JNeezy

So last week I was driving to get some items for my girlfriend and all of the sudden smoke starts pouring out from under my hood. Temp gauge shot all the way up, engine "dieseled" and cold air was coming out of the vents. I pull over to the side of the road and pop the hood expecting the worst - I had a Dodge Shadow (shudder) that blew the head gasket in the middle of winter. Not fun.

Here is what I saw: a hole in the radiator.

Anybody seen anything or heard of anything like this before?

-JNeezy

mantastic

First off I'm no pro and i could be wrong. Is there any traces of coolant in oil dip stick?if milky looking could be a blown head gasket causing too much pressure in radiator. Or bad thermostat that was getting stuck. Could be other things as well. Hope any of this helps.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

looks like its been overheated pretty badly, that coolant looks milky.

posting the year of your car would help a LOT

JNeezy

95 LS400. There is no trace of coolant in the oil. For a couple of days before it would blow cold air, then the temp gauge would climb and the system would "burp" and then it would blow hot air for a little while. Then back to cold air. I opened the bleed screw and added coolant through the housing.

Hilux22RE

Check Transmission Fluid. If i am Correct the LS Has a Transmission cooler in the Radiator through Oil Lines connecting into the Radiator. Ive only Seen this is Chevy's when the Inner Most tank inside the Radiator Allows Transmission Fluid to get into the Cooling System.

JNeezy

Aha...yes, there is a line off from the tranny to the radiator. I will check the fluid, thanks. So your theory would be that the inner part of the radiator failed, super-heating the coolant to the point it would melt the plastic on the upper side?

-JNeezy

Dtwillis5

I had a 92 es300 and got my radiator change. I watch the man change it (thats how i learn how to do things) and i ask him about the pipes at the bottom of the radiator and the said thats for the transmission to keep it cool and it don't mix with the coolant. I guessing its the same idea with the ls400 . So if your coolant mixing with the transmission you got a problem

Hilux22RE

That is Correct. The Inner Tank in the Radiator (Depending if its run mostly with water) its worn down and causes the tank to burst mixing the Transmission Fluid with the Coolant.

JNeezy

So following that, if the tranny fluid mixed with the coolant and circulated through the engine what kind of damage, if any, resulted? Could the tranny fluid going through the block do anything to the head gaskets, weakening them in any way? I just want to get an idea of what I am up against and what could be a potential problem.

Thanks,

-JNeezy

Hilux22RE

I Dont think it will Cause any Problems with the Head Gaskets. You will just need to do a Super Flush and Clean the System Really really good making sure no Trans Fluid is left in the System. After its Completely clean Fill up with the Correct Anti Freeze and you should be Golden.

JNeezy

Cool, and thanks. It would prolly be a wise decision to change the fluid in the tranny as well huh?

whit3b0y

If you filled it through the bleed screw it could an be air pocket, its not good if you get an air pocket that is stuck and cant escape. the air will heat and expand faster than the water will. if its stuck in the same spot it ganna force its way out. if there is was a spot there where the top of the radiator was damaged but not noticeably . It could just break through there.

Extrudedco

It's probably just old plastic giving way. If you're unlucky it's due to the system being overpressurized by a blown headgasket or bad overflow tank cap, but usually a hose gives way first when that happens.

The milky coolant is a concern, but there's not much to do besides swap it out and take a look at the transmission fluid for contamination.

lex2001

It happened to my son in his 1994 ES 300 while on the highway. Same milky residue blown all over the engine compartment. Result was a damaged engine. We don't know what caused the radiator to fail. Hopefully you got the car turned off and saved the engine. His trans was okay.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

except your son's ES has a VZ series V6, which is somewhat known for BHG issues. the 1UZ isn't.