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Is it possible for to overheat without any issues?
My wife got stuck in our 01 with almost 180k auto 4runner. It was 95 degrees, humid as hell, ac on full blast, 2 passengers, one large dog and all of their crap.
All was well last weekend when i drove it for an hour in the heat but with a lot less in it.
Can a vehicle just overheat with those conditions? She was running for about an hour and 20 minutes on mostly flat land but i am sure she was doing 70-80 with a full load.
Generally no. That doesn't sound like an extreme condition. If your wife was also towing that could have done it.
If you are sure coolant levels are optimal, it is probably something simple like a dead radiator fan. Also the rubber ring around the radiator pressure cap could have deteriorated. Both of those are sudden reasons that can cause a car to overheat.
I'll have to check those out this weekend. I'm hoping it didn't do major damage. Putting an engine in almost makes no sense since it would cost a couple grand to do so, but it's still cheaper than a payment.
Originally Posted by wackjum
Generally no. That doesn't sound like an extreme condition. If your wife was also towing that could have done it.
If you are sure coolant levels are optimal, it is probably something simple like a dead radiator fan. Also the rubber ring around the radiator pressure cap could have deteriorated. Both of those are sudden reasons that can cause a car to overheat.
A bad blown headgasket will make it to where the car has crap compression and won't even turn over or start.
Was the coolant level super low?
Either way, a car with a working cooling system would have no problem keeping the engine cool, especially at those speeds (especially since you aren't towing)
If there was no coolant running through the engine for almost an hour and a half and left her stranded, there's a good chance she blew the headgasket which requires not only lifting the head, but resurfacing it.
Did the 4Runner just flat out die on the side of the road?
If a car overheats while driving, it's usually a water pump that went bad or a leaky cap/hose/low fluid. If a car only overheats while stopped, it's usually the radiator fan. The Toyota engines are usually pretty stout so I wouldn't worry about it. If it's running fine, it's probably good.
If there was no coolant running through the engine for almost an hour and a half and left her stranded, there's a good chance she blew the headgasket which requires not only lifting the head, but resurfacing it.
Did the 4Runner just flat out die on the side of the road?
Good luck!
There is still coolant in the radiator. She only ran it about 5-10 minutes when she noticed the temps started to go up. All other fluids are normal.
There is still coolant in the radiator. She only ran it about 5-10 minutes when she noticed the temps started to go up. All other fluids are normal.
Drain the oil. If it's milky white then there's coolant in the oil and your headgasket is toast. If normal then you should be fine but get a compression test to be sure.
Drain the oil. If it's milky white then there's coolant in the oil and your headgasket is toast. If normal then you should be fine but get a compression test to be sure.
$115 for a new radiator and a gallon of coolant. It took a while to replace since it was hot as hell out. It wasn't that bad except breaking the front bolts that hold the skid plate on. I had an air bubble and it was still overheating, but once i remembered what i had to do, it was corrected.
$115 for a new radiator and a gallon of coolant. It took a while to replace since it was hot as hell out. It wasn't that bad except breaking the front bolts that hold the skid plate on. I had an air bubble and it was still overheating, but once i remembered what i had to do, it was corrected.
Its too late for you but they make a sweet funnel that attaches to the radiator where the cap would go. It allows you to over fill the system and run it to bleed the air out (without spilling antifreeze all over). It also has a t-handle plug so once you've bled the system and the fluid runs from the radiator up into the funnel, you can plug the funnel to remove it and the system is completely filled.
Normally i disconnect the top radiator hose and pour coolant until it is full after the radiator is full. This usually does the trick. That is a funnel.
Seconding this funnel. It makes bleeding the cooling system a easier and less messy. Well worth it.
Also keep an eye on the oil. Your 4Runner is most likely the V6, that generation had some head gasket issues. But later models had fewer issues.
Originally Posted by black label
Its too late for you but they make a sweet funnel that attaches to the radiator where the cap would go. It allows you to over fill the system and run it to bleed the air out (without spilling antifreeze all over). It also has a t-handle plug so once you've bled the system and the fluid runs from the radiator up into the funnel, you can plug the funnel to remove it and the system is completely filled.
Seconding this funnel. It makes bleeding the cooling system a easier and less messy. Well worth it.
Also keep an eye on the oil. Your 4Runner is most likely the V6, that generation had some head gasket issues. But later models had fewer issues.
I got mine because I think I had the same problem dallison had, my jeep was starting to overheat with no leaks. I thought maybe air in the system but it turned out that the aluminum portion of the radiator had oxidized to the point that it couldn't absorb and transfer heat. I replaced the radiator, bled it with the kick ass funnel and all heating issues were gone.
funnel.
