2001 Toyota Camry Coolant leak

Tiny
PAULZ2014
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 TOYOTA CAMRY
  • 3.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 54 MILES
Hi. I have a 2001 Toyota Camry LE V6 one owner with 54,000 original miles. It had the original radiator (Denso brand) and original radiator coolant (Toyota Red) in it which checked out ok, but I figured after this many years it's time to change it with some new Toyota red. So a friend that has a garage and owes me said he would do it. He drained the original radiator and I showed him the other 2 spots to drain on the block... front and rear. I mixed at about 60 red to 40 distilled water adding a total of about 2.4 gallons (9.2 liters). In the days after this job was done I saw some fluid underneath the car on the garage floor. At first I blew it off as the old fluid still hanging around on the plastic shield under the radiator dripping down. Nope... it was an actual leak and as it got worse I noticed the entire top seam of the radiator was wet. I initially blew it off as a coincidence being that it was the original radiator. So I ordered a brand new Denso radiator ( Denso 221-0502 ) and he did the job again. A few days later the same thing... it appears this new radiator is leaking in the same exact spot... at the top seam. It is very wet there and I started to think about things... He used a tool to suck the air out and suck the new fluid in. One similar to this... http://tinyurl.com/lu45xgx

Do you think this tool is sucking too hard and breaking the seams of TWO radiators? It's the only thing I can think of. I don't know what else would have caused this unless the first radiator went coincidentally and the second one is defective? What are the chances? I am frustrated. Fixing something that wasn't broken to begin with, BUT the coolant was from 2001. I don't know, but I need to get to the bottom of this. Help is GREATLY appreciated! Thank you.
Tuesday, February 11th, 2014 AT 3:49 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Was the radiator cap replaced? Are you sure it isn't leaking from there or the over flow hose?
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Tuesday, February 11th, 2014 AT 4:56 AM
Tiny
PAULZ2014
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thank you so much for the reply! It is greatly appreciated! The radiator cap was not replaced as it wasn't leaking then or now. The upper and lower hoses were replaced. The overflow hose/tank located at the left of the engine (far away from the radiator) is not putting any coolant out. The area that's wet is the top entire length of the radiator (seams) and then of course the lower part of the car. The coolant has soaked the foam that cushions the radiator at the top. Any more information needed please ask. Below is the same engine I have that shows the radiator, the cap, and the overflow tank. Notice the cap at the rear of the upper hose...

http://tinyurl.com/megl2lc
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Tuesday, February 11th, 2014 AT 5:07 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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  • 109,885 POSTS
I would recommend checking the radiator cap to make sure it is working properly. It could have been the problem the entire time.
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Tuesday, February 11th, 2014 AT 8:06 AM
Tiny
PAULZ2014
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I have looked at the cap and all around it and no coolant is coming from that area at all. I don't know how else to determine it's not the problem. I mean outside of not seeing any leaks associated with it how could it be the problem? If you hit the link in my previous post and looked at the location of the cap you would see that the cap is *not* on the radiator itself where the coolant is present. The cap is at the end of the upper radiation hose. It's yellow in color on top. You will also see the overflow tank hose running to it. As you will see that cap is not in the vicinity of the leak I have mentioned.
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Tuesday, February 11th, 2014 AT 9:24 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
As far as the cap, I am questioning if it isn't releasing pressure after a certain point and causing a failure at a different location. The caps should release pressure at a certain point. If it doesn't other things can go bad.
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Wednesday, February 12th, 2014 AT 5:05 AM

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