Coolant Replacement

[bobvdale]

Was planning on replacing the engine coolant but discovered I could not find the drain !Removed!. On all other vehicles :chairshot: I have encountered it has been located in the bottom of the radiator but not having any luck finding on my 96 SC400. Its a tad embarassing but can someone just tell me where the drain is located. :chairshot:

[AWJ]

Not sure on that one. On the SC300 the drain is on the driver side bottom of the radiator. (If I recall correctly from this summer.) But I hear you V8 guys don't have a drain on the radiator. Someone else will have to breif you on that one. I'll check the manual if I get a chance.

[AWJ]

Your PM motivated me to check the manual. Remove your radiator cap. Remove the water filler plug from the water inlet housing (looks to be located just about dead middle front of the motor before the intake manifold plenum). Loosen 3 drain plugs - one on the driver side front of the radiator, one beneath the driver side exhaust manifold (mid-block or so) and one just beneath the T-stat (possibly) or underneath the water inlet housing. These are approximate locations - I'm looking the the 1995 factory service manual and the drawings are not precise as well as the fact that I have not done any work on the 1uz. I'd scan it but my scanner is busted. Basically, just look around those areas I've mentioned and you'll find them. The drain bolt on the block needs to be torqued to 13 newton meters or 9 foot pounds. Close the others and refill. I'd recommend running the car for a few minutes with the heater on full blast before draining - then shut the car off with heater left on. Refill and start the car again with heater on full blast. This should help to keep from air getting trapped. Good luck.

[99lsguy]

Pre-mix each gallon 50/50 before you fill up the block.

MY 99 LS manual also suggest using Distilled Water (2 gallons should do)

[Lextech2k3]

the petcock for the radiator should be dead center of the radiator at the bottom....and you don't need to drain the block like awj was telling you...that's for if you are rebuilding the engine...and by the way..unless you plan on flushing the whole system out you better use toyota red coolant you will have a whole world of problems...

hope this helps...

[AWJ]

I'm not familiar with the 1uz. Just restating what the factory service manual says in plain print in front of me. I don't know where the drain !Removed! is - I was guessing by looking at the poor picture in front of me.

I agree, the old coolant should be completely flushed if changing types. I also recommend flushing it once a year. This can be done easily enough with a kit and a garden hose or the flush bottles and pure water. Or take it to a shop for a pressure flush. I usually stand with the tech when they do the work though. The only thing the manuals state that must be used is Ethylene-Glycol anitfreeze. Color or manufacturer has nothing to do with it. Glycol based antifreeze is glycol based antifreeze. Color does not matter. I have not had a single problem with green prestone antifreeze. Neither have others. I have seen head gaskets go on motors with this red-envornmentally safe stuff. I'm a purist. Antifreeze should be green. And it will be in my cars. I'm not sure that if the green stuff gets topped over the toyota red - that there is going to be a world of problems though. It will look pretty nasty. Thats about it.

Tha manual does state - do not use alcohol based coolant or pure water. That's all about that.

[mktbully]

I'm not familiar with the 1uz. Just restating what the factory service manual says in plain print in front of me. I don't know where the drain !Removed! is - I was guessing by looking at the poor picture in front of me.

I agree, the old coolant should be completely flushed if changing types. I also recommend flushing it once a year. This can be done easily enough with a kit and a garden hose or the flush bottles and pure water. Or take it to a shop for a pressure flush. I usually stand with the tech when they do the work though. The only thing the manuals state that must be used is Ethylene-Glycol anitfreeze. Color or manufacturer has nothing to do with it. Glycol based antifreeze is glycol based antifreeze. Color does not matter. I have not had a single problem with green prestone antifreeze. Neither have others. I have seen head gaskets go on motors with this red-envornmentally safe stuff. I'm a purist. Antifreeze should be green. And it will be in my cars. I'm not sure that if the green stuff gets topped over the toyota red - that there is going to be a world of problems though. It will look pretty nasty. Thats about it.

Tha manual does state - do not use alcohol based coolant or pure water. That's all about that.

newbie here..but i guess i can contribute to this discussion.

toyota "red" coolant is not the normal dexcool you see in GM/saturn cars.

the red coolant is silica free and comes from the factory in new(er) toyotas. i believe it's also extended drain/flush interval w/ the red coolant.

if your car came w/ green coolant and you feel comfortable w/ the green coolant (flushing it more often) then i would stick w/ the green coolant. :)

[AWJ]

Welcome to the club. Thanks for the info. I was making a parallel with the red stuff and dexcool. Perhaps the silica thing is the culprit. I didn't realize that stuff was in the dexcool. Never used that stuff either. Perhaps I got a little carried away there. All input is appreciated.

We use silica as filler in our epoxy systems at work. It tears up case hardened, nickel plated, high grades steel in a matter of months. I can't believe they would put that in antifreeze. That does explain it though.

[mktbully]

Welcome to the club. Thanks for the info. I was making a parallel with the red stuff and dexcool. Perhaps the silica thing is the culprit. I didn't realize that stuff was in the dexcool. Never used that stuff either. Perhaps I got a little carried away there. All input is appreciated.

We use silica as filler in our epoxy systems at work. It tears up case hardened, nickel plated, high grades steel in a matter of months. I can't believe they would put that in antifreeze. That does explain it though.

the GM dexcool is the #1 engine killer for a lot of the GM cars and trucks. just search on google and you'll see a few cases and perhaps a few lawyers trying to go after GM for it.

the coolant some how clumps up in certain places and well you guess it...clogs it up. then your engine overheats and ugly things happen after that.

the toyota red is good stuff...maybe that's why it's only avail at toyota and it cost twice as much as the green stuff.

green - has silica

red (toyota) - no silica

dexcool - no idea (but it sucks) :D

i think Honda also have their own "house brand" of coolant.

[AWJ]

I'll have to read some labels I think. Guess I'm off on this. I'll check it out. Silica does clump together over time in tight passages and is very abrasive. I didn't even realize there was silica in the green either. I have to take back what I have typed previously.

Lextech - looks to be correct. I'll follow up.

[m2pc]

the petcock for the radiator should be dead center of the radiator at the bottom....and you don't need to drain the block like awj was telling you...that's for if you are rebuilding the engine...and by the way..unless you plan on flushing the whole system out you better use toyota red coolant you will have a whole world of problems...

hope this helps...

So I don't have to drain the coolant from the engine block? Do I have to worry about air pockets if I don't open up all three drains?

[GL123]

The drain !Removed! on my 92 SC400 is located on the back of the radiator. You can easily access it through the oil filter access hole in the bottom engine panel.