Overflow Reservoir boiling over. Overheating engine. Head gasket? Radiator?

[Fillupamerica]

I have a 1987 Toyota Van. 2wd. Automatic. The van will drive about 1 to 2 miles and overheat. Then fluid will shoot out from the overflow reservoir. I replaced all the hoses (except the deathhose in the back... cluprit?) and flushed the coolant. It doesn't seem to leak anywhere except the overflow reservoir. No leak coming from the back of the motor. Is this a bad head gasket? A bad radiator? The radiator does not leak. Radiator cap is new and all seals are good. Van has 100,000 miles on it.

things that were replaced prior to my purchasing the van:
All spark plugs
All hoses
All belts
All fluids
Synthetic oil changes
Valve cover gaskets
All new brakes (front and rear complete)
New thermostat and radiator cap and rotor <---- could it be a bad thermostat? Perhaps the person did not use a Toyota Thermostat.
Steering Rack
New power steering pump

[llamavan]

"Shooting" from the overflow suggests a head gasket breach between one of the cylinders and the coolant jacket.

Gwen

[Fillupamerica]

"Shooting" from the overflow suggests a head gasket breach between one of the cylinders and the coolant jacket.

Gwen

Would a simple head gasket replacement fix that?

[llamavan]

You may have missed one or more other problems due to the more spectacular nature of what your van is experiencing, but barring that, head gasket replacement would fix the overheating and shooting coolant you describe (and the HG would have to be done anyway, even if there are additional problems). "Simple," however, is a relative term.

Gwen

[austinfromflorida]

Havn't checked if this is possible with the vans, but is the belt on the water pump correctly? I had an altima were the belt was put on in a way it turned the water pump the opposite way and water would boil out of the resevoir. If the pulley is smooth it rides on the smooth side of the belt, if the pulley is grooved it rides on the grooves of the belt.

[coronan]

I am going down a similar road. I can drive several miles before an overheat.
Thermostat is out.
Water pump was replaced 3ish years ago.
New radiator.
New. ' radiator ' cap.
Not losing coolant
No foam in oil
No oil in coolant.


My coolant is foggy looking. Is your coolant discolored?

Leak down test tonight. But it may not show up as combustion pressure is much higher than 100 psi.

[coronan]

This was my first leak down test ever. finding tdc can be tedious but not too bad.

I apologize if i am hi jacking this thread.

Leak down testing revealed no bubbles in the overflow bottle. I was using a lever lock radiator cap so is should have vented to there. Not even a hint of a bubble. Only place it was leaking was through the rings.

With a temp gun: at normal temp:
210* at the head. 185* radiator inlet, 140* radiator outlet
Over heated:
230* head temp, 205 radiator inlet, 200 radiator inlet.
The only way to get it to cool off is to shut off the engine and run electric fans for a few minutes, then start the engine to circulate the water.

I was hoping I was on to something. Back to the drawing board.

[coronan]

I did several tests last night and tonight; Including wet and dry compression tests, leaks down tests, and dynamic compression test.

The first 2 showed no abnormalities so i did them twice.

The dynamic compression test is the only one what was help full.
Maybe my situation is not as bad yet, but bad enough. I can drive the van on the hwy for 20 min in 60* weather with the needle only coming up to 5/8. In the afternoon its around 95*+ and i can only run for 10 minutes before getting to 3/4 on the temp gauge. I can pull over and idle to get it to cool off and drive again.

Driving stop and go traffic is not a prob because the engine does not spend a lot of time at high rpm.

Starting with a clear coolant overflow bottle, engine cold, radiator cap lever up (open so that the system does not pressurize).
No bubbles at idle.
Warmed up to 170*, no bubbles at idle. Coolant in bottle has become cloudy.
Rev to 3000 rpm, bubbles come out of the submerged hose in the overflow bottle and the overflow bottle begins to overflow.

Dynamic compression test detailed here:
http://www.misterfixit.com/dyncompr.htm

My Results:

Cyl	Idle	3k rpm	snap
1	60	95	140
2	55	50	120
3	40	45	100
4	55	80	150

If someone wants to see my other test numbers let me know.

I tightened the head bolts an extra quarter turn. It leak down numbers may have improved between cyl 2 and 3 but it still bubbles into the coolant.

Hopefully I do not have a cracked head.

[williamfowers]

my 1989 2wd had the same problem. i took it to a mechanic who drove the same van for awhile way back when. he is now replacing my head because it was cracked between the cylinders