97 camry overheating water leak (from where)???HELP - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

mrlyons5 · 10-23-2007, 02:36 PM

I have a 97 4 cyl Camry. My car started overheating at stoplights and the like once I accelerated my temp gauge would go down. Well one day I decided that perhaps I need to top off the reservoir with 50/50. Well I got half way to work and noticed steam coming from under the car. I stop at the gas station and the car was full overheating. I sat there a few moments then put water in the radiator and the car would not crank. I out more water then finally it cranked up. After a few more minutes the water started leaking pretty quick at the back of my engine. Can anyone tell me what this might be? I almost made it back home; the car stalled and would only crank up once it had more water. All my water is leaking out and I don’t know where. The water pump appears to be fine. It is not leaking from the water pump or the radiator. Someone told me it was the crystal plug. They say this plug breaks to keep the engine from cracking. Can anyone help? I need to get my car back on the road.

nitehawk55 · 10-23-2007, 06:02 PM

I'll let some others who know these cars chime in but I would want to know if it's a frost plug in the block leaking ( they can rust out and get holes ) or if it's a possable head gasket . The overheating may be a plugged cooling system such as the radiator or perhaps the rad fans are not coming on or even a malfunctioning thermostat ? If this caused the initial overheating it may have caused other problems contributing to the coolant leak .

Just my impression from what you are describing .

Stillrunning · 10-23-2007, 06:31 PM

Your initial overheating sounds like the fan switch was not functioning if you did not hear the fans come on when idling. The problems now sound a lot worse. When the engine overheated and steam came out and you parked it, did you put water in without turning the engine on when it was still hot? Have you checked your oil level? The leak could be from a frost plug (crystal plug?) but on a 97 if you have kept the cooling system with 50/50 mix I doubt a frost plug. I do suspect a head gasket. If you are not mechanical I would take it to a shop and have it checked.

***toyomoho*** · 10-23-2007, 06:54 PM

I concur, perhaps the overhearing due to a bad coolant switch caused the head gasket to blow. Also check for a damaged coolant or heater hose and heater valve. If you look hard using a bright light source you should be able to find the leak. Don’t operate the engine too long until you solve the leak problem. The engine may now have damage due to overheating, hence not turning over until water was added (engine cooled down).

ghettosled · 10-24-2007, 08:09 AM

never, never, NEVER continue driving the car when its overheating! since you are losing coolent and you see steam, i wouldnt jump to conclusions that the head gasket is bad (though driving the car while its overheating doesnt help), or that its a problem with the cooling fans or thermostat. most of the time coolent leaks come from old rubber hoses, so that is where i would look first. dont forget to also check bypass hoses and the coolent lines that run to the firewall for the heater core.

Red 97 Camry · 10-24-2007, 12:00 PM

You will need to replace the head gasket (blowen out) and possibly mill the head but only a mechanic or a hop can measure the damage on the head and decide if needs to be milled.

I suggest not to drive the vehicle any more or the damage will increase to a whole new engine.

Good Luck.

mrlyons5 · 10-24-2007, 04:01 PM

thanks for the replys before all this happened I notice water or coolant pooling on my carpet on the drivers side front and back.

nitehawk55 · 10-24-2007, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrlyons5

thanks for the replys before all this happened I notice water or coolant pooling on my carpet on the drivers side front and back.

That would indicate a leaking heater core .

mrlyons5 · 11-03-2007, 07:53 PM

i have posted a photo of where the water is leaking from. can any one tell me what i am looking at. it is the indented circle in the middle above the screw. the radiator fluid is leaking from this spot. is this the area of the freeze plug? if one of you experts can assist i would appreciate it.

95PimpingCamry · 11-03-2007, 08:27 PM

The circular area is a freeze plug ( also known as core plugs or soft plugs). Looks like you will have to replace at least that one freeze plug. The procedure my Haynes manual says (for the gen 3) is use the blunt end of a punch and tap on the outer edge of the plug to turn it sideways then use pliers to pull it from the engine, DO NOT push the freeze plug all the way into the engine as you will not be able to get it out. Coat the new freeze plugs w/ Permatex no. 2 sealant and use a large socket that just fits into the new plug to drive it into the block.

FYI - I am not an expert, I have mostly quoted my Haynes manual here. I am liable for nothing.