1994 Camry V6 Overheating Issue

Is the radiator getting empited? Check only when engine is cold. Maybe some bearing is failing, water pump or idlers, or a loose timing belt scraping the cover and not turning the water pump.

snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com wrote:

Thanks for the tip, but how exactly do you check the radiator is getting emptied??

Someone else suggesed the issue as you say may be the water pump bearings.

Andrew

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

When the engine is cold and you remove the radiator cap, is it full of coolant? Usually the water pump seal fails first then wreck the bearing. So if there is the first sign of mysterious, gradual coolant loss without a trace, examine the pump and if enough years/miles replace it.

And you should have it check out and the needed repairs made.

snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com wrote:

A noise could be a water pump, overheating can also be a thermostat, I would not drive it.

Well it was in Toyota on Wednesday, they replaced the water pump, timing belt and thermostat.

The symptoms are still the same. I was back this morning voicing my concerns over the issue. They'd said they'd investigate before they did any work and then phone me if it needed any work to solve the problem other than the above mentioned.

They never did....when I spoke to them earlier they were somewhat apologetic, now they are thinking it's the drive belts, apparently the technician though they were at the stage of maybe considering replacement. Also thought it might be some play on the timing belt tensioner. At least there was some movement on the water pump bearings.

If anyone wants a listen check out the video below.

You still have both the noise problem and the overheat problem? Then the diagnosis Toyota dealer performed was obviously not a good one. You certainly don't want to be in a parts-replacement mode to fix the problems, especially at dealer prices.

Did they say anything about the condition of the hydraulic tensioner? Was this what they were talking about in your post? Some of these are known to go bad, causing the timing belt to slap around loose, but these were usually on truck engines of a different series.

A loose timing belt can explain the overheat problem because the belt slips on the water pump pulley and not turning the pump, as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. But they still have to isolate the problem to either the belt drive system or the cooling system. And from what you are saying, so far the dealer has no clue. That's too bad.

snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com wrote:

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Find a good independent mechanic. Ask around at Kragen, etc. who they would recommend to work on a Toyota.

Michael

Saw a friend last night who knows quite a bit about cars. Loosened the altenator and took the drive belts off, started the car without going into gear and no noise....I think he said it's the tensioner that controls the A/C - there's no A/C working in the car, and turning on the a/c doesn't lock up the tensioner. seems to grind a little when free spinning it by hand.

Personally, I would have thought that this is something that toyota would have picked up...going to drop hints about them checking the tensioners when they're doing the drive belt, give it a bit of hand spinning, that way they'll hear it as well and know exactly which one it is.

The heating issue seems to be gradually getting better, I was on a

Got a friend that I can go see, think he'll volunteer to do the radiator for me it needs done. See what happens on Monday though.

I think my friend also said something about the clutch for the a/c or something??? No idea and it's 2:20am....time for bed. :)