Would you use a radiator flush cleaner during your coolant flush?

Don't drain hot and then dump cold, distilled water in there. You've got an aluminum head or heads.. Let it cool down before you dump anything cold or even semi-cold in there and run it.

I'm only saying this because I have no idea how much work or maintenance you have done on engines over the years.

 

Yes, it's a PIA but I'd pull the new thermostat out before you do the flush so it doesn't get stuck up if there is a lot of crud in there.

If you were running at 198 degrees in Alaska you definitely have crud in your cooling system. Shit, it's not even summer temps up there yet. Or is it?

 

It's been changed with, most probably the wrong coolant, which may be why you're running so hot. It may not have been changed since. Toyota's use red, not green. Too many people in this day and age just don't understand the finer points in life like changing fluids with the proper fluids on the greatest invention the world has ever known.

The automobile and the internal combustion engine, which has allowed us to have freedom of mobility to go where we want, as far as we want, when we want on a moments notice.

 

Are you sure they used red 18 years ago? I bought my 2000 when it was less than a year old and it had green in it when I got it. I guess the original owner could have changed it, but I doubt it.

 

Toyota has never used a green radiator fluid from the factory. That's one thing you can be sure about. So green was put in by someone else. Some people flush the red and swap to green as they claim to be able to find the green stuff more commonly. Any previous ownership is just hope and pray they didn't jack it up too much.

 

That's super helpful, thank you! I garner advice on the TW forum so I know better what to do (or at least what NOT to do)

 

I actually live on the Western Slope of Colorado - sorry that is confusing!

 

Green vs. red wouldn't affect cooling ability. Both Toyota Red and green coolants are ethylene glycol. They just have different anti-corrosion additives which don't have much if any affect on the cooling capacity.

100% water will transfer heat the best. Ethylene glycol has about half the specific heat capacity of water. Add the same amount of heat (energy) to a gallon of water and a gallon of ethylene glycol and the ethylene glycol's temperature will increase twice as much as the water's. The ethylene glycol is mixed with water to lower the freezing point and raise the boiling point, at the expense of lowering the cooling capacity. It also helps lubricate the moving parts of the water pump and seals.

If someone put 100% red or 100% green in without mixing with water it could cause overheating problems. Toyota recommends 50/50 as a balance between cooling ability and corrosion prevention.

 

"They just have different anti-corrosion additives which don't have much if any affect on the "cooling capacity."

That is is the reason I posted what I posted. These new coolants are all different and using the wrong one can cause serious engine damage down the road after many thousands of miles. There is more to take into consideration than just the "cooling affect". That's why I just pay the money for the factory Toyota stuff.

Anyone can head over to the "Bob is the Oil Guy" website or "BITOG" if they really want to get "nerdy" about oil, grease, coolant or anything else slippery. There are even petroleum engineers there in the "oil" discussions. I spent about 5 years on that site until I got sick of the anti-energy propaganda and was banned numerous times for voicing my opinion on the subject. So there you have it. That being said, there is no better, more informative site for learning about the chemistry of oils, coolants and anything else slippery on the planet.

I probably shouldn't say, this but it's true. Don't post anything "pro-oil" or pro anything when it comes to energy production or they will ban you. Political speech isn't allowed on BITOG unless you believe in "Climate Change" So there you are.

The best website on the planet for learning about the fluids any engine or transmission uses but watch what you say. I was banned 3 times for the idiocy I read there at times but I still recommend the site when it comes to knowledge about oils, lubricants, coolants etc. etc. I just don't waste my time logging in there anymore.

Take my "opinion" for what it is worth.

 

Well, the coolant flush has commenced. I've gone through 8 gallons of distilled water, and still have one flush to go. Then tomorrow after an hour or so of driving around with just distilled in the old OEM radiator, I'll drain once more and the new radiator (currently sitting in the garage) will go in.

This works out well because I am waiting for new silicone radiator hoses from LCE Engineering. Opted for those after finding out the HPS ones off of Amazon were recalled (glad I didn't end up with those!).

Thought it would be a neat photo to line up the jugs of distilled that have come out of the truck as a result of the flushing I've been doing. In the photo, the far left one is distilled water that hasn't been tampered with - I put it in the photo for reference only. (see below)

Hoping the new radiator and Toyota Red will bring my operating temp down. Would be so happy to get out of the high 180s! Fingers crossed

 

Looking good!

 

Well, 10 gallons (5 flushes) of distilled, 1 new radiator and 2 new silicone hoses from LC Engineering plus 1.5 gallons of Toyota Red (w/ distilled to dilute) and I'm still only dropping approximately 4 degrees off my operating temp (yep, you read that right 4 degrees). My drive to work typically entails a gradual grade up valley 20 some miles @ 55mph, and my scangauge is showing around 184 to 186 degrees (with the temp needle just at or slightly above half). When I slow down below 40 mph, the temp will drop to about 182-184. Down valley, back down the gradual grade, post work, I'll average the same temp ranges.

I had a 180 degree thermostat put in when the WP and TB were done a few weeks ago. Otherwise, I thought a new rad and flushes then adding Toyota Red would give me at least better than 4(!) degrees...

What am I doing wrong???

 

Jiggle valve at 6 o'clock?

 

Also, this seems like a perfectly normal temp range. What are you shooting for?

 

I am unfamiliar with this...I've heard it once before and I am absolutely clueless about what this is exactly...please elaborate

 

I had seen somewhere that other owners were in the 170 - 180 range (my friend's 99 with an ARB front bumper (which can "block" cooling) and 300k+ runs with the needle just below half; while mine is above half...

 

There's a little valve on the thermostat that should be placed in the 6 O'clock position, but a lot of shops put it at the 12 O'clock position. Many people on here claim to get a ~10 degree F drop when they move the jiggle valve from 12 to 6. But if you're running a 180 degree thermostat and getting those temps, it's probably at 6. That said, that thermostat doesn't even open until 180 degrees. You could try a 170 degree one.

 

I wouldn't go by the dash temp gauge. I was running 195-208 before doing a coolant flush/thermostat replacement. Now I run 185-195 and the needle is in the same place as it is before. It's not very accurate.

 

Ahhha. I looked on the internets to see what you were meaning, too. Thanks for clarifying. I had pondered the installation of a 170 degree thermostat; at this point seems a hassle to replace it. I'm solid at the basics of wrenching (spark plugs, fluids, radiator, etc.)...haven't had the gumption yet to do the TB/WP and I was under the understanding that the thermostat removal/install is a few steps away from a TB/WP job, so doing a 170 seems out of the question for now since I just had mine done.

Maybe I just am OK with my temp ranges. It was running at 198 degrees until the new thermostat went in with the WP/TB. I easily dropped 10 degrees after that.

 

I had assumed it was quasi unreliable b/c I've seen it in the same place with varying temps. Thanks for confirming this