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I was adding coolant every two weeks, very small amounts directly to the radiator so I thought it was okay to do that until I could get it repaired. I had replaced the radiator eight years ago. I was saving up for the repair.
The last time it cost a little under $200 and now the damage is most likely much worse. I just didn't realize adding coolant over a few month time frame was the wrong choice.
You tried to do what the right thing. Unfortunately, it sounds like the leak my have gotten worse over time, so your regular filling routine wasn't enough to keep sufficient coolant in the system. We all make mistakes, sometimes expensive ones. I'm sorry this happened to you, but you should be prepared for a very expensive repair bill.
Once your engine overheats just once, it can cause internal damage like a cracked or warped head or head gasket- either of which will start leaking coolent and or oil where it shouldnt be, if coolent leaks into the oil it turns the oil a grey/brownish milkshake like color.
Loss of the heater is a first sign of low coolent in the radiator.
I had an 89 Corsica that had a blown head gasket after it overheated, I wasnt going to bother with an engine overhaul, but I kept it going by adding radiator stop-leak to the coolent, it would stop the leak for a while, it went on for many months, just kept adding more stop leak and changing the oil. I drove the car like that with probably 100% stop leak in the radiator and coolent contaminated oil for probably 2 years, and what did the car in was corrosion on the drivers' side control arm mount, pulled into my driveway and over a little hump and the left front wheel suddenly turned left- that was the end of the car.
Either a cooling system leak (not necessarily the radiator) or head gasket leak. It's unfortunate it has gone this far, there is a possibility of permanent engine damage.
Heat or Excessive Heat is probably the worst and most destructive "negative" to a Vehicle's Engine, WinterGirl80.
Unfortunately, your Camry's problem could be minor or major and only a qualified mechanic will be able to diagnose the issue at this point.
GOOD LUCK.
Worth repeating. When the temperature gauges rises, turn off the engine immediately.
True story (that is, unfortunately, the exception to the rule). Back in the early 1980s, a friend of mine decided to buy a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner for almost nothing because the seller said the engine was blown. It was a 383 and my friend intended to remove it and install a 440, so it was perfect. I drove him to where the car was located. Our hope was that it would run well enough to make the 25 mile drive home. It started, but was low on coolant. We added water, but it immediately began leaking onto the ground as fast as we put it in. It took about 2 seconds to realize that the freeze plugs were rusted out. Since my friend didn't care about the engine, he decided to just start driving home and get as far as he could. Worst case, he'd save a few dollars on towing. I followed him in my car. I could barely see him in front of me the smoke was so thick. I could hear his engine pinging and it smelled like hell itself. Red sparks were spewing from the exhaust pipes. When we arrive at his house 1 hour later and opened the hood, the engine was still running, albeit very roughly. The exhaust manifolds were glowing bright red in broad daylight. It was seriously impressive.
If anything it’s not going to be a cheap fix in fact the repair could cost more than the car is worth. When a motor get so hot that it shuts down is not just a simple leak, now internal parts have been effected, the motor is a aluminum block and head and heat is the number one enemy of aluminum. They can’t take the extreme heat like a good ole cast iron block and head. Aluminum heads will wrap when overhead to the extreme of what happened to your car.
Wait, Toyota fans all say Toyotas are good for 200,000 miles with no mechanical problems, they are that good! How can this be?
They can last much longer than that, just need a little tender care and timely maintenance. Little problems caught at the beginning won't turn into disasters.
Wait, Toyota fans all say Toyotas are good for 200,000 miles with no mechanical problems, they are that good! How can this be?
Toyotas have a history of reliability. That doesn't mean they don't occasionally have problems.
We also don't know how the car has been treated/maintained by the OP and any previous owners before her.
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