At a loss.....

peytoncoyote

New Member
Aug 5, 2012
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Lemoore, CA
I was losing oil pressure and oil, didn't notice any coolant loss or oil/coolant mixture happing. I found both valve cover gaskets were bad and I needed new plugs and wires. Replaced both gaskets, wires, plugs and rotor. I got my oil pressure back, but now white smoke is coming from the exhaust and on the passager side of the engine. When I take a look there is coolant coming along the exhaust manifold, from the back of the head, its green with no oil mixture. The head gasket was replaced last year and everything was torqued properly and then retorqued a little later. I am at a loss on where it maybe coming from, I was thinking the EGR cooler gaskets are bad or that hose in the back is bad. Also I noticed and rubber cap on the block near the back on the passenger side of the block. The car is a 1987 Supra non-turbo with 263000 miles.
 

Dan_Gyoba

Turbo Swapper
Aug 9, 2007
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Valve cover gaskets will cause loss of oil, but not pressure, unless you lose enough oil to have not enough in the pan for the oil pickup.

There are coolant lines that run under the exhaust manifold, with a rubber cap (Which you saw) near the back of the engine, also a small 90 degree bend hose at the back of the head, too, as well as the other heater line.

EGR doesn't directly contact coolant, it just flows exhaust gasses through the back of the head to the valve.

Edit: I'd check the top heater hose first. That's something that you've have had to move around a bit while you were replacing valve cover gaskets.
 

jetjock

creepy-ass cracka
Jul 11, 2005
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Redacted per Title 18 USC Section 798
If you're there and can't see where it's coming from how do you expect us to know by looking through this little cable? That said the hose in back and rubber cap are known to leak. Get a strong light, an inspection mirror, and have at it...
 

Silver MK3

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Jan 24, 2011
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Madison, AL
My rubber cap leaked after I flushed the system for the first time. It was hard to tell, it only leaked when running and it burnt off right away. Only when I touched it could you see that it was cracked.
 

peytoncoyote

New Member
Aug 5, 2012
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Lemoore, CA
Thank you Dan, FTW and silver, you guys did help, I ordered both lines and I'm going to replace this weekend, if that doesn't work then it look like I'll be ripping the head off. I hope it doesn't come to that but I have a full gasket set just incase.
 

peytoncoyote

New Member
Aug 5, 2012
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Lemoore, CA
Okay so I replaced the hoses and it fixes the leak but now I have a loss in power and it over heats pretty quickly, I think the fan relay is bad, so it's on order. The question is, is this signs of a blown head gasket? Please jet jock if you don't have any thing to say constructively don't say anything at all.
 

MkIII FTW

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Aug 31, 2009
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Huntsville
Ok, first thing don't always assume its a head gasket. Typically that's wherer most people will look first. You'll end up chasing ghosts....trust me. I have the receipts to prove it. Chances are when you changed those hoeses you got an air bubble in the system. My supra did the same thing. First make sure you covered all you leak issues and double check. If its an air bubble you need to open the radiator cap and let the car run. You should see the radiator "burp" a few times. After it stops you need to fill the car back up with coolant as need to fill the system. The car should be fine afterwards. If that doesn't work....THEN be thinking about a head gasket. Go for the simple fixes first man....
 

Dan_Gyoba

Turbo Swapper
Aug 9, 2007
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Why do you think that the fan relay is bad? Relays are dirt simple to test, and they pretty much work or do not work. Check continuity/resistance. Apply power across coil, check continuity/resistance. Did it close the circuit? If so, it works. If not, it doesn't. Point being that ordering a replacement because you think it's bad isn't a good idea.

I will assume that you don't know how to "burp" your cooling system.

Jack up the front end, which will ensure that your radiator cap is the highest point in the system. (This is different from jacking up your radiator cap :p ) May not be 100% necessary, since we're going to force the system to circulate, and the air will find its way there anyhow, so maybe it just makes me feel better to do this. (I usually do this while the front is on ramps.)

When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap. Hot engine + open radiator cap = visit to the local burn unit, and not in the candy stripper charity way.

Start engine. Turn heat on full (Or at least off full cold with the automatic A/C unit) to open the heater valve, and make sure that the water pump is circulating through the heater core. Let the engine warm a bit. Watch for signs that coolant is moving through the radiator (IE: thermostat open.)

Bring up the RPM to 1.5-2k. This makes sure that the water pump is working better than it does at idle, enough to maybe force some air bubbles to move through the system. Eventually said bubbles will find their way to the water neck, through the open thermostat, and into the top tank of the radiator, where you will shortly replace it with fresh coolant.

My experience is that there will be a few bubbles, Probably you'll only see a very slight drop in fluid level at the cap, often preceded by rising levels at the cap while the engine warms. During this period some coolant spilling from the radiator cap is normal. Air will expand a lot more than the coolant will as it gets hot. After a bit the coolant level will go back down. Don't expect to see bubbles in the coolant, the fluid level will just go back down a bit. Having the front up high makes it easier to catch the dripping coolant before it ends up on the driveway, or at least I find it so.

Fill the radiator. Fill the overflow coolant bottle to near the "full hot" line.

Test your radiator cap. If you can't test it, and it's more than 2 years old, just replace it. They don't really last particularly well. I don't test mine anymore, I just replace them when I do my coolant flushes. They're cheap enough to be treated as disposable items.
 

peytoncoyote

New Member
Aug 5, 2012
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Lemoore, CA
The fans don't kick on when the motor heats up above normal, the fans are new and I know the wiring is correct and new, I followed the TSRM. Tested the relay and no luck there. I did burp the system, but I may have missed something, I've been going through the tsrm t/s to see if I missed something. What I don't get is the loss of power but, it could be due to the coolant being hot.