Today's Maintenance

[06YarisRS]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Sounds like a good days work! As a reward treat yourself to a fluted socket oil filter wrench! I find all the coolant comes out of my Yaris when using just the radiator drain. No need to use the block drain.

Thanks! I will definitely pick up a fliter wrench.

Good news about the rad draining all the coolant. How well do these car's prime? Is just the normal squeezing the upper rad hose enough to let the air escape before it overheats? What do you use for coolant? I've always used Prestone All Makes and Models in my vehicles and usually get approval from the dealers. Normally I would run distilled water through a few times with the thermostat removed but I think this time, I'll just drain and fill a couple of times. I'm all ears if you want to share your process.

[tmontague]

Originally Posted by 06YarisRS

How well do these car's prime? Is just the normal squeezing the upper rad hose enough to let the air escape before it overheats? What do you use for coolant? I've always used Prestone All Makes and Models in my vehicles and usually get approval from the dealers. Nirmally I would run distilled water through a few times with the thermostat removed but I think this time, I'll just drain and fill a couple of times. I'm all ears if you want to share your process.

either get the long life pink stuff from Toyota or buy the OEM brand from Canadian Tire and you can buy it 50/50 or concentrated for a bit cheaper. Same ingredients as Toyota's stuff. I personally run it at a 55/45 coolant to water ratio and use the OEM stuff from CT in both my cars. It's good stuff.

I find the Yaris burps decently on its own. elevating the front of the car can help but typically I fill the rad until it's full and then turn the car on and continue to fill until it is full again. I then over fill the overflow reservoir and drive around for a day and let the engine get up to operating temps. I then re check the coolant and typically the overflow tank is almost empty. I'll top that up to the F line and then fill the rad if there is any space there.

This has worked for me now over 3 times without issue

[06YarisRS]

Originally Posted by tmontague

either get the long life pink stuff from Toyota or buy the OEM brand from Canadian Tire and you can buy it 50/50 or concentrated for a bit cheaper. Same ingredients as Toyota's stuff. I personally run it at a 55/45 coolant to water ratio and use the OEM stuff from CT in both my cars. It's good stuff.

I find the Yaris burps decently on its own. elevating the front of the car can help but typically I fill the rad until it's full and then turn the car on and continue to fill until it is full again. I then over fill the overflow reservoir and drive around for a day and let the engine get up to operating temps. I then re check the coolant and typically the overflow tank is almost empty. I'll top that up to the F line and then fill the rad if there is any space there.

This has worked for me now over 3 times without issue

Excellent! Thanks very much. It sounds pretty fool proof. Without a gauge on the dash I'd get nervous, but I hooked up Torque Pro and my OBD2 adapter and it does tell me coolant temp. And, yes, I did notice that Canadian Tire is now selling the OEM specific coolant. I will get the pre-mixed as it will ensure a close to appropriate ratio.

I appreciate the description.

[06YarisRS]

Just drying up the ceramic paint on the header and drums before installing them. The manifold has been heated many times on the full heat gun setting. It will do its final curing on the car. I'll be happy if it lasts a year. :)

[06YarisRS]

Originally Posted by tmontague

either get the long life pink stuff from Toyota or buy the OEM brand from Canadian Tire and you can buy it 50/50 or concentrated for a bit cheaper. Same ingredients as Toyota's stuff. I personally run it at a 55/45 coolant to water ratio and use the OEM stuff from CT in both my cars. It's good stuff.

I find the Yaris burps decently on its own. elevating the front of the car can help but typically I fill the rad until it's full and then turn the car on and continue to fill until it is full again. I then over fill the overflow reservoir and drive around for a day and let the engine get up to operating temps. I then re check the coolant and typically the overflow tank is almost empty. I'll top that up to the F line and then fill the rad if there is any space there.

This has worked for me now over 3 times without issue

Just got back from Canadian Tire with a jug of the Toyota OEM concentrated coolant. Also, dropped by the grocery store and picked up a gallon of distilled water. I have several old commercial plastic ice cream containers, one of which I have graduated with 1L increments. It's very easy to mix the concentrated coolant and water in this. I'll do a full drain and refill, run it around a bit and then do a final partial drain and fill. I think I'll pull the lower rad hose if the drain plug gives an resistance.

Hoping to get this job done later today, if I complete the rear brake job.