what does this mean?

guttershark · 07-17-2008, 05:20 AM

i was driving today, enjoying my supra, then all of a sudden coolant sprayed onto my windsheild. i opened my hood and it looked like it blew a bit from the overflow tank. it looked okay so i went to work.

i got to work - car had a coolant warning level indicator and i was outta coolant.

got home, filled it up with coolant; seems fine. no indicator = not overheating.

nothing.

BUT the car has whitish blue smoke on start up for a few seconds.
also has a dribbling waterfall sound on startup. from dash. happening since i got it. 2 weeks ago.

car hasnt overheated, im suspecting either air in coolant system - you think this happened because the head gasket blew?

btw- oil doesnt look dirty or foamy.

Bill UK · 07-17-2008, 07:29 PM

I think you need to look at one thing at a time, I can't see the water from the expansion bottle reaching the windshield, the over flow pipe points downwards it’s more than likely to spray the underside of the engine than come over the top. There are a few coolant pipes close the bulkhead, which I suppose if leaking could spray onto the windshield, the one coming from the top/rear of the cylinder head could be leaking under pressure defiantly worth checking. Gurgling behind the dash at start up is a symptom of air in the system, as you know. The most common cause is a leaking hose or BHG, if your satisfied that none of the hoses are leaking and the coolant level rises about 2 inch or more in expansion bottle after a 30 mile run then its possible you have a BHG. Having said that there are few other things worth checking or replacing; rad cap, thermostat and water pump all will contribute to the expansion bottle level rising to an excessive level. The quickest and cheapest way to detect a BHG in the UK is to take it to a MOT test station (I think you call it a Smog & Emission Check Station in the US.) They have the equipment to check for combustion gases in the coolant which is a five-minute job costing a few dollars its called a sniff test. Head gasket normally go between the combustion chamber and the coolant galleries that’s why you may never see any oil contaminated. The whitish blue smoke could be unrelated; I would go for the sniff test first.
PS: Forget the temperate gauge it only goes off the scale when you’ve nearly run out of coolant.

Bill UK · 07-17-2008, 07:55 PM

May be worth reading this Link but before you do anything expensive or time consuming have a sniff test. Or you could go for one of these if you can’t get to a Smog & Emission Check Station; personally I would have a sniff test, less expensive and more reliable.

guttershark · 07-17-2008, 09:29 PM

happened again today - and its not coming from anywhere else but the overflow tank. the nozzle was pointed up yesterday- pointed it down and it sprayed down at the rad this time. the level in the overflow tank was way above the max. after i pulled over and parked - i heard the fan itself change speeds? it sounded more powerfull.

ill burp the system tonight and see how tomorrow goes.

also - i have that check engine light still on, and it sounds like my timing is out. car sounds like a diesel engine.

this car is nothing but problems.

ddmcse · 07-18-2008, 12:22 AM

toyota should have recalled the supra head gasket long ago .
it's got to be the #1 reason people go on a forum .

i have a 1997 toyota tacoma 4x4 , toyota isn't calling it a recall but they are buying back over 800,000
1995 -2000 tacoma trucks because they screwed up with the frame rusting on this model in areas where salt is used on snowy roads (New England) . they are paying 150% of the vehicle's blue book value no matter what the condition and no matter if you are owner #1 or 2 or whatever as long as it's registered .

TOYOTA OPEN ROAD BLOG: Living Up to Our Commitment

http://www.showstop.org/images/truck...munication.pdf

I blew a hole through my frame last night with a hammer tap
http://www.showstop.org/images/truck...inspection.pdf

my local dealer told me they are buying back at an average of $10,000.00 USD per truck
my barber told me today they bought his Tacoma back for $12k
can you dig it . meanwhile damned near every mkIII cooks a headgasket and has for years

Busted Knuckles · 07-18-2008, 01:29 AM

Th head gaskets on a Supra engine will not last forever. The block is iron, and the head in aluminum. These expand at different rates, so the gasket gets a work out every time the car warms up and cools down. The same for even the normally bulletproof 22-R series. I owned a 22-r in a Hi-lux, and the head gasket lasted 225,000 miles. My dad owned the Supra from new, and gave it to me a souple of years ago with a BHG at 205,000 miles.

guttershark · 07-18-2008, 07:31 PM

im going on tuesday to get it looked at, if it is a bhg - how long can i drive around like that? i mean, once a day it will blow coolant. if i keep filling it up with water - will i cause more damage?

money is a huge concern right now - i am broke! i JUST did the clutch and most local shops want 980 plus tax just for the hg LABOUR.

ive read the writeups for DIY'ing the headgasket - but id rather get it done right.

ddmcse · 07-18-2008, 09:43 PM

keep the heater on max . keep the radiator full every morning and the over flow bottle at the "full" level
the over flow looks like a window washer fluid bottle up front .
just because you take it somewhere to have it looked at doesn't mean they know what they are talking about .. they'll recommend to buy a new water pump or radiator

p.s most engines are iron block with alum head , they don't all blow head gaskets so i don't get the point

07-18-2008, 12:22 AM	#5
ddmcse 500whp yet? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CT U.S.A. Posts: 966	Toyota Tacoma gets recall but no dice for a Supra go figure toyota should have recalled the supra head gasket long ago . it's got to be the #1 reason people go on a forum . i have a 1997 toyota tacoma 4x4 , toyota isn't calling it a recall but they are buying back over 800,000 1995 -2000 tacoma trucks because they screwed up with the frame rusting on this model in areas where salt is used on snowy roads (New England) . they are paying 150% of the vehicle's blue book value no matter what the condition and no matter if you are owner #1 or 2 or whatever as long as it's registered . TOYOTA OPEN ROAD BLOG: Living Up to Our Commitment http://www.showstop.org/images/truck...munication.pdf I blew a hole through my frame last night with a hammer tap http://www.showstop.org/images/truck...inspection.pdf my local dealer told me they are buying back at an average of $10,000.00 USD per truck my barber told me today they bought his Tacoma back for $12k can you dig it . meanwhile damned near every mkIII cooks a headgasket and has for years __________________ 300+ RW HP Dyno run, jdm,mod turbo,3"exh,electfan,greddyboost Blown HeadGasket info My Supra KiXGaS

07-18-2008, 09:43 PM	#8
ddmcse 500whp yet? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: CT U.S.A. Posts: 966	keep the heater on max . keep the radiator full every morning and the over flow bottle at the "full" level the over flow looks like a window washer fluid bottle up front . just because you take it somewhere to have it looked at doesn't mean they know what they are talking about .. they'll recommend to buy a new water pump or radiator p.s most engines are iron block with alum head , they don't all blow head gaskets so i don't get the point __________________ 300+ RW HP Dyno run, jdm,mod turbo,3"exh,electfan,greddyboost Blown HeadGasket info My Supra KiXGaS Last edited by ddmcse; 07-18-2008 at 09:46 PM.

07-17-2008, 05:20 AM	#1
guttershark Stock Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Posts: 6	what does this mean? i was driving today, enjoying my supra, then all of a sudden coolant sprayed onto my windsheild. i opened my hood and it looked like it blew a bit from the overflow tank. it looked okay so i went to work. i got to work - car had a coolant warning level indicator and i was outta coolant. got home, filled it up with coolant; seems fine. no indicator = not overheating. nothing. BUT the car has whitish blue smoke on start up for a few seconds. also has a dribbling waterfall sound on startup. from dash. happening since i got it. 2 weeks ago. car hasnt overheated, im suspecting either air in coolant system - you think this happened because the head gasket blew? btw- oil doesnt look dirty or foamy.

07-17-2008, 07:29 PM	#2
Bill UK AEM EMS Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Posts: 891	I think you need to look at one thing at a time, I can't see the water from the expansion bottle reaching the windshield, the over flow pipe points downwards it’s more than likely to spray the underside of the engine than come over the top. There are a few coolant pipes close the bulkhead, which I suppose if leaking could spray onto the windshield, the one coming from the top/rear of the cylinder head could be leaking under pressure defiantly worth checking. Gurgling behind the dash at start up is a symptom of air in the system, as you know. The most common cause is a leaking hose or BHG, if your satisfied that none of the hoses are leaking and the coolant level rises about 2 inch or more in expansion bottle after a 30 mile run then its possible you have a BHG. Having said that there are few other things worth checking or replacing; rad cap, thermostat and water pump all will contribute to the expansion bottle level rising to an excessive level. The quickest and cheapest way to detect a BHG in the UK is to take it to a MOT test station (I think you call it a Smog & Emission Check Station in the US.) They have the equipment to check for combustion gases in the coolant which is a five-minute job costing a few dollars its called a sniff test. Head gasket normally go between the combustion chamber and the coolant galleries that’s why you may never see any oil contaminated. The whitish blue smoke could be unrelated; I would go for the sniff test first. PS: Forget the temperate gauge it only goes off the scale when you’ve nearly run out of coolant.

07-17-2008, 07:55 PM	#3
Bill UK AEM EMS Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Posts: 891	May be worth reading this Link but before you do anything expensive or time consuming have a sniff test. Or you could go for one of these if you can’t get to a Smog & Emission Check Station; personally I would have a sniff test, less expensive and more reliable.

07-17-2008, 09:29 PM	#4
guttershark Stock Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Posts: 6	happened again today - and its not coming from anywhere else but the overflow tank. the nozzle was pointed up yesterday- pointed it down and it sprayed down at the rad this time. the level in the overflow tank was way above the max. after i pulled over and parked - i heard the fan itself change speeds? it sounded more powerfull. ill burp the system tonight and see how tomorrow goes. also - i have that check engine light still on, and it sounds like my timing is out. car sounds like a diesel engine. this car is nothing but problems.

07-18-2008, 01:29 AM	#6
Busted Knuckles 12psi boost Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 300	Th head gaskets on a Supra engine will not last forever. The block is iron, and the head in aluminum. These expand at different rates, so the gasket gets a work out every time the car warms up and cools down. The same for even the normally bulletproof 22-R series. I owned a 22-r in a Hi-lux, and the head gasket lasted 225,000 miles. My dad owned the Supra from new, and gave it to me a souple of years ago with a BHG at 205,000 miles.

07-18-2008, 07:31 PM	#7
guttershark Stock Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Posts: 6	im going on tuesday to get it looked at, if it is a bhg - how long can i drive around like that? i mean, once a day it will blow coolant. if i keep filling it up with water - will i cause more damage? money is a huge concern right now - i am broke! i JUST did the clutch and most local shops want 980 plus tax just for the hg LABOUR. ive read the writeups for DIY'ing the headgasket - but id rather get it done right.