Servicing the radiator coolant

[Kenshin X]

Discliamer: Neither TOCAU nor I will take any responsibility if you blow up or overheat your car during this DIY. If you are unsure or not confident, just get a professional to do it for you.

Hey guys,

This is a small DIY I put together so that you guys can service your radiator coolant yourselves to save a few bucks.

things you need:

Genuine Toyota Coolant for your Corolla (Long Life Anti Freeze and Anti Boil (red)) You need 6.7L so 3 bottles shoud suffice. extra fluid is always better

2 4L icecream containers

distilled water from bursons/repco/autobahn etc. (if needed)

With your car COLD remove the metal radiator cap on the top

and this white plug here...

found behind your radiator to the bottom right (looking at the car from the front) making sure you have something to catch the coolant, put a icecream container (have 2 handy) so it doesnt get messy underneath. Put it under the hole directly under where the white plug was

this is what the plug looks like when taken out

after all the coolant has been drained out, replace the white plug and make sure its on nice and firm but not over tight.

Start filling the radiator coolant using a 50/50 mixture of coolant and DISTILLED WATER NOT TAP WATER!. If the product says "coolant concentrate" u need to dilute it to 50/50. If you says "coolant pre-mix" you just need to pour straight in. Stop when it overflows.

For this particular coolant, just pour the concentrate into the radiator then fill the rest with distilled water will suffice

Now squeeze the inlet and outlet pipes so to get all the air outside of the cooling system. you may or may not see the bubbles coming out of the radiator top.

once no bubbles come, replace the metal radiator cap securely.

now open the resevoir and slowly fill the fluid until full mark.

start the engine

when the engine is warming up set the heater up 100% hot and let it blow full blast.

so this until the cooling fan operates. u can speed the process up by keeping the revs from 2 to 2.5k rpm.

squeeeze the inlet and outlet hoses again when the engine is warming up. at this stage, if the hoses are really hot then coolant is circulating through the block.

stop the engine and let it cool down.

check the fluids again and top up to full mark if necessary. and run the engine from cold to warm using the steps above again until the coolant fluid level stays full.

recheck the level of coolant in the resevoir, if below full, add coolant until its full mark.

CHECK FOR LEAKS if none...

ready to rock and roll!

that is all

Specail thanks to the guys (CHA54, Superdave and Prozak123-R) who helped me change my o-ring. it led me to change the coolant which is why this DIY is on TOCAU

[maca_10]

Thanks mate. Just did this on my Rolla and all good. Really easy to follow and great pictures.

Thanks

[Tane Moore]

Don't forget the drain plug on the back of the block too