2017 sr5 leaking water bypass joint

Hey guys, I’ve lurked here for years but this is my first post. I bought a 2017 4 door sr5 with the 3.5L engine off the lot in cash in 2018. I’d always wanted a Tacoma. My wife and I have loved the truck; it’s at 109000 Km now. It’s been flawless, always started. However I’ve noticed I’ve been losing coolant the last while…long story short with the help of an inspection camera I figured out it’s the coolant bypass valve crack(see pics in my profile and other threads). The dealership wants 2400 cad to replace the crappy plastic part. Super bummed out as I saved my butt off for years and bought this Toyota specifically for reliability. Anyone have any easier or cheaper ways to fix this?? Thanks all.

 

The part is 95 dollars. Thats a whole lot of labor.

 

Yes they said they have to lift the whole cab to get at it…also said it might be a good time to check and replace the cab mounts. I’m paying in canadian pesos but yeah it’s a whole pile of moola I wasn’t planning on spending.

 

If you can see the crack maybe you could drain/dry the area and apply a fast setting two part inudstrial epoxy (high psi).

 

Ok worth a look, has anyone tried and done that successfully? It’s buried so deep in there I don’t think I can get a fingerful of jb weld onto the crack. Thankfully it’s a slow leak…for now

 

Yeah for a 2k repair on a plastic part its worth a shot. If a running fine and only a small leak it doesnt sound dire.

 

The part should be metal, that’s the piss off. I see some guys have been using metal lexas parts, but they don’t quite mate up properly

 

Pretty sure the epoxies are rated higher psi than some cheap plastic. You could coat it for 10 bucks.

 

TW 3rd Gen forum rumor is if you have the intake manifold off you can access that part. I have been unable to dig deep enough to find that thread.

 

There seem to be several techniques for getting at that bugger.

• Lifting the cab off. Seems crazy.
• Tilting the engine forward (probably involved disconnecting the tranny, exhaust, etc.). Also seems crazy.
• Removing the intake manifold. Still a bugger to get at, but possible.

If mine goes out, I'll be attempting the intake manifold removal method.

Stupid place to put a part like that. Especially one made out of plastic.

 

I’m just a home mechanic so I can’t lift the cab or drop the transmission…does anyone have a tutorial for removing the intake manifold?

 

See the Service Manual link in my signature. The official spark plug swap has the details for that even though you can pretty easily do the plugs without removing the plenum.

Edit: Crap! It looks like the site might have gotten busted. Here the whole SM:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cx5nnlnCzlhI45D1vbBMj1ni983SKdKf/view?usp=sharing

See Page 4457 of the PDF and onward.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/check-your-3-5l-coolant-pipe.531758/page-7#post-24126672 mentions removing it.
@ShineTech said the dealer pulled the plenum to replace his.

 

Awesome thanks guys I’ll have a look. 2400 bucks is a lot of room to work with.

 

BOOM!
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/check-your-3-5l-coolant-pipe.531758/page-12#post-26097772

 

You guys rock thank you

 

With one of those ladders that you can lay on, it might be a pretty decent job.

$373 Traxion 3-100 Foldable Topside Automotive Engine Creeper

https://www.amazon.com/Traxion-3-100-Foldable-Topside-Creeper/dp/B00QGXSODA

 

Take the hood off first. An easy step that makes a huge difference. Bonus if swap hoods at the same time.
That creeper allowed me to misalign my skeleton when I removed and installed the motor in my '94 Suburban. I traded that 'burb towards my Tacoma and its heated seats were a huge help getting back to alignment.

 

A hood and coolant pipe swap at the same time sounds like a hella mod day.


That thing really messed up your back? Dang. Plugs weren't an issue, but I kind feel that any work further inboard, I would need that.

 

Overhanging, twisting, and trying to be balanced working on it in a narrow area.