Would you use a radiator flush cleaner during your coolant flush?

Saw this product: Prestone Flush and Cleaner

Am going to do a coolant flush tomorrow using this thread as a guideline: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/coolant-flush-1st-gen-tacoma-beginners-guide.425479/

Have read a few other threads, too. Haven't seen mention of a cleaner. My inclination is to skip it - thought I'd ask the TW community.

Go!
Thx.

 

I just did this and used it with no issues. The only difference is I put mine in and drove it around for a few weeks to get it nice and circulated. Cooling system wasn't that dirty or the cleaner wasn't effective, idk, but the coolant that I drained was clean.

 

If I had something sitting around I might use it.

I heard tell of using homemade mixtures but I never used anything .

Just water heat and drain repeat till the water comes out clear

 

Shouldn't hurt anything

 

O/P, are you having temperature problems or just doing maintenance?

 

I would use it but I would flush the entire system after letting that run through the engine a few days. Best way to do a coolant flush in my opinion, dont know how hard this is in 1st gens, add the cleaner additive, drive a few days, drain the coolant from radiator drain and leave the drain plug out, remove the thermostat and rebolt the housing back together, get a garden hose and fill up the cooling system with hose water through the rad cap while the engine is running, you can have someone rev the engine while doing this if you like, after about 15 minutes or so turn engine off, let all water drain out, put radiator drain plug back in, reinstall thermostat, and refill cooling system with correct coolant.
With no thermostat and the eengine running you are forcing water through the whole system at pressure provided by the water pump and flushing everything out possible.

 

I just had the WP/TB changed and had the shop add a 180 degree thermostat from LCE. Previously I was running like 198+ degrees (I live in the mountains so the truck has to work harder sometimes pushing bigger than factory tires, though even on low grades I was at that temp). After the new thermostat the truck now runs around 186-188 degrees, so definitely cooler, though still not below half on the temp gauge.

I'm going to order a new radiator this morning and wait to do the flush when the radiator arrives this coming week. Hopefully that'll push me down into a more "normal" operating temperature range. Was thinking this Prestone product would help clean more of the engine block out. Plan to do the flush w/ distilled water and repeat till I get a good "clean" looking color out of the petcock and engine block drain valve.

Thoughts?

 

That's a thought. There is a pretty good write-up in my first post above about a process for flushing coolant on these 1st gens. Removing the thermostat would be somewhat involved. From my understanding, which could be incomplete, it is not an easy removal without taking out a bunch of other things in the process. I appreciate your input. I've also bought a bunch of distilled water $0.95/gal - would prefer to use that over city water. I live in the mountains of CO, our water has a bunch of minerals in it. Would prefer they didn't end up in my cooling system.

 

I think you are on the right track with the new radiator. As long as the engine comes up to proper operating temperature in the winter it should be ok with the 180. Make sure the radiator hoses are not soft and that the lower one is not collapsing under hard suction. You might as well change them now while you're at it. Make sure to turn heater control to full when flushing. I would flush with tap water but drain well and fill with coolant and distilled water. Be aware too of winches, lights , and debris blocking the a/c condenser in front of the radiator and by extension , the radiator. It may not be an issue on the flat but on a long hill it's another story. Check that any fan clutch and any electric fans are operating properly too. You may know all this but for the benefit of others.....

 

I have tried that exact product in two different Honda cars with OEM radiators many years ago. Honda radiators are basically the same construction as the OEM Tacoma, aluminum core with plastic end caps sealed with a rubber gasket. Both times the Honda radiators started leaking at the end cap gaskets with in weeks. If you still have the OEM radiator I suggest not to use this radiator flush. If you have an aftermarket all brass radiator you'll probably be okay.

 

That's good info. I ordered a new radiator this morning - a Spectra Premium CU1774. I guess in my original asking, I hadn't planned on swapping in a new radiator. Now, given the fact that I could still be operating high, and I'm already going to flush, why not just do a new radiator for ~$100 bucks and feel better? The radiator in the truck is the original, so it's probably time. I thought the Prestone product may help clean other parts of the cooling system - not specifically the radiator. I'll likely just forgo the cleaner and do a thorough flush (mainly the engine block, since the radiator will be new when I go to do my coolant flush).

 

Good thought on swapping out the hoses. When I do the flush and run the engine up to temp, I'll check to see that the fans are operating as necessary. Certainly, the ARB front bumper - which the PO installed - doesn't make it any easier for the truck to cool. So that is a factor I've kept tucked into my considerations.

 

@Troyken would you recommend a silicone hose, or just go rubber? Seems the silicone ones have a greater temp range (specifically the low end). I live in one of the coldest parts of the lower 48, with typical low temps in winter hitting -30 or -40 overnight.

They are flashy blue, and I guess they'll match my NGK wires

HPS (57-1216-BLUE) Silicone Radiator Hose Kit for Toyota 4Runner Tacoma

https://www.amazon.com/HPS-57-1216-BLUE-Silicone-Radiator-4Runner/dp/B00EUVZR3U

Thoughts? Has anyone else run silicone instead of rubber?

 

It's pretty abrasive. That's how they clean. If a system is in bad shape it does help to loosen up scale and rust but if not needed don't use it. You're essentially sandblasting the inside of your engine.

edit: In the '90s when DexCool came out I changed a Chevy truck coolant @ 100K miles per manual. That stuff should have been removed the day it was bought. System was horrible with rust, dirt. I used the Prestone cleaner and leaks started EVERYWHERE. Every pipe nipple, the radiator, wherever there was a gasket surface. One of the reasons I quit working on other's cars. The truck wasn't leaking before and of course it looked like i did it.

 

I'm not going to use it. Glad I asked! I think the flush and refill (with a new radiator) will do the truck well for a while. Still trying to decide about silicone hoses though...

 

I always prefer OEM on hoses and belts especially in severe duty like you are involved in. I also like OEM coolant for any vehicle I own. The chemistries vary so much these days that I feel safer with what the OEM designed and specified. I always figure my labor as free so I get the better parts in most cases where it might matter, especially ignition related parts. At the right coolant/ water ratio ,freeze protection is very low with the Toyota red concentrate. See the chart on the gallon container.

 

I don’t know anything about silicone hoses, but OEM hoses have held up just fine in my truck over the 18 years I have owned it. It gets pretty cold up here too with big negative temps every winter.

 

I am one to lean towards OEM when possible. I see it similarly - if I'm doing the labor then yes a fix the right way with the parts originally designed for the truck feels affordable. I got Toyota Red for when I install the new radiator next week. I got the concentrate so I'll use that chart on the back to figure an ideal ratio. Was going to use one of those inexpensive antifreeze testers that the autoparts store sells to see what my ratio ends up being. I'm striving for a 60/40 mix.

I have the 5VZ, manual trans, 4wd; so around 11 quarts is what my cooling system holds (including the reservoir). According to the chart, if I want protection down to -47 (next option up is -23) I need to add 6 quarts (1.5 gallons) of Toyota Red. That is pretty close to a 60/40 mix without getting too deep in any math.

 

I imagine you see similar temps to where I'm at then. I went ahead and purchased the silicone hoses - I had first seen them listed in LCE's catalog and was intrigued. I can't imagine, in this case, that these will adversely affect my cooling system. If anything they may help - though that could be entirely negligible and impossible to pinpoint. Fortunately the manual transmission radiators have two hoses - one top, one bottom - so there really isn't a whole lot I'm affecting with the silicone hoses over the OEM rubber ones. My OEM ones still seem in good shape - and for all I know they may not be the OEM ones. Once I remove them I'll see about keeping them around in a 'you never know' pile.

 

I've never used radiator flush before and I really don't plan on using it. I've "flushed"the cooling system by 1)draining the coolant. I try to get all the coolant being drained completely out even from the Engine. There's so much coolant left inside the engine when you only drain from the radiator. On my 02 Taco I unscrew the drain bolt that is located near the passenger side front tire.
2)fill the cooling system with destilled water and running it for a few days.
3)Draining the destilled water, refilling with new destilled water and doing the same thing until the destilled water that's being drained looks clear.
4)replace the thermostat with an OEM one.
5)Filling with Toyota OEM antifreeze. I buy the concentrate and mix it with destilled water 50/50. Tap water has minerals that corrode inside the system so it's best to use destilled water.