Radiator Fluid Flush Question

I'm wanting to flush and change my radiator fluid this weekend. It's an odd nasty rust color and it needs to be done but I've never done this before. Do I just drain the radiator and fill it back up with new stuff or should I run the hose through it while the engine is running to get stuff out of the engine? Is there a method to doing something like this or just better to have it done by a professional?

 

Hey i just did this recently when my coolant looked like chocolate milk when it came out.

It wasn't too bad of a job just time consuming and tedious. I was one of the first things i did on my truck without having any auto related experience. So, people on the forum may have better advice.

The technique i used for doing the flush was to drain out all the coolant from the radiator and the white plastic tank tank. I could not for the life of me figure out where the drain value on the engine was.

From what i've read tho most people can't find it and just flush without draining from the engine block. It will still flush the coolant in the engine block. I'll explain that later.

Next I filled up the radiator and plastic tank with tap water and poured prestone super flush into the radiator. Then followed the flush instructions on the super flush something like get truck to operating temperature and run for 10minutes with blower at maximum and on the hottest setting. The reason why you need to get the truck to operating temperature is this will cause the flush/water to get into the engine block and remove the rust/impurities in there.

Then once that was done i drained the radiator there will be soap bubbles in the radiator and it freaked me out cuz it was the first time I had done this but they were just from the flush.

Then I did another 8 flushes just using tap water getting the engine up to operating temperature then draining the radiator. My coolant was reallllly flithy and eventually when it was coming out mostly clear (i had been at it for a really long time so mostly clear was good for me at that point) I ran 2 more flushes using distilled water to get all the impurities out of the system caused from using tap water.

Then i filled the radiator with toyota pink 55/45 pre-mix. After this you have to "burp" the system.

There's probably better ways to do it but basically you find the coolant hose that as the highest point in the system. The one hooked up to the firewall disconnect this hose and run the truck once fluid starts coming out of that hose reconnect it then turn off the engine and top up the radiator.

Then let the engine cool and top up both the radiator and add to the plastic tank until your at the F line.


If your coolant is really dirty like mine was a friend recommend before putting in expensive coolant to run the truck for a couple weeks with distilled water and an anti-corrosion solution like redline water wetter running for a couple of week will get a lot more junk out of the system before adding the coolant.

He told me this after i added the coolant.
When i added coolant i was planning to change it after a couple months so i'm just about to do this again and hopefully my coolant won't be as flithy.

Notes* make sure there is water in the plastic tank when flushing and filling because if it runs out you can get bubbles in the system.

DO NOT take off the radiator cap if the upper radiator hose feels stiff/under pressure.

The upper radiator hose will get hot when the fluid is circulating through the engine block.

 

What engine, if its a V6 the block drain is on the right side of the block, acess to it from inside the r-f/ fender well.

 

No it's not the V6. I think it's the 2.4 but could be the 2.7 four cylinder.