Dead Taco

[GaryMc]

The Taco died today, in a blizzard and 3-hours from home. Fun.

Truck Details:

-2003 Tacoma 4x4 TRD, V6 and manual tranny

Symtoms:

-The heater stopped working for about ten minutes this morning when it was 5 degrees out and snowing. It came back on after I futzed with the controls a bit.

-About twenty miles of in town driving with no ill effects

-After three'ish miles of snow/ice covered I-70 driving the Taco started to lose power, I looked down at the gauges and the temp. guage ws pegged. I was unable to pull over due to the wall of snow on the shoulder and limped it a 1/2 mile to the next exit and then two miles of very slow driving to a gas station.

-The engine made an unusually loud clattering noise the last few hundred yards and died as I pulled into the parking lot. It refused to start again and sound very labored when I cranked it. Ugh....

-There were no obivios blown/ruptured hoses and ther appeared to be no water in the oil.

Water pump? Did I trash the engine by limping it to a safe place to park?

The good news is that I paid $814 dollars to get it towed home and got to pay $300 for a rental SUV in a small mountain town!

Good times!

 

[SOAZ]

Wow, sorry to hear it!
Tacoma's have a really hard time getting anywhere near overheating. If they do it seems to always have something to do with the water pump. Has the water pump ever been replaced? How many miles on her?

You had to do what you had to do. No point in worrying if it made it worse.

 

[GaryMc]

Wow, sorry to hear it!
Tacoma's have a really hard time getting anywhere near overheating. If they do it seems to always have something to do with the water pump. Has the water pump ever been replaced? How many miles on her?

You had to do what you had to do. No point in worrying if it made it worse.

It has almost 83,000 miles on it, I had planned on having the timing belt and water pump done after Christmas since you are supposed to have that done around 90K...

 

[SOAZ]

It has almost 83,000 miles on it, I had planned on having the timing belt and water pump done after Christmas since you are supposed to have that done around 90K...

I agree. I didn't do mine until after 100k so its nothing you did.
Can you crawl under the front of the truck and look at the water pump. I think its the lowest pivot point for the pulley. Just next to it. Any leaks? How is the coolant level?

 

[GaryMc]

I agree. I didn't do mine until after 100k so its nothing you did.
Can you crawl under the front of the truck and look at the water pump. I think its the lowest pivot point for the pulley. Just next to it. Any leaks? How is the coolant level?

I forgot to add that a large amoumt of coolant blew out of the reserve cap as I was limping it and I could not see any coolant in the radiator. I checked the coolant level before I left on Friday and it was topped up. I didn't have time to futz with it as I had to get Jen (the SO) to the hospital to make her shift on time. She's an ER doc in a rural hospital and there was no one available to cover for her.
I have not crawled nder the truck yet as it's is still on it's way through the mountains. It's getting droped at Safari Ltd. and I won't see in until the AM.

 

[Schattenjager]

Have you checked the coolant level since the problem? That could be telling.

I would not try to restart the truck until you check the oil and coolant for cross contamination, loss of volume, and / or introduction of exhaust gasses into any of the fluids.

Have you noticed any odd behavior in recent days? Any puffs of smoke at start up or new odors once it it was up to running temp? Those are hard to notice in winter, but I thought I would ask.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

It sounds like a stuck closed thermostat.

But what the heck do I know? Sorry you had to deal with that! I know what it's like to be stranded!

.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

My guess is head gasket. I hate to say it, but I think that's what it is. Good luck with it.

 

[SOAZ]

It sounds like a stuck closed thermostat.

But what the heck do I know? Sorry you had to deal with that! I know what it's like to be stranded!

.

Good guess. I'd say it could make sense.


When the truck does arrive I'd look for signs of it leaking at the pump. If it blew out of the radiator then the radiator was at least water tight everywhere else.
I wonder how full the radiator level is. hmmm.

 

[Schattenjager]

oops - just saw your post about the coolant eruption. Any chance exhaust gas was pressurizing the coolant system?

 

[UK4X4]

I had something similar a long time ago----lack of coolant, too much water

the water system was frozen, the engine cooked its self.

Hence no heat in the cab.

Early car designs had the temp gauge sensor on the engine,

later some bright spark moved it to the rad....hence I've cooked 3 engines due to this issue and similar

stuck thermostat BMW- blown gasket and valve through the piston
thermal fan clutch causing top of engine overheat, bent valve jeep GC
frozen water system peugeut diesel.....new engine

If it sounds clunky- its expencive- just had the grand done valve, head gasket, seals and valve seats- it was painfull

 

[Connie]

Did I trash the engine by limping it to a safe place to park?

Even if you did, better to be in a safe place! I've driven that road and some people, they don't drive so good!

I hope it's not the head gasket, I helped Graham replace the head gasket three times on the Range Rover, and now I understand why mechanics charge so much to do it.

Why does this stuff always happen in crudy weather?

 

[GaryMc]

I just got back from Safari Ltd. and Hugh and the guys already had the Taco in the bay and were working on it. This shop, it's owners and employees are great!

So far it looks like just a blown radiator. They showed me the seal that was leaking during their pressure test. They also ran the engine for a minute and it seems to be fine. A new 'upgraded' raditor and thermostat will be installed today and the truck should be ready tomorrow....

I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[SOAZ]

I just got back from Safari Ltd. and Hugh and the guys already had the Taco in the bay and were working on it. This shop, it's owners and employees are great!

So far it looks like just a blown radiator. They showed me the seal that was leaking during their pressure test. They also ran the engine for a minute and it seems to be fine. A new 'upgraded' raditor and thermostat will be installed today and the truck should be ready tomorrow....

I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

talk about some good news. Good luck!
:victory:

 

[Martinjmpr]

Good news, glad to hear it.

What's the deal with the $814 towing bill? That sounds outrageous. Didn't you say you were only ~20 miles out of town?