how to flush your cooling system

[williamb82]

this is how to completely flush your cooling system. what you do is buy a can of drano crystals. it has to be the crystals, not the liquid. fill a gallon jug of water about half full and then pour the crystals into it. then fill it the rest of the way up with water. it will get hot from the chemical reaction. be careful. make sure the coolant system has been drained and flushed with water at least once. then pour the drano mixture in and top it off with water and put the cap back on. let it run 5-10 min, then pull the bottom radiator hose and let it drain, be carefull, it will be hot, and then flush with clean water till it comes out clear. then use the toyota red coolant, and distilled water, also a bottle of redline water wetter doesnt hurt either. the drano is caustic not acidic. it doesnt eat the aluminum head.

[zank]

Do you think this will unclogg a clogged radiator too?

[Phoenix]

Umm :? I hope so. That's sort of what I had in mind when I asked Williamb the question. I guess I should have explicitly stated that.
Williamb???? :scratch:

[williamb82]

it should. ive flushed k&w block sealer out of engines this way.
william

[Digilog]

Kinda a newbie question but how do you flush it with water first, do you just drain the system cold, fill it up with water run till operationg temp run the heater and then drain it again?

Just curious how you get all the coolant out, I assume there will still be lingering coolant in the head/block and heater core.

Carl

[Phoenix]

Kinda a beloved new member question but how do you flush it with water first, do you just drain the system cold, fill it up with water run till operationg temp run the heater and then drain it again?

Just curious how you get all the coolant out, I assume there will still be lingering coolant in the head/block and heater core.

Carl

I think that's EXACTLY how it's done. There is a coolant drain low down on the exhaust side of the block. The online tsrm has a pretty good diagram.

[Glaucus]

I assume the drano doesn't damage the rubber hoses and seals/gaskets along the way. What's wrong with the normal coolant flush additives you can buy specifically for this purpose?

- Mike

[williamb82]

no it doesnt damage hoses. the drano is much more effective. also, i always pull the lower radiator hose to drain the system. and yes, thats how you flush it with water first.
william

[SupraFiend]

if your trying to unclog a rad it really helps to remove it and flush it with a hose so the water travels through it in the opposite direction that it normally does.

[zank]

if your trying to unclog a rad it really helps to remove it and flush it with a hose so the water travels through it in the opposite direction that it normally does.

Iv done that a few times already and it didnt seem to work. Im gonna try Williams suggestion to see if that works out. I was also thinking of getting some of that CLR stuff to see if that would unclogg it too :?, maybe i'll try that if the Drano doesnt work.

[Dave A.]

CLR is basically just a dilute Phosphoric Acid that's used to disolve Calcium, Lime, and Rust stains or deposits and would probably attack some, if not most of the metal parts in your engine and cooling system. Not good! The stuff does work pretty good at dissolving minerals though. :) Most cooling system flush products are a caustic solution of some type or another and are less destructive than acids like CLR. I don't know what the exact chemical composition is of Drano products, but I suspect that it may be similar to the stuff that's in flush products, only more concentrated.

[zank]

CLR is basically just a dilute Phosphoric Acid that's used to disolve Calcium, Lime, and Rust stains or deposits and would probably attack some, if not most of the metal parts in your engine and cooling system. Not good! The stuff does work pretty good at dissolving minerals though. :) Most cooling system flush products are a caustic solution of some type or another and are less destructive than acids like CLR. I don't know what the exact chemical composition is of Drano products, but I suspect that it may be similar to the stuff that's in flush products, only more concentrated.

Oh I forgot to mention that If I were to put that CLR stuff it would only be in the radiator. I was gonna take it out of the car and add CLR to clean it out by itself. :wink: But thanks for the tip, might help others out too :P

[Deanfun]

i still worry about drano's effect on gaskets... it eats things!

[williamb82]

only run it 5-10min tops.

[Deanfun]

only run it 5-10min tops.but for those who's headgaskets are old or "questionable" (read: mine), it's probably a good idea to find an alternative.

[williamb82]

if you say so. there are copper rings in the gasket around water passages, however if your hg is blown then i dont see a point in flushing the system anyway.
william

[Deanfun]

if you say so. there are copper rings in the gasket around water passages, however if your hg is blown then i dont see a point in flushing the system anyway.
williamwell it's a tricky setup, i have perfect compression, 180, on all cylinders, hot and cold, yet somehow slowly consume coolant. it's a mystery. the cooling system is on the list of tihngs to fix.

[williamb82]

well, its prolly a bad radiator cap or the heater control valve.
william

[link973812]

What's the difference between toyota red coolant and the standard green stuff? Should I not be using the green stuff? And where might I get the red stuff, would I have to go to a dealership?

[Deanfun]

well, its prolly a bad radiator cap or the heater control valve.
williami've replaced the rad cap, and the heater control valve is... not in the coolant system right now. heater core leaks so it's out of the loop. i've got some other ideas i'll look into, thanks for the suggestions though.

[Phoenix]

What's the difference between toyota red coolant and the standard green stuff? Should I not be using the green stuff? And where might I get the red stuff, would I have to go to a dealership?

It doesn't have a chemical (forget it's name) that supposedly corrodes the aluminum.

This is not unique to T-red. Many high end coolants/antifreezes also lack this bad actor. Shop around. T-red may not be unique but it certainly IS overpriced. Just my :twocents:

[Dave A.]

well, its prolly a bad radiator cap or the heater control valve.
williami've replaced the rad cap, and the heater control valve is... not in the coolant system right now. heater core leaks so it's out of the loop. i've got some other ideas i'll look into, thanks for the suggestions though.


Have you checked the suicide hose underneath the intake?

[Deanfun]

well, its prolly a bad radiator cap or the heater control valve.
williami've replaced the rad cap, and the heater control valve is... not in the coolant system right now. heater core leaks so it's out of the loop. i've got some other ideas i'll look into, thanks for the suggestions though.


Have you checked the suicide hose underneath the intake?already replaced.

it will be getting pulled off again to be reseated, as i'm not 100% sure it's a perfect seal.

i'm also looking for a compatible heater core... anyone got one lying around?

[link973812]

Just curious if anyone has read on the back of the drano crystals where it said not to come in contact with aluminum?

[Phoenix]

I tried the drano crystals. It did help a bit, nothing too dramatic, but my radiator may just be too far gone.

BTW It takes MANY flushes to get the drano out of the system. :wink: You can tell when it's still there cuz it gives the water a soapy feel.

[Dave A.]

What's the difference between toyota red coolant and the standard green stuff? Should I not be using the green stuff? And where might I get the red stuff, would I have to go to a dealership?

It doesn't have a chemical (forget it's name) that supposedly corrodes the aluminum.

This is not unique to T-red. Many high end coolants/antifreezes also lack this bad actor. Shop around. T-red may not be unique but it certainly IS overpriced. Just my :twocents:

Here's the skinny:

http://www.celicasupra.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8542&highlight=toyota+red+antifreeze