06-06-2014, 05:22 PM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Seattle
Posts: 10
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Seattle
Posts: 10
|
mixed coolant
Somewhere along the line, someone mixed green and red antifreeze in my 4runner. I discovered this when replacing the timing belt, water pump, thermostat and radiator. under the waterpump, there is a little caked on gunk, which I think could be from the two incompatible fluids. Most of the metal was clean, though.
Since I am replacing the radiator and putting in Toyota OEM coolant, there will be no problems there. What about the pathways inside the engine? Should I do a chemical flush, or are they open enough that they would never clog up?
Thanks.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
06-06-2014, 05:47 PM
|
#2
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Walnut Creek CA
Posts: 1,167
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Walnut Creek CA
Posts: 1,167
|
You should be fine, especially since you are replacing all the fluid now with OEM. If you read the OEM manual all it says is about the coolant is that it needs to be ethylene glycol based. I know there is a big scare to deviate from the "toyota' brand but RTFM lol.
I used Zerex Asian formula when I recently swapped mine out.
__________________
85 Xtracab, 3Link Front, Marlin Dual Ultimate, Double Locked on 37s
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
06-06-2014, 05:52 PM
|
#3
|
Junior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Seattle
Posts: 10
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Seattle
Posts: 10
|
Thanks.
Off to the dealership to pick up the crank bolt and coolant. Maybe I can finish this tonight!
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
06-06-2014, 06:13 PM
|
#4
|
|
Elite Member
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Utard
Posts: 12,985
Real Name: Kevin
|
|
Elite Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Utard
Posts: 12,985
Real Name: Kevin
|
Without knowing what the other two styles of coolant were, I would plan on flushing it. You don't need to be anal about it, but backflushing the heater core takes ten minutes and hurts nothing.
__________________
.
'My needle always settles between west and southwest. The future lies that way to me, and the earth seems more unexhausted and richer on that side.' - Thoreau, sort of.
The Grey Bastard, 1985 4Runner, driveway ornament.
Utah DesertRunners T4R, for all things wheeling and 4Runner in Utah.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
06-06-2014, 06:30 PM
|
#5
|
|
Elite Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Pocono Mountains
Posts: 7,498
|
|
Elite Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Pocono Mountains
Posts: 7,498
|
I would not worry about any damage or plugging. Dried coolant by the pump will always look like that. Good thing you changed WP. However, a thorough flush is a good idea when changing coolant types independent of there having been TWO of them. Ethylene glycol is ethylene glycol and they all work the same, mixed or separate, for 25K or or 30k miles.
Where they differ, is in the effectiveness of the anti-corrosion additive package as you pass 25k. There are several different technologies out there today, and different additive packages to make them work. Many of these are antagonistic to each other, so it behooves you to get all that old coolant(s) out of there as you switch to a known, top-grade expensive coolant. Leaving much of the old crud in there could degrade your new anti-corrosion additives, especially if you want to run it longer than 25k or so.
__________________
'99 4Runner SR5 5spd 3.4L V6 4WD(U.S), original '99 Talls in front, OME 906s in back, Hella fogs, Trekmaster shocks in front, Billy in back, no running boards, FIAMM horns, Alpine sound, Michelin LTX M/S2's, owned since new.
'97 HiLux SW4 5spd 4WD(Japan model bought in Brazil assembled in Argentina, very close to a 3.0 4Runner/Surf)
'71 FordWillys Jeep CJ5 (with straight six Ford Maverick 3.0 liter engine--lives in the mountains north of Sao Paulo Brazil)
My Backyard Frame Swap
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
06-07-2014, 12:47 AM
|
#6
|
Junior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Seattle
Posts: 10
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Seattle
Posts: 10
|
The heater core is easy enough to flush with a hose and probably needs it anyway after 14 years.
As for the engine, can I put a hose on the top and let it drain out the bottom, or should I use the chemical method where I fill the system up with distilled water and chemical flush, run the engine, drain, repeat with distilled water, then finally fill with coolant?
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
06-07-2014, 01:17 AM
|
#7
|
|
Elite Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Pocono Mountains
Posts: 7,498
|
|
Elite Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Pocono Mountains
Posts: 7,498
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by infinitysa
The heater core is easy enough to flush with a hose and probably needs it anyway after 14 years.
As for the engine, can I put a hose on the top and let it drain out the bottom, or should I use the chemical method where I fill the system up with distilled water and chemical flush, run the engine, drain, repeat with distilled water, then finally fill with coolant?
|
If your water is very soft, AND you do at least one full flush with distilled, it is probably ok to use the hose flush. Recognize that calcium and metals found in hose water are VERY bad for the corrosion inhibitor chemistry and this is the reason for the trend to pre-mixed coolants. I hose flush my 1966 tractor but not my Toyota, and I have exceptionally soft water. So if you are going to put that crap in there, make sure you get it out before putting your pretty, colored, expensive coolant in. If your water is hard enough to need a softener, I'd stick to fill with distilled, run and drain. Personally, I'm no fan of chemical flushes.
__________________
'99 4Runner SR5 5spd 3.4L V6 4WD(U.S), original '99 Talls in front, OME 906s in back, Hella fogs, Trekmaster shocks in front, Billy in back, no running boards, FIAMM horns, Alpine sound, Michelin LTX M/S2's, owned since new.
'97 HiLux SW4 5spd 4WD(Japan model bought in Brazil assembled in Argentina, very close to a 3.0 4Runner/Surf)
'71 FordWillys Jeep CJ5 (with straight six Ford Maverick 3.0 liter engine--lives in the mountains north of Sao Paulo Brazil)
My Backyard Frame Swap
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is On
|
|
|
|