5sfe water in engine :(

46815 Views 329 Replies 21 Participants Last post by doozergreengrass, Feb 13, 2011

doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · Oct 16, 2010

I thought I had problems with the cooling system on my 5sfe. Replaced the radiator cap and now have water in the engine (there is a white goo on the inside of the oil filler cap). No water is left in the overflow and the radiator itself is very low.

So, how do I tell if its the head or the head gasket?

My car warranty ran out 2 days ago - 14/10/2010. F**k!!!!!!!!!!

What to do from here?

Any help much appreciated, cheers :thumbsup:

261 - 280 of 330 Posts

JohnGD

· #261 · Jan 9, 2011 (Edited)

Usually too tight an accessory belt can cause wear in the front engine main bearing. There there will be a rattling noise around 1800-2200 rpm. Fenixus has that noise in the I4, but turns out it's the camshaft making the noise. But he has a point, maybe it's a "loose" belt slapping around instead of bearing knock? So it would be helpful to identify the source of the noise.

If you suspect it's the drive belts, then just loosen them up or remove them. If the noise goes away then you know.

That's why I recommend getting a Gates Krik-it II gauge ($20 USD). It's a very simple instrument that some find hard to use, but much more *repeatable*.

doozergreengrass said:
Thanks. Would incorrect torque on those belts put too much load on the crank to the point that it was slightly uneven? Though if anything i'd have thought I tightened those belts on mine to a point where they were if anything a little looser than spec (on the safe side or not lol). Though maybe a loose belt to me is a tight belt to someone else with no kind of reference!

EDIT: Lol I do have a reference i'll check tension on the other camry's p/s and a/c belts when it gets home.

JohnGD

· #262 · Jan 9, 2011

Gen 3 with a silver tensioner spring is tightened at TDC. With a green spring is tightened at 45 BTDC. Gen 4 are 45 BTDC, so the switch over must be in the last year(s) of Gen 3.

Was the crank pulley bolt properly tightened to 80 lb/ft?

doozergreengrass said:
Its a 95 (does not have external oil cooler)

doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #263 · Jan 9, 2011

If you suspect it's the drive belts, then just loosen them up or remove them. If the noise goes away then you know.

Will do shortly. Is it ok to do say a 10km trip with both p/s an a/c belt removed?

That's why I recommend getting a Gates Krik-it II gauge ($20 USD). It's a very simple instrument that some find hard to use, but much more *repeatable*.

Will grab one down the road - gotta do some more shopping lol

I just checked my clutch fluid before and looks like its changed color i've never seen anything like it i'm sure it wasn't that color a week ago.....gonna flush/refill clutch and brake fluid god knows when was last time they got changed haven't since I had it. i've got the p/s and manual trans fluid there too, ready to go but couldn't get manual trans bolt off last time I tried! (6 months ago). So i'll prob do 2 stages of fluid changes (one today hopefully). Brake/clutch today or tomorrow *sigh*, p/s and manual can wait. lol basic maintenance takes aages! but once i know they're done guess I can leave em a few years unless I get sick of and sell this one beforehand!

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doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #264 · Jan 9, 2011

Was the crank pulley bolt properly tightened to 80 lb/ft?

I'll check the torque on the crank, I just did it up as tight as I could.....can I just put the car in reverse or 1st so there's no movement of the crank?

JohnGD

· #265 · Jan 9, 2011

doozergreengrass said:
Will do shortly. Is it ok to do say a 10km trip with both p/s an a/c belt removed?

It's only for a very brief test. Otherwise the battery will drain down and can get damaged.

I don't know if Castrol (a British Petro brand) is more common in Oz. But their Castrol GT LMA (low moisture activity) brake fluid is excellent. Another one I use in the US is the Valvoline synthetic brake fluid (also a low moisture activity fluid).

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doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #266 · Jan 9, 2011

Valvoline and Castrol both widely used here. Thanks i'll look for either of those 2 at the local motoring shop.

fenixus

· #267 · Jan 9, 2011 (Edited)

yeah, Valvoline and Castrol are everywhere hehe

I consider both brands to be very good, right behind M1 in engine oil market. unfortunately M1 doesn't make brake fluids that I know of. would probably try.
Valvoline DOT3&4 brake fluid here in both cars

doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #268 · Jan 9, 2011 (Edited)

Fenixus has that noise in the I4, but turns out it's the camshaft making the noise.

I'm starting to think cam-shafts. Thats scarey, why'd they make that noise and why not from the beginning rather than 150 km after the job?

So i've eliminated exhaust-manifold-out (tightened all bolts), crank shaft, (tightened also). I may go remove alternator belt now just to rule it out. That really only leaves p/s belt, cams and exhaust intake....other than that main bearings? god I hope not if it turns out its main bearings its gonna get sold!

I did hear a brief "squelch" after starting the engine after tightening crank bolt too.....but it was split second and stopped.

JohnGD

· #269 · Jan 9, 2011

I was just listed the possible noises. But you really need to identify the source for sure. So I wouldn't worry about main engine bearings or the camshaft if everything was fine before the belt.

Is the noise more on the timing belt side or the transmission side? Or is it hard to locate? And if you rev it a bit?

fenixus

· #270 · Jan 9, 2011 (Edited)

my crankshaft bearing (or its pulley) noise started in Winter like a year after the first timing job at local shop

but i don't think that's related (or maybe hmmm ...)

anyways, it happens between 1800-2300rpm mostly when alternator belt's tension drops below 120lbs. with tension loosened to around 80lbs it would make terrible loud noise on revving in almost same range.
with the correct tension I can hear it only when cold then it blends in.

what's funny is the noise comes strictly from camshaft pulley area under the timing cover and yet it somehow reacts to tension on alternator/ac belt ... for some time I though my Harmonic Balancer (crankshaft pulley) went bad, but it looked solid when I checked it... I mean there is like 1 chip on outer edge, not sure but I think it doesn't matter much, rubber in center is solid.

also the issue got less (but can still hear it at cold engine) got better after fixing the timing tensioner and resetting the t-belt.

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doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #271 · Jan 10, 2011

Raining today can't do much with car

So use the same brake fluid for my clutch fluid change yeah?

doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #272 · Jan 12, 2011

Can't seem to replicate the noise with the vehicle still/not in gear. does this point to running gear/gearbox/clutch? Also, when i'm driving and I feel the 2200rpm vibration (also a little at 1100 rpm in 3rd) it comes through the steering wheel. Its not a violent vibration, but rather a smooth one if that makes any sense.

The clutch is due for replacement (I think) but funnily enough it seems to be slipping less (if it all - I haven't tried really hard to get it to slip yet). I'm wondering how I could have less clutch slip after a head gasket change and oil leak improvements! Maybe this is related to the vibration - or not lol.

JohnGD

· #273 · Jan 12, 2011

Sure, it's possible with the transaxle down to the wheel. But if you feel it coming through the steering wheel I wonder if it's tire/wheel/hub related.

Rotate the front tires to the rear and see if it changes anything.

doozergreengrass said:
Can't seem to replicate the noise with the vehicle still/not in gear. does this point to running gear/gearbox/clutch? Also, when i'm driving and I feel the 2200rpm vibration (also a little at 1100 rpm in 3rd) it comes through the steering wheel. Its not a violent vibration, but rather a smooth one if that makes any sense.

The clutch is due for replacement (I think) but funnily enough it seems to be slipping less (if it all - I haven't tried really hard to get it to slip yet). I'm wondering how I could have less clutch slip after a head gasket change and oil leak improvements! Maybe this is related to the vibration - or not lol.

doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #274 · Jan 12, 2011 (Edited)

Rotate the front tires to the rear and see if it changes anything.

Yes. The wheels/tyres were rotated from back to front not long before the head work (due to fronts wearing out). But they never made noise before.This noise appeared after 150km of driving. However, the front r.h wheel hub was exposed to the elements for quite some time during all the work, and there was a diff noise (kind of scrapping noise) coming from this hub shortly after vehicle was back on road. Before I started driving though I gave that front r.h brake disc a spray with WD40 to remove the rust color (which drained off with the WD40). Has the rain got in somewhere and caused a lubrication issue or maybe caused something in the braking system to stick a little?

Not that I can do much with the car today, raining again! And half of Queensland is now underwater....poor buggers.

71Corolla

· #275 · Jan 12, 2011

doozergreengrass said:
Before I started driving though I gave that front r.h brake disc a spray with WD40 to remove the rust color (which drained off with the WD40).

Wait, you sprayed the disc surface with WD-40?

fenixus

· #276 · Jan 12, 2011

oh man. never spray lubricants on the rotors or contact surface of pads. you will have to remove the pads and spray them good with brake parts cleaner. don't spray any hoses or rubber pieces with it, may deteriorate rubber.

rust on rotors is normal after standing in rain for a few days. it comes off after you use brakes a few times in a parking lot, that's all it takes.

doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #277 · Jan 12, 2011

oh man. never spray lubricants on the rotors

My bad! Took off the a/c belt, the noise/vibration still exists. Going to tighten intake manifold 2moz when/if the rain clears, gonna try eliminate things. after tightening manifold and removing p/steer belt, i'll post back. Hopefully its one of those but would tie-rod ends cause this also? don't they generally fail around 220k kms?

esvipron

· #278 · Jan 12, 2011

After this one you’ll become for sure an expert mechanic.

fenixus

· #279 · Jan 12, 2011

when was the last time you had wheels balanced? your former rears may have been seriously out of balance, but you couldn't feel it until they were in rear.
now those in fronts are making difference. just a thought.

I would get all wheels re-balanced on best machine in the area, like Hunter GSP9700 or better. it makes the difference.

doozergreengrass

Discussion Starter · #280 · Jan 13, 2011

After this one you’ll become for sure an expert mechanic.

I'm really happy at what i've learnt already over the course of this, and as you say continue to learn! Dunno about expert, but definitely becoming an advanced back-yard mechanic

Btw thanks again to every for all the great advice very appreciated - if I could shout some of ya's a coldie I would hahahaha

when was the last time you had wheels balanced? your former rears may have been seriously out of balance, but you couldn't feel it until they were in rear.

The four tyres were all new (albeit cheap) when I bought vehicle in Oct 2009. I've never had em balanced. I had to rotate them after about 20k km due to wear on both fronts (even but excessive wear, due to their cheapness). Tyres are 185/75/14 (stock over here) and probably original rims though I couldn't be sure. I will rotate them back to the way they were though which is one less thing eliminated. Thanks Fenixus.

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