3rd gen 4cyl rav4 coolant line repair

You will need
a brass 5/8" T hose barb
Some 1" hose clamps (probably... They are cheap and better to put em on while its all apart before you find out it still leaks the hard way)
Needle nose and or vicegrips
Screwdriver or socket to adjust new hose clamps

So I noticed my wife's 07 rav4 with a 2.4 I4 was losing coolant. It didnt take long to see that it was the T that comes from the radiator and goes to the motor and heater core.


I ordered a brass 5/8" hose barb t to replace the factory plastic one (which completely broke as soon as I started moving stuff)


Its a pretty simple swap but the plastic one has deteriorated and I just had to make sure to get all the little pieces out that broke off. Also there will be a pint or so of coolant that comes out of the lines with this is disconnected. I opened the with of and propped it up to have a little more working room.


I did notice it still leaked going to the core and the motor so I added a hose clamp also and that seemed to stop the "new leaks" and then I just kept slowly topping off the reservoir and letting it fill the lines and motor.

I'm sure once it runs a while ill need to add a touch more But it had leaked out almost a gallon between normal running and disconnecting all the lines (and the new leak that required more hose clamps) I bought 2 gallons of valvaline Toyota premixed pink coolant for $13 each at Wal-Mart.