I Need Immediate Coolant Help!!!

I drained the coolant in my 2006 Tacoma V6 by removing the radiator cap, draining the radiator petcock, emptying the coolant reservoir and draining engine block drains. I removed about 7 quarts ( 1.75 gallons) in total. I then tightened the radiator petcock, put the stopper back on the coolant reservoir and tightened both engine block drains. I filled the coolant reservoir and the radiator to full. It took just about 1.75 gallons to refill. There are no leaks.

Now here is the problem. I start the engine and attempt to warm it up so I can get the engine to "burp" the air out as it heats up and then keep topping off the radiator. The heater control is on full hot. After several minutes, the temperature gauge is rising to almost red line and the cabin fan is not blowing any hot air at all. The cabin vent air is not even warm, even though the temperature has risen to the red line. I shut the engine down to avoid any damage.

Any thoughts on what is going on? I'm at a loss and I really can not afford to bring it in for a repair. The truck has 55K (correct, only 55,000) miles on it and I have never had any problems with the truck or the cooling system since I bought it new. This is the fifth empty / refill I have done and I have never had any problems in the past.

Please, please, please help me out. Thank you in advance. -Steve

 

Is the serpentine belt on correctly?

 

Either the pump isn't running, or the thermostat isn't opening.

"Immediate coolant help" *checks watch* at 3:45 in the morning

 

Truck needs to be on a steep incline with nose pointed up. You have an air block. And leave the radiator cap off, yes it'll burp some coolant out unless you have a sealed funnel set up.

 

I did the exact same thing as you did by emptying the radiator and engine block and re-filling the coolant. I also squeezed the upper hose to the radiator after the fill and added more coolant when the level went down and as things were heating up.

The truck went through one heat cycle and I added more coolant with more squeeze of the upper hose.

That is all it took to completely fill the system and get any air out.

 

Even though I did the coolant change they way I have always have done it, this time it did not work. So I tried parking the truck on a little hill and repeated the heat the engine, fill it with coolant and burp it. IT WORKED!!! Everything is perfect once again. Thanks to everyone who helped out and a special big thanks to fxntime! -Steve

 

You're welcome and if you don't have one of the fit type antifreeze funnels that lock into the radiator fill, they are worth it, they work very well, you spill far less, and you can, using grade, [ramps, letting some air out of the rear tires if you have a compressor, a hill] get all the air out of the system well.

Check and fill the overflow to full and check daily for the next week or so. Keep it at the full level so any burping air it may still do will draw back in antifreeze and not air.