Coolant Flush/Drain and Fill
02-28-19, 01:01 PM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
Nothing wrong with a drain and fill. You don't need to flush the system unless you vastly exceeded the time and mileage interval. If you do regular drain and fills per your maintenance schedule, and you use genuine Toyota red or pink, then a flush is pointless and a waste of coolant and money. With Toyota Pink Super Long Life Coolant, doing a drain and fill every 5 years or every 100k miles should be fine. Just use the Toyota pink pre-diluted SLLC and call it a day. Or mix Toyota red LLC 50/50. You'll need 9.5-10.0L total to fill the radiator, engine, and overflow reservoir to the MAX line. Note the overflow reservoir goes down over time naturally.
There are arguments on the Internet about how the formulation of the red is technically superior, but Toyota TSBs have clearly stated you can mix red and pink with no adverse effects, and that pink is the standard now and made for longest life.
Coolant ages over both time and mileage, the 2002 Lexus spec says to replace it every 24 months or 24,000km (this was for red, before pink was the standard). See http://www.motorweek.org/features/go.../coolant-check for how to test your coolant (pH test strips, specific gravity, and voltage comparison of the same formulation new vs used). See https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum...esting_engine_ for limitations of the voltage check method.
Three 4L jugs of Toyota pink coolant is $60 CAD, and it is real simple to do a drain and fill (2 petcocks on engine block, 1 on radiator). You need to set your heat on maximum beforehand to ensure you open the valve to the heater core. You also need to take off the plastic underbody shielding to get to the engine block petcocks. I believe the radiator one has a hole you can get your hand up into, but if you want to do it with the wheels still on the ground, you can undo just enough of the front left bolts on the underbody shield to get to the drain spout - you don't need to remove the entire shield (I do this every 8000km for my oil+filter changes).
Don't bother trying to save a few dollars by using a non-Toyota coolant. Just read the Internet to see your exposure to potential problems. Save dollars by testing your coolant and changing when the anti-rust agents have expired. There are significantly fewer problems (i.e. none) when using Toyota red or pink.
There are arguments on the Internet about how the formulation of the red is technically superior, but Toyota TSBs have clearly stated you can mix red and pink with no adverse effects, and that pink is the standard now and made for longest life.
Coolant ages over both time and mileage, the 2002 Lexus spec says to replace it every 24 months or 24,000km (this was for red, before pink was the standard). See http://www.motorweek.org/features/go.../coolant-check for how to test your coolant (pH test strips, specific gravity, and voltage comparison of the same formulation new vs used). See https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum...esting_engine_ for limitations of the voltage check method.
Three 4L jugs of Toyota pink coolant is $60 CAD, and it is real simple to do a drain and fill (2 petcocks on engine block, 1 on radiator). You need to set your heat on maximum beforehand to ensure you open the valve to the heater core. You also need to take off the plastic underbody shielding to get to the engine block petcocks. I believe the radiator one has a hole you can get your hand up into, but if you want to do it with the wheels still on the ground, you can undo just enough of the front left bolts on the underbody shield to get to the drain spout - you don't need to remove the entire shield (I do this every 8000km for my oil+filter changes).
Don't bother trying to save a few dollars by using a non-Toyota coolant. Just read the Internet to see your exposure to potential problems. Save dollars by testing your coolant and changing when the anti-rust agents have expired. There are significantly fewer problems (i.e. none) when using Toyota red or pink.
I think the Germans are methodical. No such thing as a turkey baster method of a brake fluid flush. All 4 calipers are to be bled in the brake flush, required every 2 years. And I think there's a distinct reason for the Toyota way. It's as you said, no harm if done prior to the required interval, 120 mos. or 100k miles. But the Germans just don't do it like that.
It does seem like some die hard Toyota people do not like pink, and also, they don't like the $25/gal. 50/50 (Toyota OE pink, not walmart which is what I used). So they swear by red, which is $25 for 100%.
02-28-19, 01:25 PM
#17
Instructor
Are you going directly to Toyota or Lexus dealer to get fluid or is this the same thing?
02-28-19, 01:28 PM
#18
Instructor
I get my fluid directly from the Toyota dealership.
Not sure what you mean by saying the German makes are more methodical. Toyota brake fluid flush requires all 4 calipers to be flushed every 36 months or 48,000km, whichever comes first, and they are supposed to bleed the ABS actuator too. The official dealership LS430 brake fluid flush procedure is the typical 2-person technique, pressing and holding the pedal while draining from the bleed screws, furthest caliper from the brake reservoir to closest. The procedure to bleed the ABS actuator is a multistep process requiring TechStream. I've never heard of Toyota doing the turkey baster method with the brake fluid.
People on these forums have changed power steering fluid on their own via the turkey baster method, and nothing really wrong with that method since Toyota's official stance on changing PS fluid is only when there is a leak in the system, whenever the rack is replaced, or whenever there are detectable metal shavings in the fluid. I don't think the turkey baster method is used for anything else.
Lexus sets maintenance intervals, time and mileage, for everything. See my post at https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post5983383 for the official 2002 Lexus Scheduled Maintenance Guide.
As I mentioned, red coolant was first 36 months/48000km, then every 24months/24000km after. Pink coolant is 120months/100,000mi, then 60months/50,000mi after. If I recall correctly, none of the 2001-2006 LS430s shipped with pink, so people should not have been waiting 10 years and having their overflow reservoirs be empty, although for newer Toyota/Lexus, yeah I can see some people doing this.
Everyone with an LS430 should have changed their coolant when the car was 3 years old, and then every 2 years after, assuming red coolant. If you were switched to pink coolant after the factory fill, then change it every 5 years. This seems pretty methodical to me, and $60 CAD every 5 years is dirt cheap. Don't bother with aftermarket coolant brands.
I think the Germans are methodical. No such thing as a turkey baster method of a brake fluid flush. All 4 calipers are to be bled in the brake flush, required every 2 years. And I think there's a distinct reason for the Toyota way. It's as you said, no harm if done prior to the required interval, 120 mos. or 100k miles. But the Germans just don't do it like that.
People on these forums have changed power steering fluid on their own via the turkey baster method, and nothing really wrong with that method since Toyota's official stance on changing PS fluid is only when there is a leak in the system, whenever the rack is replaced, or whenever there are detectable metal shavings in the fluid. I don't think the turkey baster method is used for anything else.
Lexus sets maintenance intervals, time and mileage, for everything. See my post at https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post5983383 for the official 2002 Lexus Scheduled Maintenance Guide.
As I mentioned, red coolant was first 36 months/48000km, then every 24months/24000km after. Pink coolant is 120months/100,000mi, then 60months/50,000mi after. If I recall correctly, none of the 2001-2006 LS430s shipped with pink, so people should not have been waiting 10 years and having their overflow reservoirs be empty, although for newer Toyota/Lexus, yeah I can see some people doing this.
Everyone with an LS430 should have changed their coolant when the car was 3 years old, and then every 2 years after, assuming red coolant. If you were switched to pink coolant after the factory fill, then change it every 5 years. This seems pretty methodical to me, and $60 CAD every 5 years is dirt cheap. Don't bother with aftermarket coolant brands.
02-28-19, 01:36 PM
#19
Instructor
I just found this link. I'll have to call my local dealer to see how much they want for a gallon.
https://www.oempartsource.com/oem-pa...hoCIRQQAvD_BwE
I think 1 gallon would probably do it for just a radiator drain but if I can get to the engine drains then I would probably need 3 gallons.
https://www.oempartsource.com/oem-pa...hoCIRQQAvD_BwE
I think 1 gallon would probably do it for just a radiator drain but if I can get to the engine drains then I would probably need 3 gallons.
03-01-19, 09:33 AM
#20
Buy the non mixed coolant at the dealer. Its much cheaper then buying 2 gallons and you will have a gallon to do top offs and etc..00272-1LLAC-01
https://www.oempartsource.com/oem-pa...n-002721llac01
https://www.oempartsource.com/oem-pa...n-002721llac01
Last edited by jimbosr1; 03-01-19 at 09:55 AM.
03-01-19, 11:31 AM
#21
Sorry for getting off topic here. I have about 1/2 gallon of Toyota red coolant. Not sure of the age, since it was given by someone. My guess is 5 years or so.
Does this coolant still ok? Is there any expiration date on coolant?
Does this coolant still ok? Is there any expiration date on coolant?
03-01-19, 11:56 AM
#22
Hi, everyone this'll be my first post so thanks for all the great info so far! Just recently bought a 2002 LS430 220k from a family friend. When I had a mechanic check it out they said couldn't see any coolant in the radiator so I brought some from home to fill it before I drove it off. Later I realized I'd mixed universal coolant that day not realizing the car needed toyota red or pink. I figured I might as well try to drain and refill the coolant as I start to get the maintenance done on this vehicle. I found the pdf from the repair manual and tried to go ahead and get it done myself in my garage. Draining the radiator was easy enough but once I tried to find the petcocks on the engine block I was completely lost. I've searched a bit and couldn't find much more info than that pdf I'd mentioned. So now I come here to beg anyone for a better description of the coolant petcocks on that engine block or even pictures if anyone is willing to help me out. Also I ended up filling the radiator with full strength red once I'd given up finding the engine petcocks, only remembering to add water towards the end. Anyone know how I'm supposed to test the coolant mixture? Thanks in advance for any help!
03-01-19, 04:10 PM
#23
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