radiator leaking !

[kennyb3030]

hey guys, 99 4r limited 2wd, 143k, noticed my radiator leaking from the bottom hose yesterday, so i ordered koyo radiator today and i will have a local shop put it in next week. i plan on carrying transmission fluid from the dealer when i have the radiator changed. how much transmission fluid am i going to lose when they install a new radiator ?

 

[brian2sun]

If it's leaking from the lower hose, do you really need a new radiator or just a hose - or even just tighten the clamp? You'll loose about a qt. or less ATF changing the radiator. No need to buy ATF from the dealer IMO, just get some Dexron 3 at any store.

 

[Pikeman]

I just did mine in about 1.5 hours at home and lost less then a qt of ATF. Do not let them charge you more then 2 hours labor and should be closer to the hour or 1.5 hour mark.

 

[kennyb3030]

i was going to have a new radiator put in pretty soon anyway, so i thought now would be a good time to do it. 11 yrs on my orig radiator and i think its time for it to go.

 

[brian2sun]

I just did mine in about 1.5 hours at home and lost less then a qt of ATF. Do not let them charge you more then 2 hours labor and should be closer to the hour or 1.5 hour mark.

Are you running any cooler now with the new rad?

 

[kennyb3030]

no cooler with the new radiator brian

 

[brian2sun]

You won't need to worry about strawberry milkshake for several years so don't bother with an external tranny cooler now IMO. I was actually asking about Pike's running temp. He was running a little on the warm side according to his scangauge with his old radiator. I was wondering if his new radiator is making his truck run at a cooler temp (I see how the wording could be taken to mean tranny cooler). Sorry for the confusion.

 

[kennyb3030]

no prob brian, i have been reading around here about the pink milkshake for a few months, and when i saw my radiator leaking the other day, i said now would be a good time to replace it, hopefully this new rad will last another 10 yrs

 

[Pikeman]

Brian- New radiator, fan clutch, t-stat and cap still running around city at 195 as before but when I went to Big Bear last weekend only climbed to 198 as opposed to before got to 231 once but was usually 220's.

 

[piperoo]

What radiator should I get for my 2001? I want to change mine about before any hint of problem. Is there a writeup on how to DIY?

 

[brian2sun]

Brian- New radiator, fan clutch, t-stat and cap still running around city at 195 as before but when I went to Big Bear last weekend only climbed to 198 as opposed to before got to 231 once but was usually 220's.

Well it sounds like you're good now. Probably a partially clogged radiator.??

piperoo, I've heard nothing but good things about the Koyo radiators and I'm pretty sure that what my replacement is too (it was over 5 years ago so I'm not 100% sure).

 

[Ron Helmuth]

Koyo a1998

What radiator should I get for my 2001? I want to change mine about before any hint of problem. Is there a writeup on how to DIY?

This is the one we did for my friends 01 Limited.

koyo 4runner items - Get great deals on Radiators items on eBay Stores!

shop around for a best price.

Some decent writeups over on Yota Tech. Need any help I can talk you through it. We're prepping to do one for Ron Maiden here soon.

I would plan on having 3 quarts of ATF fluid for the tranny fluid loss. You may not need even 2 but just in case...your store should take back any unopened quarts I would think.

2 gals distilled water
2 gals Toyota red coolant

Retracting clips on grille is the single hardest part.(some say that is not even necessary-but I disagree) Roughly a 45 minute job. Fan does not need to come off, shroud unbolts and moves backward over the fan. KOYO bolts right up in exact same holes as your old radiator.

Take your time, hold onto all your bolts. It's really one of the simplest jobs I have ever undertaken on a vehicle. Having a second set of hands to help with the grille and watching what is going on to keep the work progressing is most helpful. Good time to replace your hoses if you even think they are sketchy. Tranny lines hook right up to the replacement radiator.

Don't be intimidated. It's easy.

 

[Kevin K]

What is involved to replace radiator on the 2.7? Do I need to remove the grill?

 

[Ron Helmuth]

removing the grille sure makes it a lot easier to get tools a direct access . In theory it's not necessary. Peek through the grill and down from the top between the grille and radiator. You'll see the bolt up locations. If you feel like your hands are small enough to fit in there and work a ratchet and socket then go for it but removing the grille sure creates a lot more space to work with.