Did my coolant the other day, as was mostly water.
To drain
- there is a radiator drain plug on the driver's side of the radiator
- down in the bottom corner.
You can access it by lying next to the car, and sticking your arm up under the radiator undertrays, but it's easier with the trays off
(but doing so will no doubt break the plastic brackets).
This should drain most of the coolant, provided the heater is on full and the rad cap is off.
I jacked up my car under the rear sub frame to help the coolant.
Undoing the rad pipe won't quite be enough, as the pipe enters the side of the radiator
(cross flow type), so coolant will still sit in the bottom.
Yes, there are 4 bleed valves:
One i've just mentioned
Two are under the middle of the car
- on the inside of the front to rear coolant pipes.
to expose these more trays have to come off
The final is an engine drain plug, on the rear of the engine.
Now I've never actually found this plug, but haven't needed it to date.
How to: there is a how to replace coolant guide written for a Mk1
- which is very similar.
To refill, obviously shut any bleed valves and get the car level.
Connect the two service hoses ot the bleed valve on the top
(passenger side) of the rad, and the plastic valve next to the bulk head.
Fill up slowly with a funnel into the radiator cap in the engine bay
(the metal screw cap, not the expansion bottle).
Keep it slow, and air should bubble up.
Stop when the rad cap is full, and check the coolant level in the two pipes up front is up level with the rad cap.
Then run the engine for a bit to circulate, then check and top up as necessary.
Ps revving the enigne with the service hoses connected up will result in a wet front trunk.
So tighten these up when you're done.
Finally, toyota 4life isn't necessary, but it
must be an ethanal glycol based coolant
- not a silicone one.
Available from Halfords or any motor factor
- can be blue or red I recall.
I hope this helps, and I haven't lost you in all of this.
It really isn't that hard.
Dont' forget to check the heater works, else you could have an air lock.
Ian
