2011 RX450H Coolant drain and fill DIY
10-15-23, 02:01 PM
#1
Moderator
Thread Starter
2011 RX450H Coolant drain and fill DIY
This is part of 100K recommended service. I opted to do the intercooler drain and fill. Found a bit of crusties on the intercooler cap. Drained out coolant looked great.
Gallon Bottle/jug of pre-mix Super Long Life coolant -- Qty 3 [you will need about 2.5 for both]
10mm wrench or a combo of socket and ratchet.
Large trough [I use my mortar mix trough from Home Depot]
Procedure can be done with wheels on ground. If you are big-huge person, ramps may be needed.
Remove the bottom front belly pan [plastic shield] held by bolts and plastic clips. Pull the center part of the plastic clip about 1/2" and then pull the whole clip out. Note there are two different type of plugs and remember which goes where. The bolts are all of the same size.
Once you remove the shield, you can see two bib valves. One at the bottom of the radiator and one on hose assembly towards the driver side. The second bib is for intercooler coolant. Open them both and let the coolant drip out. Move to the top.
Remove the engine plastic covers. Push down on the middle of the plastic clips and once the center drops down, grab the whole plastic clip and wiggle it out. Once the pin is out, grab the outer side and push the pointed part of the center pin up [I use my work bench surface against the sharp end of the center pin]. Examine the skirt for broken lugs and discard if any leg is broken or mangled.
Remove radiator cap [do this with the engine cold to touch].
Remove the intercooler cap.
Remove 2 bolts holding down the air intake front.
There is enough flex that the intake front can be wiggled out. Exercise care so that the foam at the joints is not deformed [use extra care when re-assembling].
Right above the coolant overflow reservoir, there is metal bracket from the radiator frame to the air-intake. Remove the bolt on the radiator frame. Loosen the other bolt and that should allow the bracket to slide. If needed you can unclip the hoses to make room.
Remove the bolt holding the overflow reservoir and wiggle it out. Unclip the hose at the bottom of the overflow. Wash and rinse the reservoir.
Reconnect and reattach the reservoir, and the bracket. [you can always do it later, but it is better to reassemble sooner so that parts are not lost/forgotten.]
Crawl back under head first from the front. Locate the drive shaft going to the passenger side front wheel. Roughly in the middle [left to right], the engine coolant drain plug sticks out of the block. It has a distinctive u shape spigot. I wanted to use my ratcheting 10mm wrench but its length was too long and it did not have enough clearance to operate as it kept on hitting the drive shaft. Small to med boxed wrench is just perfect.
Let the system drain out. estimated time 15 mins. Snug the bib pet-**** and the engine drain plug.
Fill the intercooler 4 cups of coolant at initial fill and some more to top up once the engine runs.
Fill the radiator and overflow reservoir.
** this is where I ran out of coolant ... I had only 2 gallon jugs.
To do for me is to procure 1 additional gallon
Run the engine in service mode and keep topping up the radiator and the intercooler SLOWLY. [never dump cold coolant to a non-running hot engine]
Increase the cabin heat and then lower it.
Keep an eye on the coolant for next few days till all the air pockets have been burped out.
Rinse the under side of the radiator.
Dispose the spent coolant properly. Pets are attracted to the sweat smelling coolant, but it is poisonous for them. Make sure you rise it off and it is not left pooling anywhere.
Salim
PS:
OEM clips: 90467-07217
cheaper after market alternative
Gallon Bottle/jug of pre-mix Super Long Life coolant -- Qty 3 [you will need about 2.5 for both]
10mm wrench or a combo of socket and ratchet.
Large trough [I use my mortar mix trough from Home Depot]
Procedure can be done with wheels on ground. If you are big-huge person, ramps may be needed.
Remove the bottom front belly pan [plastic shield] held by bolts and plastic clips. Pull the center part of the plastic clip about 1/2" and then pull the whole clip out. Note there are two different type of plugs and remember which goes where. The bolts are all of the same size.
Once you remove the shield, you can see two bib valves. One at the bottom of the radiator and one on hose assembly towards the driver side. The second bib is for intercooler coolant. Open them both and let the coolant drip out. Move to the top.
Remove the engine plastic covers. Push down on the middle of the plastic clips and once the center drops down, grab the whole plastic clip and wiggle it out. Once the pin is out, grab the outer side and push the pointed part of the center pin up [I use my work bench surface against the sharp end of the center pin]. Examine the skirt for broken lugs and discard if any leg is broken or mangled.
Remove radiator cap [do this with the engine cold to touch].
Remove the intercooler cap.
Remove 2 bolts holding down the air intake front.
There is enough flex that the intake front can be wiggled out. Exercise care so that the foam at the joints is not deformed [use extra care when re-assembling].
Right above the coolant overflow reservoir, there is metal bracket from the radiator frame to the air-intake. Remove the bolt on the radiator frame. Loosen the other bolt and that should allow the bracket to slide. If needed you can unclip the hoses to make room.
Remove the bolt holding the overflow reservoir and wiggle it out. Unclip the hose at the bottom of the overflow. Wash and rinse the reservoir.
Reconnect and reattach the reservoir, and the bracket. [you can always do it later, but it is better to reassemble sooner so that parts are not lost/forgotten.]
Crawl back under head first from the front. Locate the drive shaft going to the passenger side front wheel. Roughly in the middle [left to right], the engine coolant drain plug sticks out of the block. It has a distinctive u shape spigot. I wanted to use my ratcheting 10mm wrench but its length was too long and it did not have enough clearance to operate as it kept on hitting the drive shaft. Small to med boxed wrench is just perfect.
Let the system drain out. estimated time 15 mins. Snug the bib pet-**** and the engine drain plug.
Fill the intercooler 4 cups of coolant at initial fill and some more to top up once the engine runs.
Fill the radiator and overflow reservoir.
** this is where I ran out of coolant ... I had only 2 gallon jugs.
To do for me is to procure 1 additional gallon
Run the engine in service mode and keep topping up the radiator and the intercooler SLOWLY. [never dump cold coolant to a non-running hot engine]
Increase the cabin heat and then lower it.
Keep an eye on the coolant for next few days till all the air pockets have been burped out.
Rinse the under side of the radiator.
Dispose the spent coolant properly. Pets are attracted to the sweat smelling coolant, but it is poisonous for them. Make sure you rise it off and it is not left pooling anywhere.
Salim
PS:
OEM clips: 90467-07217
cheaper after market alternative
Last edited by salimshah; 10-19-23 at 06:37 PM. Reason: WS -> Super Long Life
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tempestv8 (12-01-23)
12-01-23, 12:58 PM
#2
Intermediate
For me the hardest part about the coolant change was to dispose of the coolant in an environmentally safe way.
In Australia where I live, once a year there is a collection service for household "dangerous" materials, and happily, coolant is a product that is accepted.
So I basically store the coolant in the Toyota bottles and wait until the collection service is available for proper disposal.
In Australia where I live, once a year there is a collection service for household "dangerous" materials, and happily, coolant is a product that is accepted.
So I basically store the coolant in the Toyota bottles and wait until the collection service is available for proper disposal.
12-02-23, 08:08 PM
#3
Moderator
Thread Starter
Don't quote me on this, what I have heard about coolant is that it is not an environmental hazard. It is poisonous for cats and the sweat smell makes it attractive. In any case, you are doing the right thing.
Salim
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