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Radiator fluid leak? Need feedback please.

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4, Feb 16, 2020.

  1. Feb 16, 2020 at 5:33 PM
    #1
    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4

    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Lifted (not sure of height), Falken RockyMountain 285/75/16 tires, unsure of wheel details, auto leveling kit, moded to HID H4 headlights from previous owner. Recently Upgraded to LED headlights.
    [​IMG]
    2001 Tacoma 3.6L 4x4
    Roughly ~180,900 miles

    So I just noticed last night that my truck might be leaking. I re-parked it, to make sure and sure enough, totally started dripping fluid. Its greenish-yellow, so thinking radiator fluid? Of course its wicked difficult to see exactly where its coming from, but took the best pics I could without jacking it up. (Dont believe it's a hose.)
    Thoughts??


    VideoCapture_20200216-171506.jpg
    VideoCapture_20200216-171530.jpg
    20200216_140207.jpg
     
  2. Feb 16, 2020 at 5:55 PM
    #2
    TWJLee

    TWJLee Well-Known Member

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    2020 Tundra GFC 33’s Borla Pro XS FOX 2.0 2020 F150 33’s Magnaflow FOX 2.0 2001 Tacoma 4x4 2.7 5spd access cab new frame 217k 2” lifted Always for sale.
    Yes thats antifreeze, and it looks like its time for a water pump.
    So thats the bad news, and also for more- may as well get the timing belt and all tensioners replaced, along with the radiator for good measure as these are better off replaced every 8-10yrs.... all this to keep you solid for 100,000 more miles.
    400-800$ if you can dyi
     
    scocar and Sreppep like this.
  3. Feb 16, 2020 at 6:12 PM
    #3
    paetersen

    paetersen Well-Known Member

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    there's no need to arbitrarily replace the radiator. It's not a 'wear' item. Either there's something wrong with it or there isn't.
     
    jbrandt and Rachelsdaddy like this.
  4. Feb 17, 2020 at 2:06 AM
    #4
    cazinpa

    cazinpa Well-Known Member

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    I disagree. My standard practice is to replace the radiator when I buy an old Toyota.

    More often than not I have found them to be partially clogged when taken to the radiator shop to check.

    These days I don't even bother having them checked - just replace...
     
    TWJLee likes this.
  5. Feb 17, 2020 at 2:11 AM
    #5
    TWJLee

    TWJLee Well-Known Member

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    when they do go bad (internally) you risk pink milkshake taking out your auto transmission. corrosion/cracks from age/off road jarring allows antifreeze and ATF to mix causing the problem. While it is apart, may as well swap a quality new.

    0r not.
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  6. Feb 17, 2020 at 3:57 AM
    #6
    BT85

    BT85 Well-Known Member

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    RIP water pump. doesn’t hurt to get a new radiator as stated above but mines original at 184k and is still fine but i could just be lucky
     
  7. Feb 17, 2020 at 4:05 AM
    #7
    Rmodel65

    Rmodel65 Yukon Cornelius

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    Yeah probably radiator fluid but its the wrong color should be red....when you fix the leak flush it good and 9ut back in the proper fluid
     
    scocar likes this.
  8. Feb 17, 2020 at 4:08 AM
    #8
    koditten

    koditten Well-Known Member

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    Looks too far to the right. Are you sure the expansion tank isn't leaking the fluid?
     
  9. Feb 17, 2020 at 5:05 AM
    #9
    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4

    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Lifted (not sure of height), Falken RockyMountain 285/75/16 tires, unsure of wheel details, auto leveling kit, moded to HID H4 headlights from previous owner. Recently Upgraded to LED headlights.
    Not a clue. I'm not the most auto mechanically inclined person. My mom's husband thinks it could be the thermostat? Maybe a bad o-ring or gasket?

    I did mention to him, not that long ago (maybe week or less), that I noticed after driving to and from the store, that I sorta smelled like a hot burning oil kinda smell (drivers side)... could that be related?

    And on a side note, it has been getting freezing temperatures lately at night (25-34° degrees F) and normal 50-65° degrees during the day... cold enough to freeze the water pipes from our well pump and bust some pipes...

    20200217_045645.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2020
    Black DOG Lila likes this.
  10. Feb 17, 2020 at 5:16 AM
    #10
    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4

    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Lifted (not sure of height), Falken RockyMountain 285/75/16 tires, unsure of wheel details, auto leveling kit, moded to HID H4 headlights from previous owner. Recently Upgraded to LED headlights.
  11. Feb 17, 2020 at 6:37 AM
    #11
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

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    'tis very important to have the dealer 'or other shop' do the coolant fluid exchange at the recommended interval nowdays then, so they can check for these contaminants?

    my trucks history has had probably 4 radiator drain and fills, maybe 5?.. but never the complete system flushed out until last summer. The mechanic tech said it looked good, no odd-looking particles or anything came out, yada yada, very clean bill of health except the top hose started leaking a month after they did the job

    since they no longer offer a plain drain and fill (have to do the entire system again) i located the little open valve at the bottom that unscrews that i can probably reach topside and let er flow out onto the driveway when i reach the approximate mileage to do this drain/fill
    plus i found Toyota red coolant at a much better deal online than the local dealers $50/$60 a gallon markUp, which is quite the coin

    i have MT so it is probably not connected to any transmission :notsure:
     
  12. Feb 17, 2020 at 6:44 AM
    #12
    Sreppep

    Sreppep Well-Known Member

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    I hope you didn’t just drain the coolant down your driveway. Also a $50 markup for coolant? I recently just bought red Toyota coolant from the dealer for $25, it costs more to buy online.
     
    scocar and GQ7227[QUOTED] like this.
  13. Feb 17, 2020 at 10:49 AM
    #13
    underaroof

    underaroof ember

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    Yeah, don't do that. Catch it and bring it to a hazardous waste facility/dump, just like you would with your oil. Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not. Antifreeze is pretty poisonous to animals, and tastes great apparently. That little drain valve is called a stop cock/drain cock.

    I'm on the original radiator with 208k, temps are between 186º-195ºF.
     
    scocar and GQ7227[QUOTED] like this.
  14. Feb 17, 2020 at 10:53 AM
    #14
    coopcooper

    coopcooper certified youtube mechanic

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    yeah animals love coolant, its pretty great for getting rid of pests, but not so good for your neighbors dog.
     
  15. Feb 17, 2020 at 11:13 AM
    #15
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

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    I will make sure my dog is inside!
    Possibly could rent lift @40 and take skid plate off. No clue if that skid needs to be removed to access the cock from the bottom?
    Would the lower radiator hose be better to drain it thoroughly
     
  16. Feb 17, 2020 at 11:17 AM
    #16
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

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    black woolWax, green IFC, borlaCB, custom Line-X PC drums, skid, nuts, hooks, 1/4 silver frame...
    Oh yes my local dealer is nutty on markups!
    I had to fix the top hose diy because of their markups ... 280 quote!
     
  17. Feb 17, 2020 at 1:22 PM
    #17
    Sreppep

    Sreppep Well-Known Member

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    You shouldnt be draining it into anything except a container and disposing of it properly.

    Damn that’s ridiculous. Must be the only dealer for miles and miles then at $50 a gallon. Replacing the radiator is a very straight forward and simple job. No way I would pay them $280 for a drain and fill.
     
    scocar likes this.
  18. Feb 20, 2020 at 3:51 AM
    #18
    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4

    _Lisa_'01Tacoma4x4 [OP] Well-Known Member

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  19. Feb 20, 2020 at 3:37 PM
    #19
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

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    All that means is that they didn't use the magical OEM red coolant.

    Mine is green too because that's what I put in it. It's not going to make your Toyota explode.
     
  20. Feb 20, 2020 at 3:38 PM
    #20
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

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    I don't think you get that kind of grime build up from a coolant leak. Methinks you got another leak in there too. Looks like maybe your front diff.

    You gotta wash all that off so you can maybe see where it's coming from.
     

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