Coolant Flush Process Verification (1 Viewer)

[Riad]

I have decided to stop being a lazy ars and get this over with . I was reading this thread and just wanted to verify the flushing process since this is my first time.

1. Drain coolant from the engine block.
2. Drain coolant from the radiator
3. Start up the engine, turn on the heater at max and wait until clear water coming out through the engine block/radiator plug hole, then turn off the engine.
4. Wait until there's no more water coming out through any of the plugs.
5. Fill it up with mineral free water and drive it for couple weeks.
6. Then drain it again and fill it up with 50/50 with toyota red coolant with water.
7. Drain it again in couple weeks and this time 100% toyota red collant.

So guys, is this right? Are there any other steps I need to be doing? BTW: where is this engine block drain plug/bolt (12/14 mm)? I can't figure it out from the picture, is it on the driver or passenger side?

I appreciate all/any inputs

 

[cary]

I have decided to stop being a lazy ars and get this over with . I was reading this thread and just wanted to verify the flushing process since this is my first time.

1. Drain coolant from the engine block.
2. Drain coolant from the radiator
3. Start up the engine, turn on the heater at max and wait until clear water coming out through the engine block/radiator plug hole, then turn off the engine.
4. Wait until there's no more water coming out through any of the plugs.
5. Fill it up with mineral free water and drive it for couple weeks.
6. Then drain it again and fill it up with 50/50 with toyota red coolant with water.
7. Drain it again in couple weeks and this time 100% toyota red collant.

So guys, is this right? Are there any other steps I need to be doing? BTW: where is this engine block drain plug/bolt (12/14 mm)? I can't figure it out from the picture, is it on the driver or passenger side?

I appreciate all/any inputs

Do not start up and run the engine with the block plug out. Do not drive the truck for several weeks without coolant. The procedure, for me at least is more like this.

1) Turn Heater valve control to full hot,
2) Drain radiator,
3) Drain Block,
4) Remove heater hose connection at passenger side top of motor near the number 5-6 cyl,
5) Insert temporary flush fitting,
6) Run water through until clear,
7) Put block plug in,
8) Put radiator plug in (or hose depending on how you drain it,
9) Remove flush fitting but don't reconnect hose.
10) Slowly fill with 1.5 gallons of toyota red (optional add 4 oz of Redline Diesel Watter Wetter).
11) Continue to fill slowly with distilled water (if you live in a hard water area, you may want to flush with a couple of gallons of distilled water between step 6 and step 7.)
12) When you see water start to run out of the hose at the top rear of the engine, reconnect it.
13) Continue to fill the radiator slowly until full.
14) Start the engine and make sure the nose of the truck is pointed uphill.
15) Let the engine warm up until the thermostat opens and make sure the radiator is full.
16) Install radiator cap,
17) If you haven't alread, clean out the coolant overflow, clip 1/2" off the bottom of the hose, and fill to the max line with a mix of 50/50 Toyota Red.
18) Take for a test drive,
19) Go get a few and enjoy them in the garage.
20) Check the overflow over the next several days and top up as needed as the last little bit of air gets out of the system.

Some people who are really anal, will fill the system up with distilled water and drive around for one day to try and get the last 1% of old coolant out of the system, but I believe this is unecessary. Even if you do that, I would just say fill it, let the truck run until the thermostat opens, let cool and do another flush.

 

[Bearcat80]

Yeah, that. Or this..

Or... if you really have a lazy arse, find an oil change facility that uses a NON-PRESSURIZED flushing sytem. My bro works for a dodge dealer that has a little unit that automatically puts back in what comes out by use of a diaphragm inside its tanks. You connect it to the radiator hoses so the water pump does the flushing. If you do this, have them do it with water until it comes out clear, then do the new fluid.

 

[Buckru]

Here is what I did.

1. Drive around with both heaters on high for 10-20 min, let cool 15 min.
2. Open drain on radiator, after a little coolant is out remove rad. cap.
3. Remove block plug and let everything drain out.
4. Button her up and fill system with distilled water.
5. Drive around for 30 min with both heaters on high.
6. Drain everything. (if when draining the water you notice discoloration or particles in the water, repeat steps four and five, you may want to use a specific coolant flush as well)
7. Once water drains clear, refill with 50/50 with front end jacked up a little.

* If changing brands or type of coolant, make sure you keep flushing till water is clean.

Buck

 

[JZenger]

I pretty much follow Cary's procedure.

The engine drain plug is on the US drivers side. Easiest access is to remove tire and lift flap and it is basically straight ahead, it is a brass bolt. I think it is 14mm. I bought a two foot socket extension that worked perfectly to reach in there.

 

[Riad]

Thanks a load guys for all the valuable inputs. I'm going to follow through and get this done.

 

[Riad]

4) Remove heater hose connection at passenger side top of motor near the number 5-6 cyl,

Is this the fat hose? Anyone has a picture?

Thnkx

 

[tarbe]

Is this the fat hose? Anyone has a picture?

Thnkx

He's talking about a heater hose on the firewall.

 

[Riad]

He's talking about a heater hose on the firewall.

Thank you

 

[Biff]

Geez this only reminds me of what I haven't done. Good info. to know.

 

[GXO]

I vote for the lazy option in a non-pressurized machine...no need to find a place to get rid of the old, and you can supply the new

 

[Tentsontop]

You don't have to remove the tire to to remove the block plug. Don't forget to remove the rad cap before you pull it. Wearing a glove is a good idea too. What comes out of that hole is hot, hot, hot.

 

[tarbe]

You don't have to remove the tire to to remove the block plug. Don't forget to remove the rad cap before you pull it. Wearing a glove is a good idea too. What comes out of that hole is hot, hot, hot.

I actually leave the wheel well curtains in place, too. Added protection from splattering hot coolant - also minimizes the number of those plastic clips I break

Just shove your extensions between the second and third curtain (the two rear-most in any event) and you'll be in perfect position to snag that plug. Lay your light on the tire (or better yet up in the bay) to illuminate the head so you can see it.

 

[Grench]

It looks like I'm doing a flush/fill on my wife's '96 Red 80 this weekend. The coolant that is in it is a sickly brown. I think the PO did a Red/Green mix. Two questions:

1. Why are you guys draining it when hot? I don't see any advantage to this and potential harm when the cold flush water comes in causing differential contraction in the block. Is there a good reason to drain it hot?

2. My two local Toyota dealers want $19.29 and $19.65 per gallon for Toyota red coolant. Is this the going rate?

Thanks!

Almost forgot... Changing all hoses/belts too while I'm there. This will be my 2nd PHH. May my arms forgive me.

 

[Riad]

Check out the following link:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=14891

 

[Tentsontop]

It looks like I'm doing a flush/fill on my wife's '96 Red 80 this weekend. The coolant that is in it is a sickly brown. I think the PO did a Red/Green mix. Two questions:

1. Why are you guys draining it when hot? I don't see any advantage to this and potential harm when the cold flush water comes in causing differential contraction in the block. Is there a good reason to drain it hot?

2. My two local Toyota dealers want $19.29 and $19.65 per gallon for Toyota red coolant. Is this the going rate?

Thanks!

Almost forgot... Changing all hoses/belts too while I'm there. This will be my 2nd PHH. May my arms forgive me.

You have to get the coolant hot before the thermistat will open up to let everything flow.

My local dealer had the red coolant on sale when I did mine for $14/gal. I picked up four. Two for now, two for later.

 

[Ivan80]

Almost forgot... Changing all hoses/belts too while I'm there. This will be my 2nd PHH. May my arms forgive me.

And mine'll be your third

You have to get the coolant hot before the thermistat will open up to let everything flow.

If you are changing the t-stat at the same time could you pull the old one out, replace the housing and do the flushes (not worrying about leaks at that point), then install the new t-stat and gasket and add your coolant. Or is that to much of a PITA?

I've got hoses and t-stat/gasket on the shelf waiting for my flush.

 

[Grench]

And mine'll be your third


If you are changing the t-stat at the same time could you pull the old one out, replace the housing and do the flushes (not worrying about leaks at that point), then install the new t-stat and gasket and add your coolant. Or is that to much of a PITA?

I've got hoses and t-stat/gasket on the shelf waiting for my flush.

I'm doing it this weekend. If you want to come over I suppose we could do them both. Bring a set of jack stands. I have enough silicone hose to cover your PHH needs. I plan to start 9:00 Saturday morning. Give me a call or PM if you want to work on it together.

Good idea. My is picking up the coolant from the stealership tomorrow. I'll have her get a thermostat while she's there. With the kids in pre-school she's become my gopher. Since it's her truck I'm working on I don't feel guilty.

My neighbors already know I'm nuts. I was out laying under my Grey truck tonight replacing a busted mufler mount. One of my neighbors walked by on the sidewalk 15 feet away with his two dogs. I said 'Hi there!' from under the truck. He started walking faster.

 

[Grench]

So, is this far enough?

Alrighty then. I didn't get to changing my wife's PHH today. I decided to flish until clean before changing out the hoses.

In the AM I'm picking up some more hose clamps. I counted and I'm short of the big ones to do the main hoses.

I didn't think to snap a picture of the stuff I drained out first. Suffice it to say it was blackish brown and could stop the sun from shining through my jar. Think twice as many shades darker than my first flush as my first flush is from my second. Now I'm kicking myself for not getting a pic of it because it would have ben an exclamation point on how bad this was. My wife and I have had this truck 4 months now. When we got it I checked to make sure there was fluid in the radiator but didn't pour any out to check it out. It was spring and I knew I would be doing the PHH on it before winter.

If the pics load right, left to right is flushes 1-3 of the 5 flushes I did with tap water.

Next message will have the old and new thermostats and flushes 1 and 3 with distilled water. I also have a few questions.

1. Any guesses what the PO put in this thing to get this brown color?

2. Did I flush it enough times (8 total) and is it clean enough now? I've gone through 10 gallons of distilled.

 

[Grench]

Thermostat & first and third distiled flushes

So, my local stealership sold me the thermostat on the left. I pulled out the one on the right. The only difference I could see was that the new one had a rubber bit on the pointy side. I'm assuming that this was a change Mr. Toyota did for a reason. What that reason is eludes me. The old gasket had square shoulders. The new one had rounded shoulders.

Was the one I pulled likely the factory one from 1996?

Also, distilled 1 and 3. Did I flush enough or should I keep going to try to see it crystal clear?

Thanks everyone!

Grench