Coolant Change (mr2 Sw20)

[dj_davo]

alrighty then,

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR COOLANT IN YOUR MR2 MK11.

maybe not definitive - but i did it this way and it worked a treat :-)

1.set fan to hot

2. remove spare wheel and all bonnet area plastic trim. (behind spare wheel, and on top of rad - front of car).

3. under front bumper (jacking up will help), on drivers side at bottom of rad is a little black tap thing (mine also has a clear hose attached). put a plastic jug or similar nearby and undo the tap. catch the coolant that will pour out in your jug (or let it spill on floor if you're messy)!

I GOT ABOUT 4 LITRES FROM THIS AREA.

4. you could now move to back of car and locate the engine bottom hoses (there are 2 major ones just behind seat area and just infront of engine. (jacking up rear of car will certainly help - as may removing underbody plastic trim).

i couldnt find a tap and i assume most people would crimp or undo the retaining clip and pull off the hoses letting the coolant spill out. I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THIS!

5. i cut corners and instead i used a hosepipe to blast down the main filling point on the engine upper hose (passenger side metal lid) and forced any remaining coolant to come out of front rad drain plug. do this until clear. i.e no red/brown coolant left.

6. tighten up lower rad tap and start to refill with new coolant (at main filling point - as above). do it slowly as air will get trapped. EXPECT TO TAKE AN HOUR NOW!

7. when coolant reaches top of pipe (with me, v. frequently - took a good 5 mins to get down 1/2 litre) go to front of car and bleed. there is a new bleed valve to work on now. behind spare wheel trim (which u have already removed) on bulkhead of car, bang in middle, there is a little while cap with a flat screwdriver hole in it. this is the bleed valve for the heater system. (mine also has a clear hose attached which makes the job easier). undo the cap until air/liquid comes out. when the air stops and it is just coolant, tighten up.

8. now go back under car and bleed the lower rad tap (which u will have tightened up b4 filling up with new coolant right?!) undo this until air stops and coolant comes out. re tighten.

9. go back and fill up some more coolant into the main area (engine bay) again until coolant reaches top again.

KEEP DOING THIS WHOLE FILLING / BLEEDING PROCESS UNTIL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FULL. EXPECT TO TAKE AN HOUR AND ABOUT 5 LITRES. MY TURBO HOLDS 7.5 LITRES.

10. when you think you can get no more coolant in, go to rad top valve (passenger side), hidden under the plastic trim that you removed at start - right?!). open this valve, there may be lots of air (and maybe no coolant coming out). when all air has stopped, go back and fill some more at main filling area. MINE NOW TOOK ANOTHER 2 LITRES QUICKLY WITHOUT BLEEDING ANY MORE! when coolant comes out of top rad valve, close it.

11. top up main filling area until nearly at top. put lid back on.

12. fill expansion bottle to top marker (just before neck of top tube). if empty you may get a litre or so in here.

13. run engine until warm and allow to cool. top up at main filling point if neccesary. DO THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.

14. DRIVE YOUR CAR HAPPY IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT U HAVE NEW COOLANT IN AND DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS JOB FOR ANOTHER 2 YEARS!

to quickly sum up:

tools needed: 1 flat blade screwdriver, maybe some pliers (if rad valves too tight). car jack (maybe 2).

remove spare wheel and all bonnet area black plastic trim, exposing rad top valve (passenger side) and heater valve (white screwdriver lid).

7.5 litres of toyota red coolant

1 to 2 hours of time and patience.

hope this info helps, and apologies for the length, but you want to do it right - right?

[Kelvyn]

Here's a link to help too

http://mr2manual.teq.org/co-5.html

[streetracer_starlet]

Also remember to run the car till there is very hot air coming out of the vents(inside the car) and the cooling fan cuts on and then off

[Mike_R]

alrighty then,

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR COOLANT IN YOUR MR2 MK11.

maybe not definitive - but i did it this way and it worked a treat :-)

1.set fan to hot

2. remove spare wheel and all bonnet area plastic trim. (behind spare wheel, and on top of rad - front of car).

3. under front bumper (jacking up will help), on drivers side at bottom of rad is a little black tap thing (mine also has a clear hose attached). put a plastic jug or similar nearby and undo the tap. catch the coolant that will pour out in your jug (or let it spill on floor if you're messy)!

I GOT ABOUT 4 LITRES FROM THIS AREA.

4. you could now move to back of car and locate the engine bottom hoses (there are 2 major ones just behind seat area and just infront of engine. (jacking up rear of car will certainly help - as may removing underbody plastic trim).

i couldnt find a tap and i assume most people would crimp or undo the retaining clip and pull off the hoses letting the coolant spill out. I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THIS!

5. i cut corners and instead i used a hosepipe to blast down the main filling point on the engine upper hose (passenger side metal lid) and forced any remaining coolant to come out of front rad drain plug. do this until clear. i.e no red/brown coolant left.

6. tighten up lower rad tap and start to refill with new coolant (at main filling point - as above). do it slowly as air will get trapped. EXPECT TO TAKE AN HOUR NOW!

7. when coolant reaches top of pipe (with me, v. frequently - took a good 5 mins to get down 1/2 litre) go to front of car and bleed. there is a new bleed valve to work on now. behind spare wheel trim (which u have already removed) on bulkhead of car, bang in middle, there is a little while cap with a flat screwdriver hole in it. this is the bleed valve for the heater system. (mine also has a clear hose attached which makes the job easier). undo the cap until air/liquid comes out. when the air stops and it is just coolant, tighten up.

8. now go back under car and bleed the lower rad tap (which u will have tightened up b4 filling up with new coolant right?!) undo this until air stops and coolant comes out. re tighten.

9. go back and fill up some more coolant into the main area (engine bay) again until coolant reaches top again.

KEEP DOING THIS WHOLE FILLING / BLEEDING PROCESS UNTIL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FULL. EXPECT TO TAKE AN HOUR AND ABOUT 5 LITRES. MY TURBO HOLDS 7.5 LITRES.

10. when you think you can get no more coolant in, go to rad top valve (passenger side), hidden under the plastic trim that you removed at start - right?!). open this valve, there may be lots of air (and maybe no coolant coming out). when all air has stopped, go back and fill some more at main filling area. MINE NOW TOOK ANOTHER 2 LITRES QUICKLY WITHOUT BLEEDING ANY MORE! when coolant comes out of top rad valve, close it.

11. top up main filling area until nearly at top. put lid back on.

12. fill expansion bottle to top marker (just before neck of top tube). if empty you may get a litre or so in here.

13. run engine until warm and allow to cool. top up at main filling point if neccesary. DO THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.

14. DRIVE YOUR CAR HAPPY IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT U HAVE NEW COOLANT IN AND DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS JOB FOR ANOTHER 2 YEARS!

to quickly sum up:

tools needed: 1 flat blade screwdriver, maybe some pliers (if rad valves too tight). car jack (maybe 2).

remove spare wheel and all bonnet area black plastic trim, exposing rad top valve (passenger side) and heater valve (white screwdriver lid).

7.5 litres of toyota red coolant

1 to 2 hours of time and patience.

hope this info helps, and apologies for the length, but you want to do it right - right? 

←

[Mike_R]

alrighty then,

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR COOLANT IN YOUR MR2 MK11.

maybe not definitive - but i did it this way and it worked a treat :-)

1.set fan to hot

2. remove spare wheel and all bonnet area plastic trim. (behind spare wheel, and on top of rad - front of car).

3. under front bumper (jacking up will help), on drivers side at bottom of rad is a little black tap thing (mine also has a clear hose attached). put a plastic jug or similar nearby and undo the tap. catch the coolant that will pour out in your jug (or let it spill on floor if you're messy)!

I GOT ABOUT 4 LITRES FROM THIS AREA.

4. you could now move to back of car and locate the engine bottom hoses (there are 2 major ones just behind seat area and just infront of engine. (jacking up rear of car will certainly help - as may removing underbody plastic trim).

i couldnt find a tap and i assume most people would crimp or undo the retaining clip and pull off the hoses letting the coolant spill out. I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THIS!

5. i cut corners and instead i used a hosepipe to blast down the main filling point on the engine upper hose (passenger side metal lid) and forced any remaining coolant to come out of front rad drain plug. do this until clear. i.e no red/brown coolant left.

6. tighten up lower rad tap and start to refill with new coolant (at main filling point - as above). do it slowly as air will get trapped. EXPECT TO TAKE AN HOUR NOW!

7. when coolant reaches top of pipe (with me, v. frequently - took a good 5 mins to get down 1/2 litre) go to front of car and bleed. there is a new bleed valve to work on now. behind spare wheel trim (which u have already removed) on bulkhead of car, bang in middle, there is a little while cap with a flat screwdriver hole in it. this is the bleed valve for the heater system. (mine also has a clear hose attached which makes the job easier). undo the cap until air/liquid comes out. when the air stops and it is just coolant, tighten up.

8. now go back under car and bleed the lower rad tap (which u will have tightened up b4 filling up with new coolant right?!) undo this until air stops and coolant comes out. re tighten.

9. go back and fill up some more coolant into the main area (engine bay) again until coolant reaches top again.

KEEP DOING THIS WHOLE FILLING / BLEEDING PROCESS UNTIL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FULL. EXPECT TO TAKE AN HOUR AND ABOUT 5 LITRES. MY TURBO HOLDS 7.5 LITRES.

10. when you think you can get no more coolant in, go to rad top valve (passenger side), hidden under the plastic trim that you removed at start - right?!). open this valve, there may be lots of air (and maybe no coolant coming out). when all air has stopped, go back and fill some more at main filling area. MINE NOW TOOK ANOTHER 2 LITRES QUICKLY WITHOUT BLEEDING ANY MORE! when coolant comes out of top rad valve, close it.

11. top up main filling area until nearly at top. put lid back on.

12. fill expansion bottle to top marker (just before neck of top tube). if empty you may get a litre or so in here.

13. run engine until warm and allow to cool. top up at main filling point if neccesary. DO THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.

14. DRIVE YOUR CAR HAPPY IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT U HAVE NEW COOLANT IN AND DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS JOB FOR ANOTHER 2 YEARS!

to quickly sum up:

tools needed: 1 flat blade screwdriver, maybe some pliers (if rad valves too tight). car jack (maybe 2).

remove spare wheel and all bonnet area black plastic trim, exposing rad top valve (passenger side) and heater valve (white screwdriver lid).

7.5 litres of toyota red coolant

1 to 2 hours of time and patience.

hope this info helps, and apologies for the length, but you want to do it right - right? 

←

←

[Mike_R]

Hi, The workshop manual shows an "Engine coolant drain plug" which is supposed to be just above the offside drive shaft.

Can anyone shed light on how to locate it ? I have been under my SW20 for most of Sunday afternoon and I am stumped. Also don't want to put in new coolant until the old stuff is out.

Cheers