Hi all,
What are the steps to change the coolant hoses on this car. I am handy but haven't done much automotive work other changing the headlights, oil, etc...
Will I be able to reach unhook and hook them back without lifting the car ?
These are the original hoses with 142K miles on the car.
thanks in adv,
-Saty
Depends on what hoses you were looking to change - something that is leaking or a precautionary thing.
There are quite a few steps to this procedure - I would recommend getting a service manual for this - save some headaches down the road for the little money involved. Might also want to do a drain/flush/refill for the cooling system as well - good time to do so if you haven't already. Don't need to jack up the car unless you need to remove air bubbles in the system (some cars are this way - I don't think it applies to Toyota)
But the basics for doing a complete job (replacement of hoses and a cooling system drain/flush/refill) are:
- (DRAIN) Drain the cooling system (drain radiator, drain block)
- Remove upper radiator hose
- Remove/replace lower radiator hose
- Remove/replace heater hoses
- Remove/replace bypass hoses
- Remove thermostat housing - remove thermostat - replace housing
- (FLUSH) Refill with plain water, set all heater controls to HOT, stick a water hose in opening for upper radiator hose and flush system with clean water
- When water runs clear, drain system again
- Flush out coolant reservoir, replace overflow hose if neccessary
- Check thermostat, replace if necessary - reinstall
- Check radiator cap, replace if necessary
- Tighten all clamps, drain plugs, bolts to spec's
- Divide total cooling capacity in half (6 quarts ?) - fill that much in straight Toyota Red coolant - then fill the rest with distilled water (that gets you 50/50 mix without the need to premix)
- Run without radiator cap until system is up to temp
- Wait until cool and top off with more distilled water (might help to squeeze upper radiator hose)
- Add 50/50 mix to cold coolant level in reservoir
- Run it back up to temp with radiator cap on
- Check for leaks, overheating - if none good to go
Good Luck.
Great advice from Fishexpo101. In case you're looking for a down-and-dirty way of getting by with the least amount of work, here's another method:
With the car running, put the temperature on your heater to "cold". This way, you don't drain the coolant in the heater core. Shut the car off. Do not proceed until the engine is cool.
Drain your radiator. If you don't, the coolant will come out when you pull the hoses off. If the coolant is relatively new, you can catch the coolant and pour it back in. To drain, just remove the radiator cap and twist the drain plug - a tee shaped thing on the bottom of your radiator - counterclockwise, and the coolant will drain out.
You have two main hoses going to the radiator. If you still have the factory installed clamps, you just squeeze the two hose clamp ends together (vice grips work well) and pull them away from the connection.
Pull the hoses off. It may help to stick a screwdriver in there to loosen up the connection.
Slip the hose clamps on the new hoses & put the new hoses on except the upper (smaller) hose at the radiator. Fasten the hose clamps like they were before.
Fill the hose that you didn't attach until you can't get any more coolant in it. Once it is full, attach it to the radiator and clamp it. then fill the radiator and make sure the reservoir has coolant in it. If you're using new coolant, use a recommended mixture of 50/50 coolant and distilled water.
With the radiator cap off, start the car and let it warm up. When the thermostat opens up, you'll see turbulence in the radiator. Put the radiator cap on.
With the engine still running, check your temp gauge. It should start to climb. Turn your heater temp to "hot". Hot air should start coming out of it. If not, you have a bubble in your system. Turn the engine off, disconnect that hose and pour more coolant in it.
Do not start your car without putting coolant in the engine block and the radiator. If the engine doesn't have any coolant in it you can overheat your engine and crack your block.
Check your reservoir level for the next few days. top off if necessary.
If you're also replacing the heater hoses, you're better off following Fishexpo's advice.
I know that the above procedure works because my radiator sprung a leak last weekend and I had to replace it. I used the above procedure and it worked like a charm. The radiator was clean on the inside, but the outside was badly pitted and corroded. Most of the bottom fins were gone, and corrosion to the core was extensive. Not surprising, since my car is a '95 with 221,000 miles and spent most of its life in the Detroit area.
Thanks for both your input. I will have to give it a try.
Its Preventive Maintenance. They have been bugging me everytime I go for a checkup to change them...
Also, I just want to change the hoses and then take it in for a coolant flush. So, I thinking of just draining the coolant into a pan and then after changing the hoses, refill with the same and then take it to a service center for a coolant flush. I do not have a place to dispose the coolant.
They wanted about $160 just to change the hoses. I looked under the hood and it looked like the hoses are screwed on, not clamped. I will get a manual and make sure I will be unhooking the right hoses!!!!
Do you think that I should also thing about changing the heater hose, bypass hose and thermostat housing.
The Bypass hose looks fine to me (goes from radiator top to the plastic holding tank ?). Not yet sure where the heater hose is ...
How do I check if the thermostat is working or not ?
Which manuals are the good ones Haynes or Chilton ?
Hey Slalom44 - that is a pretty good tip. Easier is always better.
Your pick for the manuals - though most people that I know have the Haynes manual. If you want to do more work and require better details - I'd try and get your hands on a factory service manual.
With 142K miles on the car - things like a waterpump and thermostat are usually not changed out. You can do it anyways - won't hurt and may same time and money down the road. It will all depend on the condition of the coolant now - if it has heavy deposits or mixed with an incompatible version - you may be looking at some serious amount of money.
Generally, if a hose looks good on the outside (no cracks, abrasions, dry rot, etc) - chances are good that you can keep the hose. Sometimes the hose will rot from the inside out. Only way to tel is to remove the hose and visually inspect it. Sometimes it is just cheaper and faster to just change it and then you'll know that the hose is good.
Kind of weird that the hoses have the screw clamps - the factory usually uses the spring wire or band clamps. But sometimes they make those running changes from year to year.
Bypass hose runs from the water pump to the cylinder head. It is the really short hose. The hose from the recovery tank to the radiator cap is the overflow/recovery hose.
As for checking the thermostat - jus dunk it in some water with a decent thermometer - heat up the water and watch when the plug ing he thermostat opens. Should be at certain temperature - the service manual will tell you.
Good Luck.
hey man, i just did this procedure yesterday. there are two small hoses that go to the throttle body to keep it from icing up. the one more near the passenger side is a bitch to remove at the throttle body. the spring clamp is positioned so that you can't get a grip on it. you'll have to rotate the hose and clamp to be able to get a pliers on it. i had a little leakage from the housing behind the thermostat with all the sensors on it. remove it and use some grey RTV, there was a groove on the housing where it mates to the engine. make sure all old material is removed, ie use an ice pick in the groove. beyond that, it's just hoses, cut the old ones with a boxknife. also, i don't think you can get to that water pump bypass hose without removing the pump, or so it appeared at last cambelt change. springclamps make this job a little easier although my aching back would take issue. also, flush everything with fresh distilled water prior to reassembly to clear out grit etc. Regarding the heater core, just remove the two hoses on the engine, turn heat selector to hot, and pump in water with a handy dandy cheap-###### pump and vinyl tubing, then pump in a 50/50 mix to the core. problem solved. the only hose i couldn't replace was one between the heater valve and the core. it has a funky clamp on it at the selector connection. my guess is the selector and hose are sold as one unit, although i need to check that. you only need to remove the driver side splashshield to get to the lower clamp of the lower rad hose, the car will need to be jacked on the driver side to do so. beyond that, all 4 wheels on the ground. HAVE FUN!
95 1.6l 5-sp 195k the umbiquitous bronze/taupe invisomobile
