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Radiator drain spigot: Very difficult

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by xliderider, Aug 29, 2021.

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  1. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I can barely reach the radiator drain spigot for the engine coolant, and when I have my fingers on it in a contorted position, I can't seem to turn the spigot valve, wingnut, or whatever it is.

    Also, it seems to be made of plastic, so I'm afraid to try to turn it with pliers or an adjustable crescent type wrench.

    Would something like this on the end of a nut driver handle work to fit over the plastic drain valve?

    PANOVOS 1pc Power Wing Nut Driver Set,Slot Wing nuts Drill Bit Socket Wrenches Tools Set,1/4" Hex Shank Drills Bits for Panel Nuts screws eye hook bolt


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    #1 xliderider, Aug 29, 2021
  2. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    I had no problems getting mine off. I just wiggled it back and fort until it gave. On that account, because it's plastic, I always have a spare.

    You might want to grease it with silicone dielectric grease to allow it to remove easier.
     
    #2 Georgina Rudkus, Aug 29, 2021
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  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Do you get to it from above or below? I tried from below, but the crossmember is in the way.

    I definitely should get a spare, I was afraid to turn it too hard and break it. I imagined that the heat from the radiator made the plastic brittle.

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    #3 xliderider, Aug 29, 2021
  4. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    I got it from above. No problem. Reached down with my left hand. it was easy.
     
    #4 Georgina Rudkus, Aug 29, 2021
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  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I need to wear more tinfoil to keep you out of my head!

    I just did a coolant change and EGR clean six weeks ago, and I went through exactly your struggle. I was trying to get away without raising the car, I just dropped the under cover and reached my left arm in from lying on my back in front of the bumper, and just as you said, I could get my hand there, put my fingers on the stopcock, and it's not that it's so all-fired tight or anything, it's just that from that angle the fingers on my left hand have got nothing to offer.

    I must have fussed at it for ten minutes, before I remembered I have one of those wing nut drivers, and I came back out with that and my little 1/4"-5/16" ratchety box wrench and it was a piece of cake.
     
    #5 ChapmanF, Aug 29, 2021
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  6. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Lol, thanks for the confirmation that the wingnut driver works.

    Yes, I did exactly what you did, dropped the under panel and reached up from below and couldn't budge it. Even attached a length of tubing onto the outlet to keep the flow neat down to the container waiting below.

    After struggling with the draincock for about 10 minutes, I gave up on doing the EGR cooler swap and settled on just changing the spark plugs. The EGR swap has to wait for another day.

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    #6 xliderider, Aug 29, 2021
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It's awkward for sure. Raising the car helps, allows you to get in there better. Taking the engine underpanel off helps too.
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Aug 30, 2021
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  8. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    So today I'm taking another whack at the EGR cooler swap, and I still couldn't budge the d@mn radiator drain spigot. I tried reaching down behind the radiator with my left, non-dominant, hand and still couldn't budge it, even used a rag to try and dull the pain on the end of my thumb pushing against one of the wings.

    I already ordered some of the bits I linked above, but unfortunately they'll come in later this afternoon.

    Ended up making a crude tool to be able to engage the wings of the draincock, and put some hand torque on a smooth, round piece of plastic. Finally it broke free.

    20210903_111306.jpeg

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    #8 xliderider, Sep 3, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2021
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  9. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Ouch, that's not the way that's supposed to go.

    It doesn't even look like the right part the way I remember it. My stopcock is a white piece with wingnut wings, threads, and a black O ring.

    What is that thing?

    Oh. Haha. That's the tool you made, isn't it?
     
    #9 ChapmanF, Sep 3, 2021
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  10. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    #10 xliderider, Sep 3, 2021
  11. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    This may be be a dumb question but this is a 2011 without a coolant bleed valve, correct?

    Also, when in inspection mode or maintenance mode (without Techstream) is the car running with the airbox and intake hose off the car, mass airflow connector unplugged?

    Otherwise I don't see how you can squeeze the radiator hoses while trying to get rid of the air in the cooling system. There is no room to reach down to the lower radiator hose on the left side and the radiator hose near the back of the cooling fans on the right side with the airbox installed. 20210904_141900.jpeg

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    #11 xliderider, Sep 4, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2021
  12. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I'm assuming that the air bleed valve looks something like this one for an MR2?

    Screenshot_20210904-145641_eBay.jpeg

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    #12 xliderider, Sep 4, 2021
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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    @xliderider your 2011 doesn’t have the coolant bleed valve?

    I’ve been speculating the delete happened in model year 2012, but might have just been telling myself that, @ssuming it happened with the 2012 “refresh”. :unsure:
     
    #13 Mendel Leisk, Sep 4, 2021
  14. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I just rewatched Nutz About Boltz's video on cooling system drain/fill and realize airbox and intake system is intact and no need to squeeze and shake any hoses to remove air from the system. Just run in Maintenance Mode and run the heater to circulate the coolant to remove air from the system.

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    #14 xliderider, Sep 4, 2021
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  15. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Found more rodent damage while draining and filling the engine coolant. Something chewed off one side of the refrigerant line insulation near the engine coolant reservoir. 20210904_153701.jpeg 20210904_153655.jpeg

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    #15 xliderider, Sep 4, 2021
  16. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    I avoided all the hassle of inspection mode and removed all the air of the system with the airlift tool.



    The whole coolant change took 20 minutes. The tool automatically filled the tank to the correct level.
     
    #16 Georgina Rudkus, Sep 4, 2021
  17. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I didn't bleed any of air through a non-existant bleed valve, or disconnect any tubing to let out air.

    Filled the coolant reservoir up to the B level mark and ran the car in Maintenance Mode till the fans were cycling more than 2 cycles and then ran the heater for about 5 minutes. The cabin got heat and the coolant in the reservoir went down to the Full mark.





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    #17 xliderider, Sep 4, 2021
  18. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    That's what I like to hear.
     
    #18 ChapmanF, Sep 5, 2021
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How much time did that take; I gave up after half hour, with no fan running. I did have cap off expansion tank, maybe a factor.
     
    #19 Mendel Leisk, Sep 5, 2021
  20. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Maybe, I put the cap back on on the reservoir.

    I also revved the engine a bit, several times, to maybe 3000 rpm or so for a few seconds, to ensure that the coolant was flowing well.

    I did have to add a smidge more coolant to the reservoir to get it it to the full mark after the coolant stared to cool down. It was closer to the Low mark.


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    #20 xliderider, Sep 5, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2021
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