Cooling System Flush
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- Опубликовано: 24 мар 2017
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In this video, we show you how to flush your cooling system whether it's to rid your cooling system of old nasty coolant or it's to switch to a different type of coolant. The flush was performed on a 3rd Gen 4runner but this technique could be used on any vehicle.
*IMPORTANT NOTES*
I put up this video and was quickly told by a subscriber that the Toyota red and pink coolants aren't compatible. I called my local dealership, talked with a mechanic and was told the same thing. So, I added a disclaimer at the beginning of the video telling people that you shouldn't mix the two different Toyota coolants, red and pink and I reposted the video. The next day, another subscriber says there's a service bulletin from Toyota saying the red and pink coolants are fully compatible. I did a search and sure as shit, i found the service bulletin saying the red and pink coolants are indeed FULLY COMPATIBLE. Seriously Annoying! Here's the link to the bulletin: drive.google.com/file/d/1-CbH...
For some reason, the TSB saying the coolants are compatible is no longer available. Maybe Toyota changed their mind about this. This is the TSB number #T-PG010-02 but when you do a search for it, it's nowhere to be found. I luckily saved a copy of the TSB on my Google Drive. I think the best course of action is to just use the coolant that is recommended by Toyota for your particular vehicle. Don't mix them.
**Since filming this video, I've learned you only need the heater temperature control knob turned to full hot, BUT you don't need to have the fan on. Turning the temperature control knob to full hot fully opens up the valve and lets the hot coolant flow through the heater core. With the fan on, it draws heat away from the engine and might not allow the thermostat to open fully because the engine isn't reaching full operating temperature. SO, I SUGGEST KEEPING THE FAN OFF FOR THIS PROCEDURE.
Here's some stuff you'll need:
1) 8 Gallons of Distilled Water for the flushing
2) Enough Coolant Concentrate or 50/50 Premixed Coolant for your vehicle's cooling system capacity
3) More Distilled Water (Half of the total cooling system capacity) if you are choosing to mix your coolant using a concentrate.
*SUPPLIES*
*Toyota Red Long Life Coolant Concentrate
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*Distilled Water - (get this at any grocery store)
*HELPFUL TOOLS*
If you're looking for other tools not used in this video, check out Timmy's Master Tool List.
www.amazon.com/shop/timmythet...
*Lisle Spill-Free Funnel
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*18 Quart Food Storage Container
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*4 Quart Measuring Cup
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*The phone app I use to monitor my coolant temp is Torque Pro. It's only available for Android phones. If you have an iPhone, there are similar apps you can purchase.
*If you're interested in buying an OBDII reader that works with Android devices, here's what I got:
amzn.to/2BeQUsM
*And, if you go the Bluetooth reader route, buy this as well. It allows you to turn off the power to your reader so you don't have to pull it out every time. The reader constantly draws a small amount of power and could drain your battery if your truck sits for a long time.
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**As Ebay Partner Network members, we earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
**As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.
I appreciate the fact that you not only address the how, but you also address the why, as well, which adds insight to the process.
Great to hear you appreciate the way we cover the subject matter. It really is important to share the reason why something is being done so people understand the process better. Thanks for the comment. Happy Wrenching!
Thanks for telling people not to get rid of the constant tension clamps. Lots of people think that they are doing an upgrade when converting to screw type clamps which is a big mistake.
Yep, I can't remember who first told me about the constant tension clamps but it really does make sense how they are superior because as the rubber ages and shrinks a bit, a constant tension clamp will keep a tight clamp on the hose while the screw type will need to be tightened to achieve tightness again.
Cooling system flush
You are the first one to explain this process thoroughly thank you!
You're welcome and thanks for the comment.
Great video once again. I perfomed this after changing timing belt and water pump since everything was already drained. Lisle sprill free funnel was worth the money and I would never perform another radiator flush without one. Keep up the great videos and toyota time.
Thanks David. We love hearing about people having success with our videos. It never gets old. Thanks for sharing.
Happy Wrenching Brother!
Since filming this video, I've learned you only need the heater temperature control knob turned to full hot, BUT you don't need to have the fan on. Turning the temperature control knob to full hot fully opens up the valve and lets the hot coolant flow through the heater core. With the fan on, it draws heat away from the engine and might not allow the thermostat to open fully because the engine isn't reaching full operating temperature. SO, I SUGGEST KEEPING THE FAN OFF FOR THIS PROCEDURE.
Update 06/2023 - As part of the cylinder head replacement we did on Sean's 2002 4runner, we did a cooling system flush. When we drained the coolant out of the radiator, we only got out around 5.5 - 6 quarts. The system holds over 8 quarts. So, we did loosen the block drain on the passenger side of the engine block. We accessed the drain through the passenger side wheel well with a long extension and 14mm socket. When we opened it up, a lot of coolant drained out. So, if the same thing happens to you and you don't get close to 8 quarts out from the radiator drain, I suggest opening the block drain to get most of the rest out.
Did you use the block drains to drain the block? If you do, does that get you down to nearly empty on the coolant before a fill?
Winslow273 No, we didn't bother with draining the block. On a T4R.org, a guy showed a picture of how much he got out from draining the block. It looked like at most a half pint to me so I personally don't think it's worth the trouble to drain.
Draining the block will still leave residual in the engine, heater core, heater core lines and rear heater lines. So no, draining the block doesn't get you down to empty.
Hey really great video man. Do you think it would be a good idea to remove the thermostat for the flush?
Jason Ramkishun Hey Jason, some people do remove the thermostat to expedite the flush procedure. But, removing the water neck, pulling the thermostat and then putting it back in takes some time as well. So, what you have to figure out is the time you're saving waiting for the engine to reach operating temperature so the thermostat opens on each round of flushing worth the extra labor of pulling the thermostat and replacing it after the flush procedure. I decided I didn't want to pull the thermostat and would just deal with the extra time needed to get the engine to operating temperature each time.
...but I keep it in on to know when the heater coils are filled with coolant.
Just replaced my radiator, both hoses, and cap (OEM) and did 2 flushes with the help of your videos. Thanks!
Good job Miles. Great to hear our video helped you out. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
Timmy always love your videos you explain so well, thank you and keep going with the toyotatime channel
Thanks! Glad you're liking what we're doing. We've got more coming. Sean just needs to find time to edit them. 2 Rear Axle Seal Videos, 3rd Member Swap and we swapped the Auto Trans in Sean's rig.
Hi Timmy. Your advice at the end of the video is exactly how I keep the engine cooling system of my 2010 Mazda 5 in great condition. I just drain the used coolant and put new coolant every year. Coolant is cheap. The procedure is very easy. No need to flush with water. It's like having a regular oil change. Preventive maintenance is the key. Also, your video is very clear because you mentioned the right way to calculate the ratio of coolant and water since there are still water left inside the engine block after draining. Other guys here at YT failed to mention it. I am now a subscriber on your channel. Cheers from Japan.
Yep, we're on the same page when it comes to doing regular maintenance on our vehicles. Preventative maintenance is so important for the longevity of a vehicle. We're glad you liked our video, and thanks for subscribing to our channel.
I don’t make many comments on RUclips, but you are hands down the coolest (no pun intended) guy ever to post such a great video and then comment so kindly to people on the internet. Been kinda bummed out on how mean people are nowadays. It’s good to know there are people like you left in the world. My truck is 2002 Tacoma and I’ve never changed the coolant. 209,000 mi. I have work to do this weekend. Thank you sir.
Hey Sammy, thanks for the nice compliment. We appreciate it very much. Sean and I love helping people out and we think it's very important to acknowledge every comment that comes into our channel and answer every question. We sometimes miss comments and questions but one of us checks our channel almost everyday to keep on top of things. Good luck with the coolant renewal and you know where to find us if you ever have any questions. Happy Wrenching Brother!
Timmy The Toolman just subscribed. If it weren’t 1am I’d go flush my truck now, but wife might make me wear that white jacket with the sleeves that tie in the back, again.
@@SammyEddie Yeah, some of our jobs have taken us into the wee hours but that was out of necessity because we had to get the person we were helping back on the road. We've performed many all-day jobs in my garage.
Awesome vid I am a certified mechanic runs in the family I did not know that turning the knob just too hot will help circulate the coolant thank you very much for that tip keep those vids coming stay safe God bless you
Yeah, I thought the fan had to be on but you only have to turn the het control to hot for the coolant to flow through the heater lines and heater core.
Very very good and thorough video... Its also nice to see that you responded to every question!!!
Thanks Sean. We're glad you like the video. You're also one of the few people who've noticed we do try to respond to everyone. We try to answer each question to the best of our ability and we try to acknowledge everyone's comment to let them know we took the time to read it. Happy Wrenching Sean.
Hey Timmy, thanks for another great video. I experienced the broken radiator cap thing, so decided to replace the coolant after fishing the spring and plastic stub out of the top tank. All went well and it was easy to follow the process you guys showed. Marvellous.
Good to hear Andrew. We are stoked this video helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
just noticed the " In case of fire" sign! haha love it.. keep up the great videos tim!. i did my flush recently same way you did in this video.. I did 100% coolant as my runner is exposed to -45Deg C weather. starts like a charm and no freezup.
My girlfriend bought me that sign. I like it too.
Damn Dude, you must get some major shrinkage at -45 degrees. I think I'll take my sunny California weather over that, I reckon. Where do you live?
Fort McMurray, it gets cold on some winter days. your videos help me keep my maintenance cost low and truck reliable!
In the Great White North in Alberta. Hey, say hi to Terrance and Phillip for me.
We're glad you're making good use of our videos. It makes us happy to hear we're helping people save money and rely less on shops to do work for them.
Thanks for all the great Toyota videos! So for you helped me out with the coolant flush I’m doing now and also with the transmission drain and fill I just did. I didn’t have a helper so I didn’t do the full drain like you guys did and I’ll do that next time after I know it’s shifting fine.
You're very welcome Craig. Just do a couple more drain and refills of the trans pan spread out by around 5k miles or time it with your engine oil changes. After the 3rd drain and refill, the fluid will be in good shape.
Great Toyota videos. I have a 2003 4Runner 4.7 and a 2007 Camry XLE 2.4l. Going to flush both and not knowing what was used previously, both have green fluid, I am going to replace with OEM. On both vehicles I am replacing radiator hoses, heater hoses, thermostat and related hoses which I would thing remove more old fluid from the system. Was going to drain the block but after watching your method, it proves to be a much safer process as if the drain on the block snapped I am screwed. 126k on both vehicles. Tired of paying people that supposedly did the work but found out later on it was never done. Thanks for all the great help on this channel
You're welcome. Good luck with the cooling system flushes on your vehicles.
Thanks for the video. Finally found the right one that is for Toyota. New subscriber!
Welcome to the club William.
Timmy The Toolman your welcome I have a 2014 Toyota Tacoma 2wd V6.
Did this today, Thanks for the video, it really helped
Israel Rodriguez We're glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Thanks so much Timmy. Lifesaver. Just picked up a 98 4Runner and going through all the fluids and plugs. Your thought on a little seafoam to the autotrans fluid, I hear good and bad stories.
I've never heard of anyone using Seafoam in the auto trans. I wouldn't do it. Transmission fluid has good detergent qualities as is. I'd just renew the fluid, and that's it.
I pretty much thought that way too. Thank you for the answers to my questions, they are much appreciated.@@TimmyTheToolman
@@danielvoulkos8274 You're welcome.
Great video with really good info, thanks for sharing as i need to do this, cheers stewart
Hey Stewart, we're glad you like the video. You're welcome and good luck with the job. Happy Wrenching!
Great vid as always. Nice job guys!
427walrus h(
Thanks Timmy! I just found that Champion radiators just started making all aluminum radiators for the 5vzfe engine so I had to pick one up for my rig! Liked and subscribed.
Qmed Joe You're welcome. Thanks for sharing this all aluminum radiator option and thanks for subscribing.
Timmy The Toolman sure thing! Here’s the link. This is for a Tacoma but they make them for third gen 4Runners also.
www.championradiators.com/Toyota-Tacoma-Radiator-1995-2004
Thanks for the link. The aluminum radiator looks nice. I wonder if there would be less of a chance of a transmission cooler failure with one of these radiators. Do you think the trans cooler is somehow superior to one that would come in a Denso radiator?
love the idiocracy reference. BRAWNDO, it's what 4Runners CRAVE
Awesome Zach. Great job recognizing that movie quote.
Such an underrated movie, I thought I was the only one who got it (the movie).
I wish I had you as my mechanic for my ‘03 Taco. This is super knowledgeable
Hey Austin, thanks for the nice compliment. You can do all the things I can do with the right tools, some patience and a willingness to learn. There's really nothing special about my mechanical ability. I've just learned a fair amount of stuff over the years and I do lots of research before attempting a job. Many of the videos you've watched are me doing the repair, maintenance or modification for the first time in my life. If I can do it, you can do it.
@@TimmyTheToolman yup I've done a vast majority of my maintenance off of your videos. Thanks alot.
@@Salve_Regina8 You're welcome Rafael. Happy Wrenching Brother!
I appreciate your videos so much. You've helped me save a lot of money and feel empowered about maintaining my own vehicle.
It's nice to know you've saved a lot of money using our videos and it's empowered you to turn wrenches on your vehicle.
If you have a 10.5 quart capacity, measure what you drained out on the final flushing round and subtract that from 10.5. This will tell you how much distilled water you have left in the system. Whatever value you get, first add that amount in concentrate to the radiator so it will make what's left in the system a 50/50 mix. Then simply top off the system with a 50/50 mix and burp the system of air.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks again!
@@derekmoore1387 You're welcome!
Agreed, those oem C hose clamps are the best. Never should be replaced with those screw in type of clamps.
Thank you for another great video.
I know many shops uses only tap water since they don't care.
I always use distilled water.
Glad you like the video Batman. Yep, the constant tension clamps are far superior to the screw-down style clamps. When I worked at a gas station in the 80's, we never used distilled water, we used tap water. Knowing what I know now, that was a mistake. Some people still flush their cooling systems with tap water but I would never do it.
@@TimmyTheToolman Heck, 20 years ago we did not even know what distilled water was. Just glad it is easily available for around $1/gallon now a days
@@brucewayne2773 I remember using distilled water to add to batteries when I worked at a Chevron gas station in the early 80's but I just didn't know it should be used in the cooling system.
I learn a lot of stuff from you
you are HERO
Great to hear you're learning a lot from our channel. Does that make us heroes by sharing information to empower people to do their own auto mechanic work? I don't think we're heroes. We're just a couple guys contributing to the DIY Auto Mechanic Community and Paying it Forward because we've been helped by people sharing information on RUclips, Toyota forums and other areas of the internet. Anyway, we do appreciate the kind words. Happy Learning and Wrenching!
Hi I am happy to see someone that does this job the right way . Using distilled water to flush and knows how to refill it and still end up having a 50 50 mix and I bet if he had all concntrat coolent he would have mix it with distilled water to have the 50 50 mix.
Thanks Robert.
lets say i did the same thing but with only 50 50 mix. I understand it might be a waste of the coolant, but isn't that fool proof on the mix?
Thank you great video finally a video that makes it easy for me to try it . Thank you great tools
You're welcome. Good luck with the flush.
Really good video this mate. Thanks.
You're welcome.
Replaced the radiator on my 1997 Toyota Tacoma yesterday using this process. 2.7 liter. No air. Did 4 flushes with distilled water and the discharge water became clear. Ran the front end up a ramp which raised the front 6 inches higher than the rear. The same type funnel. Drained the system and got 6 quarts of liquid. The total capacity of the system according to the owners manual is 8.8 quarts so added approximately 2.8 quarts of concentrated antifreeze (equal to the 2.8 quarts of liquid remaining in the system after it being drained [ 8.8-6]). And filled the remainder with 50:50 mix.
This process worked well but I paid too much for the funnel (from O'Reilly), about $45. Had some trouble finding a decent radiator and had to wait about 5 days for the hoses. About $55 for the hoses. About $165 for the radiator (NAPA). All things included in this replacement cost between $400 and $500.
The old hoses appeared to be in excellent condition. The engine nozzles that the hoses slide onto were corrosion free. The truck is not driven in the winter so everything is pretty much pristine in regard to corrosion. Slightly over 300K and going strong.
MANY things live in the water. Insects, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, avians, fish, bacteria, and a wide variety of aquatic plants. The "scum" you referred to is probably algae (Perhaps the stuff even in your system. Amphibians live both in the water and on land.
Thanks again for the video. It made this an easy process.
Good job getting the job done and glad our video helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Great vid. I'm a total beginner so the detail is very helpful!
Andrew Stevens Thanks Andrew. Glad you appreciate the detail we offer in our videos. Welcome to the wonderful world of Auto Mechanics! Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman i bought a toyota tc with 75000 miles. It had GM orange coolant. I have 120 thousand now. Im learning to DIY. I bought the redpink asian peak for toyota. My maintance book says to add coolant. Can i add without flushing? Or can i drain rad fluid and cont to add the new coolant ?
@@TimmyTheToolman i think the car dealership put the GM coolant in when i bought it at the 75 000 miles
@@valjean2036 I wouldn't mix those coolants. I would flush it and renew the system with the Toyota coolant.
@@TimmyTheToolman thank you! Will do
Excellent video! Thank you very much for going into detail for us newbies who have never done this. I have a 2001 Toyota Corolla and the coolant I think had 80k miles on it and it was looking black. It took 4 flushes before it came out clear. The cooling system capacity for the 2001 Toyota Corolla is 6 quarts. And exactly 4 quarts came out of the radiator. So 2 quarts left in the engine block and heater core. So I added 2 quarts of the full strength red and then did 50 50 mix with distilled water after. Thanks for explaining the math part of it. Other videos on this subject didn't do that. I didn't have the fancy drain kit which I wish I had looking back. I used a cheap $1 funnel and the issue with that was after adding about 2 quarts to radiator it backed up and then I had to slowly add the final two quarts a little at a time while gently shaking the radiator to get the air bubbles out. The brackets that are holding my radiator are broke and need replacing but it made it easier to shake the air bubbles out. My overflow reservoir is under the battery and I didn't want to take that out, so I got some 3/8 inch tubing from Home Depot and a turkey baster and siphoned the old stuff out and flushed it with distilled water and then siphoned that. The Toyota parts guy said for Toyotas 2004 and older use the red long life, not the pink super long life. But then I have a mechanic neighbor who said that is bs. So I don't know about that. I have a couple of questions. I think I got all the air bubbles out but if I didn't, is it that big a deal? Basically they will work themselves out of the system while driving and then I'll just have to add a little more fluid right? Also you were saying that if you regularly flush just the radiator then you don't have to do the whole system flush. After how many miles do you do a radiator only flush to avoid having to do the whole system? Anyway, thank you very much for this video, made this project totally doable for someone like me who has never worked on anything under the hood. Cheers!
First of all, we're glad you found our video helpful and it enabled you to complete this job on your own. In regards to the compatibility of the pink and red coolants, there is a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) saying they are completely compatible but the link I provided in the video description isn't working anymore. I think it's next to impossible to get all the air bubbles out of the system on the first try. Every time I have renewed my coolant, the level in my reservoir always drops when I check it a day or two afterward letting me know more air worked it's way out of the system. Just top off your reservoir to the appropriate level based off whether your engine is cold of hot. I usually wait until the engine is hot and then top off the reservoir level to the upper or hot mark. To keep the cooling system in good shape, I like to renew my coolant every 30,000 miles. I know some coolants have higher mileage ratings but I don't feel comfortable waiting 50k or 100k to renew the coolant. Plus, it's super easy to do. Just open up the valve at the bottom of the radiator, preferably drain it into a container with graduated level marks so you know how much came out, and then refill it with a 50/50 mix. If you keep your coolant in good shape, you'll never have to perform a full flush again. Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks very much for taking the time to reply and answer my questions, I really appreciate it!
@@infiniteriver93 You're welcome. We try to answer all questions and acknowledge all comments that we get on our channel. It's takes some time on our part but we're not so big that we can't handle the number of questions and comments that come in on a daily basis. If we got really big, then it would become an issue because I imagine it would become a full-time job to handle all the questions and comments that come in. But, we're not there yet so anyone that asks a question or makes a comment will get a response from either Sean or I. Take care.
nice work bench mate lol thanks for the upload!
Are you making fun of my work bench Trent? Anyway, you're welcome mate. Are you from the Land Down Under?
Thanks for the tutorial mate very help full
You're welcome Jimmy. Glad you found our video helpful.
thank you for sharing excellent procedure thumb's up!!!!!!
You're welcome. We're glad you like the video.
Thanks for helpful info Tim.
You're welcome Daniel.
Thanks, this is a great video and you were very thorough in explaining process, great camera work as well.
You're welcome. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Helped me a lot. Now ima do this too my 98 corolla
Good to hear. Yeah, this DIY flush would work for any vehicle that uses a radiator and coolant to maintain the proper operating engine temp. Happy Wrenching!
Enjoyed your video Tim, especially the distilled water !! I use Toyota red too in my 2000 4Runner. Never had any problems with my coolant system.
I actually use Prestone Green in my rig and I don't really think the brand of coolant matters as much as how often you renew it. I renew my coolant every 30,000 miles and that seems to keep it in good shape. The only issue I've ever had with a cooling system is having a radiator hose burst. Other than that, I've been trouble free.
You still have your 2004 4runner?
You still have your 2004 4runner?
You still have your 2004 4runner?
@mendoblendo321 Unfortunately no, downsized to a small Honda Fit. But I loved my 4Runner she never gave me any "fits".
Doing this after in order to replace the radiator on my 1997 (300,100 miles). Had a hell of a time getting any help from my closest Toyota dealer which is 60 miles away. She (parts woman) wanted me to drive 120 miles to buy the Toyota Red for don't know how much money - probably a bunch. I looked at the manual and it says use ethylene glycol (the green stuff). The green stuff (Prestone) cost about $11.00 locally. Guess which I bought. Great video. Thanks. I'm going to buy one of the super-duper funnels but it'll be the first time I've ever had to use something like that after refilling a cooling system. But it'll be fun burping Sweetie (that's my sweet Toyota's name) after all the work has been done.
Zerex makes a Japanese vehicle red coolant as well if you don’t want to go Toyota. Not sure about the green stuff.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks. I've been using Prestone for years (close to 60 years actually) and have never hand any issues with it. Of course today's vehicles are in general longer lived than old ones. My manual says, "Your coolant must contain ethylene-glycol antifreeze.", so, by God, who am I to not listen to the manufacturers of the best vehicles on the planet? I think that when I bought my Yota it had green coolant in it and the pink is a relatively new product. A friend told me the pink is organic. I think he meant it's more environmentally friend and less toxic to critters like kids and cats (and groundwater, surface water, etc.) Don't know for sure what the chemical components are and the parts lady didn't know either. Anyway it'll be Prestone green for me for a while. Thanks again for an excellent video. I appreciate someone being able to communicate well.
I found the use of distilled water interesting. It makes sense but for years, again about 60, I''ve been using well water to mix with the anti-freeze. And I know most of the water I have used has some calcium in it. I never noticed any issues but today's vehicles last a lot longer than they used to. And Prestone advertises that their coolant "Instantly protects against rust and corrosion" but also states "Water quality matters. Use only distilled water.". So it looks like I'll be using distilled water for at least the last flush.
Good video..
I needed this
Thanks Dennis. Good to hear you found it helpful.
This guys is great and likable. He is the "Jeremy Wade" and instead of catching fish, he knows about Toyotas.......
Thanks Steve. I've seen that guy's show many times. Don't know how much I look like him but I'll consider it a compliment.
excellent vid. just completed a full system flush, thermostat replacement and refill using these steps. the lisle funnel is an excellent product. thanks for recommending it and demonstrating its use. something i noted is how the burps trail off as the engine temp rises, and then start anew once the thermostat opens. this should be obvious with any scrutiny, but the funnel makes this trivially easy to follow if you're in the driver's seat looking at the coolant temp rising via a scangauge. thanks for posting this and all your vids!
Good to hear you found the video helpful and you appreciate our funnel suggestion. That funnel was suggested on a thread on T4R.org so I decided to get myself one too.
Damn sir your video here is the best best best………. Of how to drain and refill coolant 1000% completely! Thank you
Thanks for the nice compliment, and you're very welcome.
Well done :)
Man nice video man
Thanks! We're glad you like it.
The prestone radiator flush actually worked pretty damn well for me. Mine flushed clear after two rounds of distilled water. I didn't really have to run my system all that long.
Good to hear Ryan. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Idiocracy reference was great! I'm just going to use toilet water to flush mine.
Nah, I think you should flush it with Brawndo. It's got what cooling systems need.
Good job. Thanks!
Thanks and you're welcome.
I gave aged two years just
waiting for the topic to be done
Wow! You better stop watching our very detailed and helpful DIY Automotive videos. We wouldn't want you to become an old man in a wheel chair before your time.
There's lots of other DIY Automotive channels that don't offer the detail ours does so maybe watch the other channels. When you get lost watching their videos, you can come back to our channel.
Finally a Toyota one! Like it!
We're glad you like it. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
You will find prestone cooling system flush kits at almost every car parts store in America. make this the job much easier once installed and completely fully flushes the cooling system.
Fittings include a t-shaped tubing insert that gets installed and the pressure hose for the heater core. It has a cap to seal it off when not in use. When flushing the kit includes a anti-siphon fitting that you attach the garden hose to.
I know these kits exist but what I don't like is using municipal tap water to flush it out. The whole reason why you use distilled water is it's void of minerals that can corrode your cooling system. So, I would never recommend people use one of these kits. I know it takes more time the way we do it but our way only uses distilled water and not tap water.
GREAT JOB!!!!!
Thanks. We're glad you like the video.
Thanks very helpful
You're welcome. Glad you found the video helpful.
Hi Timmy,
Thank you for the video.
A quick point - 50/50 mix will *not* get you to 50/50 final if there is any water in the system. Sienna coolant capacity is 3 gallons. So, let's say for discussion you can drain 2 gallons. 1 gallon of water remains in the system. There is no amount of 50/50 solution you can add to get the final system to 50/50 since it has no extra concentration (beyond 50/50) to treat the 1 gallon of water remaining. You can drain and fil ten times with 50/50 and you still would not get to 50/50 - though you would be close.
I suggest you use 50/50 to top off. Use concentrate to drain fill with the use of the hydrometer to get to your final 50/50. Concentrate is typically cheaper per gallon (of actual coolant product). I realize you made your own 50/50 mix out out concentrate.
If someone decides the 1 gallon of water is fine not to be dealt that is up to them. However, I politely suggest people need to understand they can not get the system back to 50/50 after adding/flushing distilled water by pouring 50/50 coolant in.
I agree with everything you said. This is why we figured out how much distilled water was left in the system and then added that same amount in concentrate into the radiator first to make the residual left in the system a 50/50 mix. Then we finished by topping if off the rest of the way with a 50/50 mix. The problem for some people is they can't buy an OEM concentrate for their rig. The newer Toyota rigs that call for the pink 50/50 coolant can't buy a 100% pink coolant concentrate. But, what I've told these people is to not worry about it. If they flushed the system, just fill it with a 50/50 mix and call it a day. There's not enough distilled water left in the system to lose sleep over it. Now, for people who live in cold climates, they might want to run an aftermarket concentrate so they can get the ratio to a 50/50 or possibly higher coolant to water ratio in extremely cold climates. But, for most people, a mix close to 50/50 is going to be just fine.
I doubt it caused much issue using so little of the concentrate, but from what I've learned is that the Long life (concentrate you used) and super long life 50-50 are actually different coolants. The concentrate is Toyota red and the 50-50 is Toyota pink. The chemical makeup is a bit different. For whatever reason Toyota doesn't even sell the pink in a concentrate, but I ended up buying a different brand with the same ingredients/purpose as the pink in a concentrate
Gerry Baker They are different coolants, but according to a TSB from Toyota, they are compatible.
Great video Timmy. Interesting about the heater core valve you mention because on Suburbans for instance coolant flows to the core all the times - at least that's what I believe. There is no valve - for the heater control just modulates the blend door so when you have the control on cold all heater core heat vents to the outside but the coolant flows to it all the time. For my Highlander's I don't know of any valve(s) that are inline to the core and cut off flow. Has anyone validated presence of valves cutting off flow or does the blend door work like described above and coolant flows all the time. Thanks again!
You bring up an interesting point. The method we share in this video is something we borrowed. Take a look at the center of the firewall in your engine compartment near the top. You will see a cable actuated valve that the heater core lines connect to. The way I understood it, the temperature control knob turns this valve adjusting how much of the coolant flows through the valve from the engine to the heater core. So, if your theory is correct, where exactly is the vent that allows the constant stream of hot air to escape outside?
Thank you Timmy, I will follow your advice. One last point please. Should I drain the engine block before the radiator, or will that introduce problematic air into the system ? I know it’s extra cost, but would it be a good idea to flush the old coolant using a 50:50 mixture of red and distilled water instead of flushing with only pure distilled water. If a 50:50 is used to do the flush, then you know that after a few flushes the coolant will be close to 50:50. Also, unsure if distilled water in contact with metals at high temperature can cause corrosion, but if a 50:50 is used to do the flush then we know corrosion inhibitors help to prevent corrosion during the flush procedure. Excellent work and thank you for sharing, I am about to follow your efforts my self with supervision. My coolant is crystal clear, thank god !
Hi Timmy, thank you very much for all your effort, sharing your knowledge. About this video, can I use prestone 50/50 refrigerant? my engine is 5VZ. thanks for your answer.
Yes, you can run Prestone 50/50. I've been running it in my 2000 4runner for the last 7 years and 85,000 miles. But, I think the Toyota Red might be the better way to go since it was made for Toyota engines. I now have a 1998 running Toyota Red and my 2000 running Prestone Green. I plan on switching my 2000 over to Toyota Red the next time I due for a renewal to simplify things and only have to buy one type of coolant for my rigs.
Nice diy tutorial. This is how I calculate the 50/50 mix of coolant.
For 9.5 liters, divide 9.5 by 2, 9.5/2 = 4.75L of coolant and 4.75L of D water.
1 gallon of 100% coolant is 3.78 L.
Subtract 3.78 to 4.75,
4.75-3.78 = .97L or 1 Liter of 100% coolant more.
If your second gallon of coolant is 50/50 mix, you have to multiply 1 Liter by 2.
1 x 2 = 2L of 50/50 mix coolant.
So 1 gallon of 100% coolant plus 2 Liters of 50/50 mix coolant and the rest is distilled water.
Meticulous work! We like it 👍🏻
love you brother, its time consuming so i guess most garages dont bother, they just drain and fill the radiator with new coolant. Which is the better coolant for my toyota corolla d4d 2.0 litre, 131k mile s and 2004 model. Iam in the UK. Much appreciated, especially the non splash funnel idea.
Hey Jason, thanks for the love. If you can the Toyota Red coolant concentrate, that's what I would suggest. I'm pretty sure that's what your vehicle takes. You can confirm this by calling your local Toyota dealer and asking the parts dept. You just have to mix the concentrate with distilled water to make your 50/50 mix.
Hey Timmy I just completed coolant flush as per your video...your videos are sweet and easy to follow much appreciated...one thing I noticed is that black/grey particles would bubble up into the lisle spill free funnel as the distilled water flowed into the radiator...I would wipe out the funnel with a paper towel each time I ran 2 gallons of distilled water through and it would smear like ash onto the paper towel...I also noticed some of the particles in the reservoir which I rinsed out with some distilled water...hopefully this is nothing to be concerned about...any thoughts or experience as to what the particles might be from?
I had a shop do a coolant flush when I purchased the vehicle at 181,000 miles and I did the flush myself today at 239,000 miles...I used Prestone which is what the shop must have used as well because of color...when I drained the coolant it came out the swamp green color, but I didn’t notice any of the particles as the coolant drained out as it would only bubble up into funnel.
Overall everything went great!
Hey Joshua, Great to hear you have found our videos helpful. The reason why your coolant looked swamp green is you basically went twice the recommended interval for a coolant renewal. There are now different coolants that supposedly last longer, but in the past, the suggested interval for a coolant renewal was every 30k miles. You pretty much renewed it after 60k. I think that black gunk you're seeing is sludge/sediment that formed in the cooling system from not keeping the coolant in better shape. From here on out, just drain and refill your radiator every 30k and your coolant should stay in really good shape.
You could also convert to Toyota coolant which is what I will end up doing with my 2000 4runner. When I purchased it, the cooling system had Prestone Green and I have just kept it that way for the last 6 years and 70k miles. But, I now have a 98 4runner that has the Toyota Red. To simplify things, I'm going to flush the cooling system on my 2000 when I'm next due for an renewal and run Toyota Red in both. There's big debates on the right coolant to run in our 3rd Gen 4runners and people swear that the only coolant to run is Toyota coolant. I don't necessarily buy into this but we obviously can't go wrong with using a coolant from the manufacturer of our rigs.
Hey Timmy,,,I'm back for more...do u recommend to drain coolant from the engine block as well, u knw thr by the wheel well??? or just the radiator?!!! Nice seeing u again, man!
There was guy on toyota-4runner.org that showed how much coolant he got out of the engine block and it wasn't much, maybe a pint. I've never bothered with draining the engine block on any vehicle I've owned. Some guys like to go the extra mile by doing it and maybe I would too if I had a vehicle with really bad looking coolant. If your coolant is in good shape and you do a drain and refill of the radiator at regular intervals (every 30,000 miles), I don't think the block draining is necessary because you're renewing the bulk of the system capacity by draining and refilling the radiator.
Everything I know, I learned from Timmy!!!
Really? Oh yeah, I do remember teaching you to look both ways before crossing the street and to not talk to strangers.
One thing I do when refilling is to shake the vehicle hard. I have found that that dislodges bubbles and allows the fluid to fill the voids. Works awesome in my Suburban. Give it a try instead of just watching the funnel. Great video. Very important to describe like you did the total capacity of the system and the drain amounts. Doing the distilled 4-5 times is what I do. But you have to know and understand the amounts so you can figure out how much pure concentrate is needed. In almost all other video I have seen they mistakingly use 50/50 pre-mix not knowing what you point out. In almost all cases you MUST use 100 % concentrate to adjust for the distilled water in the block/core and ultimately achieve ~50/50 mixture for the overall system.. great job!
Hmmm, shaking the vehicle. I can see how that would work. Thanks for sharing. It seemed logical to me that there's obviously still distilled water in the system in the engine block, heater core and heater lines so you'd have to first figure out what's left in there, add an equal amount of 100% coolant concentrate to make what's left in the system a 50/50 mix and then finish by topping it off with 50/50 mix. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Great videos! Friendly criticism, consider pulling the thermostat if you have to do a flush. You won't have to bring it up to temperature.
Good point. Since the thermostat isn't hard to pull out on a 3rd Gen 4runner, that would have saved some time. For some vehicles though, the thermostat might be a pain in the butt to pull out. But, it would have been beneficial in the video to suggest pulling the thermostat if it's quick and easy to get to.
Thanks for the suggestion.
@@TimmyTheToolman does pulling the thermostat make it a straight shot to just flush the system at a lower temp?
@@justinblaha5105 Yes, you can absolutely do that.
Hi Timmy, great video and explained everything perfectly. One more thing, do we need to recycle every flush or recycling first two flushes enough?
The first two flushes would probably be enough. After that there's only traces of coolant in the distilled water. I wouldn't pour it down the storm drain though because that would lead to a clean body of water. Maybe flush it down the toilet because that goes to a water treatment facility. All kinds of chemicals go down the sewer system to a water treatment plant so some water with traces of coolant in it doesn't seem bad to me.
Timmy The Toolman thank you
@@madhawavishwajith1506 You're welcome.
Good stuff. I just had to do this in the Orileys parking lot lol
Thanks. Parking lot jobs aren't ideal, but you got it done and that's what counts.
You flushed the radiator in the O'reileys parking lot? LOL sure they loved that.
I really appreciate your videos thank you for your time do you by chance have video showing how to replace the heater control on these I trust your videos and knowledge
Hey Chris, we unfortunately don't have a video for the replacement of the heater control.
The 50/50 pink coolant is for the newer Toyotas (mid 2000's). It is not premixed red coolant and shouldn't be mixed with the red coolant.
At first, I thought you were right because I called my local Toyota dealer and spoke with a mechanic who confirmed what you said. The red and pink coolant aren't compatible. So, I added a disclaimer to this video and reposted it so I wouldn't give out bad information. Today, another subscriber tells me the coolants are indeed compatible and Toyota put out a service bulletin confirming this. Here's the TSB: www.toyotaparts.metro-toyota.com/ENGINE_COOLANT_COLOR_CHANGE_T-PG010-02.pdf
So for those reading this, TOYOTA RED IS COMPATIBLE WITH TOYOTA 50/50 PINK.
Timmy The Toolman. Good deal... I've converted my 2001 4R sport to G-05 10 years ago. I just recently converted my Sequoia also. The red and pink are almost $30/gal at the dealer here. You or your 4runner buddies looking for a 3.4 supercharger? I have a low mileage 20k one from my Tacoma that was bought back from frame rust a few years ago.
I'll ask around. I bet Sean knows somebody that would be interested. Sean knows all kinds of dudes that live to mod their 3rd Gens. I'll ask him.
kapple17 sorry to butt in but in but I'm looking for a super charger for the 3.4
joscastro1984 where are you located?
Timmy question about radiator what do you think about aluminum radiator will that help drop the temperature? And will that last longer versus oem? Thank you
Hey Jeff, I know nothing about aluminum radiators for our 3rd Gen 4runners so I couldn't give you any advice. I put an OEM radiator in my rig. I think most chose a Denso or Koyo replacement because they're more affordable. The OEM I bought was around $200 and Denso and Koyo sell for around $100 online. I had read the OEM was superior to the Denso and Koyo so that's why I went with OEM.
Great video very helpful do you have drain some of the coolant from the engine block plug that you need a really long wrench for ? Cheers also what's that filter looking thing cable tied when draining the coolant from the start
luke neave Hey Luke, some people drain the block but since there's so little coolant that drains out when you do it, I decided to not bother with it.
That thing you're referencing is an in-line magnetic transmission filter in the transmission cooler return line. It filters out more particulates than the metal strainer filter under the transmission pan.
@@TimmyTheToolman will the distilled water flush(es) move through the same basin as where engine block plug drains from? I'm assuming it's a pretty obvious "yes", but just want to confirm.
@@n0sr3t3p Hey Mark, yes, the distilled water moves everywhere throughout the cooling system. It might not get rid of any hard deposits where the block drain is but I decided opening the block drain wasn't worth the time when I saw how very little the block holds. A guy on T4R.org showed the amount he got out draining the block and it looked like a 1/2 pint to 1 pint of coolant.
Thank you for this video. I know its not good to run the engine with no liquid in the system, but if you ran it for say 30 seconds on the final drain would that get the extra quart of distilled water out that is left in the system?
Hey Curtis, I don't think so. The water pump's ability to move coolant through the system is dependent on it receiving water so it can create the pressure necessary to move the coolant throughout the system. If the water pump is sitting there dry, it's not going to be able to "suck" the leftover coolant that's remaining in the engine block, heater core, heater core lines and rear heater lines (if you have a rear heater).
Fun fact about distilled water is that it's corrosive because of it's high reactivity. You'll never see a metal pipe that runs pure distilled water through it because it will eventually just eat straight through the pipe. It absorbs phenols from plastics, nickel from stainless steel, and aluminum. And it'll absorb carbon dioxide from the air to create carbonic acid which further makes it acidic. Semiconductor manufacturers use DI water in chip manufacturing but they use specially treated and coated pipes all routed through open pipe spaces so they can be routinely inspected. In other words, don't leave straight distilled water in your engine. But it does make a good flush, as you can see in the video, it's binding to all the nasty bits clinging to the inner surfaces of the cooling system and pulling it out of the engine. Once you mix the DI water with the coolant, the coolant stabilizes the mixture, making it inert.
Hmm, sounds like you're saying not to use distilled water for the engine cooling system. That's a first. Where do ou buy deionized water?
@@TimmyTheToolman Nah, it's fine. Read my last line again. Once you mix the DI water with the coolant it stabilizes. The coolant probably is chalk full of buffers, chelators and PH balancers. You can get deionized water at like a Whole Foods or someplace similar. But Deionized water is even more reactive then run of the mill distilled water. I guess my whole point was its fine to use straight distilled to flush, just don't leave it in there and run it like that for extended periods.
@@heftyjo2893 Well, you said DI which I took for deionized water. Deionized water is different than distilled water. Anyway, it doesn't matter.
great video! I am more confident on flushing my own car. You did a really good job and explained how and why. but when you start this whole process of draining, are the radiator cap and overflow cap on or off? may sound like a dumb question to most but I don't work on cars. thanks for the video, im preparing to start mine early tomorrow.
Take the radiator cap off because it acts like a vent to expedite the draining of the radiator. You can leave the reservoir cap on or off. It doesn't matter. Good luck with the flush.
Hey Timmy,,,is there a benefit/advantage in using Toyota pink/red as opposed to prestone green...if so wht is it...about to do this myself and would like ur input plz, Thank you!
Supposedly the Toyota pink or red has a different chemical make-up than Prestone green and is better for the cooling system for the Toyota vehicles. However, the early year 3rd Gens supposedly came with a Prestone green and then Toyota came out with their proprietary coolant. If Prestone was good back then, why wouldn't it be ok now?
My truck came with Prestone green and I just stuck with it. If it had the Toyota red or pink, I probably would have stuck with that. I personally don't think you need to go with the Toyota coolant. My recommendation would be to stick with whatever coolant you currently have. If your coolant isn't looking really bad, just do a drain and refill of the radiator. If your coolant does look really bad, then you probably should do a flush and you can decide at that point which coolant you want to go with. The benefit I see with Prestone green is it's available everywhere. If I have a hose break in the middle of nowhere and I get towed to the nearest small town that has an automotive store, I doubt that small town store is going to carry Toyota red or pink coolant but they most certainly with have Prestone green. So, you'd be forced to just fill it with straight distilled water until you can find a dealership or store that carries it.
My 1994 3.0 which was SO HORRIBLY neglected and abused had so much rust that the small coolant hose from the block to the back of the throttle body was COMPLETELY PLUGGED for three inches with mud, rust flakes, fibers from the crumbling hose.
No wonder the throttle body couldn't keep a good idle.
I will close the heaters, drain the anti-freeze, run water thru, etc. Will flush heaters separately to avoid further gunk getting in there.
I don't know how people can abuse a vehicle like this ! THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEOS !!
steve jette good luck
And Sicmods!!
Why are the constant tension clamps better than the screw type? Thank you for another excellent video.
Constant tension clamps allow for changes in the hoses as they age. The rubber compresses and shrinks a bit over time and the constant tension clamp will still keep a tight connection on the hose. With a screw down clamp, you'd have to give the clamp a couple turns to make up for the aging hose. That's the difference.
You're very welcome.
@@TimmyTheToolman ;Excellent explanation. Makes sense. Thank you
Hey Timmy. Thanks for the great video. I read your description about recommendations for which coolant to use. So how would you recommend going about doing the flush using only pink 50/50 OEM mix? Since after the flush with distilled water there will still be a quart or two remaining water and when you add in the pink coolant the ratio won’t truly be 50/50. I’ve seen one other mechanic girl on RUclips named Faye who finishes at the end by doing a flush of only pink 50/50 after a distilled water flush. Then she drains it and pours in pink fluid again. Thoughts? This way just seems so much more expensive
Hey Mike, just top off the system with 50/50 when you're done and it will be fine. You will have a slightly less than 50/50 mix but that's OK. Most of the system capacity is held in the radiator. Doing a final flush with actual 50/50 antifreeze to water mix like Faye did is a waste. If you lived in sub-freezing temps for long periods of the year, you might want to run an even heavier ratio of antifreeze to water for the added freeze protection. Water has better cooling properties than antifreeze so your engine will actually run a little cooler with less antifreeze and more water.
Thanks for the video, what do you think about the radiator flush products do you think they are good to use
I've never used them. I guess if the coolant was really nasty looking, I might consider it.
Very comprehensive video.
In the UK motor factors seem only to sell deionised water and not distilled water,even though I ordered distilled.
I didn't realise that the water was not distilled until I had used it.
In addition, as I'm a DIY driveway monkey I couldn't get the constant pressure clamp back on ,and I used a jubilee clip (worm drive thing ) that my old nextdoor neighbour ex mechanic confirmed that such clamps are not fit for automotive work.
I now have the seed of doubt about the deionised water and the jubilee clip.
Any comments?
I didn't know how deionized water compares to distilled water so I looked it up. It seems the deionized process also removes most of the minerals out of the water which is what you want so I'm guessing it's fine to use in coolant. I'm surprised you can't find it in the UK. Almost every grocery store in the the US sells distilled water. Have you tried to find it for sale in the grocery stores?
After some further research, deionized water is what some coolant manufacturers suggest using to make the mix. I now remember Toyota recommends using deionized with their Red concentrate to make the coolant mix. But, I have no clue where to find deionized water. What I do know is most people choose to use distilled water because it's readily available and lacks the minerals that tap water has that will corrode your cooling system. So, long story short, the deionized water you used is fine.
Screw down clamps do work. What makes a constant tension clamp superior is it's ability to keep the connection tight over time. The rubber either shrinks or loses elasticity over time and the connection can become a little loose with the screw down clamp. The constant tension clamp can self-adjust to the changing hose while the screw down clamp will need to be tightened. With all that said, I think you're fine leaving the screw down clamp in place. Maybe just swap it out the next time you're due for a flush.
@@TimmyTheToolman thank you for giving me a very full reply, even on a Sunday and putting my mind at rest .
Little whispers can grow in the mind and I've been getting quite preoccupied with delusions of a self created breakdown.
With the deionised water, I actually ordered distilled water so it's peculiar.
I'll investigate supermarkets for the next coolant change.
Thanks again and subscribed.
@@toonmag50 You're very welcome. We're here to help.
Hello! Thanks for the video but for right now I just needed to add some coolant to a 2004 4runner sport the thing is it comes with red coolant and by accident I bought the pink does that affect my vehicle? Like I don’t want to do the flush just add some more ‘cause the levels are a little bit low and I don’t wanna wait till it overheats
You're engine will be ok. You can mix the two different coolants. Newer vehicles that come with the pink coolant originally probably shouldn't be mixed with the red coolant but your 2004 will be fine.
A few things I have learned from owning Toyota's; use Toyota Red, do not mix the red with any green coolant as it can cause problems. That is probably why he is replacing his radiator. You can also drain the block on Gen3 4Runners, guessing you can on this one.
Yeah, it's usually not good mixing coolants but a lot are compatible now. The 3.4 liter has a block drain but the amount you get out is pretty insignificant, like a 1/2-1 pint at most. So, I've never bothered with it. Draining out what's in the radiator gets most of the coolant out of the system, so unless I'm doing a flush, I just drain the radiator and overflow container, fill it up with a fresh 50/50 mix, burp the system and make sure the level is good in the overflow and call it a day.
Litterally my problem hahah
Great video I'm about to do mine.
Is it ok to mix Toyota Long Life (red) and pink Super Long Life like that? Cheers.
There was a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) that said it was ok to mix these coolants but then the TSB disappeared. I'd just use whatever coolant is recommended for your rig and not mix to play it safe. However, Sean mixed in this video and drove his rig for thousands and thousands of miles without issue.
Dude this looks like so much work. Don’t get me wrong, engine maintenance is very important but hoesntly there’s gotta be a faster way. Great video tho, it was very informative. Alright I’ll be waiting for a hater to show up.
It is a laborious process, but the way we do it is the safest bet. Back in the day when I worked at a Chevron gas station, we would cut into one of the heater hoses and install a plastic T that we could hook a garden hose up to. We'd put a directional spout into the radiator to direct the flow away from the engine and turn on the hose. We'd let the coolant/water rain down onto the shop floor and down the sewer drain. When the water looked clean, we'd turn off the hose, drain the radiator and then add a 50/50 mix of tap water and coolant. Knowing what I know now, that method isn't great for the cooling system. Tap water has minerals in it that can corrode the cooling system components.
Some people take out the thermostat to expedite the process we do so you don't have to get the engine up to operating temp each flush cycle to get the thermostat to open. If you take out the thermostat, make sure you put it back in with the jiggle valve pointing downward at the 6 o'clock position. Also take a good look at the water neck and water pump housing for a build-up of corrosion where the thermostat seal contacts. You might have to clean it up with some emery cloth or whatever you have, so you don't end up with a leak at the water neck after you're done with the flush procedure.
@@TimmyTheToolman yeah I hate when ppl use tap water and say it’s safe. I totally disagree just by common sense lol. Honestly, now that you mentioned it, I might try to take the thermostat off to help speed up the process. Thanks for the information. ✊
@@DSJVNdsjnvf4356 You're welcome. Good luck with the flush.
You have any plans on making a video on changing the heater core?
No plans to replace a heater core. But, I imagine we'll do this at some point.
When you empty the radiator some of the coolant stays in the system. So when you add distilled water it mixes with the remaining of coolant. You run the engine then empty the radiator and what's left in the system isn't distilled water 100% because it's already mixed with what was left from the coolant in the system after in first place
Yep, we agree with you. But, after several rounds of adding distilled water, that leftover coolant in the system gets more and more diluted to where it's mostly distilled water.
@@TimmyTheToolman how do you get the rest of the distilled water out trapped in the system when adding the new coolant ? Sorry if it’s a stupid question
@@G35Jeesh You don't get it out. Watch the whole video and you'll understand the process.
Now tht u can look bak on ur work,,,how much time did u let the engine run in between flushes, would help to one, thanks!
Israel Rodriguez I can't exactly remember. It does take a while for the engine coolant to get up to operating temperature to open the thermostat and get the coolant flowing through the whole system. If I had to guess, I'd say we ran the engine around 10 minutes every flushing round.
Great video Timmy, it was a huge help! One question, I'm planing on putting a new radiator into my 2006 4Runner with 250K+ miles on it. Should I do the flush before I replace the new radiator, after, or does it matter? Thanks again for the great videos, I'm a novice at all this and you are making my life a lot easier!
I'd do the flush first so you're not potentially getting any crud from the old coolant stuck in the coolant channels of your new radiator. Great to know our videos are helping you out. Good luck with the job.
Welcome to Costco. I love you
Let me see your membership card!
- Sean
The first comment was from Sean. I don't think he's seen Idiocracy so he didn't get the reference. Nice movie quote!
@@TimmyTheToolman Heck yes! love the casual Idiocracy references!
@@stevenlamb8726 "Don't worry, scro'! There're plenty of 'tards out there living really kick-ass lives. My first wife was 'tarded: She's a pilot now."
Hey Timmy, have you ever tried the vacuum system to refill the coolant? It basically pulls a vacuum in the system and then it will refill without any air locks in the system. I use this for all of my vehicles but I'm not sure if it should be used on a older system because of aging plastic end tanks and hoses. Any thoughts?
I have looked at those kits online but I've never tried one. If the system can hold positive pressure, I would assume pulling a vacuum wouldn't hurt it. If an older vehicle has a tight cooling system, I think you would be fine using it.
Hi Timmy. Great video. Thank you so much for doing it. Very detailed which I loved. A couple of questions please. I flushed the system a few times. The 3rd time after one gallon came out it seemed to drain very slow even with the cap off. I checked it in the morning, however, and two gallons was the total. Any ideas why? My last flush I drained it (while it was still hot) and by accident left the radiator cap on and it all flushed out nice and quick. After one gallon drained I removed the radiator cap and the rest still came out quick. Must all have something to do with pressure?
Lastly, is the overflow bottle included in the total capacity of the system? Have not found that answer anywhere. At this point I have 4.75 quarts of pure red in the system (2002 4runner) so I wasn't sure if this means there was less water left in the system so I should add only distilled water in the overflow or if the bottle is counted separately and I should add 50/50 in the overflow? Thanks again.
The reason why the coolant drained out slow is maybe there was an air bubble slowing the draining like it wasn't venting properly for the coolant to drain quickly.
I would say you don't factor the reservoir capacity into the equation. Minus the amount you drain out of the radiator from the total system capacity and then add coolant concentrate equal to the amount of distilled water you have left in the engine. When you're all done burping the system and the engine is at operating temperature, top off the reservoir to the full mark with a 50/50 mix.
Glad you like the video and you're very welcome.
@@TimmyTheToolman your first flush showed 9 quarts. Does that mean there was only 0.5 quarts left in the engine? The last time you had 8 quarts. Why the difference? I kept getting 8 quarts when I drained but didn't burp each time so maybe I could have gotten more out of it if I I could fit more in each time?
I did what you suggested. Ended up using 5.5 quarts concentrate and 4 quarts distilled water to fill the system and to the full mark on the reservoir. This doesn't include amount of water left in the engine. Sound ok? I assume I was plenty close with what I did?
Thanks Timmy.
@@TimmyTheToolman
Where
Timmy The Toolman,
This is a great video on how to flush the cooling system when filled with Preston coolant. I have a 2008 4Runner V6 and I the systems is filled with the correct pink Toyota coolant the only problem is that it's old and no longer cooling that well. Do you recommend flushing the system as many times as you did even though I have the correct pink Toyota coolant? I figure you did all those flushes to remove all the green Preston coolant. I would appreciate any recommendations, thank a bunch.
If your engine isn't cooling well, a simple flush might not be enough. You might want to replace your radiator, upper and lower radiator hoses and the thermostat. If you don't want to replace the radiator just yet, I would drain the radiator, fill the system up with distilled water, run it for a while and drain it again to see if you can get more gunk out of the system. The fact that it's not cooling well leads me to believe some of the cooling channels in the radiator are blocked up and a flush might not be enough.
Do you recommend flushing the heater core with a garden hose by taking the outlet and inlet hose off? And THEN doing this entire process? Or does your process eliminate the need for flushing the core
I ask this because I have the wrong color coolant (yellow) in my 01 4runner so I need to flush the entire system.
No, I would not suggest using a garden hose. You don't want tap water in your cooling system because the minerals in the water could cause corrosion. Just follow what we show in the video and use several rounds of distilled water. If you turn the heater controls to full hot, that will allow the distilled water to flow through the heater core and heater core hoses.
Do you know in general if Toyotas have a bleeder valve that also must be opened up during the air burping process? I have a 2005 Highlander I just bought that I want to do a coolant change and can’t find anything about that. Also, one comment is that you say to have the heater temperature to high which is good, but also the fan on high as well. I find that if you turn the fan, just to low speed the thermostats going to open a lot faster and you complete the whole process a lot sooner. Finally any thoughts on raising the front end a little bit during the burping process?
I don't know of a bleeder valve on any Toyota vehicle. You are right that you don't need the fan on. You just want the heater control valve opened so the coolant can run through the heater core and heater hoses. You do want the front higher than the rear. You can do this by parking on a slant like we did in my driveway, or you could jack up the front end like you mentioned.
Thanks for the video timmy I have a question, evertime I flush the radiator its only 6 liters I got out I do have a rear heater is that mean I still have 3lts inside the system or something is wrong
Yes, that means you still have around 3 liters left inside. You could open the block drain on the passenger side of the block and that will drain out a decent amount more. You'll never get all of it out, because some will be in the heater core and heater hoses.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks mate 👍
@@kaveituavao2748 You're welcome!
As a 2015 F150 owner (5.0) I found your video to be one of the most detailed ones I've watched and dosent use tap water.
Would you change the radiator hoses during coolant replacement? I'm going on 6 years with 60,000 mi
Thank you for the video, great job!
Thanks for the compliment and you're very welcome. Hoses can last quite a long time and it's debatable whether they really need to be changed because I've seen heater hoses last for hundreds of thousands of miles with no leaks. If the hoses still look good visibly and are still soft and compliant, they're probably ok at the mileage you're at. When you get over 100k miles, I'd maybe start thinking about it and time the hose replacements with another coolant flush or other big job like a timing belt because you usually remove the radiator out of your way when you're gaining access to the timing belt. Or, if you had the unfortunate situation of springing a leak in your radiator, replacing the upper and lower radiator hoses along with the radiator and radiator cap would be the smart preventative maintenance way to go. Happy Wrenching!
Sounds good to me and thank you for the quick reply! I just subscribed.
They look good, so I will plan on replacement during the next coolant change unless, like you said, something breaks.
@@JJK-le2yj You're welcome and thanks for subscribing.
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Hello, how can I donate? I’ve gain so much value from your videos. Thank you
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why are there reservoirs that only have an over flow hose while others also have a bottom hose that goes to the radiator,,some have three hoses i think the third is a bleeder or something i forgot
Timmy, I’m doing a drain/fill on my 3rd gen with no rear heater. If I fill her back up with 50/50, would that be okay? I live in AR, so it doesn’t get too cold here.
Yes, that would be fine. You're not doing a full flush leaving distilled water in the heater core and engine block so there's no need to do calculations of how much distilled water is left and adding in pure concentrate to make the residual a 50/50 mix. Doing regular drain and refills will keep your coolant in great shape and there's no real need to ever do a full flush unless you're switching to a different coolant or your flushing it because the coolant was in real bad shape. So, you're good to go. Happy Wrenching Josh.