[dz63]

I completed this procedure at 90,900 km on my 2008 Corolla 1.8L, 4 cylinder, CE. Toyota recommends that the coolant be replaced at 128,000km (80,000 miles) and then every 64,000 km (40,000 miles) afterward on the 2008 Corolla.

Why Change Your Coolant?
As the coolant ages in your vehicle, it will still provide excellent heat transfer and freeze/boil protection, but the corrosion inhibitors slowly get used up. So, it is an important to replace your coolant periodically in order to prevent corrosion inside your engine, water pump, radiator, etc. Changing the engine coolant is a very commonly overlooked maintenance item.

Toyota “Red” vs. “Pink” Coolant:
My 2008 Corolla came from the factory with “pink” Toyota Super Long Life Coolant. The “pink” Super Long Life coolant has a greatly extended replacement interval. I was informed by my local Toyota parts department that both are suitable for use in the 2008 Corolla. Toyota switched from red Long Life Coolant to pink Super Long life coolant in 2005.

Toyota “red” Long Life and Toyota “pink” Super Long Life are both ethylene gylcol Hybrid Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) type of coolants. The chemistry in the Toyota coolants is silicate free which the Asian car manufacturer’s prefer as they are easier on the water pump seals, and are better for heat transfer than the traditional North American silicate type coolants. To provide corrosion protection, the HOAT coolants use inorganic phosphate inhibitors.

After Market vs. Genuine Toyota Coolant:
In my research, I found a lot of mis-information and opinions on the topic of compatibility of after market coolants with the OEM Toyota engine coolants. It appears that the Zerex Asian coolant is one that is truly compatible with the OEM Toyota coolant, but it was not available locally.

Interestingly, my local Canadian Tire store now stocks an Asian Long Life Coolant in both the pre-mixed and concentrated versions. I believe this is something new. The concentrated coolant sells for $16.99 for 3.78 liters which is a good value.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...ian+Concentrate+Coolant,+3.78+L.jsp?locale=en

In my searching, I found the following article. It is well written and appears to be credible.

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

In the end, I decided to use the genuine Toyota red Long Life coolant which sells for $24.40 at my local Toyota dealer. According to the following Toyota technical service bulletin PG010-02, the Toyota pink Super Long Life coolant is backwardly compatible on older Toyotas.

http://www.toyotapart.com/ENGINE_COOLANT_COLOR_CHANGE_T-PG010-02.pdf

However, the “pink” coolant only comes in a pre-diluted 50/50 format, which presents a problem for the DIYer, like myself, who does not have access to flush machine to pump the old fluid out with new fluid. My local lube shop charges $99 + 13% tax for a complete coolant flush. They have the right equipment to do it, but they are only set up use one “universal” coolant. I could not determine if the chemistry of their “universal” coolant was compatible with my engine, so I decided against that option.


Drain & Fill or Complete Exchange:
My local Toyota dealership charges $79 + 13% tax for a coolant change, but I confirmed that they only do a “drain and fill” of just the radiator. The coolant capacity on my 2008 Corolla is 6.5 liters (6 quarts). However, I discovered that draining the radiator only gets about 3.25 liters (3 quarts) out - leaving 3.25 liters (3 quarts) of old coolant behind. Not bad, but I was really hoping to get rid of all of the old coolant if possible.

In the end, I decided to dilute the old coolant with distilled water three times, running the engine in between until the thermostat opened and the remaining coolant mixed really well with the distilled water. Then, after three dilutions, I topped off the radiator with the concentrated red Long Life coolant to achieve approximately a 50/50 mix.


Number of Dilutions vs. % Old Coolant Remaining:
According to my calculations, the theoretical amount of coolant remaining after each dilution is as follows

1st dilution = 50% old coolant remains
2nd dilution = 25% of old coolant remains
3rd dilution = 12.4% of old coolant remains

This assumes perfect mixing, and that only 3.25 liters (3 quarts) is drained each time. If anyone is interested in the math to show this, here it is:

1st Dilution
6.5 (total capacity) - 3.25 (drained out) = 3.25 (old coolant remaining)
3.25 (old coolant remaining) / 6.5 (total fill capacity) = 50% (old coolant remaining)

2nd Dilution
3.25 (old coolant remaining) x 50% (dilution) = 1.63 liters (old coolant remaining)
1.63 (old coolant remaining) / 6.5 (total capacity) = 25% (old coolant remaining)

3rd Dilution
1.63 (old coolant remaining) x 50% (dilution) = 0.81 liters (old coolant remaining)
0.81 (old coolant remaining) / 6.5 (total capacity) = 12.4% (old coolant remaining)


Disclaimer
Use this guide at your own risk! I assume no responsibility for any damage to your vehicle or personal injury as a result of following this guide. Any comments to improve the procedure will be gratefully received and incorporated where possible.

Time Required
It took me about 2.5 hours from start to finish, including time to run the engine until the thermostat opened and take photos and make notes. No special tools are required. If I had to do this again, I think I could reasonably pare this down to 2 hours.

Tools & Supplies:
a) 3.7 liters Toyota Long Life “red” concentrated coolant $27.57
b) Three(3) 4 liter bottles of distilled water $2.97
c) Empty container with markings every ½ liter (optional)
d) Funnel
e) Drain pan

Total = $30.54 (13% GST included)


Let's get started...

1. Locate the drain cock (red arrow) on the bottom of the radiator. This is a photo standing in front of the vehicle, on the driver side, looking down the back of the radiator.

2. Place a drain pan below the hole in the bottom of the plastic engine shield (see red arrow). There is no need to remove the engine shield. This photo is taken from the front of the vehicle, on the driver side, at ground level, looking up at the plastic engine shield.

3. Remove the radiator cap. CAUTION… If the engine is hot, wear a pair of gloves and use a rag to cover the cap. Partially open the rad cap first to relieve any pressure inside the radiator, before removing. Wipe clean the radiator filler neck and cap of any dried up coolant sediment.

4. Open the drain cock a few turns and let the coolant drain out. To speed up the process, you can remove the drain cock entirely when the flow of coolant slows down. After about 5 minutes, when the coolant stops flowing out, replace and fully close the drain cock. Approximately 3.25 liters (3 quarts) of coolant drained out during this step.

Engine coolant contains dangerous chemicals that can be harmful to human/animal health if ingested and is also harmful to the environment. Do NOT dump your old coolant on the ground, or pour it into the sewer or into the toilet. Collect it in containers, clearly label it and take it to your local hazardous waste depot for proper disposal. In our city, the hazardous waste depot is located at the landfill site. They will take up to 25 liters of hazardous waste free at the depot. Some local garages and auto parts supply stores may also take your old engine coolant. Doing your own automotive maintenance is no excuse for being environmentally irresponsible. Please dispose of your old coolant in an environmentally responsible way.

5. Pry off the radiator overflow cap from the overflow tank. On the 2008 Corolla, the overflow tank appears to be molded into the radiator fan cowling. It did not look very easy to remove. Also, there are plastic tabs molded into the inlet, making it difficult to suck the coolant out of the overflow tank.

6. My overflow tank was completely empty, so I did not have to drain it to replace the coolant. If you need to drain yours, remove the hose from side of the radiator fill neck and drop the hose into a small collection container.

7. Replace the hose and fill the overflow tank to the “FULL” mark with a mixture of 50% coolant and 50% distilled water. To do this, I used a measuring cup. To fill the tank from empty to the “FULL” mark requires about 0.5 liters (16 oz) of coolant/distilled water mix.

NOTE: Coolant will eat away at the paint on your vehicle. If you spill any coolant on your vehicle paint, wipe it up immediately and wash the area down with some water.

8. Add distilled water to the radiator. Fill the radiator to about 1” below to point where it will begin to overflow. Start the engine. Place the heater temperature control on the maximum setting, to ensure that the coolant in the heater core is mixed with coolant from the engine. I left the fan setting on low to minimize heat transfer, but still enable me to feel heat coming out of the interior vents. Let the engine idle until the thermostat opens and the coolant begins to flow through the radiator. Squeeze the upper radiator hose a few times to “burp” any air out of the hose.

On my other Toyotas, the radiator fill neck is positioned directly above the top tank on the radiator, so it is easy to see the coolant begin to flow when the thermostat opens. On the 2008 Corolla, there is an offset in the filler neck of the radiator, so it is not easy to tell when the coolant is flowing. I let the engine idle for 20 minutes, occasionally rev’ing the engine up to 2000 rpm for 30 seconds at a time to promote coolant to circulation. The upper and lower radiator hoses were hot to the touch.

Shut off the engine and drain the coolant. Be careful. It is hot.

9. Refill the radiator with distilled water. Repeat the process two more times. On subsequent fillings, I only ran the engine about 15 minutes each time. After three dilutions (ie. drained the radiator four times), theoretically there should only be 12.5% of the old coolant remaining. The effectiveness of the dilution diminishes with each draining. You can see the colour of the coolant gets progressively lighter in the above photo.

10. Jack up the front of the vehicle and place it on safety stands. Elevating the front of the vehicle is not essential, but helps to release trapped air in the coolant system. Slowly fill the radiator with concentrated coolant until the level is about 1” below the top of the radiator filler neck. Start the engine. When you run the engine, the coolant level will first rise and then fall. I usually have a turkey baster in hand and keep an eye on it. If the level starts to rise above the top of the filler neck, I suck a bit of coolant out with the baster and dump it back in later when the level drops.

11. After running the engine for 15 minutes (or until the thermostat opens), shut off the engine and replace the radiator cap.

12. After a few days of driving and allowing the engine to cool overnight, I checked the overflow tank. The level was below the “LOW” level. It is difficult to see in the photo, so I added a red arrow showing the fluid level.

13. Top up the reservoir tank with 50/50 coolant/distilled water mix until the level is at the “FULL” mark.



Discussion: Since the coolant capacity on the 2008 Corolla is 6.5 liters and only 3.25 liters drains out when the radiator drain plug is opened, if you follow this procedure, the “richest” concentration that you can achieve is 60% coolant / 40% distilled water ie. 3.25 liters of new coolant + 0.8 liters of old coolant remaining = 4.05 liters of coolant / 6.5 liters = 62% coolant 38% distilled water (about a 60/40 mix).

[Edit June 16, 2013]: Thanks to TN forum member alpha_1976 for pointing out that 0.8 liters of coolant is remaining which results in a 60% coolant / 40% distilled water mix if the above procedure is followed.

I have also read that it may be possible to drain more coolant out of the engine if you run the vehicle for a short period of time with the radiator drain cock open. This would enable you to achieve a higher mix of coolant during the final re-fill. I have not personally tried this, so I cannot comment intelligently on the effectiveness of this method.

 

[mikered30]

Nice job again. I like how you mentioned adding full strength red to the remaining distilled water in the system after you do the flush. It is near impossible to do this and get the correct ratio when you use the pink, which already comes watered down.

 

[dz63]

Nice job again. I like how you mentioned adding full strength red to the remaining distilled water in the system after you do the flush. It is near impossible to do this and get the correct ratio when you use the pink, which already comes watered down.

If you were to add pink pre-mixed super long life coolant after the distilled water flush described above, you would end up with about 25% coolant / 75% water. It is too weak of a mix. With pre-mixed coolant, unless you have access to a flush machine, all we can do is a "drain and fill". It is certainly better than nothing, but not ideal in my opinion.

Until Toyota begins selling the pink super long life coolant in the concentrated format, the average DIYer is stuck using the older Toyota red concentrated coolant. It's too bad because the pink has a longer life expectancy.

I have yet to find any information which compares the life expectancy or Toyota red vs. Toyota pink coolant. That would be interesting to know. In the meantime, I am planning a coolant flush every 50,000 km which is about every 5 years for this vehicle.

 

[alpha_1976]

Thanks for detailed pictures and procedure. We can probably make it sticky as I don't see any dealing with coolant.

 

[alpha_1976]

OP: If you have 6.5L of coolant (50/50) in total then assuming perfect mix after 3 rounds you will end up having 6.5L/8=0.81L in the system. That means you have to add 6.5L-0.8L=5.7L of coolant (50/50). So in step 7 you should add 5.7L/2=2.85L of concentrate and add (3.25L-2.85L=) 0.40L of distilled water to have 50/50. What am I missing?

 

[dz63]

OP: If you have 6.5L of coolant (50/50) in total then assuming perfect mix after 3 rounds you will end up having 6.5L/8=0.81L in the system. That means you have to add 6.5L-0.8L=5.7L of coolant (50/50). So in step 7 you should add 5.7L/2=2.85L of concentrate and add (3.25L-2.85L=) 0.40L of distilled water to have 50/50. What am I missing?

Alpha - you are 100% right! In the discussion at the end of my thread, I incorrectly assumed that there was only distilled water remaining in the system, when in fact there is actually still about 0.8 liters of the old coolant remaining. So theoretically, you only really only need to add 2.85L of concentrated coolant and 0.4l of distilled water to achieve a 50/50 mix as you indicated. Following the above method, you will end up with 3.25+0.8 / 6.5 = 62% of coolant in the system or about a 60/40 mix. I have edited the procedure based on your input. :thumbsup:

 

[alpha_1976]

Alpha - you are 100% right! In the discussion at the end of my thread, I incorrectly assumed that there was only distilled water remaining in the system, when in fact there is actually still about 0.8 liters of the old coolant remaining. So theoretically, you only really only need to add 2.85L of concentrated coolant and 0.4l of distilled water to achieve a 50/50 mix as you indicated. Following the above method, you will end up with 3.25+0.8 / 6.5 = 62% of coolant in the system or about a 60/40 mix. I have edited the procedure based on your input. :thumbsup:

Your numbers work well for Canada :thumbsup:

 

[Daboa]

My local O'Reilly carries Zerex Asian Vehicle 50/50 for $15/gal, which I hear lasts longer than Toyota Red. It sounds to me like this DIY still leaves 12.4% of the original coolant in the system. I guess that's okay? My question is this:

What if instead of using Toyota Red and spending $30 for a mix that will last me 30-40k (quoting general maintenance guide), I spend $45 on Zerex Asian that will last me longer? Here's my plan based on what I've read here:

Zerex 50/50 1 gallon x 3 = $45
3 gallons = 11.3L
Each radiator drain is 3.25L and refill is 3.25L.

Drain radiator and refill with Zerex. Also fill reserve tank (0.5L)

• This leaves 50% of old coolant in the system.
• Now have 7.55L Zerex remaining

Drain radiator and refill with Zerex.

• This leaves 25% of old coolant in the system.
• Now have 4.3L Zerex remaining

Drain radiator and refill with Zerex.

• This leaves 12.5% of old coolant in the system.
• Now have 1.05L Zerex remaining

For good measure, drain 1L and refill with 1L of Zerex.

In the end, I should have < 12.5% old coolant in my system and >87.5% new coolant in my system. Thoughts?

 

[alpha_1976]

^^I see no problem with this plan if toyota red and zerex are compatible. This method is actually better in the sense concentration will not change as you are draining 50/50 and filling 50/50. I remember when I was doing it long time ago my numbers were messed up mainly because it was not mixing perfectly even after running engine for 20 minutes or so. So in the end assuming perfect mix, I added a little bit too much concentrated coolant. Finally, I wasn't satisfied with my numbers and I bought a coolant refractometer to check actual concentration of coolant/water and showed my suspicion was correct.

The way this is done here looks much better. I seem to remember I had some mess ups. I don't remember exactly which?

 

[Daboa]

I like my approach, too! I think it's simpler and the Zerex has a 150k mi warranty. The only question is whether or not it's compatible with the 12% Toyota Red that would be left in the system. Does anybody know about this? My research gives mixed results.

Here's a thread comparing ingredients of Toyota Red and Pink
Here's a Toyota announcement saying that Red and Pink are compatible.

Forum searches indicate a consensus that Pink and Zerex Asian are compatible. So... I feel like it should be fine to mix Zerex Asian and Toyota Red (since the Red initially in my car is already 50/50 diluted).

Any experts care to increase my confidence? Eh?

 

[Daboa]

Okay, the consensus seems to be that Toyota Red and Zerex Asian are compatible. So I'm going to follow my plan as outlined above.

My Haynes manual says that I should flush the coolant system using a garden hose. I was under the impression that was a bad idea because it wouldn't be distilled water. Thoughts on that?

 

[hardtopte72]

Daboa Zerex Asian and Toyota Red are nearly identical in composition (except for the added water) and are different then the superior Toyota Pink coolant. Zerex Asian should still be changed at around 40-60K.

Other coolant choices include Peak Global (not other Peak), Honda Blue (available as a full strength and 50/50 and it is probably closer to Toyota Pink in construction), and even Ford or Chysler coolants which are also OAT.

 

[Daboa]

Thanks, then I'm going to use the drain and fill method with Zerex. For $45 I'll get 88% of my coolant replaced and it sounds like that's acceptable and a better deal than I'd get if a mechanic did this.

My Haynes manual says to flush the system with a garden hose, but nobody here has suggested that and I'm guessing it's because it wouldn't be distilled water.

 

[RollaCa]

Hey TN,

Was wondering on air being trapped inside the system after this method was completed. I have seen some special funnels etc on trying to "burp" the engine. How do I go about doing this while I am performing this method? Do I need to "burp" the car in the first place?

Just trying to take preventative measures to ensure the longevity of my car.

Thanks,

-Rolla

 

[alpha_1976]

Hey TN,

Was wondering on air being trapped inside the system after this method was completed. I have seen some special funnels etc on trying to "burp" the engine. How do I go about doing this while I am performing this method? Do I need to "burp" the car in the first place?

Just trying to take preventative measures to ensure the longevity of my car.

Thanks,

-Rolla

corolla is fairly easy to burp as far as I remember. Have the front on jack stands. When you fill the radiator and it is up to the top - shake car from the front very gently and you will see some bubbles will come out. When all the bubbles are out and you can't fill it anymore place a piece of cloth around radiator fill hole so that no coolant spills when it comes out with bubbles. Turn the car on and set the heat to maximum and also the fan to full speed. I think you might have to run car like 15-20 minutes and bubbles will be out. Keep checking temperature on instrument panel and feel the heat from air. Fill it again and fill the overflow to maximum line. Go for a drive and look for the temperature on computer. I guess within a few days coolant level will drop a bit. Top it off again and you are done.

 

[mwn]

With the repeated drain and fill method can we assume that the remaining OLD/USED UP coolant is any more effective than plain water? There is a reason we are going through all this work to replace the old antifreeze/coolant with new stuff.

It would seem safer to assume the remaining fluid in the system is plain water as far as the freezing protection is concerned.

 

[John Anthony]

I use a T fitting on the inlet heater hose. To this I attach a short garden hose which is attached to a small Wayne electric pump. The other end of the pump has another short hose which goes into a 10 gallon container which I have filled with 6 or 7 gallons of distilled water. At the radiator is a plastic connector I got with the T fitting. It is essentially a nozzle to direct the water that will shoot out of the radiator. To this I connected a hose which goes into another 10 gallon container. When the engine is warmed up and with the heater going, I turn on the pump. The coolant comes shooting out the radiator through the plastic connector and hose and it drains into the empty 10 gallon container while at the T fitting the fresh distilled water is being pumped in. I go through the 6 gallons rather quickly. This enables me to use a garden hose without using the tap water. Now, my system has only distilled water in it. I drain the radiator and the block. Even when doing this, there is still a lot of water in the system. I figured out how much coolant the system holds and fill in half that amount with the concentrated coolant and whatever space is left for more fluid is filled with a 50/50 mix that I have prepared. This gives me as close to a 50/50 mix in the system as I can get.

Regarding the coolant: The color does not matter. What is important is the chemistry of the coolant. Ideally, Toyota wants you to use a P-HOAT coolant. It stands for Hybrid Organic Acid Technology. It should be a phosphated OAT (=P-HOAT) coolant with no silicates, borates, nitrites, or amines. The phosphated part is what makes it a Hybrid. Usually, this is a red coolant if you're using concentrate, or a pink coolant if it's the pre-mix, but color is just a color dye. Your Toyota does not have a sensor which can tell what color the coolant is. There are green or blue coolants that have this exact same chemistry. Beck/Arnley sells red, pink, green, and blue coolants and I have been informed by a Beck/Arnley official who confirmed with me that the red and green are exactly the same (except for the color dye) and the pink and blue are exactly the same (except for the color dye). The official also confirmed with me that the red and pink coolants are the same thing (except the former is concentrate, and the latter is 50/50 pre-mix). Same thing for the green and blue. So, you can use any of these coolants, as long as you have the correct ratio of concentrate to pre-mix figured out. The important thing is that the coolant is a P-HOAT. Also there are some other brands that are P-HOAT coolants. Pentosin makes a red P-HOAT coolant named "Pentofrost A1" (available at O'Reilly Auto Parts) and Pep Boys sells a P-HOAT coolant that it is made by a company named Recohem and it's marketed name is "OEM Premium Coolant". It comes in the exact same colors/concentrations as the Beck/Arnley coolants. Also, Aisin makes a P-HOAT coolant. They have it on their website, but I can't find anyplace that actually sells it. Of course, there is Zerex Asian Vehicle formula, but this is a 50/50 pre-mix P-HOAT. There are probably some other brands as well.

 

[dz63]

I use a T fitting on the inlet heater hose. To this I attach a short garden hose which is attached to a small Wayne electric pump. The other end of the pump has another short hose which goes into a 10 gallon container which I have filled with 6 or 7 gallons of distilled water. At the radiator is a plastic connector I got with the T fitting. It is essentially a nozzle to direct the water that will shoot out of the radiator. To this I connected a hose which goes into another 10 gallon container. When the engine is warmed up and with the heater going, I turn on the pump. The coolant comes shooting out the radiator through the plastic connector and hose and it drains into the empty 10 gallon container while at the T fitting the fresh distilled water is being pumped in. I go through the 6 gallons rather quickly. This enables me to use a garden hose without using the tap water. Now, my system has only distilled water in it. I drain the radiator and the block. Even when doing this, there is still a lot of water in the system. I figured out how much coolant the system holds and fill in half that amount with the concentrated coolant and whatever space is left for more fluid is filled with a 50/50 mix that I have prepared. This gives me as close to a 50/50 mix in the system as I can get.

Regarding the coolant: The color does not matter. What is important is the chemistry of the coolant. Ideally, Toyota wants you to use a HOAT coolant. It stands for Hybrid Organic Acid Technology. It should be a phosphated OAT coolant with no silicates, borates, nitrites, or amines. The phosphated part is what makes it a Hybrid. Usually, this is a red coolant if you're using concentrate, or a pink coolant if it's the pre-mix, but color is just a color dye. Your Toyota does not have a sensor which can tell what color the coolant is. There are green or blue coolants that have this exact same chemistry. Beck/Arnley sells red, pink, green, and blue coolants and I have been informed by a Beck/Arnley official who confirmed with me that the red and green are exactly the same (except for the color dye) and the pink and blue are exactly the same (except for the color dye). The official also confirmed with me that the red and pink coolants are the same thing (except the former is concentrate, and the latter is 50/50 pre-mix). Same thing for the green and blue. So, you can use any of these coolants, as long as you have the correct ratio of concentrate to pre-mix figured out. The important thing is that the coolant is a HOAT. Also there are some other brands that are HOAT coolants. Pentosin makes a red HOAT coolant named "Pentofrost A1" (available at O'Reilly Auto Parts) and Pep Boys sells a HOAT coolant that it is made by a company named Recohem and it's marketed name is "OEM Premium Coolant". It comes in the exact same colors/concentrations as the Beck/Arnley coolants. Also, Aisin makes a HOAT coolant. They have it on their website, but I can't find anyplace that actually sells it. Of course, there is Zerex Asian Vehicle formula, but this is a 50/50 pre-mix HOAT. There are probably some other brands as well.

Excellent post with good information. This method is way simpler and faster than what I described above.

Two questions.

1) With the pump, does it get all of the old coolant out?
2) In your opinion, with this method, would it be possible to skip the distilled water step and simply pump pre-mixed coolant in. That would be a real time saver and enable the use of the superior Toyota super long life coolant.

I am very interested to see some photos of your pump set-up and drain hose connection so I could try it. Would you mind posting some photos and model number of the pump? TIA :thumbsup:

 

[John Anthony]

Hi DZ63,

1. Yes, it pumps everything out as long as the engine is already warmed up and the heater is on. After doing this there is only distilled water in the system.

2. Yes, I supposed you could skip the distilled water part and pump pre-mix coolant in instead. Yes, it would save time. BUT, I think this could be very expensive. Once the container gets down to the last gallon or so, the pump starts to suck air, so you would need at least 3 gallons of pre-mix . My container is wide and short. This is why I use 6 or 7 gallons of distilled water to make sure everything is flushed out on the cheap. I supposed someone could come up with a better container than the one I use (perhaps narrow and tall) and perhaps rig it up so it drains from the very bottom of the container into the pump hose. In that case you would need at least 2 gallons of the pre-mix, but it leaves little room for error. I like flushing the whole thing out with the 6 or 7 gallons of the distilled water. That way, I only buy one gallon of concentrated HOAT coolant (the cheapest I found is $20/gallon at PepBoys, but I've been spending $25/gallon on the Pentofrost A1 or the Beck/Arnley red). Next time I will try the Recochem from PepBoys.

It is a Wayne pump. Model number is PC2. I had to buy some attachments and an extra hose to make everything work (not a lot of money).

I was concerned that someone would ask for photos, HA! I'm not much of a photographer, but next time I do this I will try to do photos. I know the photos really help.

 

[camryguy2]

Ok I have read this DIY and it appears bit complicated for me to do on my own. I want to do just drain and refill but I have some questions. I have 2004 Corolla LE with about 100K miles on it and the coolant has never been changed. Most of the work on my car so far (mainly oil changes) have been done at dealership and they never recommended I change the coolant. I looked in the maintenance guide of the car and it said coolant should be replaced every 30K miles(2years). I also looked in the Chilton Manual for 2004 corolla and it said replace coolant at 100K and according to poster of this DIY Toyota recommends at 80K miles. So, Which one of these is right??

Now for my car, as far as I can tell there have never been any problems starting the car or overheating. Frankly, I am not sure exactly what other symptoms are there that indicate coolant is getting bad. Since my car has crossed the 100K miles, I just want to change and replace the things that really need to be. Now, this car runs great and I plan on keeping it for as long as it runs. Dealer wants $140 for complete flush and if I do just drain and refill myself it will cost me just $25 (cost of 1 gallon super long life coolant from Toyota dealership). So, please tell me if it is ok to do just drain and refill?

If yes, I need some clarification on the process. I understand the drain part by opening the drain cock. However, to refill, do I pour new solution into the coolant reservoir or into the radiator? Also, Do I need to keep the car running while draining or when refilling the coolant?

I have read here burping the car due to air getting in. If I am doing just drain and refill, can I still introduce air in the coolant? How do I avoid it in the first place? Also, how would I know I have air in the system?.

thanks guys for your help. I really appreciate this forum and all the contributors here.