My thoughts exactly Jim, the stuff I have seen the dealers do makes you really wonder why you pay them so much for such inadequately trained personel, and it is the simple and basic stuff they stuff up, that anyone knows how to do, so I don't hold out for the technical stuff. Unless you do it yourself there is no knowing what goes on.
pre-mixed toyota red coolant
- Thread starter Jim_Chow
- Start date
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A couple of good earlier threads on ...
Toyota Red vs. Green Coolant
Tap Water vs. Distilled Water
And an unanswered orphan post by gopriest31
From 1998 FSM (CO-2)
The FSM does not recommend a flush but does recommend using all three drain plugs and torquing them to 9ftlbs.
This pic posted by mabrodis (Here) shows the plug locations. The two block plugs are on opposite sides of the block.
Amando had this advice on accessing the plugs.
Toyota Red vs. Green Coolant
Tap Water vs. Distilled Water
And an unanswered orphan post by gopriest31
From 1998 FSM (CO-2)
w/ Front heater: 14.8 Liters (15.6 US Quarts, 13.0 Imp. Quarts)
w/ Front and rear heater: 15.3 Liters (16.2 US quarts, 13.4 Imp Quarts)
w/ Front and rear heater: 15.3 Liters (16.2 US quarts, 13.4 Imp Quarts)
The FSM does not recommend a flush but does recommend using all three drain plugs and torquing them to 9ftlbs.
This pic posted by mabrodis (Here) shows the plug locations. The two block plugs are on opposite sides of the block.
Amando had this advice on accessing the plugs.
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Bringing back this old thread
I am planning on doing the coolant flush (Toyo dealership wants to charge me $137 for it) within the next few days.
As far as I know from reading a bunch of posts about coolants, this is what I am planning on doing:
1. Get Super Long Life coolant.
2. Open the drain plugs and drain the existing coolant from the three drain plugs. Hvae a large bucket ready to collect old coolant.
3. flush the system with tap water.
4. Put the drain plugs back on and fill up with specified amount of coolant. Do not overtighten but rather remain true to torque specifications.
- no gaskets or any part replacements are needed
Questions:
How easy are the drain plugs to get to?
Any tips/tricks?
I am planning on doing the coolant flush (Toyo dealership wants to charge me $137 for it) within the next few days.
As far as I know from reading a bunch of posts about coolants, this is what I am planning on doing:
1. Get Super Long Life coolant.
2. Open the drain plugs and drain the existing coolant from the three drain plugs. Hvae a large bucket ready to collect old coolant.
3. flush the system with tap water.
4. Put the drain plugs back on and fill up with specified amount of coolant. Do not overtighten but rather remain true to torque specifications.
- no gaskets or any part replacements are needed
Questions:
How easy are the drain plugs to get to?
Any tips/tricks?
Flush with distilled water NOT tap water (drain all the existing fluid out; fill back with distilled water; recirculate; drain and repeat until water is clear (or nearly clear). Fill with Long Life Red and distilled water. This is how I just did mine...worked great.
Spresso,
Thanks for the tip on distilled water instead of tap water.
Are the drain bolts easy to access?
Thanks.
Thanks for the tip on distilled water instead of tap water.
Are the drain bolts easy to access?
Thanks.
I just drained the block from the DS/left side (along with the bottom radiator petcock). With a good light and access from underneath you can easily reach the petcock just beneath the exhaust manifold with a socket wrench (I think it's 10mm but can't remember for certain). And I used a 1/4" x 3' piece of rubber hose inserted over the drain petcock to drain into a bucket (no mess!). I didn't bother with the PS/right side...I did 3-flush/fill/recirculate cycles and the water was barely pink when I installed the new coolant. You can probably flush with tap water but I figured for any extra $6 for distilled water I have piece of mind no additional mineral content is introduced into the system.
In previous Toyotas, the red long life has performed exceptionally well for me, so I am a believer in using it. I always use distilled water to rinse out and dilute the long life, the minerals introduced with tap water are not friendly to the coolant system. My guess is the SLLC is essentially the LLC with distilled water added to get the extra life beyond 30K.
The dealers can't be trusted. They will even put the cheap green stuff in it, and typically use tap water.
The dealers can't be trusted. They will even put the cheap green stuff in it, and typically use tap water.
Jim_Chow
V8_Fan
- Thread starter
- #28
Only flush w/ DISTILLED water. Read the label carefully, as some bottles say the water is purified for distilled applications while the best is steam distilled. You want the steam distilled. I could only find Arrowhead in steam distilled in 2.5 gal sizes. "Purified" water is merely reverse osmosis, so there will be residual solids in the water (can be anywhere from 15-75ppm).
I also drained the radiator and left block drain cock. The right side one (at least on the 5spd) has ATF lines covering the valve (you'd have to remove a bracket). IIRC, by draining the left block and radiator, I got about 11-11.5 qts of the 16 qts out on each drain. I simply drained them, filled the radiator w/ distilled water, ran the engine @ 2K rpm w/ f/r heaters cranked, drained again, then repeated 2 more times until the water draining out only had a slight tinge. Since you know you are draining 11 qts out, there are still 5 qts of distilled water in the heater cores and right block, so add 2 gal of LLC and 3 qts of distilled water and you know you have a 50-50 mixture.
You still have to remove the big plastic skid pan to access the left drain bolt (look underneath near the rear engine mount. The reason why I was so picky about flushing out the old coolant is I know the PO had the dealer do the service, and all dealers use tap water. Still, the inside of my radiator looked brand new. Next time at 90K, I'll have the dealer do the t-belt and bring in SLLC for them. This way, they won't screw it up and use distilled water.
The tech at my award winning toyota dealer said they just drain the radiator when they do a change, and that if you get the coolant hot enough, about 75% of it will drain out only through the radiator since it's the lowest point. Not true! I didn't get nearly that much out, so I had to drain the left block.
I also drained the radiator and left block drain cock. The right side one (at least on the 5spd) has ATF lines covering the valve (you'd have to remove a bracket). IIRC, by draining the left block and radiator, I got about 11-11.5 qts of the 16 qts out on each drain. I simply drained them, filled the radiator w/ distilled water, ran the engine @ 2K rpm w/ f/r heaters cranked, drained again, then repeated 2 more times until the water draining out only had a slight tinge. Since you know you are draining 11 qts out, there are still 5 qts of distilled water in the heater cores and right block, so add 2 gal of LLC and 3 qts of distilled water and you know you have a 50-50 mixture.
You still have to remove the big plastic skid pan to access the left drain bolt (look underneath near the rear engine mount. The reason why I was so picky about flushing out the old coolant is I know the PO had the dealer do the service, and all dealers use tap water. Still, the inside of my radiator looked brand new. Next time at 90K, I'll have the dealer do the t-belt and bring in SLLC for them. This way, they won't screw it up and use distilled water.
The tech at my award winning toyota dealer said they just drain the radiator when they do a change, and that if you get the coolant hot enough, about 75% of it will drain out only through the radiator since it's the lowest point. Not true! I didn't get nearly that much out, so I had to drain the left block.
Very informative!
Thanks for the knowledge transfer, Jim.
I will make sure that I get the steam distilled water.
Thanks for the knowledge transfer, Jim.
I will make sure that I get the steam distilled water.
Kathmandu,
I "accidentally" took a photo of the drain plug on the driver side a few weeks ago. It is in this post:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=148046
I "accidentally" took a photo of the drain plug on the driver side a few weeks ago. It is in this post:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=148046
Wellcraft19's photo - drain is just north of center
The second drain should be on the opposite side of the block.
The second drain should be on the opposite side of the block.
Sweet.....
Now I know what drain to look for. Now it makes sense what people were talking about when they said they used a 1/4' tube to collect the drained coolant.
Thanks WellCraft.
btw, your underbody picture shows no rust. Is it only the part that is in the picture that is rust free or the whole underbody?
Now I know what drain to look for. Now it makes sense what people were talking about when they said they used a 1/4' tube to collect the drained coolant.
Thanks WellCraft.
btw, your underbody picture shows no rust. Is it only the part that is in the picture that is rust free or the whole underbody?
No, apart from some very "slight" surface rust (can be dusted off with a brass brush) on some of the suspension components, the entire vehicle is rust free underneath. But those few areas, where there's rust, looks bad in a photo. Not at all bad in real llfe. Likely the flash that enhances just that color spectrum.
In general, car's do not rust much here in the Pacific Northwest. No salt on the roads, no salt in the air (the Olympics block most of that), and the air is actually quite dry (apart from the days it is raining of course).
A vehicle like the LC would not fare well in my "homeland" (Sweden) where all the cavities under the body (frame and drive train) quickly would fill up with a good mix of salty slush and just sit and slowly eat the metal away.
Sidetrack; Due to the horrid conditions "at home", both Saab and Volvo have over the years developed some great designs and measures to prevent cars from rusting away.
In general, car's do not rust much here in the Pacific Northwest. No salt on the roads, no salt in the air (the Olympics block most of that), and the air is actually quite dry (apart from the days it is raining of course).
A vehicle like the LC would not fare well in my "homeland" (Sweden) where all the cavities under the body (frame and drive train) quickly would fill up with a good mix of salty slush and just sit and slowly eat the metal away.
Sidetrack; Due to the horrid conditions "at home", both Saab and Volvo have over the years developed some great designs and measures to prevent cars from rusting away.
How much distilled water?
If you know how much distilled water I will need to do a coolant exchange, please let me know. I bought 4 gallons of the Toyota premixed SLLC today, but need to know how much distilled water to buy?
Thanks in advance.
If you know how much distilled water I will need to do a coolant exchange, please let me know. I bought 4 gallons of the Toyota premixed SLLC today, but need to know how much distilled water to buy?
Thanks in advance.
ToyotaDon
I am here
Don't want to rain on anybody's parade.....but, Toyota says after replacing the factory filled SLLC at 90-100K, subsequent fluid changes are to be at the "normal" service interval. I think we figured out, that once you have that high of mileage, the properties of the coolant are not enough to last another 90-100K miles.
It's still supposed to be a better coolant, so it should last longer, even when using it to replace LLC. But, I wouldn't just say now you can go 90K before your next change.
It's still supposed to be a better coolant, so it should last longer, even when using it to replace LLC. But, I wouldn't just say now you can go 90K before your next change.
Jim_Chow
V8_Fan
- Thread starter
- #37
I wrote the numbers down in my logbook (which I don't have here). IIRC, when I drained the left block bolt + radiator, I got 11 qts out. The spec is like 16.2 qts or so for the entire system, so I drained the left block and radiator about 3 times until the water was acceptably clear (filling each time w/ steam distilled water...make sure it's real distilled water, not "purified" water for distilled purposes; the latter is reverse osmosis, not steam distilled, so it has residual impurities). Now drain the left block and radiator once more. Now you know there is 5 qts of distilled water in the right block and heater cores. I then knew I had to add 8+ qts (actually used more like 9 qts for slightly more than 50-50) into the radiator, then topped it off w/ distilled water and burped the system.
Don't forget to crank the heaters (front and rear) all the time to flush the cores. It takes a while for the coolant temp to rise enough for the thermostat to open (I pushed the accelerator down to 2000 rpm to speed up the process).
Replacing my radiator today. Should I go with super long life coolant? TX tap water is considered "hard"
Dealer is doing work due to my lack of time and the leak too large to linger.
Will I get a longer service life out of the SLL coolant?
I guess it doesn't matter... timing belt due in 30-40k so long life will be sufficient.
Dealer is doing work due to my lack of time and the leak too large to linger.
Will I get a longer service life out of the SLL coolant?
I guess it doesn't matter... timing belt due in 30-40k so long life will be sufficient.
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APKhaos
Unfixing the unfixable
Use OEM toyo coolant mixed with distilled water (supermarket has it in gallon jugs).
I wouldn't use TX water in a drink let alone in an engine!
I wouldn't use TX water in a drink let alone in an engine!
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What was wrong with your radiator?mind me asking how much?
