While flushing radiator should I??

[4dmalamute]

I am getting ready to change out my radiator fluid and both top and bottom hoses. While Im in there, should I just change out the thermostat as well? Everything is ok but I have never changed it out so I figure might as well do it now before something gives. Thanks, Chans

 

[tarbe]

Absolutely!

It is so easy to do, 3 nuts and you are in there. Just make sure the jiggle valve is at 12 o'clock.

 

[drsales]

Just did mine with a flush and the three hoses also changed out the PHH. Highly suggested.

 

[e9999]

try and soak the shield bolts before you tackle them might be a good idea, IIRC.
easy to change the thermostat. Inexpensive. Might as well. I checked my old one, though, and it was fine per the boiling test.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

The thermostat is pretty cheap. If you go to all the trouble to open it up, I would just replace it. Remember you need to order a gasket separately. Put the jiggle valve at 1200 postion to aid air bleeding out of the block.

I did not remove the heat shield to replace the thermostat.

 

[alvarorb]

Chans,

Check your radiator hoses, it might be a good time to change them too. Heck, while you are at it, why not change the fan clutch and belts.

Regards

Alvaro

 

[4dmalamute]

Well, I started to change the radiator hoses but got sidetracked and changed out the belts instead. I then took on the challenge of changing my burnt out D bulb in the dash...........Well, that wasnt a fun task and I ended up stopping two hours into it. Damn light!! I actually have three lights burnt out in the dash so I guess I better take everything all apart now. Now, back to the original question, I do have the new thermostat and gasket and top hose. As for the bottom hose, well, I ordered it but it seems that the prev owner changed the rad. out and it takes a long ass hose to make the fit. Double Dam!!!

Anyway, I have been productive these last two days. Replaced all the brakes, did the belts, cleaned the beast, and even changed my wifes belts (on her car, geeze!!) and brakes and her rear axle stubs with bearings..........those fell off on the freeway..........not good. Anyway, I need to go have a drink.

 

[sdbrassfield]

Unhook the lower rad hose and drain the rad, drain block, backflush upper and lower heater core, refill system w/ water and run for 10 minutes (w/ heater on), drain rad and block again, replace thermostat and o-ring, re-rubber the heater hoses..................

Go back w/ .75 gallons of green undilluted texaco ethylene glycol based coolant, and a bottle of redline water wetter, and top off w/ 2 - 3 gallons of DI water. In really cold weather, you might want to go w/ 1 full gal of texaco coolant and then the above.

Stay w/ the ethylene green glycol based coolant since you will waste $ on the toyo red which is essentially the same animal as the ethylene glycol based green................

 

[alvarorb]

Stay w/ the ethylene green glycol based coolant since you will waste $ on the toyo red which is essentially the same animal as the ethylene glycol based green................

Do you know this for a fact? I've read horror stories from people who used the "green" stuff on their LCs.

Regards

Alvaro

 

[sdbrassfield]

Do you know this for a fact? I've read horror stories from people who used the "green" stuff on their LCs.

Regards

Alvaro

toyo red is also a glycol based coolant and is toyo expensive. FSM also recommends a glycol based coolant. It is getting harder to find the good old glycol based coolants that are not premixed or mixed with something else. Do not use alcohol based coolants or dexcool. The redline (water wetter) is optional. However, the redline is most effective if used with as little coolant as necessary for your climate.

The important part is making sure your cooling system is flushed thoroughly...............

 

[alvarorb]

How much is the green stuff?. The Toyota Red is about $15 per gallon at my local dealer. I can't remember how much it uses, but normally I buy two gallons and have more than have of one left over.

Alvaro

 

[sdbrassfield]

How much is the green stuff?. The Toyota Red is about $15 per gallon at my local dealer. I can't remember how much it uses, but normally I buy two gallons and have more than have of one left over.

Alvaro

The undiluted texaco green is about 6 bucks a gallon. I can get it at the advance or autozones around here...Unless you are in an extremely cold climate, you should not need more than a gallon, especially if you are using the redline (optonal). If you want a 50/50 mix you will need a little less than 2 gallons like you indicate...

 

[Cruiserdrew]

The anticorrosion chemistry is completely different in the Toyota vs cheap green. It's the old OAT vs Silicate thing-do a search. It is true that the base is ethylene glycol but it's the trace amounts of corrosion inhibitors that make them different. I'm thinking that the new "Universal" Prestone is pretty similar to Toyota Red but I don't know that for a fact. I still run the red in my 80, but run old fashioned cheap green in my 60. Next time I flush the 60 I'm going to trial the new Prestone.

This is not to say that Toyota Red is better than cheap green-I don't know one way or the other. I do know the anti-corrosion chemistry is totally different, and Toyota reccomends the Red, so for now I'll use it.

One other thing-The reason the wetter wetter says to use the least coolant as possible is because water carries heat more efficiently than ethylene glycol. In the low stress environment of a passenger car/truck cooling system, I don't think there is any data to suggest the wetter wetter itself has any benificial effect. I would NOT reccomend using it-it just increases the cost of operation.

 

[sdbrassfield]

I have noticed that the water wetter does an exceptional job for me in the hot carolina summers pulling a trailer loaded w/ C-1's and kayaks up into the mountains to run the nanty and ocoee. Before the redline, you could detect the temp gauge edging up when going up and into the mtns. With it, the gauge stays where it should be...an absolute advantage in the hotter weather for my application...

The coolant... use what you prefer, they are basically the same animals....both have more than ample additives to deal with the corrosion issue and are glycol based.

 

[roncruiser]

Unhook the lower rad hose and drain the rad, drain block, backflush upper and lower heater core, refill system w/ water and run for 10 minutes (w/ heater on), drain rad and block again, replace thermostat and o-ring, re-rubber the heater hoses..................

Go back w/ .75 gallons of green undilluted texaco ethylene glycol based coolant, and a bottle of redline water wetter, and top off w/ 2 - 3 gallons of DI water. In really cold weather, you might want to go w/ 1 full gal of texaco coolant and then the above.

Stay w/ the ethylene green glycol based coolant since you will waste $ on the toyo red which is essentially the same animal as the ethylene glycol based green................

You mention backflushing the upper and lower heater core. Is that done with the cooling backflush kits bought at a parts store or do you mean some other way?

 

[sdbrassfield]

I have just used the regular garden hose end repair kits from Lowes or Home Depot. Disconnect your outlet hose on the each core, (not from the firewall/core, but the other end, wherever it may be) insert the male end into the hose, and use the clamp w/ the kit, hook up your garden hose and back flush. Remove the male end and reconnect your heater hose.

You can use the auto store kits, which are a bit more expensive. However, I personally have seen many of those inline hose kits with the plastic cap fail when left in your system which is why I use the garden hose variety and reconnect everything to original........