92 6cyl camry wagon ODD overheating issue.... almost a year after the last one...

[jasonbrianmerrill]

this is my original thread, soon after i got the car:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...86#post2914386

it seems the water pump was faulty.

anyhow it ran flawlessly for a long time -

now, the strangest thing happened. I took a ride about 30 miles long, and when i stopped at my destination, radiator fluid and water simply boiled out of the overflow tank to no end.

I made it home fine but realized there was some kind of problem. I had a hard time getting the thermostat out on my car, so i took it to a mechanic, who basically just said "if its not the thermostat, junk it cause its probably the head" - which of course i concede is certainly possible.

however - he replaced the thermostat (or took it out completely) and said he ran it for a while without a problem, said it was all fine.

I took it (skeptical) and drove it 13 miles. When i arrived, i turned the car off and heard the bubbling that i have heard before, and some fluid came out of the reservoir. It crushed me a little, but for some reason I am not convinced this is the end of my car. For starters, it didn't overheat the entire trip, and on the way back it didn't either.

It just always lost fluid at the end, as if there was too much pressure in the system (possibly from the engine itself if the gasket is blown?)

its been running fine since, just have to put some water in it.

Could it be a faulty radiator cap? That would cause a lack of pressure, not too much pressure tho right?

I certainly admit that my questions and ideas may seem ignorant, but that is because i am not a mechanic, and do not claim to be

any help appreciated. Im going to get a second opinion on monday.

water or oil doesnt seem to have mixed, btw.

[Kingdom934]

That doesn't sound good...

My friend's previa had the same problem as it would basically gush out all the coolant through the overflow...and it would lose all the coolant within about 30 minutes...head gasket blew.

The 3VZ will at times have a blown headgasket at high milage. How much is yours already?

[JohnGD]

It can be if the cap can't hold pressure. Just swap in a new one. Stant should make one with spring loaded vacuum return valve. Don't use the plastic hang-loose valve if you can avoid it. If that plastic valve doesn't seal, then your radiator is at atmospheric pressure.

The other thing I agree, could be the head gasket the 3VZ likes to blow. You can get a radiator shop to do an exhaust gas check in the rad.

Originally Posted by jasonbrianmerrill

Could it be a faulty radiator cap? That would cause a lack of pressure, not too much pressure tho right?

I certainly admit that my questions and ideas may seem ignorant, but that is because i am not a mechanic, and do not claim to be

any help appreciated. Im going to get a second opinion on monday.

water or oil doesnt seem to have mixed, btw.

[jasonbrianmerrill]

apparently, it was the cap

all is good now!!!!