Coolant question (old red still look red?)

Was trying to drain and fill the coolant on my 2000 4.7 as it seemed to run hot the one long drive I've taken it on (ride home from buying it) and it's got 265k with few service records and none to cover coolant. So I drained all that was in the radiator not realizing there were also plugs in the block to remove if I wanted to get 100%. Also explains why it was refusing anything more than a gallon and a half refilling.

The question is about the coolant that was in it, which I've no documentation of, and to my untrained naked eyes looked kinda orange or at least more orange than red. I know it should only have red, which is what I added but am now concerned I may have mixed some new red with some old orange that someone added for some reason. Would old red coolant that sat a while look a bit orange? Is it a problem that I've mixed them?

Thanks in advance for the help with all these stupid questions.... really thought this one would be an easy job.

 

Yeah. Its more of an in depth job if you want to get it right. Unsure how to answer some of you questions but here is what I’d do since you are unsure of the service history. Basically, you are starting over from scratch after you do a flush. Its work and messy, but in the end will give you a baseline to work from.

1) Buy 8 gallons of distilled water.

2) Buy 2 Prestone Radiator Flush Bottles.

3) Drain all existing Coolant from Radiator Petcock. Also open up Pass side Sillcock and let drain. I remove the entire bolt so I get all the gookies. For the Drivers Side draining instead of opening the Sillcock, I remove the hose at the Oil Cooler which is the lowest spot in the system. Everything will come out there. Pour a little distilled water while the system is open to flood out any bits out of the opened ports.

4) Button everything up and fill with 3 gallons on the Distilled Water with the 2 bottles of Flush Mixed in them. Drive and burp. If the weather isn’t feeezing you can drive a few days and let the Mix work its Magic. If it is freezing where you live then right away drain (see #3 above) and refill with Valvoline ‘Zerex’ Asian Coolant 50/50.


5) If you can drive a few days with the Flush Mix (weather permitting), then do so and then drain it and refill with another 3-4 gallons of pure distilled. Drive it around and then drain it. Now your system is pretty clean. Refill with Valvoline ‘Zerex’ Asian 50/50 (3.5ish Gallons).


Might want to check its service history as you might need new radiator, timing belt, thermostat, etc. You’d do these things after your Prestone Flush and Re-Flush with distilled and prior to fresh refill of new Coolant. Find a good incline to burp the truck and it might take a few days. Make sure the Rez is topped to the F line when Hot. Thats your new baseline.

 

Appreciate all that, but my main concern at the moment is whether the coolant I added and whatever was in there are compatible. Planning to get a full inspection this week as it came with no service records aside of oil changes on the Carfax.

 

Sure thing YetiMan. Only way to know for sure it start from the beginning. Most likely someone put in ‘whatever’ coolant when it needs Red Asian PHOAT.

 

Ya, that's my concern and why I was planning to replace it all. But now I've got 1.5 gallons in cause it's all it would take and I'm worried that whatever is in there isn't compatible. Should I try to find the engine block drain plugs to get it all out or will the passenger side sillcock let me get it all out?

 

No. You’ll be fine for a while but plan on doing the above at some point. You’ll start afresh and have no worries.

Orange is either old rust or incompatible coolant color type. Asian Red PHOAT is Japanese Spec for our trucks.

 

Thanks but if it's incompatible aren't I running the risk of it turning into gel/goo?

 

In my experience of owning many Toyota’s, the coolant has never looked orange as it aged.
If the P.O. added green coolant to existing red (or pink) coolant, the resulting color should be yellow-ish.
So how did it get to orange? There’s no way to tell.
If I were in your situation, I’d at least drain it and refill with the proper Toyota or Asian coolant.
Best bet would be to do as @Professional Hand Model wrote up and do it properly.

 

Yes over long time. Please just do the Full Flush and new Asian Red Coolant. You’ll feel better the sooner you do it. May not fix your ‘overheat problem’ but at least you’ll have a good baseline to start.

What makes you think the truck is overheating? Sounds like a new to you truck. Did you have a digital gauge reading on the Temp?

 

So I already drained whatever would come out of the main radiator plug, and refilled, like I said it only took about 1.5 gallons. So I can redo that with the passenger side plug too if that'll help.

And the one long drive home the temp gauge was getting real close to the upper limit.

Are you saying I should empty via both plugs on the radiator and run water through for a bit, then refill with coolant? Or do I need to find the block plugs?

 

Draining the entire system (if properly fill to begin with) is about 3.5 gallons. Follow the directions above and open the radiator drain, pass side engine plug, and the hose going into your oil cooler which is the lowest part of your system and will clear the front Throttle Body lines etc.


I’m more concerned why you have an overheat problem and why didn’t the seller tell you.

 

Remember you cannot get the entire coolant out of your engine block by just draing your radiator. You are better to take to a radiator shop where they can clean out yor hoses, radiator and block. dont ever remove your casting plugs only remove them when hot dip your engine when rebuilding. older engines had block drains. not anymore.

 

This is the 1st Gen Section. Our engines have two ‘Sillcock Drains’ on either side of the block made for draining the sides. No need to drain from the driver side plug as the lowest part is the Oil Cooler on that side and the hoses leading to the TB are all connected there. Opening that hose gets everything out trapped in there. This gets every drop out and if someone put any stop leak in the system (who knows?) it would trap in those small lines.

A radiator shop might put in Green Coolant like we’ve seen happen with other members. They might not fully drain the system. I don’t trust any shops anymore. Still looking for a good one near me.

 

Appreciate all the help. I'll plan on draining with the oil cooler hose, but does anyone have a pic of where that connection is? Or does it connect to the radiator so I should be able to find it pretty easily?

 

Their are two (in/out) near your oil filter which screws onto the Oil Cooler. Spring Clamps hold the 1/2” hoses on. Undo the lowest clamp and twist the hose off.

 

Another step I do which was suggested by @empty_lord many moons back, disconnect the heater core hoses and back flush it with a garden hose !

Courtesy of PHM !

 

Thank you both. Off to get some distilled water and extra coolant.

 

Thanks. I replaced that gnarly old hose last year when doing the Timing Belt Job. Quite a bit of fluid trapped below the engine block drain and also on the other side in the Throttle Body will come out.

I erased a bunch of pictures and that was one of them.

 

but Google don't

complete radiator drain site:tundras.com - Google Search

 

Ok just want to confirm, given the oil cooler line is the low point I don't need to bother with the plugs in the engine, correct?

 

Read the above post again. Its been explained three or four times already. Start at the beginning long post I gave you and study it!

 

I've all but had it tattoedton my brain at this point and it makes no mention of the plugs on the engine block so I just want to make sure I'm not missing something.

 

Thanks, just wanted to confirm. Sorry for being an idiot.

 

Thats ok. Better to double and triple check than do it wrong. Report back with pics!

 

Ok, so I'm either color blind or something is orange in the system. Second I popped off the wrong hose, it was next to the drivers petcock on the radiator, not much came out so I guess no big deal. The one referenced above though looks like it's only on with hopes and dreams so I don't want to touch it cause I don't have a replacement and there's no parts store open today unfortunately. Thinking I'll just flush what I can with the distilled water, drain, refill with fluid and hope the inspection I'm calling to schedule tomorrow can figure it out. Thing is really kicking my ass and I'm seriously regretting it at this point.

 

Personally I wouldn’t do the drain cocks on the block only because mine seized and I broke 1/2 of the brass fitting off.

That was in the first year of ownership and the block was cold beforehand. Maybe defective fitting? Dunno.

Now I just dilute with two drains and refill of the radiator a week apart and call it done.

 

Like that idea, but due to the driveshaft being an issue and even if I used it as a 'daily' since I'm working from home at this point a weeks driving is like 5 miles to the farm down the road and back each week. So I may just have to let it run in the driveway a bit.

 

We have a Gnar Gnar Situation. Proceed with caution as Jack says.