car smoking, smell antifreeze...

[03ozwhip]

so yesterday i was driving the GT4 and everything was fine, stop at a stop light, the car starts smoking and i smell antifreeze. no CEL, temp gauge is fine, car drives fine and as far as i know its just when i stop.

i havent touched the coolant at all, water pump apparently has already been changed, i dont see any leaks under the car, what could this be? leaking on the engine somewhere i cant see? TIA.

[Cos]

Were you driving it hard? Blow the headgasket?

Have you checked the oil or coolant level? If the oil is murky or are loosing coolant that is what my guess would be.

[sr20s14zenki]

Could also be an external leak, leaking on the manifold, and burning. Possible turbo line leak?

[Kloubek]

When you say "smoking", you mean "steaming"? Is it coming from the engine bay or exhaust?

[Rat Fink]

.

[03ozwhip]

ya, everything is working still and i guess its steam, not smoke. thing is, when i got home and parked, it didnt steam again....i havent driven it since but it does look like im low on coolant.

it had red coolant, should i be using anything special?

[Kloubek]

It will. A leak isn't going to fix itself; perhaps there just isn't enough pressure with the reduced amount of coolant?

Red coolant should not be mixed with green or it might sludge up.

[remixsecret]

Sounds like a radiator leak I believe. This happened to me before too. No CEL, temp is fine but steam/smoke and anti coolant smell was noticeable. Check if the radiator has any leaks and it's fairly easy to fix if you have about an hour to do it.

[ExtraSlow]

First test is to see if it's in your exhaust (leaking internal to the engine) or if it's steaming outside (leaking externally).

antifreeze steam is a pretty unique smell. And in the exhaust, it'll make thick white smoke. That's harder to see when it's cold out, but once your car is up to temp, on a warmish day, have a check of what the exhaust looks like. have a buddy stand back there when you rev the engine a little, then let off. That should replace your stop and go driving.

[03ozwhip]

so, it didnt do it this morning, i mixed some fluid with it last night and it was fine. left from work and it was doing it again. got all the way to strathmore, still steaming when i stopped but temp gauge was fine.

parked, went into wal-mart for about 10 minutes, came out fluid everywhere. started it up, drove half way through the parking lot and the temp gauge was near full so i parked and shut it off.

its coming from the back of the engine and i cant see where because its dark. it definitely blew up because there is coolant on my driver(RHD) strut tower.

for the people with gen 3 3sgte's, from your experiences, what is on the back of the engine by the firewall? heater hose? could it possibly even be the head gasket?


fuck i hate winter, everything always happens when its dark and cold out lol.

[BinDeal]

Originally posted by 03ozwhip
so, it didnt do it this morning, i mixed some fluid with it last night and it was fine. left from work and it was doing it again. got all the way to strathmore, still steaming when i stopped but temp gauge was fine.

parked, went into wal-mart for about 10 minutes, came out fluid everywhere. started it up, drove half way through the parking lot and the temp gauge was near full so i parked and shut it off.

its coming from the back of the engine and i cant see where because its dark. it definitely blew up because there is coolant on my driver(RHD) strut tower.

for the people with gen 3 3sgte's, from your experiences, what is on the back of the engine by the firewall? heater hose? could it possibly even be the head gasket?


fuck i hate winter, everything always happens when its dark and cold out lol.

The red coolent you see, if you haven't flushed the car's coolent before, it is probably still Toyota's coolent, made for aluminum blocks.

If the steam is coming for the firewall, it is the heatercore hoses. How is the heat in the car? Does it fog up inside the car?

[texasnick]

back of the engine in the middle but towards the passenger side of the car (JDM) is the heater hoses/heater core.

Was a block heater installed in it?

Check the heater core under the dash and the lines going to it from the engine.

Also check the coolant lines leading to the turbo. Do you have a copy of the bgb? It has coolant routing diagrams you could take a look at.

Use Toyota 4Life or whatever it's called only.

[Kloubek]

If it is the core itself, I would expect it to be coming into the cab in the footwell. However, it does sound like it might be the lines leading to and from the core.

[03ozwhip]

Originally posted by texasnick
back of the engine in the middle but towards the passenger side of the car (JDM) is the heater hoses/heater core.

Was a block heater installed in it?

Check the heater core under the dash and the lines going to it from the engine.

Also check the coolant lines leading to the turbo. Do you have a copy of the bgb? It has coolant routing diagrams you could take a look at.

Use Toyota 4Life or whatever it's called only.

whats a bgb? i tried to get under and look at it but cant see shit. gonna install a hoist this week and put it up there and see what i can find, its just been sitting, i havent had time to get the hoist done.

[adam c]

had an issue like this on my old integra, there was a pin sized hole in the radiator and the leak was only noticeable under load, the leak dropped on the exhaust pipes or manifold, can't remember which on and would smoke the same way

[03ozwhip]

ya its definitely not leaking from the rad, its in the back, im almost positive its a heater hose, i just cant find the fuckin thing lol

[03ozwhip]

ok guys, found the issue, dont know how to fix it on my own. its leaking from the freeze plug. people with the 3sgte(GT4 preferably) how do i remove the god damn freeze plug without removing the engine? should i just get it to a rad shop and get a block heater installed in place of it?

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by 03ozwhip
should i just get it to a rad shop and get a block heater installed in place of it?

Sounds like the best solution to me. Although block heaters installed on an older engine also have a tendency to leak after awhile. It'd be what I would do though.

You are sure it's a freeze plug though? And not the "hose-from-hell"

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u64/TykTauk/hfh08.jpg


I did mine last spring, what a PITA. I didn't find this write up until after I finished it too :rofl:

http://www.mrtwo.net/mr2modproject/service/hfh/hfh.htm

[03ozwhip]

If I'm looking at that right, that is the passenger side(on jdm) which isn't where the leak is coming from, I'm fairly positive its the freeze plug. Its on the driver(jdm)side, well closer to the driver than passenger.

Or am I completely wrong in how I'm looking at the pic?

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by 03ozwhip
If I'm looking at that right, that is the passenger side(on jdm) which isn't where the leak is coming from, I'm fairly positive its the freeze plug. Its on the driver(jdm)side, well closer to the driver than passenger.

Or am I completely wrong in how I'm looking at the pic?

On MR2, that's the back of the engine... so on GT4, I assume your belts and pulley's are on the front, so Left side of engine facing forwards, or passenger side on JDM, or Port side (if you're nautical, lol)

Sorry, wasn't even thinking of the GT4's orientation when I posted.

[03ozwhip]

Lol, ya that makes me feel better, I know for sure its not the hfh. At this point I'm almost 100% positive its the freeze plug, now gotta find out how to remove and replace it..

[HO2S]

You cant just throw a block heater in any freeze plug hole. There will be one hole that is poped out and has room for the heater element. And there is a specific direction it has to point.
To get the frost plug out. get a pry bar, put the blade on the bottom of the plug and give it a wack a hammer to knock it sidways. then pull it out with a some pliers. measure the plug, there usually around 30mm and are like $1. clean the hole and pound it in with a socket. Dont push it all the way in. You dont want the plug to be touching the cylinder wall. There very easy to do.

[03ozwhip]

^^youve never done one on the ST205 have you? ive done a few and ive never seen a frost plug this hard to get to.

i can barely touch it with the wheel off, let alone getting a pry bar in there to get it out. its on a hoist right now and i still cant see any way to get it out.

anyone ever done it on this car without removing the engine, because it looks like thats the best option to take at this point. fuck.

[HO2S]

Well after looking into it, thats a shitty deal. Im assuming its on the exhaust side? you could try pulling the turbo and manifold out. after that ide say you will be pulling the engine.

[03ozwhip]

ya im not really sure. it is on the exhaust side so i was thinking of pulling that shit apart, but i havent had time. im also going to call my uncle who owns a rad shop to see if he has suggestions. thnaks guys.

[texasnick]

Originally posted by 03ozwhip


whats a bgb? i tried to get under and look at it but cant see shit. gonna install a hoist this week and put it up there and see what i can find, its just been sitting, i havent had time to get the hoist done.

Sorry I didn't respond earlier. The BGB is just the factory repair manual for the car. I think there is a link on alltrac.net where you can get details on downloading it. It would be in the GT-Four sub-forum

For some reason I only have the body repair supplement on my work computer but I have the engine supplement for sure at home. If you have trouble downloading it PM me with your email address and I'll send it over to you.

For the life of me I can't remember where the freeze plug is located on the st205, but I'm willing to bet $100 that it is in a spot that is a PITA to get to. Intake side is at the back of the bay, exhaust side is at the front. If it's underneath that bird's nest of turbo lines, I would just sell the car haha jk.

I would still put my money on a 17 year old heater hose being the culprit. At least be 100% sure it's the freeze plug before you spend all that time getting to it.

Everything in this car is a serious PITA to fix lol.

IIRC when I got a "block heater" for the car, one of the reasons I didn't get one that replaced the freeze plug was because of the work that would have been involved in installing it.

If you're deciding to get a block heater, look into a zerostart circulation tank heater. I've been using it for 2 winters now and it works like a champ....takes about 1.5 hrs to install (on the st205).

[03ozwhip]

im not too concerned about a block heater considering its alwayts garage stored, i was mainly just saying it as an alternative to fixing the plug.

im 100% sure its the plug and not a hose. its on the exhaust side so it is under the lines. fuck i dunno what to do, pay someone to lift out the fuckin engine, fix it and put it back? jesus christ. this sucks balls.

[texasnick]

Ouch that does suck......looks like you have a couple of other cars you could drive in the meantime.

I don't think you HAVE to pull the motor, but it will definitely free up some room.

Do you have a WRC? If so, I feel even worse for you.

If I still lived in Calgary I would give you hand.


Try Andre at U-Wrench if you haven't already done so. He knows our cars quite well (although last time I saw him do a clutch job on a 205 he swore he would never work on one again haha). Tell him Nick with the other st205 sent you if he says he doesn't want to do it.

Another option would be Vex up in Red Deer. They are the only other guys that I know of that really know GT4's. Don't remember the name of the GT4 guru up there but if you give them a ring they should be able to help you out. Plus I trust them 100%. They're going to charge you $$$ though. They quoted me 20 hours @ $95/hr for a clutch job :nut:

Probably 15+ hours of labor for a $20 part. Fuck I hate these cars....love em.....but hate em.

Good luck man. Hope this doesn't make you want to sell the car.

[03ozwhip]

thanks nick. i had plans to sell it to finish the mustang anyways in the summer, but still, it would be nice to drive it! its been parked over a month now! looks like i ight drop it off with my uncles shop, family rate is good, but they dont know fuck all about this car.

[texasnick]

NP man.....PM me your email address and I'll send you the factory repair manuals this weekend so your uncle can have a look at them.

[03ozwhip]

thanks bro, pm'd

[03ozwhip]

so 7 hours(altogether) and 36 cents later i fix the bitch. cut out a portion of the exhaust(easier) and with all kinds of tools put together, lights and an extra pair of hands, i got the old one and and new plug in, no leaks, even at regualr temperature.