Burp her....or else...

[Island Moose]

My coolant was red, probably not original, but at least 2 years old (I've never done it). This weekend I figured I would swap it out. Here's what I learned for anyone doing the same:

1. Draining is easy enough, and when you refill, you get about 35L into it before it tops out.
2. When started it, it ran nice and cold, but when the needle climbed off the stop, it kept going up...all the way to the top...I shut down right away.
3. I cracked the "rad" (not on the raad...on the thermo-housing) cap (carefully) and found the level had dropped. I started her up with the cap off, and added fluid until all the bubbling and spurting stopped. I got an ADDITIONAL 4L in, that's how much air was in the system. A few more minuted to ensure there was no more bubble, and now she runs cooler (2mm less needle travel) and the needle doesn't move at all climbing hills.

Just an FYI

 

[crushers]

to help the bleeding process remove the heater line from the valve assembly on the firewall. once a bit of coolant comes out the reinstall but leave loose for burping. top up the rad and hand squeeze the heater line till only coolant comes out, retighten the hose clamp...
this allows the air to flow out of the heater core as well...
cheers

 

[coldtaco]

Moose, you beat me to it Last night I installed a lower rad heater and like you said, the drain was fast and easy. The fill took me 1.5hrs of constantly squeezing the upper rad hose to burp it so I can get more in. I got all but about a cup back in this way, plus the little that keept spilling out of the top when burping. Did not want to stand outside with it running at -30C to fill it up the faster way.
What is the faster way to fill up coolant on a 13B-T?

 

[roscoFJ73]

What is the faster way to fill up coolant on a 13B-T?

The fastest way is to tip the coolant in unmixed and jam the garden hose into the upper heater hose till its full.
Make sure the coolant overflow bottle is also full so if the engine needs some more coolant it can suck it up.

Give the engine a good workout to mix the coolant

 

[Stone]

My coolant was red, probably not original, but at least 2 years old (I've never done it).

OEM Toyota Long Life coolant is red.

 

[dieseldog]

The fastest way is to tip the coolant in unmixed and jam the garden hose into the upper heater hose till its full.
Make sure the coolant overflow bottle is also full so if the engine needs some more coolant it can suck it up.

Give the engine a good workout to mix the coolant

No garden hoses here--I use the coolant and distilled water only. But that's how I roll.

 

[zaxxon]

Moose, you beat me to it Last night I installed a lower rad heater and like you said, the drain was fast and easy. The fill took me 1.5hrs of constantly squeezing the upper rad hose to burp it so I can get more in. I got all but about a cup back in this way, plus the little that keept spilling out of the top when burping. Did not want to stand outside with it running at -30C to fill it up the faster way.
What is the faster way to fill up coolant on a 13B-T?

Put my rad hose heater in last night. It took 8L before I ran to crappy tire for some more antifreeze, to find it only took about another litre. I dont think I did anything differently. What did you replace the fluid with? I just used deisel antifreeze frome crappy tire.

 

[Stone]

Usually I fill up the rad and fill it up as much as I can without the engine running by burping the upper rad hose. Then when the rad is full, start the engine and idle with the heater control set to the hottest level...this will fill the heater core also.

*For those of us who have a rear seat heater...don't forget to set that to the hottest level also while idling and filling your cooling system as there will be air in there too.

 

[cruiser_guy]

It helps too if you can park the truck with the front uphill so the rad cap is the highest point.
I find it takes a few days to burp out all the air.

 

[coldtaco]

Zaxxon, I just used what I drained, I tested it and it tested good to -50F or so.

 

[Island Moose]

*For those of us who have a rear seat heater...don't forget to set that to the hottest level also while idling and filling your cooling system as there will be air in there too.

I didn't do that Stone...thanks....will get on that right away.

 

[nikalex]

Good Day.
I just redid the water pump, all hoses, radiator, pressure cap, coolant and 88° thermostat on my 1985 BJ73 with the 3B motor.
THe parts from Dan at 4WheelAuto in Edmonton arrived as promised.
I bought a 4 core 'hi efficiency' recored rad for $425 as opposed to the OEM new BJ70 3 core dealer rad here in Vancouver for $400. I hope that wasn't a mistake in the long term as far as life expectancy goes. My old rad was only a 3 core even though my rig has air conditioning.

As for the Diesel coolant, I think that is only needed for diesels with wet cylinder sleeves which the 3B doesn't have. I had the usual problem with filling this cooling system to the full mark. It took me a series of filling, running, stopping, cooling, and filling to get the 13+ litres of coolant in. All the while watching my temperature guage go up and down like a yoyo until it's really full. I also have the rear heater so I turned it on high during this procedure.

It seems like a lot of work to change the coolant on these - more than any vehicle I can remember.
Cheers,
Roman

 

[Greg_B]

This way has potential...

http://www.allhead.com.au/cooling.html

hth's

gb

 

[crushers]

Good Day.
I just redid the water pump, all hoses, radiator, pressure cap, coolant and 88° thermostat on my 1985 BJ73 with the 3B motor.
It seems like a lot of work to change the coolant on these - more than any vehicle I can remember.
Cheers,
Roman

you haven't tried working on the LJ series yet have you? the 3B is a joy in comparrision.
what i do is fill the system then pressure test it, this pushes the fluid onto the creaves, fill and pressure test. usually after the 3rd time there is no mor eair left in the system...
sounds like it shouldn't works since you are pushing more air into the system but it does...
cheers

 

[nikalex]

Unfortunately Wayne I do have a 1991 LJ78 still as well. It only had antifreeze good for down to -10°C or so. I am in the process of flushing the coolant system and changing it out. But I think I will wait for some warmer weather. I know it sounds wimpy but it's been -5°C to -10°C here in Vancouver. You Alberta types can handle the cold but us wimpy West coasters can not. At least not most of us - me included.
I am having trouble starting my Prado at -5°C. I don't have a block or lower rad hose heater in it yet. The glow plug circuit seems to be working but I haven't spent the time diagnosing it yet.

Now that I have my daily driver BJ73, I rarely want to step foot in the LJ78.

Thanks for the advise on the Prado cooling system burping. I'll be doing that soon.
Cheers,
Roman

 

[crushers]

Roman,
the LJ78 is a bugger to start, especially if it has been sitting for a while and at -% the glow plugs don't come on long enough...
there is a sensor at the thermostate housing that you can disconnect to get a longer glow.