My turn KZ-TE Blowing water out the expansion tank

[esajoda]

Yeap, I was waiting for this to happen.

Last weekend on a trip to the slowveld it happen, steam coming out the bonnet, even though I have the EGT's and CHT's monitored, these did not go off until I had come to a stop, by this time there wasn't much water left in the system, it had all blown out the expansion tank.

Upon further inspection I noticed that the viscous fan turned freely without any resistance when hot(possible cause), also once I had replenished the last water, there was constant air being pushed past the radiator cap into the expansion bottle, removed cap and it was visible that there where bubbles in the water.

Managed to get back to the big smoke, by keeping the revs below 2.5 and replenishing about 3 liters of water every 150kms.

Have removed head and sent it in for testing, lets wait and see.

[Family_Dog]

Sounds like its gone - replace it with the EMC (I think...) head, reportedly a far superior head to the original Toyota head.


-F_D

[louis fourie]

Sounds like its gone - replace it with the EMC (I think...) head, reportedly a far superior head to the original Toyota head.


-F_D

AMC

[ChrisF]

JIP, get the AMC head and that KZ is ready for the next few hundred thousand kilos.

PLEASE do not get sucked into a reconditioned head !

[louis fourie]

JIP, get the AMC head and that KZ is ready for the next few hundred thousand kilos.

PLEASE do not get sucked into a reconditioned head !

+1

[esajoda]

Thanks everyone!

Went and purchased new AMC head. Engineering shop going to build it up for me.

One question regarding the head gasket, I see loads of recommendations to fit only original, but what about a Victor Reinz(German Product) head gasket?( I am half German so have loads of trust on German Engineering ).

So far the following will be done:-

1. New Head with Gaskets and seals and transferred parts.
2. New Head bolts.
3. New timing belt and tensioner.
4. New Thermostat (71 degrees).
5. New injectors.


Another 2 questions with regards to Viscous fan, what will be the negatives of installing a direct fan instead of the Viscous?

And what negatives if I close the water system? (Pressurize it and removing the expansion bottle and installing a tank from a Golf with a sensor to warn me when it runs dry )

Many Thanks Jose

[The Legend]

Thanks everyone!

Went and purchased new AMC head. Engineering shop going to build it up for me.

One question regarding the head gasket, I see loads of recommendations to fit only original, but what about a Victor Reinz(German Product) head gasket?( I am half German so have loads of trust on German Engineering ).

So far the following will be done:-

1. New Head with Gaskets and seals and transferred parts.
2. New Head bolts.
3. New timing belt and tensioner.
4. New Thermostat (71 degrees).
5. New injectors.


Another 2 questions with regards to Viscous fan, what will be the negatives of installing a direct fan instead of the Viscous?

And what negatives if I close the water system? (Pressurize it and removing the expansion bottle and installing a tank from a Golf with a sensor to warn me when it runs dry )

Many Thanks Jose

You will lose a bit of engine power by installing a direct fan

[louis fourie]

Thanks everyone!

Went and purchased new AMC head. Engineering shop going to build it up for me.

One question regarding the head gasket, I see loads of recommendations to fit only original, but what about a Victor Reinz(German Product) head gasket?( I am half German so have loads of trust on German Engineering ).

So far the following will be done:-

1. New Head with Gaskets and seals and transferred parts.
2. New Head bolts.
3. New timing belt and tensioner.
4. New Thermostat (71 degrees).
5. New injectors.


Another 2 questions with regards to Viscous fan, what will be the negatives of installing a direct fan instead of the Viscous?

And what negatives if I close the water system? (Pressurize it and removing the expansion bottle and installing a tank from a Golf with a sensor to warn me when it runs dry )

Many Thanks Jose

You will lose a bit of engine power by installing a direct fan

...and that bit is quite a bit. You can feel it.

[Knuppel]

Regarding your viscous. Not sure what it looks like but if you can split the unit then you can add a tube of silicone oil available from the agents only. Shout if you want a part number for the oil. its rather expensive but works 100% to get a viscous back to original functioning standard.

Dont do solid, takes away plenty power and increases fuel consumption. But if you in the dwang then making it solid works

[Mars]

Jose
I would not be messing around with systems as they were designed. That is when you start adding complexity and additional problems that you may never have foreseen. The cooling system as designed works well if everything on it is in spec. The easiest, most reliable and proven approach is simply to ensure that the cooling system is fine. These heads crack and it is a known issue but only normally in the region of about 400k kilometres and in your instance it would appear that it is due to the viscous fan coupling that went causing the engine to heat up and the head cracking.

Replace the viscous fan coupling.

Replace the thermostat.
Make sure the radiator is clean inside. Isn't leaking and the bearing/mating surfaces where the seals of the radiator cap seal against is clean, and free from damage.

Replace the radiator now if there are such issues whilst the water is drained from the system and you are replacing all the other bits.

Replace the radiator cap.

Ensure that the rubber seal of the cap on the water expansion tank (the cap with the pipe running to the filler neck of the radiator is in good condition and sealing there. As the coolant heats up and expands the system will push excess coolant into the expansion tank but it will not suck the water back again as the system cools down as it needs a vacuum which is lost if that seal is leaking.

Also check all water pipes for wear and leakage. Often coolant deposits builds up over time in the area immediately adjacent to where the clamp holds the water pipe onto the fitting on the water coolant side so removing all water pipes and cleaning those mating surfaces can do no harm.

Make sure you replace any clamps that are damaged/stripped etc.

Whenever an engine overheats it is imperative that you identify the root cause and in this instance you know. The viscous fan should not turn free when the engine is on operating temperature.

So just make sure that everything is in spec again and you will not have heat issues.

[Knuppel]

Jose
I would not be messing around with systems as they were designed. That is when you start adding complexity and additional problems that you may never have foreseen. The cooling system as designed works well if everything on it is in spec. The easiest, most reliable and proven approach is simply to ensure that the cooling system is fine. These heads crack and it is a known issue but only normally in the region of about 400k kilometres and in your instance it would appear that it is due to the viscous fan coupling that went causing the engine to heat up and the head cracking.

Replace the viscous fan coupling.



.....................

I consider this a very careful way of telling me that I am talking bull!

I have restored very many viscous couplings to their original condition. In the land cruiser world this is common knowledge. There is really no need to spend R2K-R4K for a new viscous coupling if you can spend R360 on a tube of silicone oil that is supplied by TOYOTA, comes with a Toyota Part number! Is produced to address the specific problem of a viscous fan that no longer functions properly due to the oil in the coupling losing its viscosity.


Further, a viscous fan does not necessarily turn free or is engaged if the engine is at operating temperature. The fan will engage at a certain temperature and disengage when it has cooled down again.

Te best way to test a viscous fan is when everything is cold. If you then start the engine the fan will be in the engaged position, it will turn for a while and then disengage. If then you start from cold and increase the rmp to say 1500 rpm you will hear it run and very soon it disengages and you will not hear it run anymore until the radiator hot air engages the coupling again

[Mars]

No not at all Marius. Actually I did not read your response but was trying to dissuade Jose from fitting a fixed fan and a sealed system using a Golf expansion tank. I am very much in favour of rather fixing things than replacing them and have now made a mental note of the silicone oil.

My objective is to always try and get whatever I am fixing back to original spec unless there is a major problem there where original spec was proven not to work. Generally speaking I find that those design engineers did actually know more about it than I thought I did!

[Mud Dog]

Just for interest sake, a few years back Cassie posted a detailed "how to" along with pics on reconditioning the visco fan with the silicone oil from Toyota. I'm sure that if you did a search with key words "visco fan silicone oil" and poster "CasKru" it will lead you straight to it.

[Knuppel]

[The Legend]

I also service my viscous fan.The toyota silicon oil part nr is 08816-10001.Yes the oil is expensive but it is money well spended. The viscous fan works like a new one after been serviced.

[Thabogrobler]

On mu Kz the fan also locked BUT some bearing or the other seized inside and the fan did not run true. I just tossed the viscous and instaaled a new one.

[Mud Dog]

Bearings are cheap, Thabo.

[Thabogrobler]

Bearings are cheap, Thabo.

True, but all the K&D(amper sê ek *a* en drama) involved while you don't have time to fiddle with something, I opted for a complete replacement.

[Knuppel]

[esajoda]

Thanks everyone, for your inputs.

I decided to start assembling the top, but came to a sudden halt as I am missing the half moon rubber seal that fits at the back of the head and missing the gasket for the water pipe the runs behind the head. Toyota no stock will receive it on Tuesday.

I have had the injector tips replaced and they supplied me a bag of washers(3 washers per injector). Question is if I install the copper washers, then the washer that fits inside the nozzle seat will not be compressed. Do I then leave the copper washer out?

Thanks again.

[Rickybobby]

Good morning, seems I'm next,where did you buy the AMC head from and how much was it?
Thanks

[esajoda]

Good morning, seems I'm next,where did you buy the AMC head from and how much was it?
Thanks

Hi, Got my AMC head from Alert engine spares, Price was R6400 excl.

Cheers and good luck.

[Rickybobby]

Thanks,and how is your bakkie going now?

[Family_Dog]

I do not drive a KZTE but I have only heard good things said about the AMC heads. Think they;re cheaper than the Toyota OEM heads as well. Go for it and relax, you will have many happy kms ahead of you.


-F_D

[esajoda]

Thanks,and how is your bakkie going now?

Still putting it together, just waiting for radiator to come back from testing.

Then we put it to the test by towing the following to the Vaal Dam.

[Rickybobby]

Very nice

[esajoda]

Finished put the van back together yesterday, and took it for a drive today(300kms).
Temperature just below 1/2 the whole time.
CHT never went over 73 degrees even on the uphills.
No water lost, so looks like I managed to do a good job. :)

[louis fourie]

Finished put the van back together yesterday, and took it for a drive today(300kms).
Temperature just below 1/2 the whole time.
CHT never went over 73 degrees even on the uphills.
No water lost, so looks like I managed to do a good job. :)

Great stuff

[ChrisF]

NICE !

[Mars]

Thats great news.