Are most of the pics in the thermostat replacement guide of the 4WD? I suspect that this is a picture of the 2WD, because I'm working on a 2WD and I think I have to remove the part circled in red here:
in order to remove the tstat housing.That hard line leading from the power steering pump is in the way on the 2WD, so I should probably... drain the PS pump and remove it to get access to the tstat? Or ought I be able to remove the housing with that line still in place?
Toyota has at least 3 different versions of that PS hose (2wd & 4wd), so there's always going to be a variable there. I still don't think you need to remove it though. If you pull the coolant recovery tank there should be enough room to access the T-Stat. Removing that PS line would be nice regarding T-stat access, but maybe not worth the mess and/or the risk of creating a leak there.
BTW, the recovery tank is removed by simply pulling up on it. It can get stuck pretty tight, but if you wiggle it back and forth while maintaining a constant upward force it will pop-off the mounting bracket. Tim
Thanks, Tim! I managed to get the thermostat housing off without any PS disassembly. There was just enough room in the elbow of the power steering line to get the bolts off, one. click. of. the. ratchet. at a time. I also discovered that I really, really need 2-inch and 4-inch extensions to go with my 3-inch extension, if I hope to get it back on.
Also, I heeded y'all's warning and bought OEM replacement parts. Check out what I found inside:
Obviously the previous owner didn't understand the importance of using... OEM zipties.
LOL, he obviously had more knowledge than the engineers who designed it. Hopefully there's no duct tape or bailing wire elsewhere in the system
What are the symptoms of an improperly seated thermostat? Or perhaps of a thermostat where one over-tightens the bolts and squishes the gasket? It overheats faster, now that I have replaced the PO's zip-tie themo-hack with OEM thermostat and gasket.
There is likely another issue that's causing the overheating. The PO probably wire tied the old one to keep it open. All that did was delay the inevitable. Putting a new OEM one in was the right 1st step. If you botched the replacement job it would most likely be leaking. Since it's not, then I'm guessing that part is okay. There are other threads on here to help you troubleshoot an overheating issue. I would recommend doing a search reading some of those threads. If you still have questions after doing that please post in one of those. Good luck. Tim
Can anyone tell me about the bolt circled in this image? I was changing out the thermostat in my 86 cargo van today, and I mistakenly removed it instead of one of the nuts for the thermostat housing. Luckily I had removed the alternator, so it didn't get doused in coolant.
Did I really screw up here, or can I just tighten the bolt back down and be on my merry way?
I'm also doing the water pump and fan clutch while I'm in there.
That's an adapter plate of sorts that transitions between the timing cover and the t-stat housing. Just taking the bolt out then putting it back in shouldn't cause a problem. I would however recommend you keep an eye on it when you do your initial start-up/warm-up to make sure it's not leaking. Tim
That's a huge relief, thank you Tim.I also have some black Permatex gasket goop, and could pull the spacer plate and re-gasket if that's a better bet.
I don't know........I really don't like gasket goop, at least not by itself. If you mess with that plate enough to separate the gasket, then I'd recommend a thorough cleaning, new gasket, and a little bit of Toyota FIPG on each side of the new gasket. There's no guarantees, but if all you did is pull the bolt an reinstall, I find it hard to imagine that in itself would create a leak. Tim
I just tightened the bolt back down without fussing about it. The old thermostat was not the Toyota part. I replaced it with the Aisin one from rockauto, along with the Aisin water pump and fan clutch. Before, my temp gauge normally sat around half or just above and would climb on the freeway and uphill. I’d have to crank the heater to bring it back down. After finishing up the work today, the temp gauge was hanging out in the lower third for normal driving, and only climbed to just under half way cruising up a big hill near me, without the heater running.
I’m a happy camper, and hoping not to find any leaks tomorrow. I could not have done it without the help of this forum, so many thanks.
I could really use some advice on how to access the radiator drain valve on my 87 4wd.
I've been rolling in the ice and mud for the better part of two hours and cannot find this thing for the life of me. Should I need to remove the fan shroud? It does not appear to be anywhere on the bottom of the radiator...
Should I access through the passenger side wheel well? I removed the plastic in there and still can't see the plug.
Please help if you can, thank you
Here's a quote from another thread:
If the radiator has had a new core installed, some radiator shops will remove the stock drain, but they will usually replace with another type in the same location. If for some reason yours doesn't have one, you could always just pull the lower hose off the radiator. Just have a big drain pan ready and some kitty litter as it will empty very quickly and probably splash out on the floor. TimOriginally Posted by timsrv
There's a petcock on the passenger side bottom of the radiator & a block drain on the driver's side front of the engine (see pics below). The radiator drain is easy enough, but the block drain is a PITA (even worse on a 4wd). It can be done though. I semi-regularly take this drain out on both 2wds & 4wd vans (yes, with the engine installed). Having a specific length socket & extension is critical. I usually grab a good selection of extensions & have a deep socket & a regular one when I do it........then the 1st couple of minutes is determining what combination will work. It's a 14mm head. One of these days I'll document the specific socket/extension combo so I don't always have to re-invent the wheel. I should also mention to use a 6 point socket as the plug is brass & easy to mess up. Try to keep your drive angle straight while removing & installing. Tim
PS: Assuming it's stock, you do not need to remove the shroud, but it will help if you remove the plastic splash guard below the drive belts. The drain plug is white plastic and is on the passenger side facing towards the back of the van. There is a little nipple below the plastic knob with a short drain tube on it. To drain just loosen the plug by hand until coolant drains from the little hose. Loosen the radiator cap so air can displace the antifreeze as it drains.
Thanks much Tim, the photos and further description are helpful as well as the backup "firehouse method" option. My guess is that this was a new core and they simply left it off.
I will give it another go here when we get another sunny day!!
Mission accomplished, so much thanks to @timsrv for the documentation. That engine block drain would have been impossible to find (let alone get an appropriately sized socket on) without the help. Thank you!
Reply With Quote
_IMG_4482.png)
_IMG_1851.png)
