OT - Truck loosing coolant - head gasket problem ?

I have a 1994 Toyota pick-up truck (now with 127,000 miles) that has been loosing coolant. I cannot figure out where it’s going. I have to add coolant regularly but the engine does not really overheat except when the coolant gets low (obviously). Everything looks bone dry but after I’ve been driving for a long time every once in a while you can see droplets of coolant on the ground.

Back in 2000 I overheated the truck badly due to a bad thermostat and not being close to any repair shop. I believe that I damaged the head gasket right then and there, because in 2002 I had it replaced. The head was not warped or so the mechanic said. The truck never behaved quite right ever since the first overheating. It seems like I always had to add coolant.

A couple of days ago I finally took it to a Toyota dealer. They looked it over and pressure-tested it. They could not find an external leak and said it’s probably the head gasket. They also said that one of the head bolts was seized up and would probably break if they tried to remove it. I asked if they could re-drill and re-tap it if that happened and they said no, not in their facility, you’d probably need a new engine (!!!)

I am taking the truck back for now and will just keep adding coolant. I am hoping folks out there might have advice for me regarding this issue, getting the bolt out, and also how damaging is it for me to keep adding coolant (which might be running through the engine). By the way, there is no white smoke coming out of the tail pipe like it did before the head gasket job. Thanks and sorry for the long post.

Keith

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I would be checking timing chain rattle and make certain I don"t have a new hole rubbed into the timing cover. Enginebuilder has steel timing rail kits to prevent that at a super price.

Get someone to do a pressure check of the system while you look at all the hose connections and the water pump area. Look at the side of the timeint cover where it mates with the engine block, and at the small hoses that bolt to the back of the cover. Wiggle the hoses. If you have a head gasket problem it will go to full failure mode quite quickly so I would question that being your current problem.

The 4 Cyl is a super reliable engine if you do not overheat it. Only timing chain issues keep it from going 300000 miles between minor rebuilds.

KEH

If you have droplets on the floor, you need to trace them to the point of origination. This may require cleaning the engine down of grease and grime so that you can see a wet spot. Built up grease and grime can soak up a small leak making it hard to find.

Also, the leak could be as simple as a heater hose or clamp. You can squeeze them when cool enough and look for seepage.

Hope this helps. Good Luck.

-Vinnie

I have looked at that thing upwards and downwards and I just cannot see the leak. But those droplets have to come from somewhere.