Coolant flush with PRESTONE SUPER RADIATOR FLUSH.. Ok?

[WayneTeK]

I currently have 140,000 miles on my 2000 Celica GT and i think i've never done a coolant flush.

I shopped around and my local shop charges $62 to do it.

I figure I can do it myself. All i need is the PRESTONE SUPER COOLANT RADIATOR FLUSH available at Walmart for $3.00 (roughly).

My two questions are:
1. Is it safe to use this PRESTONE flush on the celica? wont' cause clogging?
2. AFter i do a flush, do i still have to use Toyota RED? Or can i just use PRESTONE Extended Life + REDLINE water wetter?

Thanks for reading!

[5sfecelica]

1) It is safe.
2) Use whatever coolant you want after the flush. Given its safe with your system.

**EDIT**

Heres a writeup I did in another thread.

If your really looking to flush it, and not just drain and refill, then listen up.

Go to the store, buy a few gallons of distilled water (89c each), then go to autozone, and buy a bottle of radiatior flush ($3.89). And also of course a gallon or two of your antifreeze of choice.

1) You dont need to find the engine drain plug. Just remove the radiator drain plug, or as suggested, loosen a lower hose and let it drain out.

2) Once your done with that plug it up again and dump radiator flush in there and fill the radiator up with water.

3) Run the car until it warms up. Heater on full blast. Rev the car a little then turn off.

4) Drain radiator

5) Repeat step 2,3,4 but without the radiator flush

6) Repeat as necessary until what your draining is clear. Then you know you've cleaned the best you could and there's no old coolant/crap in your system.

7) Fill with real antifreeze

It takes about an hour or so, and $15-20.

[GSBoek]

I'd highly recommend to fill back up with the pink stuff, Toyota SLLC, as it has been engineered by Toyota and is simply the best, specially given that the ZZ engines are all aluminum. However if you are not getting the SLLC at least make sure you get something that is recommended for Toyota and has ethylene glycol to fight block and head corrosion. Something like GlycoShell for example. I have used it succesfully in past Toyotas that didn't have the red stuff in them and it's the only one other than the Toyota stuff that I'm 100% satisfied with.

[WayneTeK]

Yeah, thanks guys. I bought mine the prestone radiator flush at Walmart for $3.00 roughly.. Soo cheap. :)

Couple of quick questions then:
#1 Is it Toyota Red SLLC already premixed?
#2 Can i mix REDLINE / Royal Purple with it or no need to?

[Vroom_Vroom]

Yeah, thanks guys. I bought mine the prestone radiator flush at Walmart for $3.00 roughly.. Soo cheap. :)

Couple of quick questions then:
#1 Is it Toyota Red SLLC already premixed?
#2 Can i mix REDLINE / Royal Purple with it or no need to?

as long as your motor is close to stock I dont think youd benefit any more from the royal purple or redline additives.

[hapa77]

your better off taking it to toyota its safer

[kidGT]

how often do u need to get ur coolan flushed coz my car has 138k on it

[Vroom_Vroom]

your better off taking it to toyota its safer

safer? safer as in your too lazy to do it so your willing to get raped up the @$$ on labor fees? forget that,

KidGT
your definitely due for one.

[GSBoek]

Yeah, thanks guys. I bought mine the prestone radiator flush at Walmart for $3.00 roughly.. Soo cheap. :)

Couple of quick questions then:
#1 Is it Toyota Red SLLC already premixed?
#2 Can i mix REDLINE / Royal Purple with it or no need to?

1.Yes, all you have to do is fill up with it.
2.No, generally a bad idea to mix coolant.

[vindiCAtor]

safer? safer as in your too lazy to do it so your willing to get raped up the @$$ on labor fees?
Safer as in, it doesn't cost THAT much for them to do the work CORRECTLY and be held responsible for any resulting problems.

[theguy216]

yeah so many problems can be caused by a radiator flush, so it's better to get the high school dropout at the local oil change place to do it because he has extensive training for his minimum wage job.

[vindiCAtor]

...or by the technicians at a Toyota dealership. All I was impying is that a radiator flush isn't as simple as just changing your oil.

[Celica402GTS]

hardest part about the DIY is bleeding the system. Otherwise id have it done already.
How many gallon of SLLC do i need? Need to buy some.

[vindiCAtor]

I know it takes more than 1 so 2 gallons to be safe

[GSBoek]

It take 1.5 gallons approximately.

[Celica402GTS]

thank you much..that's all i need to know.

[WayneTeK]

I saw the diagram on bleeding the system.. Doesn't seem that hard.. Why do ppl say it's hard to bleed the system?

[vindiCAtor]

I may not be mechanically inclined as others but I looked at Boosted's instructions here: http://www.newcelica.org/forums/showthread.php?t=192777&highlight=bleeding+coolant and eventually I got lost. People started asking detailed questions and then I was overwhelmed. I just could never grasp what was going on. If there were pics I might have attempted it. That's just me.

[GSBoek]

-Raise car as high as possible.
-Unbolt reservoir and hang as high as possible.
-Opne bleeder valve.
-Fill with coolant, massage hoses while filling.
-Get as much air as possible out of the system.
-Start car, turn heater on, massage hoses.
-Close bleeder valve before things get too hot.

http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/data/500/Picture_0158.jpg