Randy’s mod day

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I'm waiting for some stars to align and some money to exchange hands then I'll have shocks front and rear for the Tacoma. It's not getting lifted anytime soon, but I'll have some shocks on it capable of I do decide to further down the road.
what happened to your icon on the 4rnr should put on the taco.
 
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So, as soon as I got home from work, I started the process of "flushing" the coolant system... with the old radiator still in place. Thankfully, it isn't a very fast leak, but I wouldn't dare travel too far from home with it. The coolant was extremely brown.
1) I opened the bottom drain valve to let out the coolant that is/was currently in the engine/radiator
2) refilled with water (I will be repeating this process a couple times) and put the radiator cap back on
3) I connected my scantool to the DTC port
4) started the engine and read the live data as I had the engine heat up and "opened" the heater core
5) on occasion I would feel the upper radiator tube to make sure it was "cold" as I was watching the ECT temp on the scantool
6) at 170*F on the scantool, the upper hose was still cold and even at around 176*F it was still cold
NOTE: there are thermostats for my truck that you can buy that open at 170*F, which is why I was checking to see which one was in there

7) when the scantool read 181*F, I went over to the upper hose and I could start feeling hot water starting to travel through the hose
NOTE: the next highest thermostat for my truck is a 180*F and that is when the upper hose was letting hot water flow

8) so, my thermostat works like it should. I wasn't expecting any issues with it as I've been monitoring the ECT with the scantool before all this and it always had good readings. I just wanted to see what temp it opened at just to let me know what temp thermostat it was

9) tomorrow morning, going to repeat the process one more time, then the 3rd time I will...
10) refill with water + the flush/cleaner fluid
11) drive it around for a couple hours as I have errands to run anyways
12) come back home, park, and let it sit for a couple days for a "deep clean"
13) repeat the process of flushing...

I'll put in the new radiator after I do all of this...

Annnnnnnyways, yeah, it was definitely time to change out the coolant system and will likely do this every year. Not necessarily do a deep clean, but just a fairly quick flush of the system. Kinda hard living at an apartment and trying to dodge the property mgr from seeing me work on my vehicle. The last place I lived, the property mgr gave me shi*, but I couldn't say anything and didn't want any more beef than that, so I just kept it "civil". Just sucks not having a garage of my own. Here at my new place, it's all cool so far, but I just moved here not too long ago, so I don't want any issues as that's the last thing I need right now.

Btw, it's definitely "squirting fluid" while I'm driving apparently??? :noidea: I looked at it today/tonight as I was doing this process to see if I can see where the leak is coming from, but NOTHING??? :smash::headwall: Most definitely has a leak, it's definitely coming from the top section area of the top tank, but definitely NOT a hose leak!!! :deadbanana: ALL I KNOW, I can't WAIT to change my radiator!!!

Just so that I know ahead of time, where do I throw my old radiator away??? :noidea::help:

@4runner DOA Danny, definitely NOT a rush either way on this one. I know you said about 2x weeks, but "I'm" just saying that either way 4x weeks is fine with me or even longer. I don't drive it all that often anyways.
 

4runner DOA

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So, as soon as I got home from work, I started the process of "flushing" the coolant system... with the old radiator still in place. Thankfully, it isn't a very fast leak, but I wouldn't dare travel too far from home with it. The coolant was extremely brown.
1) I opened the bottom drain valve to let out the coolant that is/was currently in the engine/radiator
2) refilled with water (I will be repeating this process a couple times) and put the radiator cap back on
3) I connected my scantool to the DTC port
4) started the engine and read the live data as I had the engine heat up and "opened" the heater core
5) on occasion I would feel the upper radiator tube to make sure it was "cold" as I was watching the ECT temp on the scantool
6) at 170*F on the scantool, the upper hose was still cold and even at around 176*F it was still cold
NOTE: there are thermostats for my truck that you can buy that open at 170*F, which is why I was checking to see which one was in there

7) when the scantool read 181*F, I went over to the upper hose and I could start feeling hot water starting to travel through the hose
NOTE: the next highest thermostat for my truck is a 180*F and that is when the upper hose was letting hot water flow

8) so, my thermostat works like it should. I wasn't expecting any issues with it as I've been monitoring the ECT with the scantool before all this and it always had good readings. I just wanted to see what temp it opened at just to let me know what temp thermostat it was

9) tomorrow morning, going to repeat the process one more time, then the 3rd time I will...
10) refill with water + the flush/cleaner fluid
11) drive it around for a couple hours as I have errands to run anyways
12) come back home, park, and let it sit for a couple days for a "deep clean"
13) repeat the process of flushing...

I'll put in the new radiator after I do all of this...

Annnnnnnyways, yeah, it was definitely time to change out the coolant system and will likely do this every year. Not necessarily do a deep clean, but just a fairly quick flush of the system. Kinda hard living at an apartment and trying to dodge the property mgr from seeing me work on my vehicle. The last place I lived, the property mgr gave me shi*, but I couldn't say anything and didn't want any more beef than that, so I just kept it "civil". Just sucks not having a garage of my own. Here at my new place, it's all cool so far, but I just moved here not too long ago, so I don't want any issues as that's the last thing I need right now.

Btw, it's definitely "squirting fluid" while I'm driving apparently??? :noidea: I looked at it today/tonight as I was doing this process to see if I can see where the leak is coming from, but NOTHING??? :smash::headwall: Most definitely has a leak, it's definitely coming from the top section area of the top tank, but definitely NOT a hose leak!!! :deadbanana: ALL I KNOW, I can't WAIT to change my radiator!!!

Just so that I know ahead of time, where do I throw my old radiator away??? :noidea::help:

@4runner DOA Danny, definitely NOT a rush either way on this one. I know you said about 2x weeks, but "I'm" just saying that either way 4x weeks is fine with me or even longer. I don't drive it all that often anyways.

Don't go too crazy with the flush until you're ready to pull the radiator. You don't want to waste fresh coolant when you do the swap.
 
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Don't go too crazy with the flush until you're ready to pull the radiator. You don't want to waste fresh coolant when you do the swap.
I have concentrate. The first "flushes" have very little coolant involved, really only two "flushes". The 3rd, tomorrow morning, will have it though.

But yeah, don't worry about that aspect. I'm on it, in that sense. The main purpose is to get the old "water" out first. Which has shown to be already pretty good the second time around. The third will have the actual cleaner along with the regular mixture. Then I will let it sit a day or two. Even the bottle is suggesting, more or less, the same process I'm basically doing. Another reason why I let the heater core "flush".

"I" just don't want old fluid in the engine itself going into my new radiator and I can tell you, it is looking pretty good so far.
 

Slim-Whitey

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A little note on rad flushes:

If you really want EVERYTHING out of there, take a drill pump, and hook it up to the cold (output) side of the heater core, and unhook the input side, and flush THAT out.

The heater core, with its smaller passages than the rad, will plug with shit first. Giving that a flush helps a ton.

Rads and engine too I've done. Flush em out backwards until the water is clear. It's amazing what you get out of there.
Might be stupid for some other reason, but I've never had an issue on my stuff.
 
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Messages
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A little note on rad flushes:

If you really want EVERYTHING out of there, take a drill pump, and hook it up to the cold (output) side of the heater core, and unhook the input side, and flush THAT out.

The heater core, with its smaller passages than the rad, will plug with shit first. Giving that a flush helps a ton.

Rads and engine too I've done. Flush em out backwards until the water is clear. It's amazing what you get out of there.
Might be stupid for some other reason, but I've never had an issue on my stuff.
Didn't know what a drill pump was or even existed and just now Google_d it to see what it was and how much it costs. NOT all that expensive.

What else are they used for???
 

4runner DOA

Hold my beer
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A little note on rad flushes:

If you really want EVERYTHING out of there, take a drill pump, and hook it up to the cold (output) side of the heater core, and unhook the input side, and flush THAT out.

The heater core, with its smaller passages than the rad, will plug with shit first. Giving that a flush helps a ton.

Rads and engine too I've done. Flush em out backwards until the water is clear. It's amazing what you get out of there.
Might be stupid for some other reason, but I've never had an issue on my stuff.

I've always just filled with distilled water, run until hot, let cool, drain, rinse and repeat until clear.
 

Slim-Whitey

Canadian hoser, Eh?
Know it all snowfake
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I've always just filled with distilled water, run until hot, let cool, drain, rinse and repeat until clear.

That takes more time than hooking the pump up to a 5 gallon pail and having at er. :laugh:
It's also a little less efficient. Flushing backwards physically pushes everything out.

Didn't know what a drill pump was or even existed and just now Google_d it to see what it was and how much it costs. NOT all that expensive.

What else are they used for???

I've never used one for anything else.

Btw, @Slim-Whitey it was sad to hear about RUSH's drummer, Neil Peart, passing away. Guy was a PHENOMENAL drummer!!! :sad:

I've never been much of a Rush fan, admittedly.
 
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Yeah, NEVER ever had a radiator issue before. So this is all new to me.

On other past cars, I've had water plug issues, those SUCK BAD!!! I've had radiator bypass issues as well as upper/lower hoses, but never the actual radiator.

"Flushing", I always took it in with the exception of recent.

I was going to get it done actually just before all this. Kinda weird how coincidental it is?

Other than that, the truck/engine runs really well. I'm really good with oil changes.
 
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@4runner DOA Danny got it to where the water is fairly "clear". Just put the flush cleaner in, running the engine for a bit, and going to let it sit until Monday night'ish. Pretty much the instructions on the cleaner bottle.

Anyways, looking pretty good so far as far as "clean goes". :thumbsup:

I almost forgot, @whippersnapper02 Christian had suggested I change my sway bar end links as well, which I pretty much already knew, but it was at the bottom of my list.

Anyways, got those as well. If I can still come over, the only real thing I want to take care of as priority is the radiator.

Again, NO RUSH!!!

I MIGHT even do my radiator here at my apt on my next Friday off?

The upper ball joints though, I may need some help with?

I'll obviously keep you in the loop on how I plan on doing this. I just gotta do it fairly quick as far as the radiator goes. HAHAHA :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Anyways, I will let you know.

Thanks Danny for everything thus far and that goes for ALL of you guys as well!!!
 

4runner DOA

Hold my beer
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@4runner DOA Danny got it to where the water is fairly "clear". Just put the flush cleaner in, running the engine for a bit, and going to let it sit until Monday night'ish. Pretty much the instructions on the cleaner bottle.

Anyways, looking pretty good so far as far as "clean goes". :thumbsup:

I almost forgot, @whippersnapper02 Christian had suggested I change my sway bar end links as well, which I pretty much already knew, but it was at the bottom of my list.

Anyways, got those as well. If I can still come over, the only real thing I want to take care of as priority is the radiator.

Again, NO RUSH!!!

I MIGHT even do my radiator here at my apt on my next Friday off?

The upper ball joints though, I may need some help with?

I'll obviously keep you in the loop on how I plan on doing this. I just gotta do it fairly quick as far as the radiator goes. HAHAHA :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Anyways, I will let you know.

Thanks Danny for everything thus far and that goes for ALL of you guys as well!!!

No worries. Pretty sure I'm free next weekend. The kid goes to his mom's and I haven't planned anything except maybe alignment on the 4runner but I may tackle that this weekend.
 
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No worries. Pretty sure I'm free next weekend. The kid goes to his mom's and I haven't planned anything except maybe alignment on the 4runner but I may tackle that this weekend.
Okay then let's shoot for next Saturday. IF you can't do it, no worries.

It's NOT that fast of a leak, but I sure would NOT trust going long distance with it knowing it DOES have a leak either way, if you get my meaning.

Anyways, cool then. :thumbsup:

HAHAHA, I can get my breaker bars and ratchet from you.

I don't have any of your sockets. I looked today. I'll look again, but I don't have any impact type sockets in either tool box that I brought that day, pretty sure I didn't see any.

My 3/4" soft socket is cracked though. Had that thing for YEARS!!!:sad:
 
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Also careful with back flushing old cooling systems unless you want a plugged heater core or a water pump/thermostat issue. If your radiator was corroded and full of shit it can break loose and get lodged somewhere in the block too. Best to flush stuff separately
 
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