How do I change my coolant?

where is the radiator to this car and where is the drain plug/where I can remove the coolant?

Here's where to start....an old pic taken of the hood latch cover (and missing right mount screw) I had to fix...note the background.

 

How do I change my coolant?

where is the radiator to this car and where is the drain plug/where I can remove the coolant?

Here's where to start....an old pic taken of the hood latch cover (and missing right mount screw) I had to fix...note the background.

OMG, too funny. You handled it with finesse, KC.

OP, you do not need any tools, and a hose and a big drain pan to collect the old coolant would be good to have and good for the environment.

If you already bought the Zerex, why introduce Prestone? If it needs topping off, just use Zerex to Keep It Simple.

 

Where is the drain plug? From where do I drain the coolant?
I know how to drain the oil, but where, specifically do I pull the plug to let the coolant out?

Is Zerex really better than prestone for the car? If you know the answers to the other questions I've asked, that'd be great! Thanks!

 

From http://www.hollanderparts.com/used-...yota/solara/cooling and heating/675~radiators/675-59394b~4-cyl--2azfe-eng---at/
Thanks....

It's the cream colored petcock valve just left of center as you're looking at it here...to the right of center as you hang over the front end and look down...

Drain (not flush) and fill with 2 gallons Zerex Asian formula and you're good to go....

 

The owners manual in your car should give you the step-by-step instructions.

If you changed your coolant in 2011, I would assume that you did not forget how to do it.

Prestone green has a different chemical composition compared to Toyota Long Life Red (which originally came in your car), so those coolants should not be mixed. You should stick with a coolant of the same composition that you already have, or flush your entire system out with water, drain that all out, and put in the coolant you prefer to use.

 

in 2011, I got it done at a gas station/quick lube place
this time, i want to do it myself to save money and so i can use the type I wanna use.
i think they also used some import, red coolant, but it wasn't the zerex that I wanted to use.

 

Did you find your owners manual yet? Did you check to see if the coolant draining procedure is in it?

I have to ask this also: From your nickname, you are an engineer who lives in the state where most all cars built in North America come from. You have to know where and what your radiator is, right?

 

haha, yes, except I'm a computer engineer, not an automotive/mechanical engineer.

 

I'm sure you'll figure it out. The drain plug for the rad you can reach from above on some models, I think it would be on your right side (standing in front of the engine with the hood open, looking at the engine). Right side of the radiator at the bottom. It's plastic, reach down (or up if you removed the bottom engine cover) turn it CCW drain the old coolant into your container.
The last time i did my coolant i did not want to fool around, i just removed the lower radiator hose, at the radiator end. That'll drain in a hurry alright. If you do this don't forget to reclamp that hose and double check!

Now you can go one of two ways, Refill with water or run the hose. Unless the cooling system is really dirty, which yours isn't because you did it 30,000 miles ago, running the hose into the radiator with the engine running. Probably not necesary like i said, and perhaps excessive, since you will only be flushing the block, because the cold water from the hose will keep the thermostat from opening. I usually don't have access to a hose so i just refill with water, run it, drain it. INTERVAL is more important then flushing the He.ll out of the engine after its been neglected. 30k miles is not too soon to flush your cooling system.

The other way, the lazy way like i do, you can use distilled water for flushing but you'd need a lot) and close the valve. Run the engine ten minutes. Shut it off, drain the water and let the engine cool! (NEVER add cold water to a hot engine unless the engine is running! Danger of cracking the block).

Now if that water was coming out clean enough for you, you're done and add your (100% Coolant is all i use none of that 50/50 fraud freeze!) The reason i hate 50/50 is because its such a blatant rip off and it's totally WRONG. Suppose you flush with plain water like most of us do. You drain all the coolant out of the system (or so you think) then you refill with this 50/50 garbage. So you're good right? WRONG you are now running something closer to 30/70 or at best 40/60. Because: you can drain your cooling system for a week with all the taps open and you STILL have maybe half a gallon inside the engine. How do i know, from tearing apart an engine or two in 35 years of automotive- you always find water inside! There's no way to get it all out.

So rather then even try, just plan that its going to be there. You need to know the coolant capacity of your engine (on my 2002 V6, i think its about 9 qt, so i plan on using a little over a gallon). I add the antifreeze FIRST (of course!) based on what i've roughly calculated, i know it needs to take at least a gallon before even thinking of adding any water (as there's a significant amount of water inside the engine already, as mentioned). Once you've added your antifreeze then and only then add the water if you need to.

I make my coolant 70/30 or 60/40 and just top off with water from then on if it needs it (which it occasionally does once or twice a year). If you live in an extreme climate, ESPECIALLY freezing climates, the LAST thing you should use is that 50/50 crap. If i lived in a part of the US where it froze, I'd use a coolant tester (you can get the cheap kind with the floating balls or the swinging needle thing for a couple dollars at walmart or the auto parts) and test the mixture myself, even after a change-its that important. Having up to 70/30 is no problem but anything less then 50/50...now its time to drain some out and add pure coolant and quit fooling around with that 50/50 nonsense.


There's been plenty of cracked engine blocks that happened to people who forgot, or didn't know they need a 50/50 mix minimum in their cooling system for freezing weather-or trusted in that 50/50 antifreeze and assumed the mixture was good to go when it was actually too weak. Most of you already know this but some of you may not- when water turns to ice it expands, of course, and its unstoppable - and inside the engine guess what the first thing to give is going to be. Same thing goes if your engine gets too hot and the coolant boils-either way the engine can get wrecked for good, all from the coolant mixture being wrong.

 

50/50 glycol/water is generally accepted as the most effective ratio of antifreeze...it is recommended that you use 40 to 60% glycol to water mixture...
The concerns are
1. a simple drain of weak mixture and replacing it with 50/50 will not bring the ratio of effective glycol in the coolant system to 50/50...
2. if one regularly adds water to the coolant system via the reservoir the ratio will again be tipped more to water than glycol....
3. if one flushes the system with water and adds 50/50 you will not bring the coolant system to 50/50 unless ALL the water is purged...and it typically is not...

A system flush should make every effort to removing ALL/as much water as possible if one installs 50/50 coolant...
....all that said, with regards to actions 1/2, the effective ratio will still likely be in the accepted minimum ratio of 40/60...increasing glycol to MORE THAN 70% DECREASES its effectiveness.

see:
http://www.castrol.com/castrol/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9045298&contentId=7080655
http://www.eetcorp.com/antifreeze/antifreeze-about.htm
http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2129452/winter-antifreeze-ratio

 

Can I add the 50 50 hen top it off with pure prestige coolant?

 

Typo. It was autocorrect. I meant top off with prestone pure antifreeze

 

Coolant is not standardized like oil....you can mix brands of oil and know that as long as they are "SN", the latest formulation/rating, and the are same weight range you will be fine...coolant varies so much from brand to brand to meet specific cars' specifications, that it's foolhardy to take the chance...

Fill and top-off with the same Zerex Asian Vehicle coolant...period! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it....

...one question I do have is why do you need to top off coolant?...there should be no drop in the reservoir...my 05 has 2 years' fewer miles (117k) and I've not (yet) seen any drop....
Do have an automotive engineer look for leaks if there is any drop...

 

First, the link below is to a thread involving the process of draining the coolant, replacing the thermostat, then refilling the coolant. It is for a 2002 version of your exact same care, with your exact same engine. Just don't worry about the thermostat section.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...6-2007-2011/407311-diy-2002-camry-thermostat-inspection-coolant-flush-gen5.html

Second, the only thing I do differently on my vehicles is I purchase a coolant flush kit (Prestone or Zerex makes them, at all automotive parts stores) and install that kit per the instructions. This allows 100% of your old coolant to be flushed out using a garden hose. Only thing left in the system would be a little bit of water. I then look up the coolant capacity of the vehicle (in your owners manual) and purchase undiluted antifreeze and put about 60% of the total system capacity into the radiator (I use 60% because of the cold winters in Wisconsin, which you should be equally concerned about in Michigan). I top off the radiator with distilled water, and put the proper amount of distilled water into the overflow bottle. The rest of the procedure in the attached thread fits well for your vehicle.

You won't get much better detail than what is in the attached thread. If that is still not clear, I would recommend you take your vehicle to a shop and have them do it.

 

engineer20 - why do you feel you have to change your coolant? It was just changed in 2011 and 30k miles ago. If the service station used coolant suitable for your Camry, it is a long life coolant and will last at least 5 yrs/100k miles with no issues. If you're having issues with the cooling system, that's a different problem.

The coolant level in the reservoir should be between the low and full line when the engine is cold. As long as you are between those lines, it's fine.

If you want to change the coolant for the sake of changing it, go ahead but it's not necessary nor will insure your car last longer.

 

engineer20 - why do you feel you have to change your coolant? It was just changed in 2011 and 30k miles ago. If the service station used coolant suitable for your Camry, it is a long life coolant and will last at least 5 yrs/100k miles with no issues. If you're having issues with the cooling system, that's a different problem.

The coolant level in the reservoir should be between the low and full line when the engine is cold. As long as you are between those lines, it's fine.

If you want to change the coolant for the sake of changing it, go ahead but it's not necessary nor will insure your car last longer.

WAIT: This 2003 Camry came from the factory with Toyota Long Life Red Coolant. In 2003, this coolant terminology for "long life" did not mean how long the coolant lasted - it meant how long the cooling system lasted. The coolant still needed to be replaced at 30,000 miles or 3 years, whichever came first. That is the situation engineer20 is at right now, assuming the coolant used in 2011 was Toyota Long Life Red or equivalent.

Now, if the coolant used was the Toyota Pink, it would have a longer service life in vehicles it originally came in. I don't know if it is expected to have a longer service life in a vehicle it never originally came in, however.

One really needs to know what is being put into their vehicles, and how that works in their vehicles, to make an assessment on how long it should stay in. But in this vehicle, I don't think 100,000 miles for any coolant is adviseable.

 

Can you mix pentapfrost with zerex 50 50 or with toyota red or pink since they are chemically similar? I live in a cold climate so could I flush then fill with zerex 50 50 and then top it off with pentafrost full strength or toyota to ensure a 60 40 mix since I heard water may still be there after your flush so ffilling with 50 50 may not give you enough protection

 

Can you mix pentapfrost with zerex 50 50 or with toyota red or pink since they are chemically similar? I live in a cold climate so could I flush then fill with zerex 50 50 and then top it off with pentafrost full strength or toyota to ensure a 60 40 mix since I heard water may still be there after your flush so ffilling with 50 50 may not give you enough protection

I went to Carquest that sells this since it's new to me....and:
Pentosin Pentofrost Extended Life Antifreeze / Coolant - Color: Pink, same as Audi / VW / Porsche G12+ fluid, 1.5 liter bottle, European Vehicle Antifreeze

I'm not a chemist, and so I can't say whether European Vehicle Antifreeze is the same as Japanese Vehicle Antifreeze...do you KNOW they are chemically similar? If not why take a chance and consider unknown alternatives when there are KNOWN alternatives you've already identified?...just asking....

 

So the question is what was put in at 115k miles? Based on what 93celicaconv stated, 30k is the change interval so changing now is the right thing to do.

 

Zerex Japanese Vehicle 50/50 coolant here in the US (at NAPA auto parts store) sells for $15

...Thanx 93celicaconv for that useful repost...

 

Thanks AGAIN....The label suggests that it's more likely available in Canada than down south here...OP's inquiry makes more sense now...

 

Can I mix pentofrost a1 with zerex asian 50 50 with toyota red and or pink? Which ones can't mix or are they all miscible?

 

Mixing them will not result in them separating (miscible, clever). Technically you can mix them. I don't understand your deep desire to do so. And as a rule of thumb, it is best staying with a single chemical rather than combining several with slightly different characteristics. If you mix, you must stay at the shortest change interval (3 years / 30,000 miles, whichever occurs first). This perspective was also provided earlier in the John Anthony caption.

 

Right, I know but I read on earlier forums and from what I heard, Zerex asian was like toyota pink and Pentofrost A1 was like toyota red.

Ok, maybe mixing zerex and pentofrost isn't good, but what about using mainly zerex, then topping off with toyota pink?

I'm asking because I bought 2 jugs of Zerex as I was preparing to do a flush and I need 1.5 jugs, but someone said in Michigan, you should NOT use a 50/50 because there is still WATER in the system after you flush and you can't get it out, so if you principally use a 50/50 like Zerex (which I already bought), then you won't have enough protection against the cold, which is why I was wondering, woulnd't it work, then, if I add principally zerex 50/50 asian

and then add pure coolant (toyota or pentofrost) to "top it off" after I run it and bleed the air out the system to increase the coolant concentration back to 50/50 since it could be 40/60 (40% coolant) if I add 50/50 since there may be leftover water according to an earlier post.

Do you now understand why I want to mix? It's because I already bought the Zerex asian and can't return it, so I want to rely on that principally, but someone told me I need max strength, rather than 50/50, so I'm thinking I'll add a little bit of pure coolant near the end of my flush to bring it up to the full line, and that'll make up for the extra water that wasn't flushed out and give me more protection against the extreme cold, esp. since we had such a cold winter this year. It was -25 degrees Fahrenheit at one point. We had a really cold winter, so I'll definintely need to top it off with a "pure coolant" rather than a 50/50 if you know what I mean?

So I'm guessing I should change it and add the 50/50 zerex asian, and then top it off with toyota pink? nothing can go wrong, that way, right?

or will the chemicals mix and cause harm, because I heard they're supposed to be the same/similar?

 

Right, I know but I read on earlier forums and from what I heard, Zerex asian was like toyota pink and Pentofrost A1 was like toyota red.

This is a correct understanding: Both Zerex Asian & Toyota Pink are pre-mix 50:50 ratio coolants / both Pentofrost A1 & Toyota Long Life Red are undiluted full-strength antifreezees requiring distilled water dilution.

Ok, maybe mixing zerex and pentofrost isn't good, but what about using mainly zerex, then topping off with toyota pink? I'm asking because I bought 2 jugs of Zerex as I was preparing to do a flush and I need 1.5 jugs, but someone said in Michigan, you should NOT use a 50/50 because there is still WATER in the system after you flush and you can't get it out, so if you principally use a 50/50 like Zerex (which I already bought), then you won't have enough protection against the cold, which is why I was wondering, woulnd't it work, then, if I add principally zerex 50/50 asian and then add pure coolant (toyota or pentofrost) to "top it off" after I run it and bleed the air out the system to increase the coolant concentration back to 50/50 since it could be 40/60 (40% coolant) if I add 50/50 since there may be leftover water according to an earlier post.

This is what post #14 was trying to get at. If you are flushing with water, you don't want to primarily add the diluted pre-mix 50:50 coolant, because your end result will be less than 50:50, and your freeze protection in Michigan winters will be compromised. If you haven't yet opned your diluted pre-mix containers, why not just take them back for a refund and get an undiluted coolant made for your Toyota? Chances are, it will cost less (you will be using less). Read post #14 again and consider doing this with undiluted antifreeze.

Do you now understand why I want to mix? It's because I already bought the Zerex asian and can't return it, so I want to rely on that principally, but someone told me I need max strength, rather than 50/50, so I'm thinking I'll add a little bit of pure coolant near the end of my flush to bring it up to the full line, and that'll make up for the extra water that wasn't flushed out and give me more protection against the extreme cold, esp. since we had such a cold winter this year. It was -25 degrees Fahrenheit at one point. We had a really cold winter, so I'll definintely need to top it off with a "pure coolant" rather than a 50/50 if you know what I mean?

So I'm guessing I should change it and add the 50/50 zerex asian, and then top it off with toyota pink? nothing can go wrong, that way, right?

or will the chemicals mix and cause harm, because I heard they're supposed to be the same/similar?

If you haven't opened your containers, I don't know why you can't return the unused product. I can't think of any place that won't accept returns. Now if you opened them and broke the seals, then I can understand it.

I'm just worried that, after your flush, you will have say 3 quarts of pure water in your cooling system. You will need 3 quarts of undiluted antifreeze put in at the beginning just to get your mix to 50:50. Put in another quart of pure antifreeze and your mix will be 57:43. Top off with your 50:50 pre-mix to fill your system up, and you will be something more than 50:50 at the end, but likely lower than 55:45. You will be surprised how much water remains in the system after a flush, even if you did remove the block plug and drained the block.

Can't help you much more than this. You have to decide at this point how you want to go about it.

 

This isn't complicated at all. These aren't fragile cars overly concerned with anything. Plenty of owners run around with significantly varied ratios without issues. Simply put a drain and fill every 40-50k will be fine. Any quality OAT coolant will do fine (Toyota Pink or Red, Honda Blue, Zerex, Pentrafrost A1, Peak Global, Peak Heavy Duty Truck, etc.)

Also Zerex Asian is actually closer to Toyota Red (LLC) in construction (though diluted 50/50) and is a 5 yr 60k coolant. Toyota Pink (SLLC) is even better though diluted and is a 7 yr 100k coolant. I wouldn't run any coolant over 60k personally.

30 bucks ever 3-5 years is less than $1 a month.

Just follow these steps:

1. Open the radiator drain and drain the contents of the radiator. Close drain when finished.
2. Remove the reservoir bottle and drain it. Reinstall when finished.
3. Remove radiator cap, add Zerex Asian, and fill radiator (using a Lisle spill free funnel is highly recommended). This usually takes around 1.25 gallons.
4. Start engine and set temp control to max heat and blower fan speed to high. Top off reservoir.
5. Bleed system adding coolant as necessary. The system is bled when no bubbles are seen in the funnel AND the vent heat is VERY HOT.
6. Remove funnel, reinstall radiator cap, and top off coolant.
7. Go for a long drive of at least 20 minutes to bring the car up to operating temp and bleed any additional air.
8. Park car and top off reservoir if necessary over the next few days.

 

Ok thanks. I might return my 50/50 zerex.

I'll buy toyota pink/red (whichever is 100% antifreeze and is not 50/50)
i'll use toyota principally, or pentafrost a1 principally
since I have 2 bottles of zerex asian, I'll keep one. I'll principally use 100% antifreeze, and then after I bleed the air out and have to top it off/refill it after driving it a little, I will top it off with the 1 bottle of 50/50 zerex I bought. Does that sound like a better solution?

Top of with zerex (so keep 1 bottle) and rely principally on pure toyota antifreeze
or should I do it the opposite way as I suggested early and principally use 50/50 zerex asian, and then top off with a pure 100% antifreeze?
which works better?

 

Neither. Keep both bottles of Zerex Asian and simply do a drain and fill using both those bottles. Or return both bottles and buy one bottle of Toyota Red or other concentrate and make your own 50/50 by buying a gallon of distilled water (the exact same thing as Zerex and useless work). Zerex Asian is high quality coolant. The only reason to return would be price. Peak Global is likely the best priced high quality OAT concentrate available.

Is prestone long life OK for my camry or no? Can I top it off with pure 100% prestone (not 50/50) since I have a half jug remaning from earlier.

No Prestone doesn't make an OAT coolant I have seen. They are either 2EHA dexclones (most likely) or silicate coolants.

 

Is prestone long life OK for my camry or no? Can I top it off with pure 100% prestone (not 50/50) since I have a half jug remaning from earlier.

 

So I'm going to principally rely on zerex since it's "good" and then use toyota undisputed to top I off after I bleed the air out and drive my car around after a little but. Is that safe? I won't top it off with prestone or is prestone not going to do much harm since it's supposedly "universal?"

 

I am having a very hard time understanding why you would want to top off with Toyota coolant if you already have enough Zerex Asian coolant.

Doing that means you would have to go to the dealer by overly expensive Toyota coolant (which is around $30 a bottle), when the 2 gallons of Zerex Asian are already enough to top off the system after drain and fill.

The Zerex is just as good as the Toyota coolant.

 

Undiluted.... Not undisputed. Darn autocorrect.

 

Is Toyota Red Coolant that much better?

I have done a drain and fill type flush on my 05 with just good ole green prestone with no problems...I did however notice the overfill looking more dirty than normal...but with 210,000 miles I dont pay much attention to it as my radiator coolant looks beautiful...

I thought about Toyota coolant before changing it but didnt see much differences...are they not both EG based?

I know if you mix dex-cool gm stuff with green coolant it will turn to a gum slime substance...because of the difference in chemical compounds

 

Toyota coolant is much better than silicate coolant.

Read this article for why:

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/841/coolant-fundamentals

OP it's not that serious. So long as you don't flush with water you will be fine. Just do a drain and fill and your mixture will be fine.

If anything water has more likely evaporated leaving more coolant in the system anyway.

 

See page 2 for why. I live in michigan and someone mentioned earlier that 50 50 isn't enough protection since water may remain in my system so the actual concentration will be less than 50 50 .

Can I see a picture of the radiator drain plug?