.
So the symptoms are similar to yours and I know my heads gone.........
I hope you are one of the lucky ones though.

[jesterminute]

Arse. I was hoping I might have caught it in time (in terms of overheating etc).

Just got a quote for £1380 (inc) and as that's over half what I paid for it i'm now wondering whether it's worth just scrapping it and getting an old Gen 2 for that money.

that being said...odds on favourite _that_ would have head problems too...

Taking it in to get it checked professionally on Tuesday, then decision time for me I think.