Changing coolant

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According to my owners manual, its time to get my coolant changed in my 2007 Toyota Yaris. My local dealer will change it for around $130, before taxes and whatever else they feel like adding on. I've heard that many dealers will just do a drain and fill, which for that price I have considered learning how to change it myself. I do have questions though, and any tips or suggestions are extremely welcome.

First off, I'm not extremely mechanically inclined. Changing my own oil and air filters are as far as I go with my car. After reading a few how to's, it sounds extremely simple, especially if it can save me nearly $100 and lots of time.

From what I understand, this is how to do it:
Step 1 remove radiator cap.
Step 2 remove drain valve on bottom of radiator by twisting it counter clockwise and drain coolant.
Step 3 tighten drain valve by turning clockwise till snug.
Step 4 fill radiator back with a mixture of coolant/water 50/50.
Step 5 run vehicle with radiator cap off till air burps from system and cooling fan cycles.
Step 6 put back on radiator cap.
Step 7 wash hands.

Would you recommend any other steps?

Also, what kinds of coolant would you suggest? I have looked at several types such as Prestone, Genuine Pink or Red Toyota, or even Amsoil. I am not too concerned about price as coolant doesn't need to be changed very often.

Thank you, and sorry if post is rather long, I just want to get as much useful information as possible.
 
Use the Toyota coolant. I removed the water pump in my !echo! after something like 270K miles and it looked like I pulled it out of a parts box. You are doing a drain and fill, what is in there now?
 
It is critical your car does not overheat at some point after you wash your hands. Keep a close eye on the coolant reservoir level, and keep a jug of coolant mix in the trunk until you're confident the circuit is full.
 
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Your plan sounds great. Repeat every 18 months or so to maintain the additive level.......I have done this with all my vehicles and NEVER had a coolant related problem since 1985, regardless of the age of the vehicle.
 
Start with the car warmed up but not too hot. Set the heat to hot while it warms up. Open the drain first, but leave the rad cap on until the recovery tank is empty, then open the cap and let it drain. Fill the rad up to the top then wait a few minutes and it will burp itself to some extent then put the cap on and fill the tank up half way and go for a drive with the heat on. Once it cools down you may have to add some more coolant to the tank. Use a funnel to avoid spills and rinse off any spilled coolant with water to make it easier to identify leaks later on.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Repeat [radiator drain and fill] every 18 months or so to maintain the additive level.......

+1

Good advice!
laugh.gif
 
First I don't have a yaris and didn't take the time to lookup your car, so this is just my 2cent opinion.
Use the OEM recommended fluid. I'd guess that'd be the toyota pink. If it is SLLC (pink), then there is no mixing or water needed.

Typically if you're doing a full drain and fill, there's also drain cocks on the engine you should hit (not sure). But if you're ok with a "partial" service then just the drain from the radiator. The volumes maybe different then what the book says if you're just doing radiator.


Be sure to prepare and lookup how to dispose of coolant properly what you're going to put it in, and where you can drop it off.

You shouldn't use your oil pans for this, as oil-contaminated coolant is now even more hazardous then just the coolant and may have to go to special dropoff places.

With these SLLC coolants, as you note, the interval is 100k+ miles/10years. The people who are recommending 18m to you are living in a time bubble of LLC coolants with service intervals of 3year/30k miles (are they also recommending 3mo/3k OCIs?).

I think the Toyota price of $130 is actually not too bad-if that involves changing it all and includes the price of fluid.
I'd put fair market value of this about $100, so a 30% upcharge.


Also, you should google 2007 yaris coolant change. You'll get hits from a yaris-specific forum with DIY as well as youtube videos specific to your car.
 
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Regular coolant can almost always go in the city sewer if you have that service. It's "good" for it.

At some point in the first warm-up point the car up a steep hill and gun it up it to shake any air bubbles loose.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Regular coolant can almost always go in the city sewer if you have that service. It's "good" for it.



It maybe possible that your local sewer system can handle coolant, but you need to call to confirm.
To say it's "good" for it is incorrect and shows ignorance at a near negligent level. Unless your quotes are bizarro means-the-complete-opposite quotes. Used coolant/antifreeze is classified by the EPA as hazardous waste.

That's like saying motor oil is "good for you" as it shows you are a man. You should dab a bit behind your ears to attract the ladies. Or radiation is good for you as it supercharges your cells. Enjoy your increased risk of cancer later in life, do whatever you want to your own body (as long as you pay your own medical bills), but don't mess up everything else for the rest of us.
 
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I wouldn't pull the petcocks. Pull the lower rad hose.
The petcocks break. Rad hose is cheap. A new radiator is a pain to replace.
 
I am also not mechanically inclined and learned to change my coolant this past spring. It's not difficult. If you can change oil, you can change coolant. I did a complete drain on one car by getting all coolant out of engine block and heater core, and on other car I just drained and refilled the radiator. In my semi-informed opinion, I would stick with just draining and refilling the radiator. There wasn't much coolant left in the engine and heater core. If you are concerned about that little bit of old fluid, fill your system back up with distilled water and let the car run with heater on, drain everything out, and refill with coolant. Again, for my money, I'm just draining and refilling the radiator.
 
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First off doing PM is good but then you have to do it with the right coolant
Always stay with what is recommended in the owners manual - I know well because I monkeyed w/ non-OEM coolants and will NEVER forget the heartburn.

You best bet would be to drain and fill radiator with OEM pink/red coolant.

There is a way to flush it but then it is a long process not worth it.
 
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Originally Posted By: MaximaGuy
First off doing PM is good but then you have to do it with the right coolant
Always stay with what is recommended in the owners manual - I know well because I monkeyed w/ non-OEM coolants and will NEVER forget the heartburn.

You best bet would be to drain and fill radiator with OEM pink/red coolant.

There is a way to flush it but then it is a long process not worth it.


I agree, for my Honda I put the Honda BLUE TYPE 2 in mine....

Id you car calls for DEX COOL then put in Dex Cool....

I do not like then all in one Coolants... Might be nothing wrong with older USA made cars but newer cars today and Honda and Acura need OEM.... Also HONDA has Beck and Arnly that sells Honda Approved Coolant.

I wish OEM Fluid would sell thier products at good prices or at least comparable prices.

I hate how Honda OEM stuff is nearly double the $.... makes me so mad.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Your plan sounds great. Repeat every 18 months or so to maintain the additive level.......I have done this with all my vehicles and NEVER had a coolant related problem since 1985, regardless of the age of the vehicle.


Why do some people say its okay to use Ionized water and then use a addative like Redline Water Wetter or Royal purple coolant addative.

Why do some people think that water deionized or Inonzed water is with a addative is better?
 
What do you think of Valvoline Max Life coolant with
MaxLife™ Antifreeze/Coolant

Recommended for use in ALL Makes, ALL Models and compatible with all colors.

Only coolant with Alugard® Plus to ensure compatibility with all coolants
Developed to work with all automobiles and light duty trucks
Helps protect against cold weather freeze-ups and hot weather boil-overs
Lubricates gaskets and seal


Im not sold on this stuff.. anyone here actually use it and have good results?
 
FYI, my brother had a Honda Civic w/ 165K on original coolant. He went by Sears and they told him his coolant needed replacement -- only GOD know what those ignorant $8/hr kids put in there. My brother called me and I told him have no one touch the coolants.

In 6 months time his car was in flames on the freeway, and believe it his wife was driving it .... makes it even better since women never ever see the dash to know what is going on in their vehicles. His radiator had jellied up and blew the HG and what not. He had to pay money to "recycle" a perfectly normal vehicle.

These are the kind of idiooots you will find around in these shops whose owners don't have a formal education don't understand chemistry and metal interaction -- there is a reason why our owners manual only recommends manufacture fluid.

Any folks stop complaining about the cost of coolants -- I would spend $60 for 2 gallons of OEM coolant that I wouldn't touch for 80-100K miles (same w/ spark plugs always OEM, I monkeyed w/ non-OEM and there are sordid stories to reflect upon). Americans spend more money filling their tanks driving their behemoths on the roads and complain when it comes to $2 tolls.
 
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IMO, but the importance of sticking to OEM coolants is totally blown out of proportion here.
Yes, different chemistries may not play well with each other and I'm fully against mixing different types of coolants. But if the system is fully flushed, I don't see any advantage of OEM coolants, especially the ones that can only be bought at the dealer.

Fear is what sells most overpriced OEM fluids.
 
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Originally Posted By: KrisZ
IMO, but the importance of sticking to OEM coolants is totally blown out of proportion here.
Yes, different chemistries may not play well with each other and I'm fully against mixing different types of coolants. But if the system is fully flushed, I don't see any advantage of OEM coolants, especially the ones that can only be bought at the dealer.

Fear is what sells most overpriced OEM fluids.

My parents experienced something completely different. Many years ago, mom had a 1994 Eagle Summit (Mitsubishi derived clone) and dad had a 1995 Honda Accord. Both cars had water pumps fail within months of each other, the year was 1999 or 2000, IIRC. The guys at the repair shops said that the OEM coolant had no silicates, and the conventional green stuff had it. Dad always thought green antifreeze was all the same.

So whenever someone tries to use coolants that have silicates in a car that doesn't use them, I immediately tell them not to use the coolant with silicates.
 
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