Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 12:03 am, by: Kristian Sibum(2jz_wa)
Hi guys,
Recently just picked up a '94 2JZ 3.0 inline non turbo. Car is in really good condition externally and internally. I have a couple major problems though, and I'm really worried.
When I was driving it last night, (the first night I've owned it) I noticed a tiny bit of fluid dropped on the ground. My sisters car had been parked in the same spot 5 minutes before hand so thought nothing of it, Anyway after about 2 hours of driving around Perth, The car temp went up a tiny bit, I was right near home and by the time I reached home it was nearly 3/4 on the temperature gauge. I didn't think this was too bad obviously as I was considering pulling over. So when I pulled into the driveway it was hissing a bit, but not boiling, and there was a bit of steam (eek).
I left it over night and in the morning put 4 litres of coolant in. I checked under the car and nothing had leaked out, so I was a bit surprised. Anyway, drove it around today no problems until I realised that it was dropping tons of coolant. Anyway the temperature never went high again, But I parked the car this afternoon at a friends house about an hour, I decided to leave so hopped into my car and turned it on.I tried turning off the traction control and it didn't work so put it back to "on". And now all of a sudden it is really shaky to drive, feels almost as if its flooding. It feels like this till I reach a certain RPM and then it "frees up" until the next gear change and then at low RPM its all "Sluggish" again.
Its still doing this now, and am really hoping someone can help me out. I'm pretty stressed out, being 18 and this car cost me 12 grand. I would really appreciate help.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 05:05 am, by: Matt Petersen(Mattmannz)
Well the first thing is to confirm that it isn't dropping/leaking the coolant out anywhere.
With the motor running and warm lift the bonnet and do a visual inspection to see if you can find any fluid leaks.
If not and the level keeps dropping then i'ts possible you have a blown head gasket which is the source of your water loss and also possibly the cause of the rough running.
For the money you paid I hope you purchased this car from a dealer and have some sort of warranty.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 08:56 am, by: Matthew Sharpe(Madmatt)
What Matt said. 2jz's are very tough motors though, hopefully it's something simple like a leaky hose or at worst the water pump. Never drive a soarer that's not sitting at or under half way on the temp guage. If it's over half way, something is wrong so pull over immediately.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 09:55 am, by: Kristian Sibum(2jz_wa)
No, I bought this car private. I'm really gutted, The leak seems to be coming from the back of the engine, but it drips really fast. Almost a constant trickle.
Is there any other signs of a blown gasket? Strange thing is, that it was only driving funny at certain rpm.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 03:37 pm, by: Matt Petersen(Mattmannz)
Just because there is no water in the oil doesn't mean it's not a blown head gasket but if you can see the water leaking that's the first place to sort out.
Might be a heater hose or something easy. Get that sorted before you go any further.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 05:10 pm, by: Ty Mackay(Duo89)
kristian, the leaking you are describing is exatcly the same problem i have been having,
EXATCLY the same... i was loosing massive ammounts of coolant, to the point where my overflow bottle was empty...
but mine only did it on hot hot days, so i just figured with hot days the pipes were just expanding and exposing the holes? not sure. but its fine on cold days, not sure if you have the same problem, but my oil is not milky so im possitive mine isnt a gasket
Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 05:11 pm, by: Ty Mackay(Duo89)
i wasnt having heating problems though mine stays at halfway with a stock engine, and stock intercooler, best of luck mate, i would like to find out what •• problem is cause it would help with mine aswell haha, i just dont have cash to check it out
Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 07:50 pm, by: Kristian Sibum(2jz_wa)
I also took the cap of the radiator, started the car and looked for bubbles. Absolutely no bubbles. So therefore I'm hoping its something small and stupid.
Mechanic is also doing for me, Fuel filter, Air filter, Oil filter, Oil change, brake fluid, and power steering fluid change. Then in a couple of weeks I will bring it into the shop again to have the transmission fluid changed.
Yay. I will be one happy camper once its all finito.
Monday, February 23, 2009 - 06:16 am, by: Matthew Sharpe(Madmatt)
Yes, most likely a heater hose if its at the back of the engine. Can be difficult to fix as access is tricky sometimes (no, engine won't need to come out), but sholdn't cost too much if thats all it is.
I was replacing a driving lamp last night and my car dropped a single spot of oil in the garage. Came off the rear subframe cross member... Now I'm starting to get paranoid about what it could mean...
Mike Triggs Goo Roo Western Australia 3.0GT G-Pack
Monday, February 23, 2009 - 05:23 pm, by: Mike Triggs(Mikeandimah)
Sounds like a heater hose, Kristian, if it's from the rear of the motor.
Getting the auto trans fluid changed is a good idea- since the cooler for trans runs through the radiator, and the fluid might have gotten a little overheated with the low coolant level.
It might not be a bad idea to have the radiator pressure tested at some time in the future- I've found that overheating tends to stress radiators somewhat.
Good luck with the car, and welcome to the ranks of 3.0l n/a owners
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 10:29 am, by: Ty Mackay(Duo89)
oh tell me more kristian, who and how did you figure it out, i think thats the problem with mine at the moment, if you could describe were and how you found the leak, let us know cause i think mine is leaking from the same area.! cheers!!
Mike Triggs Goo Roo Western Australia 3.0GT G-Pack
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 10:54 am, by: Mike Triggs(Mikeandimah)
Just as an interesting aside, and not Soarer related, some years ago when on Norfolk Island (my first posting of three, late 80s) I had a horrible ex-hire Corolla- third world model, 2-speed auto, no seat belts etc. It had been overheating for some time, but put off looking at it. Most trips on a 5 km long island are on the short side...
Anyway, my then wife took the car to the beach. She barely got out of the driveway and there was a loud bang under the bonnet, and the temp gauge went to the cold region. Thinking the long-standing temp problem was now fixed, my ex then drove to the beach and back (beach is at the bottom of a very steep hill) and told me about the bang etc when I returned from work. On opening the bonnet I found a very large hole in the top radiator hose, and very little fluid in the radiator and indeed the engine. The sensor had read "cold" because it had no fluid to measure!
Turned out the head gasket had blown, and water had been seeping into one cylinder for so long that the combustion chamber was pitted. Luckily there was a rusted out wreck around, from which a fixable head was obtained, otherwise we'd have been walking for quite a while!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 11:30 am, by: James Cahir(James987)
For a couple of weeks, my Soarer had been leaking a puddle of coolant from the back of the engine, so much so that one time the overflow was empty and the radiator needed topping up. However for the last week or so, it hasn't leaked a single drop. Weird.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 01:51 pm, by: Kristian Sibum(2jz_wa)
Hmm well it was the hose that's at the back of the head. Apparently its hard to get to, but after a compression test found the culprit. I'm just glad its a hose, and not a gasket
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 03:05 pm, by: Ty Mackay(Duo89)
yeah James i have the same problem, but mine seems to only do it on hot days... so obviously the hoses expand? and open up the holes a bit more.... agreed hopefully mine should just be a hose.
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