Bubbling Noise (yes, I did a search first)

[Makavelli]

Hey guys, sorry to post what has prolly been asked already, but I did a search and couldn't find a thread on this anway:

When I started up the Supra this mornin, it sounded like water was bubbling. This sound increased when I pressed the gas. Yesterday I had 2 temp spikes that never reached HOT, just over halfway. I figured it was heat trap. Today, the temp is fine.

Any idea what could be causing the bubbling sound? Oh, don't know if it means anything, but the car also smelled a damp this morning. I got in and thought it odd that the interior smelled like damp cloth/carpet...maybe that's totally unrelated, I dunno...

 

[CTsupra]

surprised you didn't get any answers from searching. anyway, that bubbling sound could be exhaust gases leaking into your radiator which usually denotes a bhg.

or, it could just be trapped air in your system from a radiator flush. put the front end up on jacks, open the radiator cap, run the car, and try to let the air out.

go to the local parts store and get a block tester to see if it is a bhg.

 

[Makavelli]

surprised you didn't get any answers from searching. anyway, that bubbling sound could be exhaust gases leaking into your radiator which usually denotes a bhg.

or, it could just be trapped air in your system from a radiator flush. put the front end up on jacks, open the radiator cap, run the car, and try to let the air out.

go to the local parts store and get a block tester to see if it is a bhg.

I had the HG tested 2 weeks ago and it passed with flying colors. Could it really blow that quickly?

 

[SupraMario]

YEP, also do what CT said, and the damp part could be ur heater coil leaking inside the dash.
the bubbling/grugleing sound is coming from the daash right?

 

[Makavelli]

YEP, also do what CT said, and the damp part could be ur heater coil leaking inside the dash.
the bubbling/grugleing sound is coming from the daash right?

Yea, it's comin from the dash. It was only at startup this mornin. I fired it up and let it warm up for about 10 mins. After driving, I got to work and the noise was gone (I drive about 60 miles one way). The temp never went up, no other signs of coolant probs...

If it is a BHG, and the car dosen't overheat, can I still drive it w/o damaging the heads?

 

[Iron Tank]

The first thing i would do is try to bleed air out of the cooling system. I seen this happen many times after a coolant flush was done.

 

[SupraMario]

The first thing i would do is try to bleed air out of the cooling system. I seen this happen many times after a coolant flush was done.

yea its prolly not BHG, mine did the same thing and i was just new to the supra, well i found and read a BHG thread, jeff or tony wrote, and i about shi t a brick when they said gurguling in the dash, i was like "o shit" but dont panic. Burp the supra, and it prolly will go away, like mine did.

 

[GrimJack]

Damp smell in the car is usually the heater core or leaky targa / rear hatch seals.

Gurgling from the dash is the sound of bubbles running through your heater core. Bubbles usually means air in the system, which can come from lots of things, the BHG only being one of them. Most of them are leaks in the cooling system - heater core, rad, rad cap, overflow bottle hose, or any of the rubber hoses for coolant around the engine.

 

[Makavelli]

Ok, here's an update:

The temp is starting to rise on this thing, only when it sits running. When I drive it, the temp goes back to normal. It isn't officially overheating, just rising to the halfway or 3/4 mark. Do these cars have fans? I've never heard the fan kick on, so I'm thinkin that maybe it's out??? Could it be the radiator? God I hope it ain't a BHG. If it is, does anyone wanna buy it? :1zhelp:

 

[SupraMario]

ok, its a 5 speed correct?
it has a clutch fan that runs non-stop if it is.
auto has electric fan,
dont drive the car any more. check ur heater core, if it has a monster hole in it then air, which is bad is getting into the system, and it prolly is losing colant also bad, prolly y u have a damp smell in the car.
check all of your collant hoses and make sure everything is on there properly.
dont give up so easy BHG, is an easy fix and pretty cheap, and can give u a reason to swap in a T.

 

[GrimJack]

Get a block test to check for BHG.

Yes, there are several fans - one or two auxilary electric fans and the big clutch fan, which in your case might have a failed clutch.

 

[Makavelli]

Get a block test to check for BHG.

Yes, there are several fans - one or two auxilary electric fans and the big clutch fan, which in your case might have a failed clutch.

Come to think of it, when I had Firestone check it out, they recommended replacing the clutch fan, but the Toyota tech didn't catch it, so I figured it was just one of those recommended services based on milage...

Could this have f**ked up my engine? (BTW, I ain't driving it now, waiting till I can have it looked at 1st)

 

[GrimJack]

Worst case, yes, this can screw up your engine. Our heads are very long - the inherent problem with an inline 6 cylinder engine - and therefore they warp easily. If you overhead it, there is a good chance it will warp. Warped heads tend to blow head gaskets easier.

Not like it's death to the engine, however, most everything can be fixed.

 

[1TuffSupra]

Ok, here's an update:

The temp is starting to rise on this thing, only when it sits running. When I drive it, the temp goes back to normal. It isn't officially overheating, just rising to the halfway or 3/4 mark. Do these cars have fans? I've never heard the fan kick on, so I'm thinkin that maybe it's out??? Could it be the radiator? God I hope it ain't a BHG. If it is, does anyone wanna buy it? :1zhelp:

A quick way to check for a BHG is to check the fluids in the car, coolant and oil. There are pathways that allow oil and coolant to flow through the block and head of the car and when a hg goes, it normally leads to a mixing of fluids. Look in the coolant overflow bottle and make sure that the fluid is green and doesnt have a brownish tint. Also check the oil on your dipstick and wipe it on a white napkin. The oil should be a honey brown, if it has a greenish tint to it, ur screwed. Another indicator would be to smell the exhaust gas the car is putting out, does it smell sweet or like a car should? Reading your description of the problem though, I dont think its a bhg, but rather what the guys mentioned earlier, air in your coolant system. At startup the cooling system starts to pressurize and with air in the mix, its probably causing the bubbling that your hearing. If there is air in the car, it also makes sense that you would start to overheat at a standstill. If there isnt enough coolant in the motor to actual cool it with just the fans, it would cause the car to run hot. At speed, however, the majority of the cooling comes from fresh air hitting the radiator like an air-water IC, but even if you do have air in your system, both air (like an air-air IC)and coolant are being cooled through the radiator which should cool the mixture enough to keep your stock coolant temp gauge happy. You should try jacking the front of the car up and pump that air out. You should also definitely get your clutch for the fan checked out as well, Ive read around some forums and found that they tend to fail on these cars, and if your not hearing your fan come on thats probably why.

 

[SupraMario]

hehehe, got to pass the info some how, we were all noobs at one point about these cars, sad thing is we know more about our cars than the creators of it.

 

[Makavelli]

A quick way to check for a BHG is to check the fluids in the car, coolant and oil. There are pathways that allow oil and coolant to flow through the block and head of the car and when a hg goes, it normally leads to a mixing of fluids. Look in the coolant overflow bottle and make sure that the fluid is green and doesnt have a brownish tint. Also check the oil on your dipstick and wipe it on a white napkin. The oil should be a honey brown, if it has a greenish tint to it, ur screwed. Another indicator would be to smell the exhaust gas the car is putting out, does it smell sweet or like a car should? Reading your description of the problem though, I dont think its a bhg, but rather what the guys mentioned earlier, air in your coolant system. At startup the cooling system starts to pressurize and with air in the mix, its probably causing the bubbling that your hearing. If there is air in the car, it also makes sense that you would start to overheat at a standstill. If there isnt enough coolant in the motor to actual cool it with just the fans, it would cause the car to run hot. At speed, however, the majority of the cooling comes from fresh air hitting the radiator like an air-water IC, but even if you do have air in your system, both air (like an air-air IC)and coolant are being cooled through the radiator which should cool the mixture enough to keep your stock coolant temp gauge happy. You should try jacking the front of the car up and pump that air out. You should also definitely get your clutch for the fan checked out as well, Ive read around some forums and found that they tend to fail on these cars, and if your not hearing your fan come on thats probably why.

Wow, that's the most thorough assesment I've heard yet. I kinda piecemilled my questions, so I appreciate you goin through and puttin my scattered thoughts together. At least now I know what to look for. I'll check it out when I get home. Everyone here has been MORE than helpful to a noobie such as myself. I'll tell ya, gettin this car made me rekindle my love for this stuff and I've been thinkin bout doin one of those learn at home mechanics courses. That way I can do all my own work.

Thanks to you, Grim, R2D2, and everyone who contributed here. Yall kick much ass! :bowdown:

 

[1TuffSupra]

Hey its cool man, we were all noobs when it comes to modding at some point. And dont worry about doing some at home mechanics course, if you need to do some work to your car and are doubtful on what exactly needs to be done (from something simple as changing spark plugs [well not so simple on our NA's] to something as complex as changing a clutch) check the factory service manual, it basically gives step by step instructions on all the steps you need to take to get the job done. As an example, I had never seen the underside of my last car before, hell any car for that matter, but was able to swap out my springs and shocks by myself in my dad's garage. It did take me like 5 or 6hrs, but it was my first time doing anything like that and with the service manual and searching forums I saved myself $200. Save the money you would put to the course and spend it on tools, a tuner's most valuable resource.

 

[Makavelli]

Hey its cool man, we were all noobs when it comes to modding at some point. And dont worry about doing some at home mechanics course, if you need to do some work to your car and are doubtful on what exactly needs to be done (from something simple as changing spark plugs [well not so simple on our NA's] to something as complex as changing a clutch) check the factory service manual, it basically gives step by step instructions on all the steps you need to take to get the job done. As an example, I had never seen the underside of my last car before, hell any car for that matter, but was able to swap out my springs and shocks by myself in my dad's garage. It did take me like 5 or 6hrs, but it was my first time doing anything like that and with the service manual and searching forums I saved myself $200. Save the money you would put to the course and spend it on tools, a tuner's most valuable resource.

LOL! I thought all yall were car guys first and formost...I've never even changed my own oil, but seein how these Japanese techs charge $80 an hour for labor, I really wanna do my own work. It's encouraging to know that yall are in the same boat. You're doin you own engine swap, right? That's a big job, isn't it? I wanna swap to turbo, and can afford a really good engine, it's just the frikin labor that's put it outta my price range. Can you possibly post pics and run me a step by step when you're done? Also, seriously, if I have to change the HG, is it too big a job for a guy in my position, or is it as feasible as everyone here makes it sound?

Thanx again

 

[SupraMario]

the biggest problem people have is they dont have the want.
they rather through it in a shop and let someone else do it.
if you have the want, ur going to need money but not as much or hell 3/4s the cost of a mechanic to do it, and the patients, go to autozone or napa or o'reily and pick up a hayes manual on the 79-92 supra, its perfect for beginers. and if have never changed your own oil, its the best thing you could do to start to get the feel of being under an engine and getting dirty. best thing to do is start on the small then move to the big, dont go from i have never changed my oil straight to "hey honey, i just bought an engine,and im going to swap it into the supra", ur going to go "o shit" what have i gotten into when you start to see random parts on the floor and you have no clue what they are,
and the greatest tool is this forum, i guarantee 98% of all the people who visit here got more info from this site than they did by looking into a car manual.
be patient. soon you will be able to do that engine swap without the "o shit" part attached.

 

[GrimJack]

Car guys foremost... ROFL. I'm a computer guy by day, my wrenching is an afterwork hobby at best.