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#1
07-18-2020, 06:41 PM
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OT: It gets HOT under there!!!!
So our daughter picked up an early model Toyota Rav4 4x that is in pristine condition. Even our mechanic commented on how well it was taken care of. There is one thing that bothers me about it though, it gets increadably hot under the hood. The exhaust manifold comes out and does an immediate turn downward in front of the radiator where there is a cat with a heatshield around it, and then another heatshield over the top of that. The exhaust pipe then continues down and then turn 90 degrees to run under the vehicle. Things are tight under the hood and there really aren't any large gaps to let air in. The are two electric fans that help cool the radiator but heat seems to get trapped under the hood. The vehicle temp always runs where it should be but try touching the hood or open it up and touch anything and you can't. Even the hood prop rod will burn you if you grab it in the wrong spot. Checking the oil you have to put your hand down extremely close to the heat shield to get at the dipstick...hard to do without touching it.
Toyotas have been great vehicles for us over the years and this one is in great condition, but I find it hard to believe they designed it this way...but they did. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to install a set of hood vents/louvers to let the heat out? I'm curious if any of the forum collective has done this before? Or at least if there are any other ideas for getting some of the heat out of the engine bay? W. 
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#2
07-18-2020, 07:14 PM
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Now if you really want cool!
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#4
07-18-2020, 07:31 PM
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Quote:
  W.
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#5
07-18-2020, 07:32 PM
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Quote:
 W.
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#7
07-18-2020, 10:55 PM
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how early? if it has obd check what the computer is reading temp wise if its within range i wouldnt do anything at all. toyota temp gauges are notoriously inaccurate (not to mention no real numbers on the gauge, just c and h) but they do tend to run cooler in general than american vehicles. our rav 4 around 185 fwy maybe 190 idling in the summer
Last edited by cinema; 07-18-2020 at 10:58 PM.
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#10
07-19-2020, 03:22 PM
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Which gen Rav? I have a 3rd gen 4cyl. Never noticed this issue.
But I'm with the masses. If it ain't broken. Don't fix it haha. A good rule of thumb. Toss a set or two of mechanics gloves in the trunk. If ever you needed road side servicing. Put them on. Avoids any accidental burns.
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#11
07-19-2020, 03:40 PM
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Make sure the cat(s) aren't plugged. Had a used FJ I bought from a Toyota dealer. Before sale, they had replaced the H20 pump, thermostat, exhaust manifold as it was running really warm and had low power. My ace mechanic in SF put his hand over the exhaust tip at idle, and told me the cat was full up. Replaced and power was back, no warm temps anymore.
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#12
07-16-2022, 12:39 PM
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Well, the Rav survived driving to upstate NY, multiple trips to NYC, CT, and RI as well as daily driving around town.
This summer our daughter has been having to drive an hour each way, five days a week, for the field work required for her advanced degree. Thursday she's driving home from work and all of a sudden there's a puff of smoke, a steady slow down, and then nothing. Luckily she had enough momentum to get the car off the hwy. Smoke is coming from under the hood, temp guage reading "normal", and no other indicators. She gets out when it's clear and looks under the hood and doesn't see anything out of the ordinary and most of the smoke has disapated so no clear indicator of what's happening. She calls me and explains what's going on. First thing I do is tell her to check the oil and it's not reading on the dip stick. She looks under the car on the ground, nothing. I tell her to look a little further back on the undercarrige...coated in oil. No visible place can been seen where the oil leaked out so maybeit's behind the motor by the firewall. Not being there I can't inspect it myself so that's tough. She had checked the oil earlier that morning and it was reading on the dipstick about a 1/4 qt low which she topped off. I know she's been checking the oil at least twice a week, topping it off when needed, and checking the ground of the parking spots when she pulls out. I had drilled that with her until it was ingrained before she left the West coast with it. Anyway, now we have to decide if it's worth fixing. Add in supply chain issues with car parts and that adds to the angst. The repair shop she has been taking it to for oil and filter changes is tentively saying $4000-ish to replace the motor. Of course that could change after getting into it. With the used car market what it is I'm not looking forward to going that route from across the country, plus you roll the dice with an unknown vehicle anyway. Add to that she still has to finish her field work which runs until mid-August, and even if we get the engine replaced that's still a week or two out minimum after they start which would be until late next week at the earliest. I will say she's been a trooper at getting it towed home and gathering info and what is needed to get it repaired if we decide to go that way. As the old saying goes: "Could have done without that right now". W. Last edited by William; 07-16-2022 at 02:39 PM. Reason: grammarkins
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#13
07-16-2022, 01:36 PM
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may be salvageable.
Fill with cheap oil, and see what happens. That will cost about $25 I would wonder if someone "stacked" two oil filter gaskets, and one eventually blew out. Hopefully the car stopped quickly enough.
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#14
07-16-2022, 01:37 PM
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If possible, figure out a way to take a picture of the oil filter. May have to hire someone to pose as a reporter to sneak in to the shop at night.
If the gaskets are stacked, they owe you a motor.
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#15
07-16-2022, 01:53 PM
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interesting...
Well she still has the vehicle at home until late this next week. Might be able to check and see.
W.
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