Question about changing radiator

[jskingry]

Hello all!

So I have a 2002 4runner Sport and it has about 156,000 miles on it. I bought the truck with 85,000 miles on it and have never changed the coolant. So to be safe after reading about the pink milkshake issues I think I want to install a new radiator and have a few questions about what needs to be done.

1. Do I need to flush the old unit/fluid out with a chemical flush to clean the passages in the block and the heater core?

Ok it was only one question... I plan on putting in a new radiator, coolant, upper and lower hoses, is there anything else that needs to be changed in this job?

Thanks in advance for the help, it seems it is maintenance time for the 4runner, so far it has received new tires, new O2 sensors, and new shocks and struts. I figure the radiator change and a transmission flush should keep me running a long time!

 

[t4r4life]

no need to flush the old rad, i would take out the radiator, take out the old thermostat, stick a garden hose in the top radiator hose, turn on the water and run the truck for about 5 mins with the heater on. then i would flush it out with a gallon of distilled water, put in new radiator thermostat and hoses, fill it half toyota red coolant and half distilled water. run the truck, keep the radiator cap off and keep filling till the rad till is full then fill the over flow tank. check it again the next day when its cold for fluid level if its full then ur good.

 

[jskingry]

Thanks for the information t4r4life, that is exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for.