[BamZipPow]

Been losing coolant fer awhile and fer a moment, I thought it might be the dreaded head gasket. The amount of coolant that was disappearing wasn't consistant and I didn't have any water vapor in the exhaust. I figured it had to be a small leak somewhere so I was on the hunt to try to figure out where it was. While I was inspecting the radiator hoses, I found this!



A micro crack in the top tank! I replaced the original OEM radiator about 2 months after I got my T-100 back in March 2009 with one from Autozone with a lifetime warranty. Unfortunately, I guess it didn't git the warranty info credited to my account so I won't be able to exchange it fer a new ine under warranty.

A new one from Autozone will run about $182 fer the same one but there isn't one available that is close to me. Amazon has it fer about $135 shipped in 2 days while Rockauto has it fer $134 shipped in 10 days. I ended up going with Amazon and hopefully it will git here by Tuesday. I had to order a new radiator cap aince the radiator doesn't come with one.

I've already got the replacement radiator hoses from Toyota and will do an ATF exchange after I install the new radiator.

 

[noahrexion]

Maybe now would be the time to get yourself an external trans cooler and bypass the potential of the dreaded pink milkshake from your internal trans cooler crossing with coolant. Always safe security and I know you plan to hang on to your rig - might be a worthwhile $30 investment.

Thanks for sharing as always, spot on with the pics. Did you pressure test and see the coolant coming out of tank? That - at least from pic - could also be the hose/clamp fatigue and pressure bypassing and "micro leaking" out.

 

[BamZipPow]

Maybe now would be the time to get yourself an external trans cooler and bypass the potential of the dreaded pink milkshake from your internal trans cooler crossing with coolant. Always safe security and I know you plan to hang on to your rig - might be a worthwhile $30 investment.

Thanks for sharing as always, spot on with the pics. Did you pressure test and see the coolant coming out of tank? That - at least from pic - could also be the hose/clamp fatigue and pressure bypassing and "micro leaking" out.

I actually have external dual coolers fer the transmission that I transferred over from my first 1993 T-100.


I already replaced the hoses to make sure it wasn't the cause of the leak. I did notice a build up of coolant gunk near the engine coolant outlet which I cleaned off. I was hoping the hose was the issue but it ended up not being the case. After taking a closer photo after replacement of the hoses, I noticed the weeping did not go away and spotted the micro crack (the brown line). I didn't perform a pressure test as I wanted to have the new radiator in hand in case the pressure test blew out the crack even more so. Keep in mind that this is my daily driver.

 

[BamZipPow]

Here's an up close view of the leak after I installed the new hoses. You can see the brown micro crack a little better.

 

[BamZipPow]

Spectre Premium 1512 radiator fer an auto T-100.

Autozone radiator fer $182 with free shipping fer the holidays. I'm sure they would apply tax to this so about $15 more.
http://www.autozone.com/cooling-hea...m-radiator/241267_107695_0_1277?checkfit=true

Rockauto fer $115 plus $21 shipping in 10 days = $135
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=365634&cc=1317603&jnid=362&jpid=5

Amazon fer $124 plus $11 fer tax = $135 with free 2-day Prime shipping.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C7QGWC

 

[noahrexion]

You have dual external coolers yet continue using the internal from the radiator? Is your concern getting to operating temp quickly?

 

[BamZipPow]

It's more of an experiment on what dual coolers can do or can't do. I have one before and one after the stock cooler. I still have to find a decent transmission temp gauge to plumb in so I can see what the temps are. I will eventually have to see if the dual cooler setup will be able to keep up if I take the stock cooler out of the loop

 

[noahrexion]

Off topic a bit now but I'd be willing to bet that you warm the ATF back up when it goes from external back into the internal setup and then cool it once again going to the external. Please show some results if you do end up testing before after with different setups.

 

[heartdisease]

Well that's an interesting thought. Where would it pick up more heat from? If it's the transmission between loops wouldn't you still be removing heat from the transmission? Or your saying even though the stock cooler will be closer to ambient and cooler than the transmission that the first aftermarket will bring it to ambient and the stock will be warmer than ambient? I'm not disagreeing just wonder about the reasoning.

 

[noahrexion]

Well its believed that tranny temps, depending on ambient/towing/driving style/trans/trans fluid...etc, vary in the 140-225 range or so - often times mirroring what the coolant temp does.

I believe that your engine coolant temps come up much quicker than tranny temps do and thus having an internal cooler from stock likely brings your trans fluid up to temp a little quicker (not necessarily a bad thing). However the times that your coolant temps rise are likely in demanding/hot situations - similar to when tranny temps could/would be rising as well. So if you're prepared to try and really cool your tranny temps down in a demanding situation it stands to reason not to run your trans fluid through the very same core that has coolant coming through it (in and out mind you) at a considerably higher temp than you'd want your ideal trans temp to be at.

There are varying schools of thought on the usefulness, and climate and driving highway vs city plays into this a lot too, of utilizing the internal to get your trans up to temp quicker. I'm in the camp that bypassing the internal is the way to go so as not to introduce any other heat source into the system. I am likely in this camp as I was influenced young when my auto tech teacher explained scenario after scenario to us in our auto trans rebuild class about heats degradation of the auto.

For what its worth I don't have a lot of real world proof myself which is why I asked Bam to provide figures. If anyone would I know he would. I only drive manual trans.

 

[BamZipPow]

Got my radiator in today. Now to schedule some time to install it (probably at night)

I wonder if removing the stock cooler out of the loop will exend the life of the radiator at all. I know if I do, I will have to install an active cooling setup with fans on the dual external coolers.

 

[Yahoo!]

Same thing happened to me with the same aftermarket radiator- however, lucky me, I had the receipt from the local shop that did the work and they replaced it free!

 

[punk_and_goth]

We don't have the milkshake problems that was Nissan on the Xterra's

 

[noahrexion]

Bam: Or you could just leave well enough alone and only utilize the fluid cooler(s) you have. Definitely no need for fans if they're installed anywhere they'd get a modest amount of surface coverage. I know your bumper leaves a little to be desired there though....


Punk: Google "toyota pink milkshake" It is most definitely an issue and would definitely be a concern for me if I drove an auto.

 

[BamZipPow]

So I finally got around to replacing the radiator. No real issues with the replacement. I did take the time to inspect the micro crack a little better and noticed that the plastic was so soft, I was able to scrape layers off with my fingernail. The micro crack was definitely a manufacturing defect as it was right on the moulding line.

If you git the idea of replacing the radiator by not removing the rails and just removing the 4-8 rail bolts, I would not recommend this method as it did take me longer to install the new radiator since I had to work with more fasteners than if I had just taken the grill off and the four bolts that hold the radiator to the bulk head. The nuts that the bolts that bolt the radiator into the rails are not secured on the bottom and they will give you a heck of a time to git them aligned and threaded in. You may spend more time finding the nuts if they fall out and bounce away or struggle with them trying to thread the bolts in. I replaced my radiator this way as someone wanted to know if it was easier or faster.

 

[BamZipPow]

When it rains, it pours...

Found a puddle under the truck today. Went hunting and found this!

Side view...


Front view...


I guess a new water pump and timing belt are in the works as well as a new water pump gasket.

 

[SC T100]

Wow...sounds like a good refresh is on the docket. Good luck!

 

[BamZipPow]

So now I'm looking at around $850 to replace the timing belt and water pump.

If yer asking why would I choose to replace the timing belt and water pump...it's because they both have to come off when yer gonna replace the gasket. The labor charges (about 5 hours @ $110/hr) will still apply fer just replacing the gasket so I might as well replace the timing belt and water pump while they are in there.

Timing belt and water pump were both replaced about 8 years, 171,000 miles ago.

I did find that Toyota makes a metal water pump gasket that isn't normally listed by the parts guys.

Water pump gasket (metal)
16271-62011

$12.96
https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~16271-62011.html

 

[Nark]

BAM!!!, congrats on MOD you're deserve it.

 

[BamZipPow]

BAM!!!, congrats on MOD you're deserve it.

It's more like we all deserve it. Trying to git things arranged so there are some sticky threads that will benefit us all.