Hi Everyone,
I've got another bit of a puzzle with my Land Cruiser that I'm hoping someone here can help me reason out. A few days ago, I went out to my truck after having a short (15 mile) drive home from work to find a mysterious collection of puddles beneath it. The fluid didn't look like anything I was accustomed to, and I found residue inside the driver's side (LHD) wheel well. Popping the hood (bonnet, sorry!) I found lots of contamination relatively low, with nothing notable from the power steering reservoir, oil filter or oil cap. I did notice a great deal of contamination by the coolant overflow.
Inside the overflow, I found a mixture that could be best described as melted milk chocolate, or really milky coffee. My contenders for the contaminant are: Automatic Transmission Fluid, Engine Oil or Diesel Fuel. Here are the questions that I'm hoping you can help with. For sake of reference, this is a 2000 90, with a D-4D engine. The only recent work done was an oil change, and replacement of the high pressure fuel pump (see my previous posts).
Top contender is Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF). I write it out fully since I had been searching ATF in the search box, but since it is only 3 letters, the search always disregards it. I've seen ATF mixed with coolant many years ago in an old station wagon (gas). In this case, the coolant was routed to the tranny, where a fault allowed it into the transmission. The coolant boiled inside the transmission once the engine was off and came spurting out of the transmission dipstick. My research seems to indicate that on my Land Cruiser, the ATF is routed to the radiator, where there is an internal ATF cooler. Is this generally true? My radiator matches the one for sale at Rough Trax 4x4, and has two quarter inch hoses entering at the base of the radiator (brass fittings, apparently). (Side question, I've never found the ATF dipstick on my LC, is the system sealed?)
Second Contender is Diesel Fuel. I've never seen coolant mix with diesel, but I understand that some diesel engines have a water jacket that the fuel flows through prior to entering the cylinder. I don't know if this is the case with a D-4D or not. Since the High Pressure pump was recently changed, these events might be related. Could a poorly fitted high pressure pump leak into the water jacket (if there is one)? Could the newer higher pressure be exacerbating a pre-existing leak elsewhere? Does a D-4D even have this sort of cooling element in the engine? I have no idea, and I'm hoping someone here has taken their engine apart and knows for sure.
Last Contender is engine oil. I know that a cracked block or bad head gasket could cause this sort of problem. There is presently no evidence of water in the oil, and there is no apparent loss of oil in the engine. I also think that oil mixed with antifreeze would look darker than what I'm seeing.
I've let the LC sit since finding the problem, with hopes that the two liquids will separate out to aid me in identification. If anyone can help me understand what the two fittings on the bottom of my radiator are, or if you know the inner workings of an engine, I'd really appreciate it. I'm planning to take it back to the same shop that did the high pressure pump and the oil change, since this might be related to their handiwork. I'd like to be well informed before I speak to them, so any information you can share would be great! Thanks,
Dan
I've got another bit of a puzzle with my Land Cruiser that I'm hoping someone here can help me reason out. A few days ago, I went out to my truck after having a short (15 mile) drive home from work to find a mysterious collection of puddles beneath it. The fluid didn't look like anything I was accustomed to, and I found residue inside the driver's side (LHD) wheel well. Popping the hood (bonnet, sorry!) I found lots of contamination relatively low, with nothing notable from the power steering reservoir, oil filter or oil cap. I did notice a great deal of contamination by the coolant overflow.
Inside the overflow, I found a mixture that could be best described as melted milk chocolate, or really milky coffee. My contenders for the contaminant are: Automatic Transmission Fluid, Engine Oil or Diesel Fuel. Here are the questions that I'm hoping you can help with. For sake of reference, this is a 2000 90, with a D-4D engine. The only recent work done was an oil change, and replacement of the high pressure fuel pump (see my previous posts).
Top contender is Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF). I write it out fully since I had been searching ATF in the search box, but since it is only 3 letters, the search always disregards it. I've seen ATF mixed with coolant many years ago in an old station wagon (gas). In this case, the coolant was routed to the tranny, where a fault allowed it into the transmission. The coolant boiled inside the transmission once the engine was off and came spurting out of the transmission dipstick. My research seems to indicate that on my Land Cruiser, the ATF is routed to the radiator, where there is an internal ATF cooler. Is this generally true? My radiator matches the one for sale at Rough Trax 4x4, and has two quarter inch hoses entering at the base of the radiator (brass fittings, apparently). (Side question, I've never found the ATF dipstick on my LC, is the system sealed?)
Second Contender is Diesel Fuel. I've never seen coolant mix with diesel, but I understand that some diesel engines have a water jacket that the fuel flows through prior to entering the cylinder. I don't know if this is the case with a D-4D or not. Since the High Pressure pump was recently changed, these events might be related. Could a poorly fitted high pressure pump leak into the water jacket (if there is one)? Could the newer higher pressure be exacerbating a pre-existing leak elsewhere? Does a D-4D even have this sort of cooling element in the engine? I have no idea, and I'm hoping someone here has taken their engine apart and knows for sure.
Last Contender is engine oil. I know that a cracked block or bad head gasket could cause this sort of problem. There is presently no evidence of water in the oil, and there is no apparent loss of oil in the engine. I also think that oil mixed with antifreeze would look darker than what I'm seeing.
I've let the LC sit since finding the problem, with hopes that the two liquids will separate out to aid me in identification. If anyone can help me understand what the two fittings on the bottom of my radiator are, or if you know the inner workings of an engine, I'd really appreciate it. I'm planning to take it back to the same shop that did the high pressure pump and the oil change, since this might be related to their handiwork. I'd like to be well informed before I speak to them, so any information you can share would be great! Thanks,
Dan