Coolant change home job?

How involved is the coolant change on the 2.7L base taco?

My 2012 is sure due for one, and would like to do it myself.

I have a section of driveway with a good amount of slant so I could put the nose up,and wait for bubble-free flow!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s--5ft5YiHg

I don't see it being too different than this.

 

Super easy man....there is a drain cock on the bottom of the radiator and a drain valve on the passenger side of the block ( turn the wheel to the left or right and pull back the little rubber splash guard)

Drain, close valves, fill with water, start truck, warm up, shut down, let cool, drain block and radiator.....heck you could just do it via radiator of you wanted.

Do the above a couple times till all the water draining is nice and clear (probably only gotta do it once or twice.

Drain again, fill with proper mix of coolant. Drive around check it a day later and top off as the air gets out of the system. Easy day.


Edited.... sorry, that wasn't meant to be a curse word... meant to say "shut"

 

I went and drained/filled rad only x3, drove around in between
Not complete, didnt want to start getting too involved
Feels good
2015 76,000 kms

 

Honestly if you that every 100k or so that will be plenty in terms of preventative maintenance.

 

I also just drain/fill 1 gallon of it every other year. A lot less work than trying to drain and flush the entire system.

Keeps the corrosion inhibitors replenished.

 

I just did this on my new to me 2.7l 2006 with 130k since somebody previously topped it off with green universal (big no no).

did distilled flush x3 in my driveway, got about 7 gallons total water+mix drained before it was clear enough for me.

Get one of the spill-proof funnel things for $40, a life saver on this job. I put down a painter sheet in the driveway and drove the truck onto it, then did the flush. I’d guess I spilled less than 2oz total? Was pretty simple.

i didn’t need to go in through the fender, just crawled underneath the truck and was able to get a small ratchet + 1” right angle extension in there. If you’re pretty limber I’d guess you can get in there that way also.


Good luck!

 

Any color universal antifreeze is fine as long as it meets Toyota’s non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite, and non-borate formula. Says so in the manual. I have never used Toyota coolant/antifreeze in any of the Toyota/Lexus vehicles I service. If you switch over, it is recommended you do a flush to get out as much as the oem coolant as possible.

 

On mine there was pink in the engine block and green in the radiator. It turned the expansion tank shit brown after the initial purchase drive home, so yes it was a potential issue. I chose to do a full flush. I filled with peak pink “oe toyota” from the parts store. No issues since.

 

It is just color dyes that they add to the antifreeze. It may not look pretty, but no real danger. However, my ocd would have made me also change that concoction out, but I would have chosen the universal antifreeze. Most of the universal antifreezes state they are compatible with all color coolants. It is the same principle with Toyota motor oil.