MichMaxFan

Ok, here ya go...

1. Flush the system out w/ ONLY distilled water via drain/fills and running engine, etc until water is clear. Will take 8-10 times or so and 1gal of distilled water each time, so plan on buying 12 gallons so ya got some to use along w/ your gallon of new coolant. Buy at grocery store, walmart, etc. About $1 per gallon, give/take.
2. When you get the water to drain clear, put the rad drain plug in (if using that method, I use the hose), take off overflow container and rinse well and reinstall it.
3. Open bleeder "valve". Located on driver side of car, follow upper hose from right driver side of rad and take off the 10mm bolt on a hat shaped unit that looks just like a thermostat location...the line takes a 90 degree turn right by this port...and then put in 1 gallon of UNDILUTED coolant right into the radiator itself. Pour slowly, and you should get the gallon into it or quite close to it atleast. Watch the valve and when coolant comes out of it, put the bolt back in and tighten.
4. Once the gallon is in, put in 50/50 mixture into overflow and rad as necessary.
5. Run car, watch level, allow to cool, fill rad and overflow to proper levels w/ 50/50 mixture.

Let me know if any questions.

Teufelhunden

iTrader: (8)

ok got it, sorry for all the questions, didnt want to mess it up.

MichMaxFan

I'm w/ ya on that....I have been helped a LOT on here, and thought if I can help someone else, I'm gonna do it. By the way, I did the flush over and over last year to get out all the old coolant from previous owner and put in Toyota red. I figure that since it is a rule of thumb to change it every 3-4 yrs anyway, then I just drain/fill yearly and then I don't have to mess w/ any extensive flush process anymore ever again since by the time I do it 3-4 times (once yearly) then I have essentially purged all old coolant anyway and will always have new fluid of some extent in there and will have good protection properties. If you wait 4 yrs to do it, then ALL the fluid is 4ys old and this annual drain/fill keeps purging the old out w/ some new in. To me it is easier to get in the "groove" of doing fluids this way, as I have learned from others who do it this way from the .org. Takes a bit more time in all, but then not as much time necessary when you do it since it is not extensive....also gives that warm/fuzzy feeling that ya did something to help the car!!

Just a tip...

mahanddeem

Bumping an old useful topic.
Should I be concerned about the drain plug (screw) when untighten it for draining the radiator for a 10-year old factory radiator? Could it be rusty and problematic, may break to undo or do after draining? I'd imagine due to location, heat-cold cycles, corrosion and what not it might be risky to deal with..

Vinar

I just did coolant flush today. The drain plug looked brand new and my car is 9 years old.