4th Gen Coolant change
- Thread starter kaneman23
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greasefingers
New member
Drain it
boston_kevin
New member
Get the same coolant as what was originall supplied (red coolant I think). Don't mix the old Prestone ethylene glycol mix with the stuff in the cooling system or you will get bad results.
kaneman23 said:
On my 2004 V8 it is filled with 100K mile change interval coolant, along with other long maintance interval fluids and service items. I suggest you drive it for 90K miles and instead of at that time spending the money to change the coolant, water pump, timing belt, and transmission fluid, trade your 4runner in on a new one.
That's my plan 
Re: Re: 4th Gen Coolant change
Hmm. My service manual calls for coolant changes at every 30K if I'm reading it correctly (I'm at 55K mi currently). I will probably drive the wheels off of this one before getting rid of it. Thanks for the tip though!
Anyone else change their coolant at 30K mi? I skipped mine by about 25K miles...
Pitbull said:On my 2004 V8 it is filled with 100K mile change interval coolant, along with other long maintance interval fluids and service items. I suggest you drive it for 90K miles and instead of at that time spending the money to change the coolant, water pump, timing belt, and transmission fluid, trade your 4runner in on a new one.
Hmm. My service manual calls for coolant changes at every 30K if I'm reading it correctly (I'm at 55K mi currently). I will probably drive the wheels off of this one before getting rid of it. Thanks for the tip though!
Anyone else change their coolant at 30K mi? I skipped mine by about 25K miles...
Re: Re: Re: 4th Gen Coolant change
Go here http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/index.php for an online service guide from Toyota. Just plug in your vehicle, and model year and the service mileage you want.
Sounds like you must have a 2003??? The 2004 and 2005 have the 100K mile coolant, and the WSATF transmission fluid that is suppose to be good for the "life" of the vehicle.
kaneman23 said:
Go here http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/index.php for an online service guide from Toyota. Just plug in your vehicle, and model year and the service mileage you want.
Sounds like you must have a 2003??? The 2004 and 2005 have the 100K mile coolant, and the WSATF transmission fluid that is suppose to be good for the "life" of the vehicle.
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slowginjoe
New member
i'm getting my 30k maintenance today and i added the tranny, fuel injector and coolant flush for $220 on top of the $359 - 10% coupon 30k maintenance charge. don't know if i need all 3 of those flushes but just paid for them so i don't have to waste time debating exactly when is the precise time to change them..
greasefingers
New member
I do not believe in any Lifetime fluid. Even if I had them in my runner, I would change them all every 30k miles. It
slowginjoe
New member
greasefingers said:
speaking of driving the wheels off of these things, there was a hairline crack in my right rear rim. i showed it to the dealership at the 30k tuneup today and they immediately ordered a new rim for me. that plus they ordered parts for the 2 tsb's for clicking seat rails and seat cushion.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 4th Gen Coolant change
I sure you could get the dealer to do a complete 2005 type fluid change. The only concern you might have is with the WSATF that Toyota switched too in 2004, it is the lifetime fill but it is not compatible with the ATF IV fluid that was used in your 2003. You would want a complete fluid exchange. I would just do the type IV and just do a exchange every 30K miles, safer that way. The long life coolant would be easy just flush out the old stuff and fill with the long life fluid.
kaneman23 said:
I sure you could get the dealer to do a complete 2005 type fluid change. The only concern you might have is with the WSATF that Toyota switched too in 2004, it is the lifetime fill but it is not compatible with the ATF IV fluid that was used in your 2003. You would want a complete fluid exchange. I would just do the type IV and just do a exchange every 30K miles, safer that way. The long life coolant would be easy just flush out the old stuff and fill with the long life fluid.
I replaced my coolant today and according to my Factory manual, I'm supposed to bleed the Coolant system using the Heater Water Valve. I never could find this valve and I'm not to worried about it, because I don't think the system is air tight.
I thought that it would be "self purging" like any other coolant system. Anyone know the location of the Heater Water Valve? The manual mentions it but doesn't provide a diagram or a location. Thanks,
JK
I thought that it would be "self purging" like any other coolant system. Anyone know the location of the Heater Water Valve? The manual mentions it but doesn't provide a diagram or a location. Thanks,
JK
TeryT
New member
Re: Re: Re: 4th Gen Coolant change
As a result of multiple discussions on here, I only use the Toyota stuff where it says it has to be: 1) T-IV tranny fluid 2) Red kool-aid antifreeze. All else is Mobile 1 (ft. & rear ends, trans case, engine oil). Have decided to also stick with the superior Toyota oil filter, and the local dealer sells them for $5.
Since my tranny is going to get a real workout pulling a big travel trailer all over the hot & mountainous desert SW, I'm actually happy that I can change my own tranny fluid - instead of the sealed system on the newer ones. Otherwise I'd have to pay the stealer-dealer for this simple operation.
I went ahead & did all the 30k stuff on my 03, as I had just got it used. The dealer said it was a simple "drain & fill" of the radiator, so that's what I did.kaneman23 said:
As a result of multiple discussions on here, I only use the Toyota stuff where it says it has to be: 1) T-IV tranny fluid 2) Red kool-aid antifreeze. All else is Mobile 1 (ft. & rear ends, trans case, engine oil). Have decided to also stick with the superior Toyota oil filter, and the local dealer sells them for $5.
Since my tranny is going to get a real workout pulling a big travel trailer all over the hot & mountainous desert SW, I'm actually happy that I can change my own tranny fluid - instead of the sealed system on the newer ones. Otherwise I'd have to pay the stealer-dealer for this simple operation.
Re: Re: Re: Re: 4th Gen Coolant change
The 2004 and 2005 V8 models are considered/called a sealed transmission, because they don't have a dipstick (so owners/others don't add fluid that is not compatable with the WSATF). If you tow with a 2004 or 2005 then you still need to have the transmission serviced at 60K mile intervals, otherwise it is suppose to be maintance free, (sounds like BS to me) I agree that I would have the dealer do the maintance on the 2004/2005's since it would be hard to fill the transmission after a drain with no dipstick tube. I will just make sure when my 2004 transmission is serviced that everyone knows that they only put the WSATF in the transmission since all other ATF fluid will screw it up.
TeryT said:
The 2004 and 2005 V8 models are considered/called a sealed transmission, because they don't have a dipstick (so owners/others don't add fluid that is not compatable with the WSATF). If you tow with a 2004 or 2005 then you still need to have the transmission serviced at 60K mile intervals, otherwise it is suppose to be maintance free, (sounds like BS to me) I agree that I would have the dealer do the maintance on the 2004/2005's since it would be hard to fill the transmission after a drain with no dipstick tube. I will just make sure when my 2004 transmission is serviced that everyone knows that they only put the WSATF in the transmission since all other ATF fluid will screw it up.
46runner
Member
I'm trying to find this "heater water valve" also. Manual says to open it to bleed the cooling system. Can anyone tell me where this thing is?
