1991 Toyota 4Runner Coolant in my oil.

S2K_HAULIN

MEMBER
1991 TOYOTA 4RUNNER
3.0L
V6
4WD
MANUAL
170,000 MILES

Hi. I have a 91 toyota 4runner sr5 v6 5spd. I went for a long drive and hit a few big bumps in the road. Car started to shake and stutter. Then I noticed the exhaust was blowing out alot of thick white smoke. I checked my oil and it seems brownish dark milky. And I noticed this clear liquid dripping from different parts of the exhaust. I automatically thought head gasket. I guess my question is. Is my engine finished or is there hope? Thank you so much!

4 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,874 POSTS

Leaking cylinder head gaskets are common today on any brand of vehicle. That doesn't spell doom for your engine, however, antifreeze in the oil can. That will dissolve the soft first layer of metal on the engine bearings, and that can lead to bearing and crankshaft failure. It is customary to change the oil after replacing a head gasket, but if the vehicle is going to sit for months before the engine is repaired, the oil should be changed first to get the antifreeze out of it.

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Wednesday, November 25th, 2015 AT 6:50 PM

S2K_HAULIN

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3 POSTS

So if I replace the gasket and change the oil will that be ok. Also I noticed coolant dripping from different parts of exhaust

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Wednesday, November 25th, 2015 AT 7:48 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,874 POSTS

The cylinder heads must be checked for flatness, checked for cracks, and prepared with the proper surface finish for the new gaskets to bite into and seal.

If you remove the spark plugs, you may find one is wet with coolant. That will definitely point to a head gasket, and will explain why coolant is leaking from the joints in the exhaust system.

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Wednesday, November 25th, 2015 AT 10:21 PM

S2K_HAULIN