Flushed Coolant - Need a sanity check

2012 Tacoma OffRoad, v6, 4L.

Long time listener, first time caller.

Have a list of overpriced services from the dealer and have been doing them myself to save money and learn more about the truck.

Went through the Haynes Manual yesterday to flush my coolant since that was on the list. Here's what I did:

1. Drained the radiator
2. Drained the overflow reservoir
3. Drained the engine block (drain over the passenger tire, using an extension).
4. Removed the thermostat from the housing, reattached the housing.
5. Removed the upper radiator hose
6. Attached garden hose to upper radiator hose inlet
7. Ran water through the system (which exited the upper radiator hose into a bucket).
8. Drained the system again through radiator and engine
9. Reattached upper radiator hose and reinstalled thermostat
10. Added about 3.5 quarts of 50/50 coolant to the radiator and reservoir

It's about here that I'm losing it. The system won't take anymore coolant. I've let the truck run up to temp, blasted the hot air, driven it to the store (it's not running hot). Let it cool down again but the radiator is still full.

What have or haven't I done?

 

I did mine and it didn't take anywhere close to what the manual states, drained the radiator and block and resovoir, ran distilled water thru system drained all again

 

My knee-jerk guess (not completely educated) is that thermostat is not opening to allow coolant into block (or allow airflow for block to fill) due to a lack of hot coolant on the block side...

 

might have air still in the system, just watch the resovoir level in case the level drops, alls well

 

There is also 2 engine drains spouts one on the passenger and one on the driver side. possibly you did not fully drain it.

 

yeah no way you will fit in what the manual says. Also no need to pull tstat and flush with a hose, that might actually introduce more minerals and deposits.

Just drain the rad, drain the rez, and drain the passenger side block. No need to go through the hassle and get only 4-8oz of coolant out of the driver side block drain after all the other stuff has been done.

 

So I already flushed with the hose, and definitely missed the driver side (i still don't see it). Since I DID miss it, is it possible that running the hose through it introduced a bunch of water, which is still in the system since the driver side wasn't drained?

 

since you've already added new coolant id leave it as is, that small amount left in the block will mix with the new stuff, alls well your GTG just watch the resovoir level for a couple days in case it might drop

 

If after flushing with the hose if fully drained the rad, overflow tank, and passenger side block drain there would MAYBE be about 4-8oz more of water you would get out of the driver, so not worth it.

 

Squeeze the radiator hoses, at idle. Keep going till it stops burping.
One of these makes it easier to do: https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-coolant-system-fill-kit.html

 

As mentioned you need to put the heat on full blast and burp the system. Let it get up to operating temp and squeeze the upper hose with the radiator cap off. The cap is off before you start it and it gets up to operating temperature. Keep burping it with squeezing the hose until you feel heat from the vents inside the cab.

In the future DON'T flush the system with tap water. A properly maintained motor should only need a drain and refill of the coolant. All you are doing is contaminating the cooling system with minerals, chlorine, fluorides, etc.. If you insist on flushing get a half dozen jugs of distilled water and have at it.

 

I'd like add, you are still performing maintanance that most people don't do.

Using tap water to add to your undiluted coolant isn't going to hurt anything if you do your next drain and fill.

I've been using tap water and non Toyota long life coolant since 1998 on 5 different Toyotas.

My theory is the drain/fill with new(any brand) will give you long life of your truck.

 

Using tap water introduces minerals as small particles. These particles moving quickly around a coolant system can create electrolysis. Electrolysis will sacrifice weaker metals like aluminum pulling particles off and depositing them on more noble metals like steel.
Galvanic corrosion is interesting stuff most mechanics don’t know about. Till aluminum components in a coolant system fail outta nowhere

test coolant with a multimeter to check voltage. Anything over .3-.4 volts is too much

 

Good to know. Wish the Haynes manual hadn't suggested the hose. I had distilled water set aside already but I figured shit, if it's IN THE REPAIR MANUAL it should work and it'll save time.

 

Perhaps I'll get one of those funnels suggested. I've attempted burping without it / with a regular funnel and it just sends coolant everywhere. That said, I'm getting plenty of heat from the heater, taken the truck on the highway several times and it has't overheated or lost any coolant from the reservoir.

 

Concentrate antifreeze has inhibitors in it that counteract against the creation of galvanic corrosion and eletrolosis.

Changing the antifreeze in 2 years is fine and the best thing you can do .

The tap water you used is not going to hurt anything.

 

Picked up a radiator funnel and burped the system. No new coolant was able to enter the system, so looks like that wasn't it.

 

As mentioned, don't use tap water. Head gaskets, seals, pumps and radiator will thank you for it.

 

2nd this. The additives are not there to counteract improper maintenance techniques. They are added to protect the system from environmental contaminants that enter the system during normal operation.

 

you don't need to purchase a special funnel to do the drain refill, if you have a steady hand you can pour whatever into the radiator hole without a godly mess, to burp the system just leave off the cap and run the heater full blast, its not rocket science