I know motorvate has the write up for the 4th gens, but anyone have a write up or know of one for the 5.5 gens? I assume theyre all pretty much the same procedure. From what I gathered, ive chosen Toyota red coolant, WaterWetter additive, I need to flush with distilled water and removing the drain plug is gonna be a PITA.... Anything im missing?


thanks!

 

This is something I couldn't be bothered doing. I just go to a radiator shop and let them flush the rad, backflush the cooling system and pressure test it. Last year I paid Cdn$40 cash and let them worry about disposal of the old coolant. The stealer wanted over Cdn$100. For the sake of saving a few dollars, I would rather get an experienced radiator shop to do it for me and not murder any cats or dogs in the process.

 

$40 CAD is insanely cheap though, everywhere I've asked about doing it they wanted $70+ US. In that case it makes financial sense to do it yourself.

 

I suspect there are independent shops (not big-name franchises) who will do it cheaper than that. All it takes is the yellow pages and 10 minutes of working the phones. Also inquire about paying cash. Some independent shops don't mind saving you the tax on rad flushes (as well as any associated credit card charges they incur) as they don't necessarily have to account for every ounce of antifreeze.

 

okay, so since the questions has yet to be answered.......anyone????

 

:attention If you're going to be a backyard mechanic and can't find what you're looking for in the stickies or on motorvate.ca, I suggest you spring $20 for a Haynes manual and you will find everything you need therein. It's required reading and there will be a quiz on Tuesday. Make like a boy scout and be prepared!

 

Don't know about an '02, but for my '01 I just pull the lower radiator hose and let the radiator drain, refill with distilled water, run the engine till it circulates good, and repeat another 3-4 times until all the coolant is clear. It's impossible to get at the engine plug.

What I've learned by trial and error is that if I only run the engine a short time between refills (i.e.: 10-15 minutes) it is possible to open the radiator cap before the system gets too pressurized from running too long. If you hit this sweat spot the thermostat remains open for a short time after you pull the lower radiator hose. Siphon action then pulls most of the water/coolant from the block before the thermostat closes. You'll know this is what is happening because water continues to pour out of the engine hose long after the radiator stops draining. I've added as much as 6-7 quarts after doing this once. And the '01 only has an 8-quart system.

But be careful!! The water/coolant is still dam hot as you pull the lower hose. So wear gloves or use a big rag. Done right, it really speeds up the job, and lessens the number of drain/refill cycles you need to do with distilled water.

 

Your FINAL fill should be distilled water. You dont need to fill and flush with distilled water, just use the hose.

-matt