I got a 94' Corolla DX
by cloudplaya, February 21, 2008
I got a 94' Corolla DX
https://www.corolland.com/forums/index.php?...=radiator+flush
I got a 94' Corolla DX
Easy way (slow) or hard way (faster)?
There are some posts on different methods to do it - just do a search:
I'll note the Easy way here, just incase:
- Need a couple of gallons of distilled water - pick this stuff up at a grocery store pretty cheap. Better to use this than tap water - no impurities to scale up the radiator.
- Jug of Toyota Red coolant - the non-diluted or non-premixed version - this is assuming the car still has the Toyota Red stuff. If the radiator has green coolant and you don't know the maintenace history of the car - you might be looking at more work, depends on how long it was running that other coolant and what kind of water they used to mix with it. Look at the top of the radiator (take cap off and use a flashlight to look at the cooling fins) - if they have rust or heavy deposits on them - you might have to use a chemical de-scaler/flush. I tend to stay away from these, as they can continue to eat the radiator if not completely removed from the system.
- a drain pan or bucket (don't pour the coolant onto the ground or pour it down the drain - you have to dilute with it a heavy amount of water (something like 6-10 gallons of water to 1 gallon of 50/50 mix coolant) or just pour it into the emply water jugs you will have left and take it to a garage or Autozone, Checkers, etc. for recycling/disposal.
- floor jack and jackstands
1. Make sure car is cool before you work on it - don't want to risk getting scalded by hot coolant.
2. Jack up front of car, place jackstands (optional)
3. Place drain pan or bucket (hence the jack option) close to the bumper, don't throw it under the car yet.
4. Locate the drain petcock on the bottom of the radiator - just stick your head under there and look for something that looks like a "winged" nut.
Example pic here - http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/watermark...3394&size=1 NOTE: Not Corolla, but similar - just look, you can't miss it.
DRAINING PHASE
5. Once located - pull drain pan under the petcock, and open it up. Sometimes helps to remove radiator cap.
FLUSHING PHASE
6. Wait till coolant completely drains out, close petcock, refill with distilled water, reinstall radiator cap.
7. Start car, set heat to max, and run it until the top of the radiator starts to feel hot. Same time - check for leaks.
8. Shut it down - let car completely cool, repeat draining phase until drain water is completely clear = cooling system is completely flushed.
REFILL PHASE
9. Now to try and get a 50/50 mix. Easiest way is to fill it is to pour 3/4 gallons of Toyota Red into the cooling system, then top off with water. I'm pretty sure that the coolant capacity is 6 quarts, total system is 8 quarts (2 gallons). The remaining 1/4 gallon of coolant and 1/4 gallon of distilled water will get dumped into the coolant recovery tank by the radiator (overflow reservior). Make sure you dump the old stuff out and wash all the crud out of it and refill with the leftover 1/2 gallon 50/50 mix.
10. Start car, set heat to max, and run it until the top of the radiator starts to feel hot. Same time - check for leaks.
11. Air bubbles will automatically work themselves out. To speed it up - you can fill the radiator with the front end jacked up.
12. Periodically check to make sure that the recovery tank is to the "full" line - if the radiator needs more coolant, it will automatically suck additional coolant from the reservior.
DONE
thx but I think I will use the premix because its easier
That's cool - just keep in mind, that even after you drain the system - there will still be a considerable amount of coolant, water, etc. left inside. If you premix - make sure to keep the ratio close or you may not have enough freeze protection. Not a problem if you live in an area that doesn't get down to subzero temps.
I appreciate your guide, fish. I would add that you might want to wear goggles if you're stupid enough like me to get down there with your head close to the drain nut when it starts pouring out. I got some coolant in my eye once and it wasn't fun; on top of a coolant flush I had to do an eye flush as well! 
Bikeman982
Is it necessay to use/switch to the red coolant?
All my cars use the green/yellow type and that's what I use.
The premix is already 50/50 and no water is needed.
The car does have to warm up enough for the thermostat to open for the rest of the fluid to circulate.
Hope this helps.
Is it necessay to use/switch to the red coolant?All my cars use the green/yellow type and that's what I use.Btw, I finally got around to flushing mine today. 2001, had red coolant in it. Safe assumption considering the maintenance done on that car prior to my owning it that it's the same coolant it rolled out of NUMMI with.
The premix is already 50/50 and no water is needed.
The car does have to warm up enough for the thermostat to open for the rest of the fluid to circulate.
Hope this helps.
Coolant was damn clean, and has never had to have any added to it. I'd say it did pretty well, almost 100k and 8 years on that coolant.
I'm putting Prestone back in it, though.
Bikeman982
Are you putting the red coolant in, or is the Prestone the yellow stuff??Btw, I finally got around to flushing mine today. 2001, had red coolant in it. Safe assumption considering the maintenance done on that car prior to my owning it that it's the same coolant it rolled out of NUMMI with.Is it necessay to use/switch to the red coolant?All my cars use the green/yellow type and that's what I use.
The premix is already 50/50 and no water is needed.
The car does have to warm up enough for the thermostat to open for the rest of the fluid to circulate.
Hope this helps.
Coolant was damn clean, and has never had to have any added to it. I'd say it did pretty well, almost 100k and 8 years on that coolant.
I'm putting Prestone back in it, though.
Are you putting the red coolant in, or is the Prestone the yellow stuff??
I replaced the Toyota Red with the "new formula" Prestone Extended Life. It's yellow, but claims compatibility with any color.
I read in another thread about this from a while back about a drain plug on the engine block itself. Any info, Fish?
There is a drain plug on the block itself (backside of the block, right by the exhaust manifold - should have a tube like spout from it) - some also crack that open to help expedite the coolant drain. I've never cracked that one open, myself on my cars. One, can't get to it very easily and from what I've seen - you can flush the engine just as well, without opening it.
I've used Fish's method on my 2000 Corolla, which I bought new, several times. I've tried to do it every 40-50 thousand miles/2 years.
I now have 205,000 miles on the car. Radiator looks brand spanking new and I'm still on my original water pump, thermostat, and hoses.
Distilled water, Toyota red (not the premix pink) is the best way to go. My only modification is that I used about 4 or 5 gallons of distilled water and did the Flush step over and over.
The extra time to do it right with distilled water and with toyota red is worth every minute.
I don't bother with the engine drain either.
jim
I did the radiator flush 3 weeks ago. The radiator fluid looked clean already -- no residues, no floaties, no rust -- but it was overdue by a year. So I drained it, flushed it with tap water, put some Zerex cleaner in, drove it for 8 hours (normal driving, errands, etc. over the course of two weeks), drained it again, refilled with tap water, ran the engine for 15 minutes again, and drained it again, and finally refilled with distilled water and the green stuff. Whew!
