Coolant Change Help

[tau166]

I've read through all the posts about coolant type and whatnot and have come to my own opinion about that.... However, I could not find instructions on how to change and/or flush the coolant. Any suggestions? I was given one tip that I should leave the radiator cap and overflow cap on initially when I open the drain at the bottom of the radiator to help "suck" the coolant out of the overflow tank and block.Does anyone have a picture of where the block drain plug is on the 1ZZ? Someone said it was on the backside between cylinders 3 and 4 with a 10mm plug, but I haven't gone looking for it yet.Thanks.

[mikey00]

I have been searching all over on both Vibe and Matrix forums and couldn't find a good how to for this. Here is a good how to written for the RX300. The basics and coolant types are the same. You just have to find and substitute the Vibe drain locations.http://www.clublexus.com/forum...a+red

[Sub-Vibe-R]

I flushed mine 2 weeks ago.You have to remove a plastic protector under the car to be able to catch the fluid in a pan. It hold by 4 push pins and 2 bolts.Then you remove the rad flushing screw (dirver side), open up the rad cap and the fluid will flow.Then put back the flushing screw, fill up the rad with plain water, run the engine for 1-2 mins. Shut down the engine. Flush againRefill, run, flush until you get nothing but water coming out the rad.Then fill up the rad with a 50-50 mix of coolant and plain water.

[mikey00]

Sounds to me like you are not draining the engine, only the radiator. If this is true, you end up with plain water in block after your last drain. So when you add 50/50 mix to radiator it comes out to be much less when it mixes with water in block. Am I missing something?

[tau166]

Mikey00: I'll check that later...that site is blocked by my company firewal Sub-Vib-R : Thank for the instructions. This was my plan because I suspect draining the block could be a pain in the (removed) and messy.Quote, originally posted by mikey00 »Sounds to me like you are not draining the engine, only the radiator. If this is true, you end up with plain water in block after your last drain. So when you add 50/50 mix to radiator it comes out to be much less when it mixes with water in block. Am I missing something?This problem is fairly easy to solve. First you must assume that all you've got in the system is water after flushing. You look up the specified coolant volume in the owner's manual. Add half that amount of coolant and then top off with water.

[tau166]

I've got another question. How are you supposed to dispose of used coolant? Is it supposed to go back to Pep Boys or whoever like with oil?

[tau166]

thanks Silver. I'll give Pep Boys a call first...I think there are autozones too.Greenville is pretty nice. It's been a pretty mild summer. According to my contacts in Ann Arbor, it's been cooler here than up there so far. I'm up near the blue ridge mountains so that helps. Minimal snow in the wintertime was a change, but I guess I'm not complainning. You can still go skiing up in the mountains and now I can get "summer" tires instead of "all season" and not really worry about it

[mikey00]

Here is the text from the blocked site:Repl Toyota Red with Toyota Pink Coolant -------------------------------------------------------------------------------RX Coolant Capacity 9.5 Qt with Expansion Tank - For a simple fluid change, 3 Gal Super Long Life Coolant - PN 00272-SLLC2.. Remove lower cooling pan under bumper (10-10mm bolts & 2 alligner pins (pop out centers using two small flat screwdrivers) ...By pressing the release tab away from you, lift and lay aside the DRL Fuse Box from it's holder just right of the battery. This allows access to the brass petcock valve just inside the exhaust manifold screwed into the side of the engine. Fit a two ft piece of clear 5/16 ID plastic tubing to the nipple and place into drain container. Place another two ft piece of tubing onto the radiator drain petcock with white valve. Jack stand and remove the right front wheel. The rear engine drain petcock valve is located above and to the outside of the transfer case on the AWD, screwed into the engine block. Also fit a third two ft piece of plastic hose to this drain nipple and into drain container. Insure the engine is cool prior to draining! New coolant is fully compatable with the older red, so unless coolant removed is excessively dirty or not toyota red, a drain and fill without flushing should be all required. The radiator should drain about 6 quarts with the block holding the other 3.5 Quarts. Remove the top radiator cap to allow system to evacuate. Open the radiator thumbscrew petcock and allow the red coolant to flow out. Using a 1/4 drive 10mm socket, open the front engine drain petcock valve about a turn allowing coolant drain. Using a 3/8 drive with a short extension 10mm socket , loosen the rear block petcock valve about a turn allowing coolant drain. Remove the expansion tank hose by sliding back the clamp and "gently twisting the hose on the cap nipple and wabble it off. Allow the hose to drain red coolant. Lift and wabble the tank from it's holder bolted to the fender. Drain the red coolant from the tank and clean the inside. Allow to dry and reinstall tank & cap without hose. Close all three drain valves when drain is completed...The radiator is finger tight and the two engine block petcock valves are tightened to 9 FT LBS.The Bottle instruction states if flushing is needed - Fill radiator / cooling system with the 50/50 premixed coolant using a small funnel (use no water). Cap radiator. Set heater to HOT. Start engine and run till heater activates. Stop engine and allow to cool; then drain Pink coolant from radiator and engine again. Do not add any water to system. Properly dispose of waste coolant. Close the three drain valves and refill the radiator/cooling system with 50/50 PreDiluted Super Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (Pink) DO NOT ADD WATER! Cap radiator. Fill expansion tank to MIN line and reconnect overflow hose to tank cap nipple. Run engine with heater set to HOT till heater activates . Stop engine and allow to cool. When cooled, remove radiator cap and with funnel, top off radiator. Top up tank to 1/ 2 inch above MIN line for starters. Check level for MAX when engine is hot. Final check for any leaks at the drain valves and expansion tank.Remove Plastic tubing from the drain petcock valve nipples. Wipe up any spills. Reinstall right front wheel and tighten lugs to 75 FT LBs. Reinstall the DRL Fuse box onto it's holder next to the battery by snapping it down into place. Clean & reinstall the bottom cooling plastic pan by reinstalling the two alligner pins by popping in their center retainers. Then the two outer screws with plastic retainer thread and eight with machine threads with a 10mm 1/4 drive. I tighten my bolts to 8 Inch pounds so not to damage the plastic pan screw holes. The coolant is now a pretty pink !! Good for Five Years or 100,000 Miles

[olympic]

I found the drain plug in the block of my 03 auto. It's on the firewall side of the engine, directly up from the inner CV boot. You need to be under the car quite a ways to be able to see it. A flashlight or trouble light will help too. It's got a tube that you can attach a rubber hose 5/16-3/8" hose to so you don't splah coolant everywhere, then you loosen the 10mm bolt and the coolant will start draining.The drain for the radiator is on the lower drivers side, reachable from above. Just turn it right out.The system seems to trap alot of air so keep an eye on the coolant resevoir for a few days. You'll likely have to add coolant a few times until all the air works it's way out.