Hey guys, seeing as how I'm new to this toyota forum ill give you guys a quick breakdown of my escalting problems with my 1997 t100, it has a 3.4L V6, i bought it about 4 months ago with 175,000 miles on from an auto broker out in Fremont CA,

the first thing that was going wrong with it was that it was dumping and i mean dumping white smoke from the tailpipe in the winter, and nowadays only after it rains, ignored it like a dummy. Now the color of the smoke is blue, the check engine light is on after a good knocking noise happened after i started it 2 days ago. took it over to my friends house and it shows a a cylinder 1 misfire code, i figured it would need a tune up.

BUT

As i was driving it the past 2 weeks it has been sucking up antifreeze and water like crazy, i went under the truck to find no leaks, and it is overheating at a rapid rate, my buddies who are tuner heads all have hondas and toyota's what not, and they suspect a blown head gasket, any tips on the best course of action for me?:attention:

Sorry to hear. It does sound like a blown head gasket. But the knock would have me more worried. It may be unrelated to the head gasket...it may be rod knock or a bad crankshaft journal or somethign else. I hope it isn't, but once you tear down the heads to replace the gasket(s), you need to have the bottm end inspected too to find that knock.

For all the trouble it entails having the HG done (machining heads, etc.), you may want to compare prices for swapping in a used motor, and then rebuild the bad one as a spare or practice. Just make sure you get one from the same year and model if possible.

thanks SC, do you know where i could find the manual online to replace the head gasket? i have all the tools in my fathers garage necessary, air hose, torque wrench etc.

You may want to have the issue confirmed somewhere before tearing into the motor...just in case. :)

I found the manual online somehwere, but I honestly cannot remember where. There is an official toyota site that you can pay to join for a brief time and download the manual. Unfortunately, I don't know that site either. But perhaps a google search will locate it for you.

hey SC, so what i ended up doing was sealing my head gasket with i believe its called Irontite Ceramic Seal...aaaand drove it to my house from where i out the sealant in last night, its been sitting since i last posted and havent moved it, so it's about a 15 mile drive.... my truck didn't overheat on the way to my house, i diddnt floor it and did 35 all the way home.

This morning is a different story, i was on my way to work, taking it slow when the temperature spiked up and blew the top part of my radiator clean off, id like to post pictures but my phone is dead.

Now how am i gonna determine if it was the head gasket problem or just the radiator?
i was on my

If you didn't flush out ALL the anti-freeze coolant (engine block, heater core, etc) before you added the stuff in, you most likely clogged everything up.

http://www.irontite.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1


Add to Radiator Only After Removing Anti-Freeze.

INSTRUCTIONS

Warning: Ceramic Seal is not compatible with anit-freeze. All anti-freeze Must be removed before using.

One bottle treats up to 6 gallons. HD trucks may require additional bottles.

CAUTION: ALLOW ENGINE TO COOL so radiator cap or top radiator hose can be removed safely.

IRONTITE CERAMIC SEAL
Warning: Ceramic Seal is not compatible with antifreeze. All antifreeze MUST be removed before using.
One bottle treats up to 6 gallons. HD trucks may require additional bottles.
CAUTION: ALLOW ENGINE TO COOL so radiator cap or top radiator hose can be removed safely.
1. Drain and flush coolant system. (We recommend Industrial-Strength Irontite Thoro Flush.)
2. If vehicle does not have a radiator cap, remove top radiator hose and fill water and product directly though hose.
3. Shake Bottle well.
4. Fill coolant system with clean water and Ceramic Seal.
5. Ceramic Seal may stain paint and/or chrome surfaces. Wipe any excess from cap and radiator neck.
6. Replace radiator cap or re-attach radiator hose and tighten hose clamp.
7. Run vehicle to completely fill system with water, including overflow tank.
8. Run engine on fast idle for a minimum of 1 hour, or vehicle may be driven up to two days. Then drain completely.
9. Leave coolant system open and empty for 12 hours minimum to let Ceramic Seal air dry and cure.
10. After 12 hours, fill with coolant.
11. We recommend adding Irontite All Weather Seal, along with coolant to prevent further leaks and to lubricate the water pump.
FOR INDUSTRIAL USE ONLY
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
Caution: Avoid Skin or Eye contact.
First Aid: Eyes & Skin - Flush for 15 minutes with cool water. Internal ? Take 3-4 glasses of water or milk. Do NOT induce vomiting. Call a physician at once.

If it was a head gasket problem, one of the methods is to pull the spark plugs and check out their condition. The clean plug would be the cylinder that would've been sucking in coolant...as the coolant burns off...it steam cleans that cylinder and spark plug. ;)

Well, the white smoke from the tailpipe, the coolant loss and the overheating are among the signs of a broken gasket (http://www.car-stuff.com/gasket.htm). Repair of a blown gasket can be costly, but necessary. Leaving the gasket unrepaired can lead to a blown engine. So find a reputable dealership or repair shop to have the repair done correctly.