Cooling system PM next week

[stevezero]

I just received my last part for my cooling system PM. Brett's Silicone PHH kit, the Shaman's care package (rad hoses, thermostat/gasket, fan clutch) and 2 gallons of toyota gold (err i mean red).....I did the rad cap about 3 months ago.

I did my fan clutch last thursday at lunch between conf calls (the day the magic box arrived from Dan). Went leafpeepin in the mtns here on Saturday, and the truck never moved more than two needle widths(unmodded temp guage). We did 350 miles total, 50-75 of that on unpaved forest roads in the Pisgah National Forest. My truck ran warm (warm enough for me to turn on both heaters in July) on our last trip thru the mtns coming back from ATL, but only on the steep prolonged climbs. In town and on the highway, its been fine.

I've been reading all the PHH threads, coolant flush threads, etc. I'm going to reuse the factory clamps when possible.

Here's my planned steps on a cold engine. Feel free to change em around if you think I should be doing something else.
1 Put key in ignition, turn on, and turn on rear heater to high. Shut ignition off.
2. pull lower rad hose and drain/catch coolant.
3. pull block drain plug.
4. pull thermostat housing and remove thermostat. replace housing minus thermostat.
5. Connect prestone flush kit to heater hose (temp with hose and clamps)
5. flush heaters with garden hose (house has water filtration system with new filter)
6. flush block.
7 Remove rad cap.
8. Flush radiator from bottom hose inlet with garden hose to stir up any crap at the bottom of the rad.
9. Flush radiator from top to bottom, allowing crap/water to drain from rad hose opening.
10. While driveway is drying, replace all the large rad hoses.
11. Remove overflow tank from truck, and pressure wash inside to remove any film. Reinstall overflow bottle. Cut 1/2 inch off bottom of overflow hose in tank.
12. Remove prestone flush kit fitting.
13. Replace thermostat and gasket (with thermostat vent in the 12 o clock position).
14. Reinstall block drain plug.
15. Replace PHH (yeah, easier said than done)....couldnt have this step listed as #13
16. Wipe away blood, sweat and tears from PHH. 3 shots of vicks 44 throat spray from sore vocal cords brought about by using new vocabulary words created during PHH.
17. Doublecheck all fittings/clamps.
18. Add 1 gallon of toyota red.
19. Add 1 gallon of distilled water.
20. Create 50/50 mix in empty Toyota Red jug of Toyota red and distilled water. Top off radiator.
21. Start truck with rad cap off and heaters on high. Let truck warm up, and top off as needed.
22. Fill overflow
22. Watch for coolant circulation.
23. Fill overflow bottle to factory specs.
24. Replace rad cap and drive around. Check for leaks.
25. Turn up some adult beverages and some pain medicine for a job well done.


Any additional shortcuts/tips would be handy.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[firetruck41]

If you haven't done your starter contacts, consider doing them, this will involve removing the DS wheel (which you need to do for the PHH anyway), and removing the starter. Do the PHH before you reinstall the starter. I think it gives you alot more room to manipulate/work on the PHH, with the starter removed.

 

[Sno bored]

I just did a rad flush and fill and PHH change last week. Read up on all of the old PHH threads. When you run into a problem you will have more than one solution. The PHH wasn't really that bad, just hard to get in there to work on it.

 

[tarbe]

If you haven't done your starter contacts, consider doing them...

I've done the PHH both ways, and definitely prefer doing it with the starter out.

 

[stevezero]

I've already done the starter contacts. Its not a big deal for me to pull the tire and starter (happiness is air tools.....)

 

[Beowulf]

Cut 1/2 inch off bottom of overflow hose in tank.

I am not familiar with the purpose of this step.


During steps 8 & 9, you should run the engine so the water pump can do the work. It wasn't clear from your instructions.

-B-

 

[stevezero]

I saw in another thread about nipping 1/2 inch off the hose in the tank to get rid of any crud that has accumulated in the bottom of the hose. Since it is still way within spec length, i figure I'd not lose anything by doing it (if it needs it). I dont think I have any crud in it.

I was going to give the first garden hose flush of the rad without the engine running (steps 8&9), and let it run out the open outlet. Flush the heater cores and block the same way. Use low hose pressure. Then put the hose back on, and cycle hose water thru the system running the engine for a min or two. Repeat drain and fill again.

Looking at my overflow and radiator, I dont have any signs of blockage/schmap. Just a very small film in the overflow tank. Existing coolant looks like toyota red, and is very clean, not brown, etc. PO records indicate pretty good service life, and the dealer guy I bought it from had it serviced prior to me buying it. The guy that did the work was a toy tech for many years, and only works on toys and lexus vehicles.

 

[Sno bored]

I looked in the bottom of my hose, and stuck a nail in there and didn't see any crud so I didn't cut mine.