Good job to whoever added the block drain to 3.4L

Recently did a block/radiator coolant drain & refill with distilled water (repeated 4X to get the coolant very clear) on my '03.

Read online that the 3.4 has a block drain with a handy fitting to attach a hose to. Wow!

I've drained coolant from a lot of blocks over the years, but no engine has ever had such a nice way to drain the block! Usually it's "yank the plug from the block and then try to get the largest catch pan you have in the general area of the deluge of coolant that is spraying all over". In this case, however, I didn't spill a drop!

Finished the job by adding 1gal coolant concentrate, 1gal distilled water, plus a little 50/50 coolant to top off. That block drain made this job a breeze!

 

Lucky you! My 1998 has a bolt head in the same location of the 2003 to drain the block. Below that there is a hole but no tube coming out on which to attach a hose. And using a 6-point socket on the bolt, I couldn't get it loose.

 

Where would I find this magic on my 2004 3.4 if it has it?

 

If I turn my wheels all the way to the right, peel back the rubber flap and look at the engine block, I can see the drain bolt. Here's a (not too good) photo of my 1998 that might help (the bolt is at the end of the ratchet attachments):

​

 

There's one on the 3RZ also. Pass side in front of the oil filter housing. Thanks Toyota!

 

yeah, too bad mine came out the bolt hole and not the nipple

 

Interesting.
On a 2RZ?
Thanks

 

Yes, mine looks just like skeezix's. I removed the top three plastic rivets from the front rubber fender liner flap. Snapped together a good long extension to a 14mm socket, and it sits perfectly on top of the upper spring mount in between drains/refills.



I put ~5/16" rubber hoses on block drain and radiator drain and drained them right into plastic milk jugs. I removed the front right wheel during this process, but others have proved that this step really isn't necessary.

I did the same drain/refill to wife's car yesterday. No block drain (so can only drain about 50% of coolant) required 2X as many drain/refill cycles (and a LOT more time since it is more critical that you warm up enough to open thermostat if can't drain block).

 

Thanks for pix!!!

2 milk jugs???
How much coolant drained out?
(Approx)

 

Yes, drained rad and block at the same time and given that they were a short distance apart, it was easier to run one drain line to each jug.

Digging... Ah! Here's another pix:



That worked out very well since you get pretty close to 1gal from each.

Hats off to Toyota - this was by far the easiest coolant swap I've ever done.

 

Wow!
I would of never guessed that amount in block
Another trip around Sun, another tid bit learned
Thanx

 

So tell me, did you have to use a lot of force to remove the bolt? IIRC, while I was able to get my socket on the drain bolt, I stopped trying to remove the bolt because I thought it took too much strength to do it. I don't need a broken bolt at that location in the block!

Also, I thought that if I had been able to remove the bolt, the coolant would come out of the hole and make another mess on the garage floor.

 

In doing some reading before the flush, I did read that some had twisted the head off of that (brass?) bolt, so I was careful to try to avoid that. Luckily, my bolt turned pretty easily.

FWIW, with my 3.4, I didn't have to remove the bolt. Backing it out a few turns allowed the coolant to drain out of the nipple with the bolt still in the block.

 

I appreciate the note! After 24 years, I'll just leave that bolt alone.

 

I found mine by accident when trying to blindly remove the engine mount. Scared me.