Coolant flush question

[supton]

Wife's hybrid is over 50k now and I'm starting to think about coolant and trans fluid changes... and I think I'm scared off from attempting. [Admittedly half of it's from dealing with the bellypan.]

Regardless: on my prior 2011 Camry and 2010 Tundra, when I did the coolant, all I did was drain the radiator, refill the radiator, drove for a day, top off the overflow tank. Yet I have come across vacuum purging on some cars. Was I lucky or just plain wrong on those older vehicles?

 

[SHOZ]

If there are no leaks, especially vacuum breaking air leaks on cool down, the engine will sooner or later self purge the air. Still if you look in the radiator when it's cold it should be full or it does have air.

 

[supton]

If there are no leaks, especially vacuum breaking air leaks on cool down, the engine will sooner or later self purge the air. Still if you look in the radiator when it's cold it should be full or it does have air.

That's what I figured, but each model these days seems to have new requirements for how to bleed.

 

[drtyler]

Any benefit to changing the Toyota pink coolant early? I thought the first change was around 100k.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

I thought you didn't need to change the coolant until 100 or 150k or something. Or are you talking about the hybrid battery's separate cooling system? What does Toyota say for that service?

Is your Camry Hybrid coolant pressurized or not? I think Toyota still uses non-pressurized coolant reservoirs in most of their cars.

The regular cooling system should be like most regular cars. Drain and then refill with the Lisle coolant funnel. I'm not sure about the hybrid battery part, though.

The ATF change should be easy.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Here is some info for a RAV4 - probably similar. If you scroll down half way someone posted a bunch of info from TIS.

https://www.rav4world.com/threads/e...ation-for-diy-discussion.314619/#post-2876706

I would spend the 20 bucks and get all the real methods from TIS, then decide. I will likely do mine at 50K also.

https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/appmanager/t3/ti?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=ti_home_page&goto=https%3A%2F%2Ftechinfo.toyota.com%3A443%2Fagent%2Fcustom-login-response%3Fstate%3D6gnBZqSkj9Vs-22cC8WuW0s1CH8&original_request_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftechinfo.toyota.com%3A443%2F

 

[atikovi]

Most manufactures these days have 100,000 miles coolant changes. Coolant isn't exposed to contaminants or wear particles like motor oil or transmission fluid. Have you changed the brake fluid yet? That's should be done every 2 or 3 years.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The Toyota spec is "Initial replacement at 100,000 miles/120 months. Replace every 50,000 miles/60 months thereafter."

My Nissan was like this - except is 75K/50K.

I feel somehow like its a bit of BS. I suppose when everything is new there is less corrosion hence maybe the anti corrosion properties get used up less quickly. But it still seems sort of like marketing - you can go 100K without changing the coolant - the first time, but the second time you only get half with the same stuff?

Call me a skeptic. I'll be changing mine. My Rav4 takes 7.3 quarts. The factory instructions are basically dump the old and refill the new. So it will involve 40 bucks of OEM coolant and half hour of my time likely.

 

[Kira]

^Yup. Out with the old, in with the new.
On a car I won't specify, one gallon drained from the radiator petcock and replenishing with new is what I did.
Seemed to work.

And I have a playful brake question.
Could brake inspection and lubing be synched with changing brake fluid every 2-3 years?

 

[SC Maintenance]

Could brake inspection and lubing be synched with changing brake fluid every 2-3 years?

Probably worth its own thread.

I delved down this rabit hole. Seems some brake systems leach copper into the fluid which can corrode the ABS valves.

Another is brake fluid is hydroscopic, so absorbs water. The water can corrode things - although it would be nice for someone who understands chemistry to explain how water absorbed in alcohol can corrode stuff in a sealed system - I would just be interested.

I purchased one of those electronic fluid testers. Put it in a freshly opened can of prestone fluid and it told me it had 2% water. I figured the tester was broken so I returned it and bought one elsehwere. It told me the same thing, then told me the brake fluid in my truck - which I changed a few years ago had less - like 1.5%????

I probably need to get some test strips and try again.

 

[ctechbob]

The Toyota spec is "Initial replacement at 100,000 miles/120 months. Replace every 50,000 miles/60 months thereafter."

I feel somehow like its a bit of BS. I suppose when everything is new there is less corrosion hence maybe the anti corrosion properties get used up less quickly. But it still seems sort of like marketing - you can go 100K without changing the coolant - the first time, but the second time you only get half with the same stuff?

Not really. They expect you to not get all of the old out when you do the change. Having some of the old and a lot of new in there, it makes perfect sense to shorten up the following changes.

 

[atikovi]

you can go 100K without changing the coolant - the first time, but the second time you only get half with the same stuff?

That's because they assume the second time you will only be doing a drain and refill. IF you do a complete flush, as in half a dozen drain and refills with distilled water before the final fill with coolant, I'd have no problem going another 100,000 miles before the next change.

 

[SC Maintenance]

That's because they assume the second time you will only be doing a drain and refill. IF you do a complete flush, as in half a dozen drain and refills with distilled water before the final fill with coolant, I'd have no problem going another 100,000 miles before the next change.

If I drain and fill at 50K, it will be even better at 100k

 

[supton]

Have you changed the brake fluid yet? That's should be done every 2 or 3 years.

Not yet, just hitting the 2 year mark.

Could brake inspection and lubing be synched with changing brake fluid every 2-3 years?

For a bit I was trying to pull some fluid every spring, during the annual brake going through. Empty the MC, pull some amount through the system.

The regular cooling system should be like most regular cars. Drain and then refill with the Lisle coolant funnel. I'm not sure about the hybrid battery part, though.

Never used the fancy funnel in the past, just drain and refill. On this car it appears there is a mode to put the car into, a high idle to get the air out. All of it doesn’t seem bad—except for the belly pan. Don’t have a lift, so it looks like much frustration to me.

 

[Astro14]

Not really. They expect you to not get all of the old out when you do the change. Having some of the old and a lot of new in there, it makes perfect sense to shorten up the following changes.

That’s what I was thinking…

Also, draining the radiator is usually about a half drain of the coolant. I.E. In a two gallon system, a radiator drain gets out about a gallon.

There should be a couple of other drain points. Make sure to drain from there as well when you drain the coolant.

Yes, a vacuum fill system works great. But it’s for filling. In some engine/car combos, it’s required for filling because of the number of potential air pockets.

 

[atikovi]

If I drain and fill at 50K, it will be even better at 100k

True, but it's like doing 2000 mile OCIs. Most here would say unnecessary.

 

[Boomer]

On my VWs, the coolant circulates through the overflow tank as they get very hot after a drive. About four times a year, I suck the overflow tank dry and add new coolant. This keeps the anti-corrosion level up and I really never need a drain and fill. The overflow tanks are spotless inside.