Coolant flush / Air conditioning

[andy_enuff]

Just had the bash plate off the bottom of my surf to do a coolant flush and found that i can't get to the drain tap very easily, or to the lower radiator hose, because there is a radiator in the way. I am guessing this is the air conditioning radiator, which means i can't disconnect it, but how do i do a coolant flush? I drained it anyway and added coolant system cleaner, and intend to flush in the next 48 hours, but I can't figure how to get round the radiator problem - I did detatch it but the rigid hoses didn't allow me to move it more than an inch or so and i still couldn't reach the lower radiator hose... Help please

[Guest]

Just had the bash plate off the bottom of my surf to do a coolant flush and found that i can't get to the drain tap very easily, or to the lower radiator hose, because there is a radiator in the way. I am guessing this is the air conditioning radiator, which means i can't disconnect it, but how do i do a coolant flush? I drained it anyway and added coolant system cleaner, and intend to flush in the next 48 hours, but I can't figure how to get round the radiator problem - I did detatch it but the rigid hoses didn't allow me to move it more than an inch or so and i still couldn't reach the lower radiator hose... Help please

You can get at the drain tap through the passenger side wheelarch although you will lose a fair amount of skin on your arms unless they are like the guy in the mister muscle ad. No need to drop down the aircon rad.

Cheers

[andy_enuff]

my ultimately skinny arms managed to get in and unto the rad drain tap fine, but surely the small aperture of the drain hose mean you don't get a very high flow rate when flushing, leaving lots of residue inside? Drained ok, but need to know how to flush if possible? Tonyn?

[Guest]

my ultimately skinny arms managed to get in and unto the rad drain tap fine, but surely the small aperture of the drain hose mean you don't get a very high flow rate when flushing, leaving lots of residue inside? Drained ok, but need to know how to flush if possible? Tonyn?

Best way to flush is tondrain through the drain tap then retighten. Undo the top hose, undo the bolts on the thermostat housing, remove thermostat then refit the housing. put a hise on full pressure into the thermostat housing and will flush all the way round the system and back out of the top hose. Do this for at least 10 mins and then reverse the flow. Finally refit the thermostat, top hose and then refill the system slowly with pre mixed antifreeze and water - put it in a watering can as the best way.

Make sure heater(s) are on full when flushing and filling.

Run engine for at least 15 mins with the rad cap off occasionally squeezing the heater hoses to remove airlocks. When no more coolant is required put back on the rad cap.

Cheers

[Evz]

Awesome -- I'm not the only one with that problem then. After looking on hiluxsurfing and in the Haynes manual I thought, OK this looks simple enough (I'm a newbie to Surfs AND doing my own maintenance). Take the bash plate off......WTF is this? That's not on the pictures!! Hastily re-applied the bash plate and came here to see if anyone knew.

On a side note, is it possible to renew the lower rad hose without taking off the air-con raditor? I would guess not.

[Puppywalker]

Awesome -- I'm not the only one with that problem then. After looking on hiluxsurfing and in the Haynes manual I thought, OK this looks simple enough (I'm a newbie to Surfs AND doing my own maintenance). Take the bash plate off......WTF is this? That's not on the pictures!! Hastily re-applied the bash plate and came here to see if anyone knew.

On a side note, is it possible to renew the lower rad hose without taking off the air-con raditor? I would guess not.

Don't be scared. undo the four bolts and the rad will move whilst still connected, do the hose then bolt the rad back. also gives you a chance to clean the mud and muck off.

[NiftyNev]

On a side note, is it possible to renew the lower rad hose without taking off the air-con raditor? I would guess not.

Yes.Do it from the top instead of bottom.By this I mean undo the other two hoses, remove the radiator, give it a good flush, replace the hose and refit.The bottom hose is just a short piece that connects the radiator outlet to the pipe that runs along the bottom and then up the side.

neville

[Evz]

Thanks guys - I'll give it a try next weekend

[openback]

well worth the effort of removing rad, took mine out over weekend, only needed new top hose, as slight leak for awhile (at least 3-4 months) but thought i'd take the opotunity to change all the hoses,thermostat and rad cap. as i've got the a/c rad infront of main rad despite my best post play efforts with the hose the main rad was still over 50% blocked! quite impressed that all through hot weather with a blocked rad and a water leak only nearly overheated twice! going to add rad removal to maint schedule.

[Striker73]

Best way to flush is tondrain through the drain tap then retighten. Undo the top hose, undo the bolts on the thermostat housing, remove thermostat then refit the housing. put a hise on full pressure into the thermostat housing and will flush all the way round the system and back out of the top hose. Do this for at least 10 mins and then reverse the flow. Finally refit the thermostat, top hose and then refill the system slowly with pre mixed antifreeze and water - put it in a watering can as the best way.

Make sure heater(s) are on full when flushing and filling.

Run engine for at least 15 mins with the rad cap off occasionally squeezing the heater hoses to remove airlocks. When no more coolant is required put back on the rad cap.

Cheers

Wish you could do mine mate it'sa pitty i'm in Nottinghamshire, mine despretly needs a flush and change but i'm no way going to do it myself, i need a someone to do it for me......

[KERRSURF]

After 5 years he might not even live there anymore.

[Predictable Bob]

Wish you could do mine mate it'sa pitty i'm in Nottinghamshire, mine despretly needs a flush and change but i'm no way going to do it myself, i need a someone to do it for me......

Have you considered a move to BlazingSmoke ?

There's a very nice man living there that would sort it out for you !

[Striker73]

Have you considered a move to BlazingSmoke ?

There's a very nice man living there that would sort it out for you !

Thanks chaps...erm no i haven't mate i think i will ask my garage to do it when they MOT it....what price should i expect to pay i have 1 new can of Toyota Red ready mixed in the garage i think it's a 5 liter can? Would that be enough or would he need to charge me more?
Any ideas thanks guys!

[KERRSURF]

I think the cooling system is 7lts.