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Tide pod coolant flush

Discussion in 'General Tundra Discussion' started by Rstfree1stgen, Jan 23, 2022.

  1. Jan 23, 2022 at 7:31 AM
    #1
    Rstfree1stgen

    Rstfree1stgen [OP] New Member

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    Made you click!

    But seriously I don’t know where else to post this so admins please move as needed!

    my grandfather told me the best way to clean my cooling system and unclog my heater core is to put some tide laundry soap in my rad with straight water and run it around town for an hour.

    I’ve asked a few old techs at my job and they say the same thing if a flush didn’t work try some tide!
    Please any input would be great,

    (no I probably won’t do this since I have CLR sitting in the core now foaming up as I type)
     
  2. Jan 23, 2022 at 7:38 AM
    #2
    Johnsonman

    Johnsonman New Member

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    LED headlamps/fogs; interior footlamps.
  3. Jan 23, 2022 at 7:40 AM
    #3
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    That sounds like putting Dawn dish soap in the Dishwasher. Nothing good comes of this....:rofl:
     
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  4. Jan 23, 2022 at 7:40 AM
    #4
    Rstfree1stgen

    Rstfree1stgen [OP] New Member

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    I’ve tried everything under the sun, replaced the heater core a few months back and observed clay like mud in the entire cooling system, so I removed the thermostat and let the garden hose run through the engine for a while, replaced hoses and it was great for a few months.
     
  5. Jan 23, 2022 at 7:44 AM
    #5
    2mchfun

    2mchfun Yeah it'll pull it, just don't expect to stop!

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    Sounds like you need to run Cascade in it too!
     
  6. Jan 23, 2022 at 7:57 AM
    #6
    Spyker

    Spyker I’m a dude,playin a dude,disguised as another dude

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    Seems as if this would be a solution a few decades ago sure, but now that technology, liquids, additives have evolved, nowadays there's a liquid or additive for damn near everything under the hood, to include a cooling system cleaner shown above.

    So if it were me, I'd go the route of an actual cleaner/additive meant for my intended issue(s), since I have them to use (whereas many many years ago tide might have been their best bet).
     
    Txexplorer23 likes this.
  7. Jan 23, 2022 at 7:59 AM
    #7
    2mchfun

    2mchfun Yeah it'll pull it, just don't expect to stop!

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    Check your local food service supply for that commercial hot pink dish soap so you can be Toyota "pink coolant" compliant.
     
    Cruzer, Black@Blue19, Sumo91 and 2 others like this.
  8. Jan 23, 2022 at 8:09 AM
    #8
    Bakershack

    Bakershack Critical of Noncritical Thinkers

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    :worthless:
    Or better yet, videos!
     
    GODZILLA and Retired...finally like this.
  9. Jan 23, 2022 at 8:45 AM
    #9
    Saltyhero13

    Saltyhero13 Throbbing Member

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    Fuel delete mod Cup holder upgrade
    Unless you are into foam parties if that is still a thing.
     
  10. Jan 23, 2022 at 8:53 AM
    #10
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    I had a lazy roommate that put like a cup of Dawn in a load of dishes. I have never seen so much bubbles pouring out on the floor...I wish smartphones was a thing back then. Well, maybe not.
     
  11. Jan 23, 2022 at 8:55 AM
    #11
    Saltyhero13

    Saltyhero13 Throbbing Member

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    Fuel delete mod Cup holder upgrade
    Oh jeez! I put a little dollop of dish soap in one once and it foamed up the whole kitchen floor. It doesn't take much.
     
  12. Jan 23, 2022 at 8:57 AM
    #12
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    No it doesn't...so imagine a full cup. What a shit show that was. The worst was brand new hardwood flooring was just installed and pretty much destroyed.
     
    GODZILLA and Saltyhero13[QUOTED] like this.
  13. Jan 23, 2022 at 9:18 AM
    #13
    boostedtrdpro

    boostedtrdpro voided warranty

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    Growing up in a racing family we used to put a few drops of dawn dish soap in the radiator of all our race cars. Sort of like “Water Wetter” but a cheaper alternative. Plenty of old school race car drivers swore by this technique and say it allows the engine to run slightly cooler and lessens the surface tension of the water. Most I ever remember seeing were small amounts of bubbles in the overflow, probably because it’s a closed pressurized system. That being said, I wouldn’t put it in my cooling system :rofl:
     
  14. Jan 23, 2022 at 9:27 AM
    #14
    TundraMcGov.

    TundraMcGov. Your friend. Your foe. Not yo Ho.

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    I just did mine and put in 3 tablespoons of Marvel Mystery Oil.

    Things that go better with Marvel Mystery Oil:

    - Tundra cooling system
    - Tundra fueling system
    - Tundra oiling system
    - Tundra cabin air filter
    - every Harley since 1919
    - Maytag branded dishwashers
    - Grandmas chocolate chip cookies
    - your redheaded GF who's far more nasty than nice
     
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  15. Jan 23, 2022 at 11:55 AM
    #15
    clarkritchie

    clarkritchie New Member

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  16. Jan 23, 2022 at 4:01 PM
    #16
    Sumo91

    Sumo91 Busy with projects

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    I'd remove the hoses and just flush it with a water hose both ways
     
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  17. Jan 23, 2022 at 4:19 PM
    #17
    2mchfun

    2mchfun Yeah it'll pull it, just don't expect to stop!

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    Fwiw, pretty sure there are inline coolant filters availabe. So, you could maybe temporarily throw in a filter to capture and remove the crap as it will likely take quite some time to get it all out. Granted you may never get it all, but surely a filter would help in this case.
     
    Rstfree1stgen[OP] likes this.
  18. Jan 23, 2022 at 4:43 PM
    #18
    THinTX

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    I’ve seen it done a few times. Actually works pretty well. Just needs to be thoroughly flushed afterwards.
     
  19. Jan 24, 2022 at 4:16 PM
    #19
    Rstfree1stgen

    Rstfree1stgen [OP] New Member

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    i thought about this as an option, but those coolant filters won’t prevent the crud from going in the heater core, just lessen the amount right?
     
  20. Jan 24, 2022 at 4:22 PM
    #20
    2mchfun

    2mchfun Yeah it'll pull it, just don't expect to stop!

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    That would depend on the micron rating rating of the filter and the particle size of the crud.
     
  21. Jan 24, 2022 at 4:25 PM
    #21
    Rstfree1stgen

    Rstfree1stgen [OP] New Member

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    Well it was like mud in some spots, like I said I flushed the block and rad with the garden hose for a while, and replaced the heater core. Now it’s back to the same nonsense and coolant looks just the same if not worse than before
     
  22. Jan 24, 2022 at 4:27 PM
    #22
    2mchfun

    2mchfun Yeah it'll pull it, just don't expect to stop!

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    Have you checked the oil in the engine? Wonder if you have a bad head gasket, oil in coolant can look like tan mud.
     
  23. Jan 24, 2022 at 4:31 PM
    #23
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

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    Before i decided on a tundra, i was super close to pulling the trigger on a Ram Ecodiesel. The mpg would allow me to get rid of my old commuter car because it gets the same hwy mileage as my toyota matrix does.

    One big problem (amongst many others) was the water to oil cooler, it would fail and send oil into the cooling system. People started noticing it when their overflow tanks were nasty looking. The authorized solution was to replace the faulty cooler and pour laundry detergent into the system and let it run for a while (not the best for diesel engines) and then flush the bajesus out of it......so i have heard of this method before.
     
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  24. Jan 24, 2022 at 5:01 PM
    #24
    Rstfree1stgen

    Rstfree1stgen [OP] New Member

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    Nope no issues of mixing fluids, I’m 99% sure this the effects of using mineral rich well water and concentrate coolant for the last almost 20 years of its life
     
  25. Jan 24, 2022 at 5:11 PM
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    Blue By U

    Blue By U New Member

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    Never hose or well water. Only distilled water.
     
  26. Jan 24, 2022 at 5:12 PM
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    2mchfun

    2mchfun Yeah it'll pull it, just don't expect to stop!

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    Idk, there was a time Toyota had some major head gasket issues.
     
  27. Jan 24, 2022 at 7:43 PM
    #27
    Rstfree1stgen

    Rstfree1stgen [OP] New Member

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    Never heard of a 2uz having head gasket “issues” when I hear that I think Subaru. I’m sure Toyotas had a few here and there
     
  28. Jan 24, 2022 at 8:43 PM
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    2mchfun

    2mchfun Yeah it'll pull it, just don't expect to stop!

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    2uz or not, sometimes head gaskets go south. Just makes sense to me that if mud colored slime is appearing out of nowhere in the coolant, just maybe there is a head gasket issue. I mean the truck is nearly 20 yrs old. Kinda already been lucky! Pollutants can't just walk into a sealed system, there has got to be a point of entry somewhere! Just offered my opinion to try and help you troubleshoot without being able to actually see it. Good luck!
     
    JLS in WA likes this.
  29. Jan 24, 2022 at 9:03 PM
    #29
    JLS in WA

    JLS in WA New Member

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    Why are you putting well water in there instead of distilled?
     
  30. Jan 25, 2022 at 3:38 AM
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    Adam

    Adam New Member

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    The tide of old is different from the stuff today. P&G got rid of the TSP in it (that's what did the real cleaning) due to environmental concerns. Quilters still use TSP to clean their stuff as you can still find it around. I have seen it in equestrian aisles of farm supply and at hardware stores. Anyway, the new stuff uses enzymes to clean and they spent ridiculous amounts of money to figure it out. If I wanted to try to wash the hell out of the radiator, I would go straight Trisodium phosphate from Lowes.
     
    Rstfree1stgen[OP] likes this.

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