I did this procedure just now. Some tips I learned from my small disaster: 1) Make sure you have the bleeder hose clamped securely onto the funnel. It is deceptive whether you have done a good of securing this hose because before the procedure, the vinyl tube is still stiff and it is empty of any coolant and weighs nothing. Once you start the procedure and you have hot coolant running through it, it becomes soft, limp and heavy - imagine you have a really heavy smooth rope or heavy slippery steel chain - that’s how you have to secure it. It has to be clamped really well. I had a small needle nose Vice Grip holding the tube onto the funnel lightly. I couldn’t clamp it hard or else you crush the tube so it’s tricky. Anyway during the procedure, the tube gets soft and heavy and the tube fell, and the Vice Grips fell to the bottom of the engine compartment. I’m left there holding the tube with hot coolant flowing out of it. I’m doing this as a one man job with gas pedal contraption revving the engine. Now what do you do ?! 🤦♂️ I had a hose clamp there ready when I pull the bleeder hose, so I’m trying to use the hose clamp to secure the tube onto the funnel and it kept falling off getting hot coolant everywhere. I also bump into the funnel and coolant is leaking from the bottom of the funnel everywhere. 🤦♂️ I had a plan to prevent spillage, but forgot to bring out the 10mm open end anyway. Spent so much time trying to clamp the tube I was already getting a steady flow so I just pulled the tube and closed w socket and fluid went everywhere. Next time I’ll clamp the hose better and have a 10mm open end ready to close the bleeder before I pull the hose. I also won’t open the bleeder valve as much so it’s easy to close and also have a hose clamp ready.
Thanks for the advice! Does anyone know what turning the heater off means? Is it the temp set to low (blue) or just the fan turned off? Also, I saw in the comments that someone did the procedure with the heat on max on a Sienna, kind of confusing. My 1st try failed, I believe I wasn't patient and my tube is too long.
Just finished the job using this vid. Awesome. Two things, put a 10 mm wrench around the bleeder screw that way u can tighten - somebody mentioned below in the comments. Also, I had to rev my engine for about 20 mins before hose started really moving with fluid thru it. Just take ur time. Also, buy the funnel in the link because it makes it super easy. Thanks again for the channel.
Thanks - I just saw this comment. I replaced the radiator in our '08 Sienna (228,000 miles) two days ago, and I didn't realize that the bleeder valve (Toyota calls it an "air drain cock plug") is two parts - a steel barrel (takes a 14mm socket to remove) with the brass bleeder (10mm) that screws into it. I removed the whole thing, then thought, "Holy crap, what do I do now?" I was able to clamp the barrel in a vise and break the bleeder loose using a 10mm box end wrench. Then I scrambled around in TIS (Toyota's Technical Information System), trying to find the torque spec for the barrel, since TIS says to remove the plug (!). According to TIS, the torque spec for the barrel is 22 ft-lb, so I cleaned up the threads, put some blue Loctite on it, screwed it in, then torqued it. The torque spec for the brass bleeder is 9 ft-lb. I followed the process here and was able to bleed all the air out of the system. I bought a Lisle throttle depressor, the OEM Tools funnel kit, and clear vinyl tubing from Amazon, and ran the engine at 2000-2500RPM. It was a good 20 minutes to complete. I didn't get a clamp for the tubing in time, so I used a piece of duct tape to hold the tubing over the rim of the funnel - it worked fine. Including tools and everything (I bought a Denso radiator), it cost me about $275.
To bump the speed to proper rpm for bleeding, I took a 1x1 length of lumber, put one end on the gas pedal & the other on the headrest. I used the power seat tilt to adjust to 2500 rpm... worked great!
I’m a professional mechanic and actually recently left a Toyota dealer and came across this video. I put a water pump on my own V6 RAV4 this afternoon and this method is far superior to the mess I usually make opening and closing the bleeder. Thanks man!
Do I have to heat the engine like in this video to drive out bubbles after adding new coolant? When new coolant is fully filled in via the cap and reservoir at FULL line, then drive the car around for a while, will the bubble be driven out to the coolant reservoir? then add more coolant to reservoir to FULL line. I try to understand the theory of the cooling system.
@@adamxu You need to do this exact procedure when refilling the radiator after draining. Start with a cold motor, set up the funnel/hose, turn off the heater. Start it up and follow The Car Care Nut's precise instructions and life is good!
@@narcissistinjurygiver2932 when you're a DIY guy working on your car in the garage we don't need a vacuum system and BTW it's not faster just more expensive.
First, thanks for the best video on the fix on this subject. Other videos range from clueless to “close, but no cigar". This is where the dealer’s technicians come to learn, so you can imagine how appreciative a DIY guy like me is. I had heard on other vids of either "heat on" or "heat off" and had difficulty finding mention on this vid. My son found it for me @ 5:37 (Both front and rear heat off) in this vid. I went out and bought a “No spill radiator funnel ($36) that immediately paid for itself. As a one man operation, I used a 48” ratchet bar clamp in spreader position ( pads not facing each other) between the steering wheel and accelerator pedal to articulate the rpm (2500, then down to 2000 as 1500 may be to low to work) by squeezing the bar’s ratchet. My ratchet bar also works for times that I have to depress the brake. The no spill funnel also impressed my son and me when at the end, we had leftover coolant almost half way up in the funnel. The funnel comes with a no spill, long center stopper/valve which I plugged the funnel. Then, without losing any coolant, I transferred the funnel over to the overflow tank which was nearly empty, and pulled up on the center plug just enough to slowly fill to the “full line” before replugging. Again, I emptied the remaining coolant back into it’s jug. Again, many thanks.
Just performed this on a 2017 Camry 2GR-FE. Worked like a charm! Just trust the process. When the violent bubbles start coming out of the bottom of the spill proof funnel. Be patient. It is scary seeing that for the first time. Once the coolant comes up the hose without bubbles, you're good. After reducing the RPM back to idle, I waiting 5-10 mins to make sure all the bug bubbles were gone. I'm very grateful to the Car Care Nut for his detailed instruction on the process.
I finally did this on my 2013 highlander and it worked perfectly following the video. The only thing I added was after I loosened the bleeder valve, I put a small 10 mm ratcheting wrench and then the hose. That way when I am ready to pull the hose from the bleeder valve, I can use the wrench to close it and then pinche the hose and remove it. This way you don't drop as much anti freeze on the engine. Great work and directions. Really appreciate it.
First thank you for putting out such great content. I'm a DIY guy and your videos have helped me maintain my 2017 sienna. I have the 2GR-FKS motor and I changed coolant this weekend. At first I did not have one of the coolant funnels. First attempt I had air lock that I could not get rid of. So I bought one of the funnels from your amazon store and then drain/filled again and was successful. Couple of things I did for success on 2nd attempt. 1.)I filled with the vehicle being level (first time it was on ramps still) 2.)Used the funnel 3.)Squeezed both input/output hoses to get as much air out 4.)Made sure funnel always had coolant in it. 5.)Started vehicle and turned heat on full 6.)Patience....occasionally revving the engine while watching the funnel I could see bubbles pop up...wait a couple of minutes and rev again...I did this until I did not get an bubbles coming up when revving. 7.)Made sure overflow tank was correct height and went for a short errand drive...came back and it was down 2"...refilled overflow and all is good. Hope this helps someone else with the 2GR-FKS....A bleeder valve would have been nice to have.
THANK YOU! I have all the supplies, including the no spill funnel on my bench, and was just about to tackle the change on my RX. You've addressed my doubts about how the system reacts to the hose squeezing and engine revving. Did you also drain the block? I dread crawling under there and getting the drain hose to stay on that spigot!
I replaced the radiator in our 2007 Sienna this weekend, and then used this procedure to bleed the system. The van has 297,000 miles on it and it has NEVER had heat so hot. Buy the kit and follow this video's instructions and you'll be happy. By the way, I was reluctant to let the engine sit there and run at 2,000 RPM for so long, and tried instead to get this video's results at 1,500 RPM. No dice. After 25 minutes I still wasn't getting the continuous flow of coolant up the tubing. I increased the RPM to a steady 2,000 as instructed in the video and the coolant started flowing right away, right up the tubing and into the bucket. Follow these instructions to the letter and it works.
Did you buy the OEM Tools Kit 87009 that he has a link for in his store? I have a 2007 Sienna I'm trying to bleed coolant on, bought the harbor freight version, but none of the fittings seem to make a tight seal and coolant leaks out from the funnel kit cap. Tried an o-ring to tighten it up, didn't work. Reluctant to spend another $20+ on something that doesn't work...
I discovered a modification to your system just by dumb luck! After a flush on a Sienna, I didn't notice that the clear hose opening was at the bottom of the funnel, submerged in the coolant inside the funnel. When I started the engine, the vacuum in the system pulled coolant thru the tubing into the weep hole, instead of air. This significantly cut down on the violent bubbling and didn't overflow and leave a mess at all. Out of curiosity, I drained and filled a couple more times. Once with the tubing in the funnel exposed to air. And another try with the tubing submerged in the coolant inside the funnel. Same result again! No mess and took way less time to bleed. Just thought I'd share.
Mister, that is awesome. Not just that you discovered that detail but that you went out of your way to share it. I'm getting ready to do the coolant on my LS 460. Supposedly the big 1UR V8 has lots of problems with air in the cooling system after a coolant change. So I bought a "Yuanri Coolant Vacuum Refill Kit" to do the job for $42 (I think maybe 5 or 10 sellers on Amazon offer this exact same kit, and most of them look like they use the exact same parts and the only difference is the price). The refill kit is used after you drain out all the coolant. Then you seal your cooling system with the adaptor in the radiator/overflow cap hole and hook up an air compressor to draw a vacuum. Once the gauge drops to 25, you close the valve, drop the weighted tubing end from the valve body into your new coolant, and slowly open the valve. Then your coolant gets sucked in by the vacuum, in theory with no air left in your cooling system to bleed out later. I re-sealed all the threaded bits of this kit with teflon tape, first thing, and bought extra clear tubing so I'd have enough of it to reach the coolant container; now just waiting for the coolant to arrive to try this thing out -
I drained and replaced the coolant in my 06 Avalon. I didn’t do this procedure. But I kept having coolant spraying from the overflow cap. I was afraid that the bleed screw wouldn’t open but it wasn’t even on that tight. I did the procedure they way you outlined and it worked. Yes it was nerve wracking but your videos have helped SOOOOO MUCH! Thanks for the confidence to do DIY operations even here in Rusty Land Indiana.
I did this yesterday before replacing alternator & serpentine belt on the street. Its really pain in the ass. Whoever working out on this engine.Kudos to you.
Man after all this work for 2 days you saved my life with this bleed.....I had code po117 ,p0300...I changed the etc sensor and was to change thermostat ...I had no heat and my temp gauge initially goes high then low ..after that the gauge will run high after car warming ....I thought my engine is done at 235k miles 07 sienna ....now it will live more yes...thank u brother
Your master level knowledge is a lifesaver. I was doing it wrong and I'm so thankful you make these videos and pass on your knowledge. I'm a big believer in if you keep all your basic fluids clean (oil, coolant, brake, trans, diff) 99% of car problems can be prevented.
Hello, This bleeding process worked exceptionally well! I flushed my coolant system twice and got an airlock the second time. The bleeding process fixed it in no time. Just one note, make sure you disconnect your overflow hose from your reservoir and position it above the height of the coolant in the funnel and the bleeder hose. Otherwise, have a bucket under the vehicle! Thanks, Burt
Regarding the overflow reservoir that should not be necessary, because the spill proof funnel adapter is supposed to seal against the "inner" part of the radiator hole. Since the overflow reservoir connects to the space between inner and outer seals, then it is not involved in this bleed process at all.
Did this to my wife’s Highlander yesterday - worked exactly like AMD said. Very easy, but took a little longer than I expected for the coolant to drain (at least 30 minutes) and bleed (probably 10 minutes at least). Just a friendly heads up - be patient, don’t rush, and don’t worry if the bleeding takes a few minutes to do what you see in the video.
I just did this on my Avalon. Here's a couple notes from my experience in case it helps someone: 1) Harbor Freight sells the coolant funnel system/adapter for approx $40. 2) I used the 3/8" clear vinyl tubing (1/4" was too small) from Home Dept & widened one end (just a tad) by sticking a heated screwdriver 🪛 in it for a nice, snug fit onto the bleeder valve. Thx for sharing the video!
Just finished my 2010 RX350. When draining, I used the big funnel into a 5 gallon can. But I put that into a small mortar mixing trough to catch any dribbles. Pretty much went as described but didn't get the "violent" bubbling or spitting. The coolant level went up and down and finally no bubbles anywhere with a small amount in the overflow tank. Be prepared to replace the plastic rivets on the top and bottom plastic panels. Buy them by the dozen. Thanks for this very useful video.
Did this trick on my 2016 toyota avalon after changing the thermostat. The book I bought tells you the wrong way to do it, but this video was absolutely wonderful. You are a lifesaver. God bless!
Amazing video. My mechanic always drain and fill the coolant without bleeding or anything. But thanks for showing us the proper way to change/bleed coolant. Take care.
Same 2013 Lexus ES350. Rad leaking. Same nerve wracking procedure, same perfection. Thank you for this channel and thank you for all the thought, care and work you put into it.
Thank you for the video, very helpful. I did not know about the bleeder before I watched your video. I have a 2015 Highlander and in the past I changed the antifreeze by using a no spill funnel, park on a hill, and drive the passenger front wheel on ramp to bleed the air out of the cooling system. This method has worked well for me, but yesterday I used your bleeder valve method. After I was done bleeding, I decided I would check the bleeder valve method by using my old method (hill, ramp, no spill funnel burp method), and I learned it was already bled completely with your method.
I just adopted this method on 2010 Toyota Camry V6 3.5 L 2GR-FE . Yesterday after changing a radiator and thermostat on this car, bleeding the system with the spill free funnel ( my usual very efficient method ) was just not getting the job done. I saw this video last night and tried it this afternoon and boom, it solved the problem but it took some time revving up the engine. I already had my hose which I normally use for bleeding brakes. Thank you Car Care Nut ! You can now graduate from a 'Nut' to a 'Bolt' . Lol !
If TCCN has a donation page, I will pitch in $20 for a coolant bleed procedure video for the 2GR-FKS! Who's with me? Let's fund this project. My "new" 2021 Highlander needs new coolant!
Replaced my radiator and did this procedure on my 2008 ES-350. Procedure worked well. Key is to have patience. Took about 20 to 25 min to get the solid red coolant to fill up the entire hose and spit into funnel. Thanks Sir!
Thanks! I'm after my first flush. 2 Fails and then success on the 3rd attempt. Tips for other folks: use 10mm diameter plastic tube (from garden store for example), better longer than shorter. Use the 10mm hose clamp (from garden store) to clamp it TIGHT on the bleeder tube. (My plastic tube kept getting off of the bleeder tube) - FAIL #1). Wrap the end of the plastic tube with a stiff metal wire, so that the plastic clamp installed on your bucket, does not clamp the plastic tube too tight (Mine got clamped almost entirely, so no coolant was going through - FAIL #2). Fill your bucket to the point where it's 1/3 of its capacity. Use the broomstick to depress the pedal, control the RPMs with your electric sit settings (forwards/backwards). Optimal RPM ~2200-2500. Much love to Car Care Nut, congrats on the new car!
I just had mine changed today in a 2008 Camry and I know that my mechanic probably didn’t do it like this. This way is the BEST way. Amd is a genius! I wish there was someone like him for the Nissan cars and trucks. Thank you Amd!
This is the first time the coolant has been changed in my 15 year old 2009 Toyota Yaris with only 108,356 miles on the odometer. Contrary to Toyota Owner's Manual, the engine Bleeder valve/petcock is under the EXHAUST manifold, not the INTAKE manifold. 10mm wrench to open/close the valve; 3/8" I.D. clear plastic hose needed to snugly fit over the nipple. Yes, thanks to you, I bought & used the OEM No-Spill Funnel. I used Phoenix Systems test strips, which told me the corrosion Inhibitors were about to turn acidic & the coolant protected down to 0º. I then drained & replaced with Toyota PINK coolant. The old coolant was a little darker in color & had no sludge or particles in the drained coolant or at the bottom of the coolant reservoir. From now on I'll change coolant every 5 years or 50,000 miles whichever comes first. I will continue to use test strips annually to confirm that the ph is good
I just used this method after doing a radiator swap on my 2008 RX350. It worked like a charm. What I didn't expect was for it to take so little time. It was maybe 10 minutes. The water sucked back just like you said and then came out as a solid stream with many small bubbles. Heater works great. Really happy I found your video. Thank you very much!
@@vallejokid1968 ok thanks i wasnt sure since it says its only rated to 140 degrees fahrenheit, and i know that we gotta get up to 180 degrees for this job. but it held up fine for you even with exceeding the temperature?
@@PeterPyo ok you had me questioning myself so I went back and looked at my pictures. I actually used the vinyl tubing that has the thick wall and nylon string inside it. It was still something from Lowe’s but it wasn’t the straight clear tubing. My apologies.
@@vallejokid1968 ohh ok that is very good to know, thanks so much. gonna go to lowes now and RETURN the vinyl tubing haha! do you mind telling me what product that is? not sure what to look for…”nylon tubing?”
Thank you for a wonderful tutorial. I did this on our 2015 sienna and it worked exactly as described. So many times things unplanned or undescribed occur and then you are left wondering. But this was perfect. I got exactly one gallon of coolant out on Round 1 and a week later re-did it with Round 2. To get extra coolant out, attach the bleeder hose and blow through it, you'll get a substantial amount out. Whole operation took about 30 mins. I will do this annually going forward. Harbor freight has the perfect funnel kit
I did this early this morning on the wife's RX350 and it worked perfectly. Thanks for all your videos! I've also changed the transmission fluid (3x spill and fills) without issue. Next up is differential and transfer case fluid changes.
I'm a hair over 5000 miles from doing this maintenance on my 2GR-FKS! I hope you get one of those in your shop before summer and have time to video the process. With no bleeder valve it has to be a greater challenge........... Thanks for ALL the good work you do!
Follow this to the letter! I noticed that at idle the bubbles in my tubing would rise towards the top, then suck back down the tube into the engine when I would hold it at 2k. It took about 10 minutes at 2k for the bubbles to finally rise back up and the steady flow to go back into the coolant funnel. Definitely worth the investment of tools and time. Thank you very much AMD!
Just did this today. Wasnt even aware of the bleeder on top. Every other video didn't mention. Did exactly as you said. Thank you. Got a lot more air out then had I did it as others say.
Thank you AMD! this worked great and no surprises, just like what you showed in the video. 2008 Sienna 2GRFE. I sure wish all mechanics were as straight forward and honest as you. Thanks to you I don't try to cut corners on parts or repair intervals. I really like how you give the why for all things you do. So refreshing. God Bless you.
Another great DIY video. The basics of your method should apply to all vehicles. Things I learnt a long time ago; 1) use a tube at the radiator so you are filling at a level higher then the top of the engine, 2) the bleed screw is located at the top of an air lock so must be opened when bleeding and 3) the thermostat must open to enable the bleeding to complete successfully.
what kind of tubing is ok to use? is the clear vinyl tubing they sell at Lowes ok to use? or would it melt and pass impurities into the liquid that could gunk up system?
Awesome 👏 Another one I saved for My 2013 ES350. Definitely will follow your steps in this video. Will need to buy that overflow bucket and 1/4 inch ID clear plastic hose. Very clear and easy to follow !! Thanks ! Your channel is priceless. My grandfather was a mechanic, he owned a service station in Brooklyn NY back in the 1940 and 50’s. Definitely got my knack for working on cars from him.
I did it ! All by myself. Kidding aside, I followed your video and followed the steps. The coolant came up the hose just as you said. We have the same engine as you worked on. Great job, keep on making videos.
I trust you Sir and I’m curious why you advise to turn the heater completely off when performing this bleeding procedure. Do many guys recommend turning the heater to full blast when bleeding the system. Thanks for your amazing videos.
I did replace my coolant on my Venza 2GR-FE 3.5l. I drained 6 liter out of 7 ( I think). Everything was easy after watching your perfect video information. Thank you
Great video! I so could have used this when replacing the water pump on my RX350. I spent almost the same time bleeding it as I did removing and replacing the pump. Total nightmare!
Just wanted to say thanks - followed your video to the tee and worked like a charm on a 2008 Lexus RX350 with 265k miles. I’ve done this before but you’re the first person to mention and show how to use the bleeder valve in the process.
This was a very helpful video. Thank you for posting it. I drive a HIghlander with rear heat and air and there are a couple of steps regarding draining additional coolant that I'd like to share. I have found that even after draining coolant out of the radiator, there is a great deal of coolant left in the engine itself and in the hoses that feed coolant to and return coolant from the rear heater core. What I do is open the engine block drain cock that faces the firewall in order to get all of the coolant out of the engine block. This takes a 10mm socket and a ratchet with an extension. There is a 10mm bolt that allows you to open this drain cock for this very purpose. You can access this from the underside of the vehicle where the exhaust downpipe leaves the engine bay. I also disconnect one of the coolant hoses (just under the right rear door of the underside of the vehicle) that runs to the rear heater core and then I blow it out the remaining coolant. This pretty much clears the entire system of coolant. I hope this will be of help to some of you do-it-yourself guys.
Thank you. I did the job as described and it worked perfectly. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Others may have noticed that draining the coolant took a bit of time. At the end, a large amount of coolant came out ..... Just something to be aware. It is a long job but be patient.
We haven't done it once even. Can't afford any blooper. Haha. You know what you are doing. Keep doing it. Thanks for your support. We love your videos.
Thank you for spreading your knowledge I just finished installing a water pump and bleeding my radiator fluid and everything working well. Thanks again and keep spreading your knowledge. May God Bless you and your family and keep your safe 🙏
Awesome video. Thank you. Couple observations when I did this. First it takes quite a while to do this waiting for the spirting to happen - like 15-20 minutes at 2200 rpm’s so be patient. Also I don’t think it matters but should the tube back to the funnel be in the fluid or out of the fluid in the funnel? In the fluid only allows fluid to back feed but I am not sure if that actually occurs. But anyway be patient! Thanks
This guy is the greatest Toyota Master Tecnician/Business Owner on RUclips. I have 4 Toyota vehicles and one Lexus (Family). This video is spot on and works flawless. Buy the funnel kit. (Mine was on my 2010 Lexus RX 350). Perfection like all of his channel.
I just want to thank you for showing this video. I've watched many of your videos and greatly appreciate the knowledge you share. I did this to my wife's 2011 Sienna (200K miles). I was wondering why a steady flow hadn't started after a while, but I remembered what you emphasized at time mark 5:37 - TURN OFF THE HEATER! ugh!. But once I turned off the heater, it worked great. YOU ARE THE MAN! BTW: loved the bloopers! Numbers 6:24-26 back at ya, my friend!
That part about the heater actually confused me because I would think you want the valves to the heater core open all the way? Or is that for a system flush, not just a system bleed like this?
Thank you for the video. I swore it wasn’t working till I saw the coolant coming up the hose into the overflow. Phew! thank you. This feels awesome after feeling defeated trying to do the water pump. Gave up. I’ll try another day for that. Thank you again!
Will do this on the next coolant flush I do, but the first time I didn't have your video and was unaware of the bleeder. I didn't have heat for a full week of driving, but it eventually cleared itself out on it's own. No overheating issues or the like, but wasn't fun in the cold mornings. The things you learn from valuable resources online.
I just did this yesterday and it came out great! This was the first time I have ever done a coolant fluid change and not had any issues with the temperature running hot afterwards. Your video was right on and now have a new favorite car guy!!! Thank you!
Love your videos, you produce great videos and explain things well. It worked great. I just followed your directions on my 2006 Toyota RAV4 with the same 2GR-FE engine. It worked perfectly and it performed exactly as you stated. Advice for DIYers, don't be in a rush and be patient.
Thank you so much for sharing these tips! Ran across this while diagnosing no heat condition on passenger side of a 2007 Sienna Limited. Found the previous owner replaced the radiator, removed the thermostat, loaded it up with stop leak... not sure what problem they were fixing... When we got to the bubbling vigorously stage, it turned to a sticky volcano... There are sure to be a few more surprises with this car. Still no heat on the passenger side, but I know how to bleed the system like a pro 🙂 now!
Last year, I first time drained 2006 IS350 coolant after 85k miles from original factory 2006 coolant, it's bright RED. looks so fresh. Toyota super long life coolant is REALLY SUPER LONG LIFE.
@@flagmichael I will correct what I said. I did mean Pink. I believe it's slightly darker in color than brand new Super Long Life coolant but remain very shiny, see through. I really think it can hold for another 20k miles easily in that color. IS350 has 2GR-FSE, a variant of 2GR-FE but with direct injection. I bet it's the same but extra 6 injectors.
You’re a lifesaver man I was getting frustrated with my 12 Lexus 350 . When I tried to bleed it the first time the funnel was shaking and spilling coolant everywhere but you’re method worked amazingly.
Great Video! I successfully replaced the, now, 8 year old coolant in this used car we got. I have done a lot of car coolants, I would have never figured this one out without your help. Bravo! Trick for running the RPM up: Get a 22 inch stick, place it on the front of the seat to the gas pedal, then push, carefully, the seat fore/aft control forward and voila! Throttle control. The only procedural thing I added was that after it was fully bled, I cranked the heaters. The back heater (7 seat Highlander) took more bleeding to start producing hot air... then I shut down per your instructions.
Hi AMD! I changed the coolant successfully on my 13 Venza V6. Worked like a charm! It was so simple and easy to do. After 9 years, the old OEM pink coolant looked dark pink compared to the new one from Toyota. You are correct because the old coolant was going to turn acidic! Change your coolant every 5 years!!! Because of how easy this was, I will probably change my coolant every year lol
Just changed the radiator in my daughter's camry, filled and followed the bleeding process worked great 👍 dont bother with other videos because this is the one your looking for. Thanks!!
I found the funnel kit pricey for this one time job. So I went cheap and patented my own funnel kit: I simply used a 20 cent water bottle (with cap on) and some electric tape to fit it snuggly where the radiator cap goes. I made a hole on the bottle cap and opened the other end of the bottle. It worked really good without any leaks. A water despenser pump came very handy to pump back the extra coolant. You can save yourself some 20/30 bucks like that. 👌
It's not a one time job lol no different than changing your oil you have to do it periodically I'll be at at longer intervals and changing your oil but you should be still changing your coolant multiple times over the life of your Toyota ownership especially since most of them go over 300,000 miles
Can't wait for you to upload a video on 2GR-FKS that you mentioned in this video as two cars in my family happen to have that engine! I've learned a lot through your videos. Thank you
@@TheCarCareNut perhaps you could provide us a written instruction? Maybe some key points to pay special attention to when we work on fks engine compare to fse engine? Still appreciate all your knowledges you’ve shared
Did this to my sons 08 ES350 this evening and although it was nerve racking to wait for the bleeding process to take place…it worked out great. And yes, you will spill some coolant.
i just did it to my 2006 toyota avalon 3.5 xls now which has 346k miles with 50/50 1us gal + toyota dealer coolant exactly. sure to have good results when i drive it towards work later. my Thanks to your very helpful and unselfish way to help through this video, God bless!
Hi AMD, first i want to thank you for all the great content you constantly upload for all Lexus and Toyota owners. Second, I wanted to ask why is it that you mention that heater needs to be off while bleeding. I have watched another mechanics and even read some manuals that specifically instruct to have heater on at full blast so the heater core is also serviced. I just wanted to understand the logic of the heater part. Again, thanks for everything you do for the community.
Your videos are great. My wife just purchased a used v6 Camry so I wanted to change out the fluids and spark plugs and I also will never buy another v6 Toyota since the 4 cylinders are so much easier to deal with.
Thank you for the video! Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond to my questions below! Q1. For the draining of the old coolant, do we leave/turn On or Off the heater before the last engine shut-off (so the coolant from the heater coil also drains out)? Q2. You mentioned to turn-OFF the front & rear heaters before starting the bleeding process; at which point of the bleeding do we turn-ON the front/rear heater(s) if at all? Q3. If throughout the entire drain/fill/bleed process we keep the heaters OFF, that means these 2GR-FE engine coolants circulate through the engine & heater coils all the time regardless of the heat "switch" is turned ON or not (switch On only activates the fan motor to blow warm/hot air in to the cabin)? Q4. I have one of those automatic system, so which temperature (range) setting, if that matters, should be set to during the coolant bleeding process? Q5. Lastly, are there engine block drains (one for each bank) to be concerned with?
Hi Rick! Thank you for watching my video. 1- you don’t need to turn on the heater before bleeding as this engine doesn’t have a heater valve. 2-you don’t need to turn on the heat at any point during the procedure this is also because this engine doesn’t have a heater valve. 3-That is correct. This engine doesn’t have a heater valve to isolate the heater core when the heater is off. Coolant is circulating through the heater core at all times. When you turn on the heater the fan comes on and the blend door directs air over the heater core. 4- on this engine you want the setting to be on OFF when doing this procedure.
Love the stick of lumber for the gas pedal to keep it at 2k RPM hack! Bought the radiator fill kit from your Amazon link, coolant at the Toyota dealer, then everything you showed in the video went like clockwork. Easy peasy! After I tightened the bleed screw, with the tube attached, I used a spring clamp to pinch the tube near the bleeder, popped off the hose and tightened the bleeder. About a teaspoon of coolant spilled! Thank you for all your professional and informative videos!
Did you do this on the 2GR-FE 3.5L engine? That's what I've got on my 2007 Toyota Sienna. Tried the harbor freight funnel kit, couldn't get a good seal at the radiator cap. Hoping the kit in his amazon store is still the right one for this motor...thanks in advance for any info!
Awesome! I just did my 2015 RX350 and used about 2gal (kit off Amazon) of Toyota OEM coolant. I was concerned that I had some "scale" on the cap when I opened it. Wish I could post a pic here. But used my wet/dry vac and pulled all of it out of there after I opened the bottom drain of the radiator. I don't know if the scale I observed is a problem but then, it's a 2015 with 30K miles and as far as I know, never been changed. Then, I opened another bleeder on rear of engine (close to transaxle shaft) to get another bit of coolant drained. Finally, I recharged the system just the way described in the video. Thank you for your videos and may the Devine powers keep you safe so more of these helpful videos are put out there! Cheers Everyone!
Replaced my alternator which required me to remove the water pump inlet hose due to a flange bolt mounting the alt being rounded out. My coolant was already lower than it should have been so I tacked this onto my to do list and it worked like a charm. Was nervous about having it cranked at 2000RPM but everything seems to have worked out. Thank you so much dude.
A much appreciated, extremely well presented tutorial. Just got a 2006 Estima with this engine, very much less 'maintenance friendly' than the previous 3.00 litre v6 in the earlier model. Thank you for making self maintenance still possible.
Worked exactly like the video showed on 2011 Camry LE V6 2GR-FE. Sprayed some WD-40 on the bleeder valve the day before and fitted the hose while engine was hot. Needed a 10mm deep well socket to open the valve the following day. Old coolant was red, new Toyota coolant Pink. Replaced the Radiator cap with Toyota brand. Thanks!!!
To prevent spillage from the bleeder and tube: 1) Do not open the bleeder more than you have to so you can close it easier, 2) have a 10mm open end ready, 3) Have a hose clamp ready. When you get that steady flow and no bubbles in the bleeder tube - close the bleeder screw w the open end. (Make sure beforehand tube is secured tight to the funnel or else it might come off.) Clamp the end of the hose w a hose clamp and put a small rag at the end of the hose before you pull it. Spill coolant inside tube back into the funnel.
Followed the instructions and bought the right funnel kit worked perfectly took about 30 minutes and I saved $100 even after buying the funnel kit. Thanks so much now I am ready to do the spark plugs Oh this wants on a 2008 Avalon and it only took 1 gallon of collant
Excellent video. I just did a drain/fill/bleed on my 2010 Highlander following these instructions. Worked great. A little bit of a mess, but not too bad.
Wonderful procedure, thanks very much! I'd replaced my water pump, had found the valve and just opened it until fluid came out. Obviously that wasn't enough and I still had no heat at idle. This procedure clears up everything!!
Your videos are fantastic! AND you answer questions. AND I’m sure I’ll have another one for you I’m sure in the future. You nailed my first one. Thanks again! Wishing you well as your channel and career prosper!
Just did it on my 2010 2GR-FE with recommended tools purchased. Procedure Worked great, a couple of points I wanted to share though. 1. After partially removing/ bending away underbumper cover, turned out I still can't reach bleeder valve on radiator. Instead figured out it is completely doable from the top going through front of battery well. Could have saved me some elbow grease and crouching if I knew that ahead..😮 2. The clamp compression was a bit strong and squished the tubing once coolant got hot, so it stopped flowing at that critical moment. Make sure to use clamp with less compression, perhaps. 3. Many asked the same question I had, let me ask it again: why do we need to turn heater off, sounds counterintuitive..? I still turned it off though. Have 155K on odometer. Not sure if I get to do it next time on this car, but was nice to learn and a fun experience 😊 . Thanks Amed!
AMD fantastic video, perfect purge after water pump and pulley replacement! Didn't get funnel in time from Amazon so I fit wide funnel with rubber grommet on radiator supported with small bungie cords. Big points from daughter who now has quiet 175k mi highlander for work!
Just completed a Radiator replacement on an 06 Avalon and this worked perfectly. You don’t even need a special funnel-used regular funnel with duct tape wrap to seal around stem and just held in Radiator. Saved $40 over buying something I would only use once.
Lmao this comment scariest 20 seconds of my life trying to run to shut off my engine 😂 go buy a cheap radiator funnel kit at harbor freight was like $15
I did this procedure just now. Some tips I learned from my small disaster: 1) Make sure you have the bleeder hose clamped securely onto the funnel. It is deceptive whether you have done a good of securing this hose because before the procedure, the vinyl tube is still stiff and it is empty of any coolant and weighs nothing. Once you start the procedure and you have hot coolant running through it, it becomes soft, limp and heavy - imagine you have a really heavy smooth rope or heavy slippery steel chain - that’s how you have to secure it. It has to be clamped really well. I had a small needle nose Vice Grip holding the tube onto the funnel lightly. I couldn’t clamp it hard or else you crush the tube so it’s tricky. Anyway during the procedure, the tube gets soft and heavy and the tube fell, and the Vice Grips fell to the bottom of the engine compartment. I’m left there holding the tube with hot coolant flowing out of it. I’m doing this as a one man job with gas pedal contraption revving the engine. Now what do you do ?! 🤦♂️ I had a hose clamp there ready when I pull the bleeder hose, so I’m trying to use the hose clamp to secure the tube onto the funnel and it kept falling off getting hot coolant everywhere. I also bump into the funnel and coolant is leaking from the bottom of the funnel everywhere. 🤦♂️ I had a plan to prevent spillage, but forgot to bring out the 10mm open end anyway. Spent so much time trying to clamp the tube I was already getting a steady flow so I just pulled the tube and closed w socket and fluid went everywhere.
Next time I’ll clamp the hose better and have a 10mm open end ready to close the bleeder before I pull the hose. I also won’t open the bleeder valve as much so it’s easy to close and also have a hose clamp ready.
Try a binder clip on the funnel. Thread it through the clip so the convex side applies slight pressure to the hose holding it in place.
Hillarious nightmare story, once it's over. That typically happens to me. Cheers from the great white north.
Thanks for the advice! Does anyone know what turning the heater off means? Is it the temp set to low (blue) or just the fan turned off? Also, I saw in the comments that someone did the procedure with the heat on max on a Sienna, kind of confusing. My 1st try failed, I believe I wasn't patient and my tube is too long.
Just finished the job using this vid. Awesome. Two things, put a 10 mm wrench around the bleeder screw that way u can tighten - somebody mentioned below in the comments. Also, I had to rev my engine for about 20 mins before hose started really moving with fluid thru it. Just take ur time. Also, buy the funnel in the link because it makes it super easy. Thanks again for the channel.
Took about 10-15 min too for me before it started coming out. Everything worked!! I kept the rpm range at 2000-3000. Faster rpm helped it go faster.
Thanks - I just saw this comment. I replaced the radiator in our '08 Sienna (228,000 miles) two days ago, and I didn't realize that the bleeder valve (Toyota calls it an "air drain cock plug") is two parts - a steel barrel (takes a 14mm socket to remove) with the brass bleeder (10mm) that screws into it. I removed the whole thing, then thought, "Holy crap, what do I do now?" I was able to clamp the barrel in a vise and break the bleeder loose using a 10mm box end wrench. Then I scrambled around in TIS (Toyota's Technical Information System), trying to find the torque spec for the barrel, since TIS says to remove the plug (!). According to TIS, the torque spec for the barrel is 22 ft-lb, so I cleaned up the threads, put some blue Loctite on it, screwed it in, then torqued it. The torque spec for the brass bleeder is 9 ft-lb.
I followed the process here and was able to bleed all the air out of the system. I bought a Lisle throttle depressor, the OEM Tools funnel kit, and clear vinyl tubing from Amazon, and ran the engine at 2000-2500RPM. It was a good 20 minutes to complete. I didn't get a clamp for the tubing in time, so I used a piece of duct tape to hold the tubing over the rim of the funnel - it worked fine. Including tools and everything (I bought a Denso radiator), it cost me about $275.
To bump the speed to proper rpm for bleeding, I took a 1x1 length of lumber, put one end on the gas pedal & the other on the headrest. I used the power seat tilt to adjust to 2500 rpm... worked great!
FKN BRILLIANT!!!!
Good tip!
Genius
A camera tripod also works well.
Bloody inspired!
- I did this over the weekend on my 2010 Es 350 , followed every step,worked like a charm. This channel is the real deal folks
Thanks, his amazon listings don't match the filler kit in the demonstration, would you post which one worked for you?
I’m a professional mechanic and actually recently left a Toyota dealer and came across this video. I put a water pump on my own V6 RAV4 this afternoon and this method is far superior to the mess I usually make opening and closing the bleeder. Thanks man!
Do I have to heat the engine like in this video to drive out bubbles after adding new coolant?
When new coolant is fully filled in via the cap and reservoir at FULL line, then drive the car around for a while, will the bubble be driven out to the coolant reservoir? then add more coolant to reservoir to FULL line.
I try to understand the theory of the cooling system.
@@adamxu You need to do this exact procedure when refilling the radiator after draining. Start with a cold motor, set up the funnel/hose, turn off the heater. Start it up and follow The Car Care Nut's precise instructions and life is good!
@@adamxu the reason you have to run the vehicle is because the car needs to get up to temp so the thermostat opens and let's the coolant flow
Great video and helpful
No you are not. If "were" a professional toyota tech you would of figured it out before you left.
As a fellow Toyota Master tech, this is without a doubt the quickest and easiest way to remove the air.
invest in a vacuum system for removing air from the cooling system. way faster. i am a mercedes tech and this is how i save time
Where is the bleeder valve on the RX300, does it look the same as this vehicle?
@@narcissistinjurygiver2932 when you're a DIY guy working on your car in the garage we don't need a vacuum system and BTW it's not faster just more expensive.
@@Tonyplat98 well, I do this for a living. If you do not want to hear what I say then fine
First, thanks for the best video on the fix on this subject. Other videos range from clueless to “close, but no cigar". This is where the dealer’s technicians come to learn, so you can imagine how appreciative a DIY guy like me is.
I had heard on other vids of either "heat on" or "heat off" and had difficulty finding mention on this vid. My son found it for me @ 5:37 (Both front and rear heat off) in this vid.
I went out and bought a “No spill radiator funnel ($36) that immediately paid for itself.
As a one man operation, I used a 48” ratchet bar clamp in spreader position ( pads not facing each other) between the steering wheel and accelerator pedal to articulate the rpm (2500, then down to 2000 as 1500 may be to low to work) by squeezing the bar’s ratchet. My ratchet bar also works for times that I have to depress the brake.
The no spill funnel also impressed my son and me when at the end, we had leftover coolant almost half way up in the funnel. The funnel comes with a no spill, long center stopper/valve which I plugged the funnel. Then, without losing any coolant, I transferred the funnel over to the overflow tank which was nearly empty, and pulled up on the center plug just enough to slowly fill to the “full line” before replugging. Again, I emptied the remaining coolant back into it’s jug.
Again, many thanks.
Just performed this on a 2017 Camry 2GR-FE. Worked like a charm! Just trust the process. When the violent bubbles start coming out of the bottom of the spill proof funnel. Be patient. It is scary seeing that for the first time. Once the coolant comes up the hose without bubbles, you're good. After reducing the RPM back to idle, I waiting 5-10 mins to make sure all the bug bubbles were gone. I'm very grateful to the Car Care Nut for his detailed instruction on the process.
At what point did you turn your heater on?
I finally did this on my 2013 highlander and it worked perfectly following the video. The only thing I added was after I loosened the bleeder valve, I put a small 10 mm ratcheting wrench and then the hose. That way when I am ready to pull the hose from the bleeder valve, I can use the wrench to close it and then pinche the hose and remove it. This way you don't drop as much anti freeze on the engine. Great work and directions. Really appreciate it.
great idea, next time i'm going to do that :D
@@RealJohnnyDingo works really good. A lot less mess. Good luck next time.
First thank you for putting out such great content. I'm a DIY guy and your videos have helped me maintain my 2017 sienna. I have the 2GR-FKS motor and I changed coolant this weekend. At first I did not have one of the coolant funnels. First attempt I had air lock that I could not get rid of. So I bought one of the funnels from your amazon store and then drain/filled again and was successful. Couple of things I did for success on 2nd attempt. 1.)I filled with the vehicle being level (first time it was on ramps still) 2.)Used the funnel 3.)Squeezed both input/output hoses to get as much air out 4.)Made sure funnel always had coolant in it. 5.)Started vehicle and turned heat on full 6.)Patience....occasionally revving the engine while watching the funnel I could see bubbles pop up...wait a couple of minutes and rev again...I did this until I did not get an bubbles coming up when revving. 7.)Made sure overflow tank was correct height and went for a short errand drive...came back and it was down 2"...refilled overflow and all is good. Hope this helps someone else with the 2GR-FKS....A bleeder valve would have been nice to have.
THANK YOU! I have all the supplies, including the no spill funnel on my bench, and was just about to tackle the change on my RX. You've addressed my doubts about how the system reacts to the hose squeezing and engine revving. Did you also drain the block? I dread crawling under there and getting the drain hose to stay on that spigot!
I replaced the radiator in our 2007 Sienna this weekend, and then used this procedure to bleed the system. The van has 297,000 miles on it and it has NEVER had heat so hot. Buy the kit and follow this video's instructions and you'll be happy. By the way, I was reluctant to let the engine sit there and run at 2,000 RPM for so long, and tried instead to get this video's results at 1,500 RPM. No dice. After 25 minutes I still wasn't getting the continuous flow of coolant up the tubing. I increased the RPM to a steady 2,000 as instructed in the video and the coolant started flowing right away, right up the tubing and into the bucket. Follow these instructions to the letter and it works.
Did you buy the OEM Tools Kit 87009 that he has a link for in his store? I have a 2007 Sienna I'm trying to bleed coolant on, bought the harbor freight version, but none of the fittings seem to make a tight seal and coolant leaks out from the funnel kit cap. Tried an o-ring to tighten it up, didn't work. Reluctant to spend another $20+ on something that doesn't work...
I discovered a modification to your system just by dumb luck!
After a flush on a Sienna, I didn't notice that the clear hose opening was at the bottom of the funnel, submerged in the coolant inside the funnel. When I started the engine, the vacuum in the system pulled coolant thru the tubing into the weep hole, instead of air. This significantly cut down on the violent bubbling and didn't overflow and leave a mess at all.
Out of curiosity, I drained and filled a couple more times. Once with the tubing in the funnel exposed to air. And another try with the tubing submerged in the coolant inside the funnel. Same result again! No mess and took way less time to bleed. Just thought I'd share.
Nice timing on this post!
Mister, that is awesome. Not just that you discovered that detail but that you went out of your way to share it.
I'm getting ready to do the coolant on my LS 460. Supposedly the big 1UR V8 has lots of problems with air in the cooling system after a coolant change.
So I bought a "Yuanri Coolant Vacuum Refill Kit" to do the job for $42 (I think maybe 5 or 10 sellers on Amazon offer this exact same kit, and most of them look like they use the exact same parts and the only difference is the price). The refill kit is used after you drain out all the coolant. Then you seal your cooling system with the adaptor in the radiator/overflow cap hole and hook up an air compressor to draw a vacuum.
Once the gauge drops to 25, you close the valve, drop the weighted tubing end from the valve body into your new coolant, and slowly open the valve. Then your coolant gets sucked in by the vacuum, in theory with no air left in your cooling system to bleed out later.
I re-sealed all the threaded bits of this kit with teflon tape, first thing, and bought extra clear tubing so I'd have enough of it to reach the coolant container; now just waiting for the coolant to arrive to try this thing out -
I drained and replaced the coolant in my 06 Avalon. I didn’t do this procedure. But I kept having coolant spraying from the overflow cap. I was afraid that the bleed screw wouldn’t open but it wasn’t even on that tight. I did the procedure they way you outlined and it worked. Yes it was nerve wracking but your videos have helped SOOOOO MUCH! Thanks for the confidence to do DIY operations even here in Rusty Land Indiana.
Worked like a charm, everything went exactly like AMD showed, saved $100 over the dealer and now I have the kit for future services. Thanks AMD!
I did this yesterday before replacing alternator & serpentine belt on the street. Its really pain in the ass. Whoever working out on this engine.Kudos to you.
just replaced my alternator too, happy to finish off after seeing this great video.
Man after all this work for 2 days you saved my life with this bleed.....I had code po117 ,p0300...I changed the etc sensor and was to change thermostat ...I had no heat and my temp gauge initially goes high then low ..after that the gauge will run high after car warming ....I thought my engine is done at 235k miles 07 sienna ....now it will live more yes...thank u brother
Your master level knowledge is a lifesaver. I was doing it wrong and I'm so thankful you make these videos and pass on your knowledge. I'm a big believer in if you keep all your basic fluids clean (oil, coolant, brake, trans, diff) 99% of car problems can be prevented.
Maybe not 99% but you'll certainly greatly increase the car's longevity IF you started out with a high quality product.
Hello, This bleeding process worked exceptionally well! I flushed my coolant system twice and got an airlock the second time. The bleeding process fixed it in no time. Just one note, make sure you disconnect your overflow hose from your reservoir and position it above the height of the coolant in the funnel and the bleeder hose. Otherwise, have a bucket under the vehicle!
Thanks,
Burt
Regarding the overflow reservoir that should not be necessary, because the spill proof funnel adapter is supposed to seal against the "inner" part of the radiator hole. Since the overflow reservoir connects to the space between inner and outer seals, then it is not involved in this bleed process at all.
What a breath of fresh air. A proper DIY with - wait for it - actual torque values!!!! Thank you for such a clear description of the process.
I like a lot "TRQ" channel. They always give torque specs. And this guy is brilliant as hell.
And I just did this today to my wife's 2013 ES350. A bit nerve wracking, it takes a while, but have faith and in the end, ... perfection.
Did this to my wife’s Highlander yesterday - worked exactly like AMD said. Very easy, but took a little longer than I expected for the coolant to drain (at least 30 minutes) and bleed (probably 10 minutes at least). Just a friendly heads up - be patient, don’t rush, and don’t worry if the bleeding takes a few minutes to do what you see in the video.
I did my Rav4 v6 today too and it did take about 30 minutes.
What year, I have a 2001 rx300 3.0 liter, where is the bleeder valve if you know?
I waited an hour at 2-2.5 km and no constant flow
I just did this on my Avalon. Here's a couple notes from my experience in case it helps someone:
1) Harbor Freight sells the coolant funnel system/adapter for approx $40.
2) I used the 3/8" clear vinyl tubing (1/4" was too small) from Home Dept & widened one end (just a tad) by sticking a heated screwdriver 🪛 in it for a nice, snug fit onto the bleeder valve.
Thx for sharing the video!
Just finished my 2010 RX350. When draining, I used the big funnel into a 5 gallon can. But I put that into a small mortar mixing trough to catch any dribbles. Pretty much went as described but didn't get the "violent" bubbling or spitting. The coolant level went up and down and finally no bubbles anywhere with a small amount in the overflow tank. Be prepared to replace the plastic rivets on the top and bottom plastic panels. Buy them by the dozen.
Thanks for this very useful video.
Did this trick on my 2016 toyota avalon after changing the thermostat. The book I bought tells you the wrong way to do it, but this video was absolutely wonderful. You are a lifesaver. God bless!
Amazing video. My mechanic always drain and fill the coolant without bleeding or anything. But thanks for showing us the proper way to change/bleed coolant. Take care.
Same 2013 Lexus ES350. Rad leaking. Same nerve wracking procedure, same perfection.
Thank you for this channel and thank you for all the thought, care and work you put into it.
I’m looking for an answer for my 2013 thanks
How many miles on it?
Thank you for the video, very helpful. I did not know about the bleeder before I watched your video. I have a 2015 Highlander and in the past I changed the antifreeze by using a no spill funnel, park on a hill, and drive the passenger front wheel on ramp to bleed the air out of the cooling system. This method has worked well for me, but yesterday I used your bleeder valve method. After I was done bleeding, I decided I would check the bleeder valve method by using my old method (hill, ramp, no spill funnel burp method), and I learned it was already bled completely with your method.
I just adopted this method on 2010 Toyota Camry V6 3.5 L 2GR-FE . Yesterday after changing a radiator and thermostat on this car, bleeding the system with the spill free funnel ( my usual very efficient method ) was just not getting the job done. I saw this video last night and tried it this afternoon and boom, it solved the problem but it took some time revving up the engine. I already had my hose which I normally use for bleeding brakes. Thank you Car Care Nut ! You can now graduate from a 'Nut' to a 'Bolt' . Lol !
I would really appreciate a video on the process for the 2GR-FKS. Thanks for all the great content.
Ditto!
If TCCN has a donation page, I will pitch in $20 for a coolant bleed procedure video for the 2GR-FKS!
Who's with me? Let's fund this project. My "new" 2021 Highlander needs new coolant!
AMD you are awesoe !!, I also would like the procedure for the 2GR-FKS , also your thoughts on using a vacuum pump ?
Me too!
Same, wonder if he’ll ever do it.
Replaced my radiator and did this procedure on my 2008 ES-350. Procedure worked well. Key is to have patience. Took about 20 to 25 min to get the solid red coolant to fill up the entire hose and spit into funnel. Thanks Sir!
Thanks! I'm after my first flush. 2 Fails and then success on the 3rd attempt. Tips for other folks: use 10mm diameter plastic tube (from garden store for example), better longer than shorter. Use the 10mm hose clamp (from garden store) to clamp it TIGHT on the bleeder tube. (My plastic tube kept getting off of the bleeder tube) - FAIL #1). Wrap the end of the plastic tube with a stiff metal wire, so that the plastic clamp installed on your bucket, does not clamp the plastic tube too tight (Mine got clamped almost entirely, so no coolant was going through - FAIL #2). Fill your bucket to the point where it's 1/3 of its capacity. Use the broomstick to depress the pedal, control the RPMs with your electric sit settings (forwards/backwards). Optimal RPM ~2200-2500. Much love to Car Care Nut, congrats on the new car!
I just had mine changed today in a 2008 Camry and I know that my mechanic probably didn’t do it like this. This way is the BEST way. Amd is a genius! I wish there was someone like him for the Nissan cars and trucks. Thank you Amd!
Thank you! It worked great! Just a heads up you MUST bring engine rpm up to 2k or you won't get enough pressure to get it flow over. Great video
This is the first time the coolant has been changed in my 15 year old 2009 Toyota Yaris with only 108,356 miles on the odometer.
Contrary to Toyota Owner's Manual, the engine Bleeder valve/petcock is under the EXHAUST manifold, not the INTAKE manifold. 10mm wrench to open/close the valve; 3/8" I.D. clear plastic hose needed to snugly fit over the nipple. Yes, thanks to you, I bought & used the OEM No-Spill Funnel.
I used Phoenix Systems test strips, which told me the corrosion Inhibitors were about to turn acidic & the coolant protected down to 0º. I then drained & replaced with Toyota PINK coolant.
The old coolant was a little darker in color & had no sludge or particles in the drained coolant or at the bottom of the coolant reservoir.
From now on I'll change coolant every 5 years or 50,000 miles whichever comes first.
I will continue to use test strips annually to confirm that the ph is good
I just used this method after doing a radiator swap on my 2008 RX350. It worked like a charm. What I didn't expect was for it to take so little time. It was maybe 10 minutes. The water sucked back just like you said and then came out as a solid stream with many small bubbles. Heater works great. Really happy I found your video. Thank you very much!
what kind of clear hose can you use? is clear vinyl tubing like they sell at lowe’s fine to use?
@@PeterPyo that’s what I used. Since there is no pressure on it you don’t need anything fancy. The stuff from Lowe’s will work just fine.
@@vallejokid1968 ok thanks i wasnt sure since it says its only rated to 140 degrees fahrenheit, and i know that we gotta get up to 180 degrees for this job. but it held up fine for you even with exceeding the temperature?
@@PeterPyo ok you had me questioning myself so I went back and looked at my pictures. I actually used the vinyl tubing that has the thick wall and nylon string inside it. It was still something from Lowe’s but it wasn’t the straight clear tubing. My apologies.
@@vallejokid1968 ohh ok that is very good to know, thanks so much. gonna go to lowes now and RETURN the vinyl tubing haha! do you mind telling me what product that is? not sure what to look for…”nylon tubing?”
Thank you for a wonderful tutorial. I did this on our 2015 sienna and it worked exactly as described. So many times things unplanned or undescribed occur and then you are left wondering. But this was perfect. I got exactly one gallon of coolant out on Round 1 and a week later re-did it with Round 2. To get extra coolant out, attach the bleeder hose and blow through it, you'll get a substantial amount out. Whole operation took about 30 mins. I will do this annually going forward. Harbor freight has the perfect funnel kit
I did this early this morning on the wife's RX350 and it worked perfectly. Thanks for all your videos! I've also changed the transmission fluid (3x spill and fills) without issue. Next up is differential and transfer case fluid changes.
I'm a hair over 5000 miles from doing this maintenance on my 2GR-FKS! I hope you get one of those in your shop before summer and have time to video the process. With no bleeder valve it has to be a greater challenge...........
Thanks for ALL the good work you do!
Great guide, thank you! Two things I’d recommend: 1) getting high-temp rated tubing, like silicone. 2) safety goggles.
Follow this to the letter! I noticed that at idle the bubbles in my tubing would rise towards the top, then suck back down the tube into the engine when I would hold it at 2k. It took about 10 minutes at 2k for the bubbles to finally rise back up and the steady flow to go back into the coolant funnel. Definitely worth the investment of tools and time. Thank you very much AMD!
Just did this today. Wasnt even aware of the bleeder on top. Every other video didn't mention. Did exactly as you said. Thank you. Got a lot more air out then had I did it as others say.
I bought a funnel kit from Amazon for $20. The process worked exactly as the video said. Job done!
Thank you AMD! this worked great and no surprises, just like what you showed in the video. 2008 Sienna 2GRFE. I sure wish all mechanics were as straight forward and honest as you. Thanks to you I don't try to cut corners on parts or repair intervals. I really like how you give the why for all things you do. So refreshing. God Bless you.
So basically waiting for the thermostat to open and overlooking the flow of air bubbles. Great job man , never though of the flow back method
This guy is spot on in his bleeding procedure. Worked like a charm!
Another great DIY video. The basics of your method should apply to all vehicles. Things I learnt a long time ago; 1) use a tube at the radiator so you are filling at a level higher then the top of the engine, 2) the bleed screw is located at the top of an air lock so must be opened when bleeding and 3) the thermostat must open to enable the bleeding to complete successfully.
what kind of tubing is ok to use? is the clear vinyl tubing they sell at Lowes ok to use? or would it melt and pass impurities into the liquid that could gunk up system?
Awesome 👏 Another one I saved for My 2013 ES350. Definitely will follow your steps in this video. Will need to buy that overflow bucket and 1/4 inch ID clear plastic hose. Very clear and easy to follow !! Thanks ! Your channel is priceless. My grandfather was a mechanic, he owned a service station in Brooklyn NY back in the 1940 and 50’s. Definitely got my knack for working on cars from him.
Thank you for watching! Working on cars is fun! Until things go south😞 but then when things get fixed after going south it’s a great feeling!
@@TheCarCareNut You’re so right about things going south sometimes even the easiest job can turn into a nightmare at least in my experience
Where do I get a funnel/bucket like that??
I did it ! All by myself. Kidding aside, I followed your video and followed the steps. The coolant came up the hose just as you said. We have the same engine as you worked on. Great job, keep on making videos.
I trust you Sir and I’m curious why you advise to turn the heater completely off when performing this bleeding procedure. Do many guys recommend turning the heater to full blast when bleeding the system. Thanks for your amazing videos.
Yeah I thought he said that by mistake, but guess not. I really wish he would have explained. I've always been told to have the heater running.
I did replace my coolant on my Venza 2GR-FE 3.5l. I drained 6 liter out of 7 ( I think). Everything was easy after watching your perfect video information. Thank you
Great video! I so could have used this when replacing the water pump on my RX350. I spent almost the same time bleeding it as I did removing and replacing the pump. Total nightmare!
I couldn't get mine to overflow constantly, even after an hour
Just wanted to say thanks - followed your video to the tee and worked like a charm on a 2008 Lexus RX350 with 265k miles. I’ve done this before but you’re the first person to mention and show how to use the bleeder valve in the process.
This was a very helpful video. Thank you for posting it. I drive a HIghlander with rear heat and air and there are a couple of steps regarding draining additional coolant that I'd like to share. I have found that even after draining coolant out of the radiator, there is a great deal of coolant left in the engine itself and in the hoses that feed coolant to and return coolant from the rear heater core. What I do is open the engine block drain cock that faces the firewall in order to get all of the coolant out of the engine block. This takes a 10mm socket and a ratchet with an extension. There is a 10mm bolt that allows you to open this drain cock for this very purpose. You can access this from the underside of the vehicle where the exhaust downpipe leaves the engine bay. I also disconnect one of the coolant hoses (just under the right rear door of the underside of the vehicle) that runs to the rear heater core and then I blow it out the remaining coolant. This pretty much clears the entire system of coolant. I hope this will be of help to some of you do-it-yourself guys.
Guess that’s why mine only take 1 bottle coolant ,just drain radiator only ,Thanks for that insight bro.
Thank you. I did the job as described and it worked perfectly. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Others may have noticed that draining the coolant took a bit of time. At the end, a large amount of coolant came out ..... Just something to be aware. It is a long job but be patient.
We haven't done it once even. Can't afford any blooper. Haha. You know what you are doing. Keep doing it. Thanks for your support. We love your videos.
Thank you for spreading your knowledge I just finished installing a water pump and bleeding my radiator fluid and everything working well. Thanks again and keep spreading your knowledge. May God Bless you and your family and keep your safe 🙏
Awesome video. Thank you. Couple observations when I did this. First it takes quite a while to do this waiting for the spirting to happen - like 15-20 minutes at 2200 rpm’s so be patient. Also I don’t think it matters but should the tube back to the funnel be in the fluid or out of the fluid in the funnel? In the fluid only allows fluid to back feed but I am not sure if that actually occurs. But anyway be patient! Thanks
This guy is the greatest Toyota Master Tecnician/Business Owner on RUclips. I have 4 Toyota vehicles and one Lexus (Family). This video is spot on and works flawless. Buy the funnel kit. (Mine was on my 2010 Lexus RX 350). Perfection like all of his channel.
I just want to thank you for showing this video. I've watched many of your videos and greatly appreciate the knowledge you share. I did this to my wife's 2011 Sienna (200K miles). I was wondering why a steady flow hadn't started after a while, but I remembered what you emphasized at time mark 5:37 - TURN OFF THE HEATER! ugh!. But once I turned off the heater, it worked great. YOU ARE THE MAN! BTW: loved the bloopers! Numbers 6:24-26 back at ya, my friend!
That part about the heater actually confused me because I would think you want the valves to the heater core open all the way? Or is that for a system flush, not just a system bleed like this?
I missed that too. Other videos tell you to turn the heater on.
How long did it take after you turned heater off?
@@kevinnn116 it took about 3 minutes or so. Not long. Be sure (as he says) that both the front and rear heater is off.
Thank you for the video. I swore it wasn’t working till I saw the coolant coming up the hose into the overflow. Phew! thank you. This feels awesome after feeling defeated trying to do the water pump. Gave up. I’ll try another day for that. Thank you again!
Worked great, especially after I figured out the bleeder valve. Only 34,000 miles but it was 6 1/2 YO. May do this again in a few more years.
Will do this on the next coolant flush I do, but the first time I didn't have your video and was unaware of the bleeder. I didn't have heat for a full week of driving, but it eventually cleared itself out on it's own. No overheating issues or the like, but wasn't fun in the cold mornings. The things you learn from valuable resources online.
I just did this yesterday and it came out great! This was the first time I have ever done a coolant fluid change and not had any issues with the temperature running hot afterwards. Your video was right on and now have a new favorite car guy!!! Thank you!
Video for coolant replacement for 2GR-FKS please. Don’t leave us hanging. You’re just amazing in helping me in DIY maintenance. Por favor!!
Love your videos, you produce great videos and explain things well. It worked great. I just followed your directions on my 2006 Toyota RAV4 with the same 2GR-FE engine. It worked perfectly and it performed exactly as you stated. Advice for DIYers, don't be in a rush and be patient.
Thank you so much for sharing these tips! Ran across this while diagnosing no heat condition on passenger side of a 2007 Sienna Limited. Found the previous owner replaced the radiator, removed the thermostat, loaded it up with stop leak... not sure what problem they were fixing... When we got to the bubbling vigorously stage, it turned to a sticky volcano... There are sure to be a few more surprises with this car. Still no heat on the passenger side, but I know how to bleed the system like a pro 🙂 now!
Last year, I first time drained 2006 IS350 coolant after 85k miles from original factory 2006 coolant, it's bright RED. looks so fresh. Toyota super long life coolant is REALLY SUPER LONG LIFE.
Shouldn't it be pink? Toyota changed from the red Long Life Coolant sometime before 2006 (The CCN will remember when.)
@@flagmichael I will correct what I said. I did mean Pink. I believe it's slightly darker in color than brand new Super Long Life coolant but remain very shiny, see through. I really think it can hold for another 20k miles easily in that color. IS350 has 2GR-FSE, a variant of 2GR-FE but with direct injection. I bet it's the same but extra 6 injectors.
You’re a lifesaver man I was getting frustrated with my 12 Lexus 350 . When I tried to bleed it the first time the funnel was shaking and spilling coolant everywhere but you’re method worked amazingly.
This tutorial is unbelievably good, everything worked absolutely to the T. Thank you for this great video!
Great Video! I successfully replaced the, now, 8 year old coolant in this used car we got. I have done a lot of car coolants, I would have never figured this one out without your help. Bravo! Trick for running the RPM up: Get a 22 inch stick, place it on the front of the seat to the gas pedal, then push, carefully, the seat fore/aft control forward and voila! Throttle control. The only procedural thing I added was that after it was fully bled, I cranked the heaters. The back heater (7 seat Highlander) took more bleeding to start producing hot air... then I shut down per your instructions.
Hi AMD! I changed the coolant successfully on my 13 Venza V6. Worked like a charm! It was so simple and easy to do. After 9 years, the old OEM pink coolant looked dark pink compared to the new one from Toyota. You are correct because the old coolant was going to turn acidic! Change your coolant every 5 years!!! Because of how easy this was, I will probably change my coolant every year lol
This is what I was looking for!!! Thankfully there is a bleeder, these engines almost act like they don’t even want to take coolant.
Just changed the radiator in my daughter's camry, filled and followed the bleeding process worked great 👍 dont bother with other videos because this is the one your looking for. Thanks!!
I found the funnel kit pricey for this one time job.
So I went cheap and patented my own funnel kit: I simply used a 20 cent water bottle (with cap on) and some electric tape to fit it snuggly where the radiator cap goes. I made a hole on the bottle cap and opened the other end of the bottle.
It worked really good without any leaks.
A water despenser pump came very handy to pump back the extra coolant.
You can save yourself some 20/30 bucks like that. 👌
It's not a one time job lol no different than changing your oil you have to do it periodically I'll be at at longer intervals and changing your oil but you should be still changing your coolant multiple times over the life of your Toyota ownership especially since most of them go over 300,000 miles
Can't wait for you to upload a video on 2GR-FKS that you mentioned in this video as two cars in my family happen to have that engine! I've learned a lot through your videos. Thank you
I'm also curious on this one!
Yup, still waiting.......
Haven’t gotten one with coolant replacement in my home garage that needs coolant replacement. Open to volunteers…
It's a 1635 mile trip ( one way ) for me, so unfortunately I can't really offer mine. I will wait patiently.
@@TheCarCareNut perhaps you could provide us a written instruction? Maybe some key points to pay special attention to when we work on fks engine compare to fse engine? Still appreciate all your knowledges you’ve shared
Did this to my sons 08 ES350 this evening and although it was nerve racking to wait for the bleeding process to take place…it worked out great. And yes, you will spill some coolant.
Man! I don't own a toyota...never owned one, and even I'm hooked on this channel. Great videos!
Lots of great explanations of all sorts of modern car technology - always worth watching.
i just did it to my 2006 toyota avalon 3.5 xls now which has 346k miles with 50/50 1us gal
+ toyota dealer coolant exactly. sure to have good results when i drive it towards work later. my Thanks to your very helpful and unselfish way to help through this video, God bless!
Hi AMD, first i want to thank you for all the great content you constantly upload for all Lexus and Toyota owners. Second, I wanted to ask why is it that you mention that heater needs to be off while bleeding. I have watched another mechanics and even read some manuals that specifically instruct to have heater on at full blast so the heater core is also serviced. I just wanted to understand the logic of the heater part. Again, thanks for everything you do for the community.
The coolant always flows to the heater core on 2GR-FE no matter what. the engine doesn't have heater core valve .
Your videos are great. My wife just purchased a used v6 Camry so I wanted to change out the fluids and spark plugs and I also will never buy another v6 Toyota since the 4 cylinders are so much easier to deal with.
Thank you for the video! Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond to my questions below!
Q1. For the draining of the old coolant, do we leave/turn On or Off the heater before the last engine shut-off (so the coolant from the heater coil also drains out)?
Q2. You mentioned to turn-OFF the front & rear heaters before starting the bleeding process; at which point of the bleeding do we turn-ON the front/rear heater(s) if at all?
Q3. If throughout the entire drain/fill/bleed process we keep the heaters OFF, that means these 2GR-FE engine coolants circulate through the engine & heater coils all the time regardless of the heat "switch" is turned ON or not (switch On only activates the fan motor to blow warm/hot air in to the cabin)?
Q4. I have one of those automatic system, so which temperature (range) setting, if that matters, should be set to during the coolant bleeding process?
Q5. Lastly, are there engine block drains (one for each bank) to be concerned with?
Hi Rick! Thank you for watching my video.
1- you don’t need to turn on the heater before bleeding as this engine doesn’t have a heater valve.
2-you don’t need to turn on the heat at any point during the procedure this is also because this engine doesn’t have a heater valve.
3-That is correct. This engine doesn’t have a heater valve to isolate the heater core when the heater is off. Coolant is circulating through the heater core at all times. When you turn on the heater the fan comes on and the blend door directs air over the heater core.
4- on this engine you want the setting to be on OFF when doing this procedure.
@@TheCarCareNut, Thank You very much!! Go "Pink" it is.
What about question number 5?
Love the stick of lumber for the gas pedal to keep it at 2k RPM hack! Bought the radiator fill kit from your Amazon link, coolant at the Toyota dealer, then everything you showed in the video went like clockwork. Easy peasy! After I tightened the bleed screw, with the tube attached, I used a spring clamp to pinch the tube near the bleeder, popped off the hose and tightened the bleeder. About a teaspoon of coolant spilled! Thank you for all your professional and informative videos!
Did you do this on the 2GR-FE 3.5L engine? That's what I've got on my 2007 Toyota Sienna. Tried the harbor freight funnel kit, couldn't get a good seal at the radiator cap. Hoping the kit in his amazon store is still the right one for this motor...thanks in advance for any info!
@@samiam369 hi, I ordered the ABN coolant funnel kit from Amazon. It’s $23.19. Worked good for me. Same engine. Good luck!! Easy peasy!!!
@@petew7614 Thanks for the quick reply, Pete!
One of my favourite engine, smooth and powerful
Awesome! I just did my 2015 RX350 and used about 2gal (kit off Amazon) of Toyota OEM coolant. I was concerned that I had some "scale" on the cap when I opened it. Wish I could post a pic here. But used my wet/dry vac and pulled all of it out of there after I opened the bottom drain of the radiator. I don't know if the scale I observed is a problem but then, it's a 2015 with 30K miles and as far as I know, never been changed. Then, I opened another bleeder on rear of engine (close to transaxle shaft) to get another bit of coolant drained. Finally, I recharged the system just the way described in the video. Thank you for your videos and may the Devine powers keep you safe so more of these helpful videos are put out there! Cheers Everyone!
AMD you legend! Back at it again with another 2GR-FE video! Keep them coming please.
Replaced my alternator which required me to remove the water pump inlet hose due to a flange bolt mounting the alt being rounded out. My coolant was already lower than it should have been so I tacked this onto my to do list and it worked like a charm. Was nervous about having it cranked at 2000RPM but everything seems to have worked out. Thank you so much dude.
A much appreciated, extremely well presented tutorial. Just got a 2006 Estima with this engine, very much less 'maintenance friendly' than the previous 3.00 litre v6 in the earlier model. Thank you for making self maintenance still possible.
Worked exactly like the video showed on 2011 Camry LE V6 2GR-FE. Sprayed some WD-40 on the bleeder valve the day before and fitted the hose while engine was hot. Needed a 10mm deep well socket to open the valve the following day. Old coolant was red, new Toyota coolant Pink. Replaced the Radiator cap with Toyota brand. Thanks!!!
Awesome content! I really appreciate all your great information. Are you planning on a follow up for the 2GR-FKS? That would be very helpful!
Mission completed!!! Thank you 1 million times. Brother I followed it to the T. Life is good!!!!
To prevent spillage from the bleeder and tube: 1) Do not open the bleeder more than you have to so you can close it easier, 2) have a 10mm open end ready, 3) Have a hose clamp ready. When you get that steady flow and no bubbles in the bleeder tube - close the bleeder screw w the open end. (Make sure beforehand tube is secured tight to the funnel or else it might come off.) Clamp the end of the hose w a hose clamp and put a small rag at the end of the hose before you pull it. Spill coolant inside tube back into the funnel.
Followed the instructions and bought the right funnel kit worked perfectly took about 30 minutes and I saved $100 even after buying the funnel kit.
Thanks so much now I am ready to do the spark plugs
Oh this wants on a 2008 Avalon and it only took 1 gallon of collant
Excellent video. I just did a drain/fill/bleed on my 2010 Highlander following these instructions. Worked great. A little bit of a mess, but not too bad.
Wonderful procedure, thanks very much! I'd replaced my water pump, had found the valve and just opened it until fluid came out. Obviously that wasn't enough and I still had no heat at idle. This procedure clears up everything!!
Your videos are fantastic!
AND you answer questions.
AND I’m sure I’ll have another one for you I’m sure in the future. You nailed my first one. Thanks again!
Wishing you well as your channel and career prosper!
Just did it on my 2010 2GR-FE with recommended tools purchased. Procedure Worked great, a couple of points I wanted to share though.
1. After partially removing/ bending away underbumper cover, turned out I still can't reach bleeder valve on radiator. Instead figured out it is completely doable from the top going through front of battery well. Could have saved me some elbow grease and crouching if I knew that ahead..😮
2. The clamp compression was a bit strong and squished the tubing once coolant got hot, so it stopped flowing at that critical moment. Make sure to use clamp with less compression, perhaps.
3. Many asked the same question I had, let me ask it again: why do we need to turn heater off, sounds counterintuitive..? I still turned it off though.
Have 155K on odometer. Not sure if I get to do it next time on this car, but was nice to learn and a fun experience 😊 . Thanks Amed!
I really wish he'd answer that.
Another great video - thank you the time that you take to make all this very useful content. My best to you and your family.
You're amazing. The money I save on labor helps me increase my tool budget. I'm switching out both heater hoses,one has a small leak.👏👏👏
AMD fantastic video, perfect purge after water pump and pulley replacement! Didn't get funnel in time from Amazon so I fit wide funnel with rubber grommet on radiator supported with small bungie cords. Big points from daughter who now has quiet 175k mi highlander for work!
Just completed a Radiator replacement on an 06 Avalon and this worked perfectly. You don’t even need a special funnel-used regular funnel with duct tape wrap to seal around stem and just held in Radiator. Saved $40 over buying something I would only use once.
Lmao this comment scariest 20 seconds of my life trying to run to shut off my engine 😂 go buy a cheap radiator funnel kit at harbor freight was like $15