[Jbosma]

Hello,
I drive a 2001 Toyota Camry LE with the 5SFE 4 cylinder. Currently have 120,000 miles on it.


A few days ago I was driving and my engine temperature went red hot, so I immediately pulled over to see what the problem was. Turned out the top of the radiator had a hairline crack, and I had lost some fluid. I had some extra coolant in the trunk, so I filled up the radiator and the overflow tank. I was only a mile away from home so I decided to limp it back and it really seemed to drive fine. The temperature stayed at its usual point and it never over heated on the way back home. So I bought a new radiator, some hoses and a fail safe thermostat, all from rockauto. I made sure I flushed out the system with a garden hose before putting the new radiator in. After installing the radiator and the new parts, I filled it up with coolant and proceeded to do the normal burping method IE: fill up the radiator with coolant start the engine, squeeze the top radiator hose and fill as needed. I was only able to get about 4 quarts into the whole system and as I put more and it was just all bubble over. I left the engine running for about 10 minutes and then tried to turn the heat on and it was not getting any heat. Meanwhile, the engine temperature stayed right at the center then tried to do more burping and adding fluid, and I was still getting the same result. I decided to see if driving it would make any difference, and I drove about two houses down, and the engine slowly started to overheat, so I immediately shut the engine off and let it cool. I was then able to pull the car into the driveway where I proceeded to lift the front of the car, add more coolant, squeeze the top, radiator hose and try to get maybe some air out of this system. When the car is idling, the temperature seems absolutely normal, but as soon as I try to drive it, the temperature increases and also my heat does not work at idle. there is one other issue with all of this that kind of makes my head scratch. The water pump we pull has some red residue in the weep hole but not at any point do I see fluid actively draining out of that weep hole. There is just some red residue on the inside of it. I have sprayed water up it to try and clean it out, but it seems as if the red residue comes back but only stay inside the weep hole. Just to reiterate, I do not see any fluid leaking out of the weep hole or even a residue of red fluid that would trickle down the water pump if there was fluid coming out. Also I replaced the water pump 25,000 miles ago when I did my timing belt.


So what’s happening here? Part of me thinks that may be fluid is not circulating in the system, which makes me think either there’s something wrong with the thermostat, if the water pump is bad, or if there is still just air in the system.

 

[retiredat444]

get the exhaust gas test kit to see if head gasket is bad

 

[Chuy]

It does sound like there is air in the system. I am not familiar with this engine, does it have a bleeder valve? If the thermostat has a jiggle pin, did you install it with the jiggle in the 12 o’clock position? If it doesn’t have a jiggle pin, you can drill a 1/8th hole and mount the thermostat with the hole at the 12 o’clock position. This jiggle or hole allows air bubbles to pass to the radiator. Therefore, during the purge session, leave the radiator cap open until the car warms up. This helps the air bubbles escape quicker.

 

[Strega315]

1. Overheating your engine could have compromised your head gasket, a quick down and dirty check to see if that's an issue is what I call the sizzle test. Get your engine up to normal operating temperature and pull the oil dipstick and let several drops drip onto the hot exhaust manifold. If it "sizzles" you have a blown head gasket (coolant in oil). If it hits the hot manifold and simply spreads out then you can be fairly certain your head gasket is ok.

2. Stuck thermostat - I'm sure somebody will pipe in on that, especially about the "jiggle valve" (love that word).

3. Heater Core - you possibly have/had two simultaneous faults, a cracked radiator reservoir and a blocked heater core. This would lead me to believe someone might have used a "stop-leak" product because they couldn't locate the source of overheating but noticed the coolant was low in the reservoir and put stop-leak in. This product is infamous for blocking heater core tubes. Backflush radiator core according to your local YouTube video or google search. You might need compressed air/water flush combo to get it all out in the reverse flow direction. Also ensure the heater check valve moves to fully open and closed positions to allow coolant to flow into the heater core. This valve is usually mounted on the input tube (engine firewall) to the heater core and is activated by a mechanical connection or possibly solenoid operation on your MY Camry.

4. Proper bleeding of your coolant system. For decades I always thought I could bleed a coolant system well enough after any coolant related maintenance, and I always did it old skool. (1960's/70'ss/80's) and for the most part I never had any significant problems. But on a whim, last Fall, I purchased the Lisle coolant 24680 bleed funnel (winter was coming) and I bled 5 of my vehicles and was amazed at how much air I had left in the systems on ALL of these cars! I proved to myself there's only one way to bleed correctly and completely. So now that kit will be my religion on all coolant system bleeds. You should consider it as well.

 

[1990Toyota]

The 5S is pretty stout, so if everything was fine before, and if you indeed caught the gauge as soon as it got hot you should be ok motor wise.... but if you caught the gauge when it was hot... and it was hot for a very long time.... that's a different story. You should be doing a head gasket test if you think it's the latter of the two scenarios.


Some people who got parts from R/A got a bunch of bad thermostats... like 4 in a row for some other cars / models on other forums...... did you get the cheapest one? Or did you get a good quality one? If it had a "vent" did you place it facing up? As I recall the vent for this car is inside the t-stat unit ...in the middle area of the parts that open..., not the easily seen thermostat "housing".its been awhile though.

Id personally go to Toyota and get a Toyota stat. Its more expensive but they are very good thermostats.

Ddi you have the heater on when you added the coolant? That helps as well since it opens up the heater control valve if you have one.

It just from a positive view.....but sounds like you have air trapped in the system. The fact that it overheats so fast makes me think you have a eally stuck air bubble. Itd take a while for it to start overheating if it were a headgasket.. not just a few houses.

These cars are really easy to fill even without a funnel though... but the funnel makes it so much easier. Just go grab one.


did you also check fan operation?

 

[Jbosma]

When the engine did overheat I pulled over pretty quick and also I’ve idled the engine for maybe about 30 mins now trying to burp it and it seems to run smooth. So I don’t think engine is compromised.
I also noticed that my fans did not turn on while It was idling but I wasn’t sure if they do at idle.

 

[CamryFL]

I also noticed that my fans did not turn on while It was idling but I wasn’t sure if they do at idle.

They should, but it could take awhile: depending on outside air temperature. Example: the '00 5SFE Camry here takes from 30 minutes -> up to 1 hour for the electric fans to kick on & cycle: at 20F or below. Even when the engine is "heat-soaked" / running at full operating temp.

Using an OBDII scanner to read the Engine Coolant Temp (ECT) sensor, that corresponds to the electric fans kicking on when coolant temp reaches about 215F, +/- a degree or two.

+1 w/ all above with the great advice - personally, if here, I would be pulling the thermostat & testing in a pot of hot water w/ thermometer to verify proper operation, and would consider the water pump "suspect" - given you are finding "residue" @ the weep hole, when checking. (It should be dry / clean.)

A radiator pressure test kit to pressurize the system cold / safely / check for leaks, an OBDII scanner capable of reporting ECT values to verify proper thermostat / cooling fan operation, and an InfraRed (IR) thermometer to verify temps. @ the radiator, thermostat housing, etc. while running, may be valuable additions to the toolkit in troubleshooting.

 

[TruckerI5]

When it heats up, do both the upper and lower radiator hoses feel hot?
I second the post mentioning the coolant fill funnel kit, I use it and it is awesome.
Assuming there is nothing wrong with the heater core, what could be some possible issues?
It is weird that if you let it idle it will stay normal temp but instantly heat up when under a bit of a load. .

Air in the system or some kind of Restricted flow. where it is maybe moving just enough fluid around to keep it from overheating at idle but can not keep up when under a load. Low fluid level will cause your heater to not blow hot air.

Could be a bad new part (thermostat). maybe not opening all the way, could be the wrong temp thermostat for that vehicle. In some vehicles, it is possible to install a thermostat backward. And yes you need to have the little hole in the rim of the thermostat in the correct orientation, somewhere between 10 and 12 o'clock, it lets air get past.

There may be an issue with the new radiator, which may have some kind of restriction in the flow rate.

Maybe the water pump is not performing properly but I doubt it would suddenly fail immediately after replacing the radiator and thermostat to the point it is causing overheating. So most likely Air in the system, a bad or improperly installed thermostat or there is a problem with the radiator itself. I have heard of people installing a new radiator, putting on the hoses with one of the plugs that are on the tubes during shipping still in place, but that should cause overheating at idle as well.

I would start with getting a funnel coolant kit at your local autoparts store, attach it to your radiator cap/hose cap, fill it half way up and let the car run, see if it helps get any further air out of the system. If that does not work. I would then maybe drain the coolant as cleanly as possible so I can reuse it and start going back over my work. Check the thermostat, make sure it was installed properly, you can also test the function of the thermostat on your stove top with a pot of water and thermometer. You heat the water up and see if the thermostat opens up at the proper temperature that should be stamped on the thermostat itself. I am sure there are youtube videos, you can also find how to do this in your repair manual for your car if you have one.

I would make sure my hoses do not have any kinks and maybe test how easily water passes through the radiator by using a garden hose and pouring water into the tip hose and see how well it flows out the bottom to rule out some kind of flow restriction in the radiator itself.

Where did you get your radiator and thermostat, what brands are they? OEM or after market brands?

As for your fans, they will not kick in until they are needed, when the water in the radiator needs them to kick in to cool the fluid, they will not come on if the fluid is not up to operating temp. Also, if the issue was your fans, you would expect to see the engine hotter at idle than run cooler once driving down the road and getting airflow through the radiator. You can try turning on your AC, most cars electric fans will kick on automatically when the AC is turned on to cool the condenser.

Also, when you are idling to get out the bubbles, make sure you do have your heater set to high during this process. Once it looks like you got all the air out. Take it for a test drive, Heater is still on. then when you get back, check the res again and make sure it is at the full mark, add fluid if need be. once it has cooled down, take off the radiator/hose cap and check the level there, and add fluid if needed. Hopefully, it is just a little air in the system, maybe some cavitation at the water pump and you are able to work it all out.

 

[TruckerI5]

4. Proper bleeding of your coolant system. For decades I always thought I could bleed a coolant system well enough after any coolant related maintenance, and I always did it old skool. (1960's/70'ss/80's) and for the most part I never had any significant problems. But on a whim, last Fall, I purchased the Lisle coolant 24680 bleed funnel (winter was coming) and I bled 5 of my vehicles and was amazed at how much air I had left in the systems on ALL of these cars! I proved to myself there's only one way to bleed correctly and completely. So now that kit will be my religion on all coolant system bleeds. You should consider it as well.
View attachment 412375

Yes, I use the same kit, And my Lexus has the same setup as his Camry, Cap is installed at the hose not on the radiator itself. It is at the high spot of the coolant system. On my lexus, I can idle the car with a fresh fluid fill, some bubbles start to come out here and there, then it will start to warm up and the fluid will then overflow. This is where most people stop the process of letting out the air, they figure it is done. But with the funnel in place, the system continues to burp air for several minutes, I will usually let it go for at least 5 minutes or more until I no longer see any air come up and the system does not suck in any further coolant, then I know it is done. The OP should go get one of these and try that first. It is nice to have in your garage, you can use it for many years to come, which makes for a better job, a lot less mess and waste as well. I do not know how many years I have walked by that funnel kit in auto parts stores and just figured it was another BS gimmick. It is one of my favorite tools now.

 

[75aces]

Squeeze the lower radiator hose to help with bleeding the air out.

Increase engine rpm to 2500 rpm. It does help to have the funnel kit. It makes bleeding a lot easier.

 

[giggity02]

the head gasket could still be bad. how is the engine performing? is it running rough?. id still check for gas in coolant

but first check to make sure all air is out. and did ya install the stat correctly

 

[Jbosma]

I will for sure pick up a funnel kit today and maybe a new thermostat. Now specifically for this engine there’s really only one way to fit the thermostat so I know I have it in the correct direction. But what I am hearing is that I’m supposed to have it at the 10 or 12 o’clock position and I’m not sure I have it like that. Also I’m not sure if there was a little hole in the new one. I did find it quite odd that the new thermostat seemed slightly longer and I was concerned that this would cause any blockage in the housing. I’ll attach a photo of the new thermostat. The new one is on the left and it’s a “fail safe” thermostat made by MotoRad. The old thermostat was OEM. And yes both the hoses felt hot but at times it seemed like there wasn’t a-lot of fluid in them especially in the top radiator hose or the top of the bottom radiator hose.

 

[Gugi53]

You HAVE to burp the coolant system!

How to Burp the Cooling System

1. Find the Radiator Cap or the Coolant Reservoir Cap. ...
2. Replace Any Lost Coolant. ...
3. Squeeze the Upper Radiator Hose to Remove Any Air Pockets. ...
4. Look for a Bleeder Screw and Open It If There. ...
5. Attach a Funnel and Let Air Burp Out of the Cooling System. ...
6. Raise Coolant Fill Area as High as Possible.

How do you burp a coolant system without a funnel?
Just place a pan under the radiator to catch any coolant that might bubble out and do the same procedure as in my video. I usually don't fill the radiator all the way when I do this without a funnel so that it doesn't bubble out as much. When the fans kick on, I fill the radiator the rest of the way, and you're done.
Get air into your throat by sucking in air through your mouth until you feel an air bubble in your throat, and then block the front of your mouth with your tongue so you can release the air slowly. This should trigger a burp.
What happens if air is trapped in the cooling system?
The cooling system is one where air bubbles can be a significant concern. They can lead to hot spots in the engine, which can cause it to overheat and lead to all sorts of internal engine damage that will be costly to repair.

Hello,
I drive a 2001 Toyota Camry LE with the 5SFE 4 cylinder. Currently have 120,000 miles on it.


A few days ago I was driving and my engine temperature went red hot, so I immediately pulled over to see what the problem was. Turned out the top of the radiator had a hairline crack, and I had lost some fluid. I had some extra coolant in the trunk, so I filled up the radiator and the overflow tank. I was only a mile away from home so I decided to limp it back and it really seemed to drive fine. The temperature stayed at its usual point and it never over heated on the way back home. So I bought a new radiator, some hoses and a fail safe thermostat, all from rockauto. I made sure I flushed out the system with a garden hose before putting the new radiator in. After installing the radiator and the new parts, I filled it up with coolant and proceeded to do the normal burping method IE: fill up the radiator with coolant start the engine, squeeze the top radiator hose and fill as needed. I was only able to get about 4 quarts into the whole system and as I put more and it was just all bubble over. I left the engine running for about 10 minutes and then tried to turn the heat on and it was not getting any heat. Meanwhile, the engine temperature stayed right at the center then tried to do more burping and adding fluid, and I was still getting the same result. I decided to see if driving it would make any difference, and I drove about two houses down, and the engine slowly started to overheat, so I immediately shut the engine off and let it cool. I was then able to pull the car into the driveway where I proceeded to lift the front of the car, add more coolant, squeeze the top, radiator hose and try to get maybe some air out of this system. When the car is idling, the temperature seems absolutely normal, but as soon as I try to drive it, the temperature increases and also my heat does not work at idle. there is one other issue with all of this that kind of makes my head scratch. The water pump we pull has some red residue in the weep hole but not at any point do I see fluid actively draining out of that weep hole. There is just some red residue on the inside of it. I have sprayed water up it to try and clean it out, but it seems as if the red residue comes back but only stay inside the weep hole. Just to reiterate, I do not see any fluid leaking out of the weep hole or even a residue of red fluid that would trickle down the water pump if there was fluid coming out. Also I replaced the water pump 25,000 miles ago when I did my timing belt.


So what’s happening here? Part of me thinks that may be fluid is not circulating in the system, which makes me think either there’s something wrong with the thermostat, if the water pump is bad, or if there is still just air in the system.

 

[Elle_Rav4]

But what I am hearing is that I’m supposed to have it at the 10 or 12 o’clock position and I’m not sure I have it like that. Also I’m not sure if there was a little hole in the new one.

In my experience either not having the thermostat oriented correctly (not "clocked" right) or not having a jiggle valve, or both deficiencies, has a good probability of being the cause of the overheating here.

The Kuzeh thermostat is what Toyota installs, Kuzeh p/n 97YYQV I believe. The Kuzeh is sometimes available locally for much less, like at Napa and Autozone. Else go to the dealer and get the correct thermostat, p/n 90916-03090 (opens at about 180 degrees F). Double check the p/n.

I attach the service manual drawing for "clocking" the thermostat.

 

[TruckerI5]

Jiggle Pin. A mushroom-shaped pin inserted in a small hole in the plate valve of the thermostat in an engine's cooling system. The hole prevents an air lock building up when the valve is closed, which could prevent proper filling of the system. The jiggle pin effectively closes the hole when the flow from the pump causes a differential pressure across the closed valve.

 

[TruckerI5]

Those two thermostats look very different. Also, I may have remembered the 10 to 12 o'clock wrong, It is straight up 12 o'clock or a little off of that depending on your car, for instance, 12oclock (+/-) 30 degrees. I just try to get it straight up and down, In my lexus there is a specific bolt they want the jiggle valve/hole to line up with which sets it to optimal orientation to bleed air.

 

[Jbosma]

So I did burp the system.

But ok this could be the issue. I might switch back to the old thermostat or get one from Toyota today. But to be clear the jiggle pin must be at the 12 o’clock position??????? Or correct me if I’m wrong

 

[Gugi53]

Yes, have to be 12 clocks.

So I did burp the system.

But ok this could be the issue. I might switch back to the old thermostat or get one from Toyota today. But to be clear the jiggle pin must be at the 12 o’clock position??????? Or correct me if I’m wrong

 

[93celicaconv]

This is from my 1993 Celica Service Manual for the 5S-FE engine. I don't know if this applies to your 2001 Camry 5S-FE however.

 

[1990Toyota]

So I did burp the system.

But ok this could be the issue. I might switch back to the old thermostat or get one from Toyota today. But to be clear the jiggle pin must be at the 12 o’clock position??????? Or correct me if I’m wrong

this is correct... .get a new Toyota one and they also sel lthe seal separately.

Its pricey but worth it.

You'll likely see a HUGE difference in how the Toyota unit and the aftermarket unit are built / constructed.