Ok, my car had been leaking coolent for a while now. I finally took some time to check it out, and I believe that the head gasket is bad. My '02 camry has about 110k on it. I just replaced the water pump about 5k ago. I heard a lot about the head bolts striping on the motor, but i wasn't sure if that's the case. Before the water pump was replace I remember the car overheading once. So, I don't know if the head is warp or it is the bolts. If it is the head bolts than dose it usually leak on the left side of the engine by the water pump and the pullys? Everytime when I check the engine the entire left side of the engine is soak with coolant fluid. Seems like the coolant is spraying out of the nozzle of the coolant bottle (cap still attach). Is that even possible? I want to know if I should take the engine apart and not being able to fix or should I just get rid of it. I really like driving the car but hate to get a new engine. Anybody with any suggestions and tips will be appreciated. Thanks.

 

The head bolt issue is for the 4 cylinder engine.

It is possible for coolant to spray out of the bottle if the head gasket is blown.

Before going father check the radiator cap, a bad cap can also cause this problem.

 

I check and the cap is on pretty good. Its a four cyclinder engine.

 

Suggest you have the cap tested or replaced. It is possible the valve inside the cap is bad.

If the cap is not the issue have a block test done. This tests the coolant for exhaust gases. If present the head gasket is leaking.

If it is the head bolts pulling out the coolant leaks out the rear of the engine from under the intake manifold. There is a foam rubber insulator for the plastic manifold in the area of the leak.

 

Hey I have a 92 4 cyl stick shift with the same problem whitetoyota has from what i read. I just recently replaced my thermostat as my engine was getting into the red fast. Soon as I switched it and put coolant into it, it seemed to be fine. I got it home today and noticed as I pulled in my driveway the temp rising close to red. When I shut off my car, about 2 oz. of coolant trickled down and pooled (driveway on a slight hill). Popped the hood and noticed coolant all over the left side of the car around the belts and under the thermostat housing. Have a 3 year old radiator in it.

 

If you replaced the T-stat recheck the housing area and hose connection for leaks.

Check water pump for leaks. Located on the passengers side of the engine further toward the firewall from the T-stat.

Check if coolant is coming from the overflow tank and is being directed toward the engine by the tank vent hose.

Make sure the radiator fans are working.

 

I have a similar problem with my 97 Camry. It started overheating last fall, I replaced the thermostat and then found that I had a faulty radiator cap. Problem fixed!
New problem: I took it in for an oil change last and found that I had a pretty bad oil leak. They topped off all the fluids and WAY over-filled the coolant. Now I find BIG puddles of coolant mixed with oil under the car. I thought the overflow was just spitting out all the excess coolant from being over-full, but then 2 days ago it started overheating bad. The temperature gauge goes up to almost red, so I blast the heater to bring it down. It drops down to normal but then creeps back up and drops and up and drops again most of the time. When it gets into the red, I pull over and let it cool off. The engine is soaked on the drivers side (opposite from the radiator fill and overflow and the engine fill). Looks like it could be coming from that gasket. Is it a head gasket? Is it something less, something more? Most of all is it costly or difficult to repair, or should I just start car shopping?

 

You could have a leak in your water pump. What color is the coolant fluid in your radiator? If its dark brown, that could be the problem. I fixed my thermostat, when it kept overheating I had to shut my car off while I was driving a lot and coast till it cooled down. (Its a manual. I know you jelly.) No matter how much water I'd put into it being that it was already full it would still overheat. The water pump when it doesn't get sufficient pressure cant pump that coolant into the engine, which is causing your overheating. I got a new pump and timing belt job done for $400. Most places were quoting me 600 or more to do the job.

 

So... As it turns out, just because the overflow is full, it doesn't actually mean that the radiator is actually full… I'm a bonehead and never thought to check the radiator itself. Coolant is still leaking (having that checked out this week), but as long as I keep the fluid level up, it's running fine at normal temperatures. Evidently as the fluid in the system cools and compresses, it is easier to suck air in from wherever it is leaking, than it is to suck the coolant in from the overflow reservoir.

 

I think when it doesn't get adequate stress cant push that coolant into the motor, which is resulting in your heating up.