1997 achieva ... Coolant Leak below engine

Question edited for clarity and add Maker.
Question moved to model category.

How to Flush a Car Radiator (DIY)

The Family Handyman https://www.familyhandyman.com > Automotive
Jul 28, 2020 - Open the overflow tank cap, then top it off with a little more antifreeze and distilled water, aiming to stop a couple inches below the service ...

How do you flush a 1997 avalon radiator

Fixya https://www.fixya.com > Forum > Cars & Trucks
5 hours ago - remove the top radiator hose and the bottom radiator hose and put the hose in the bottom and let it all flow out the top.

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Toyota Avalon Radiator Drain and Fill

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Toyota Camry 1997-2011: How to Flush the Coolant System

Camry Forums https://www.camryforums.com > ... > Cooling System
Step 1 - Lift and support vehicle · Step 2 - Drain coolant · Step 3 - Fill with water and start car · Step 4 - Drain water · Step 5 - Fill with new coolant.

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no thermostat is good that old./ ever.
and the hose does not get water coolant from thermostat until the engine is hot and thermostat is opens( begin to open)
you forgot to burp all air from the cooling loop.
you are doing all this wrong.
well the reservoir goes empty when you do it all wrong, get all air of the loop first. then fill reservoir 1/2full of 50a%AF (antifreeze)mix.
the thermosat not installed backwards and STAT bleed hole (jigglepin)
must be up hill. (so it can be burped)
once properly filled of coolant, any leaks are seen clear as day
hood up(not driven) and let engine warm fully up and like magic
all leaks are seen , if present. and from the exact spot , is what matters most. (you never said where, only below crank pulley)
sorry the crank is not water cooled. look again and look closer
let engine idle up to 30 min to find the leak.




other than hoses or water pump leaks.
here are all front engine leaks possible
yellow arrow

F= freeze/core plug, x2
up top is a leaking intake manifold gasket (common too)

Don't know the exact amount but around 2-2 and a half gallon. Do this use one gallon straight antifreeze and one gallon water run engine for a few minutes then turn off. Check level and top off radiator. Add appropriate level to side tank

Coolant should be mixed in most cases to a 50% concentration, meaning one gallon of undiluted coolant will provide two gallons of diluted coolant. Most engines will hold 2-3 gallons of coolant mix. I normally purchase two gallons of undiluted coolant. I pour the first gallon of undiluted coolant into the radiator, then fill the empty bottle with water and add that to the radiator as well to make it a 50% mix.. Then, I pour half the second bottle of undiluted coolant into the empty coolant bottle, and then top both off with water to make two gallons of 50% mix. I then add coolant to the radiator as needed until full, keeping the remainder for topping off later as air purges itself form the system.

Hi, there are 2 common locations for a coolant leak on a vortec engine. The water pump, and the intake gasket. A coolant pressure test may show the leak better. There is a weep hole , or a vent hole, at the bottom of the water pump. This should be checked, as well as the edgesnof the intake, and the front and rear of the intake. Chances are you will find the problem in these areas. Good luck...Coop

the rad holds about 1.5 gallons...but if u changed the rad u will need around 3 gallons since the coolant in the engine has also drained out....also open the bleeder valves for the cooling system before filling...these valves r located on the thermostat housing an on top of the water pump outlet pipe...they r brass in color an u will need a 7mm socket on a straight slot screwdrive to open them....u need to open them to allow the air to escape when fill or u can have the system air bound an the engine will over heat an cause damage the the cylinder heads....when coolant runs out of them at a steady stream close them an start the car..do not open them when engine is running....but some cars only have 1 bleeder

compressor clutch could be slipping caused by improper air gap adjustment between plate and hub at high ambient temps ford recommends a spacer kit

Or maybe an undercharge situation.

What really helped my car that you could do on your own and probably needs it would be to flush out the heater core in both directions. Buy a plastic heater core flush valve at kmart or somewhere and just cut the line and hook it up also has a bleeder on them that will allow you to get all the air out. I've never bought one but seen one at kmart and would have bought if done over again. Go ahead and also do a coolant flush. Most shops don't do heater core flushes. I didn't run a flusher chemical in my radiator but that may not be a bad idea to run in your car for a while before you flush out your system. Couldn't hurt. Recommending flushing in both directions inlet and outlet of your heater core hoses located middle of firewall back of engine passenger side until water runs clear. Have your car running with heat on high as the garden hose water is flowing through and lower radiator hose is disconnected. Tip: Qty for coolant in your car is appx 14 quarts. So add 100% concentrate after your done flushing w/ garden hose and everything is drained as best as can be. Your engine will still have 100% water in there as all the engine passages and tunnels are unable to drain unless maybe you put some air pressure to it. So add 1 1/2 gallons (6qts) of 100% coolant or two gallons if its really cold. Yeah two gallons 8qts max. I doubt that you will even be able to put that much in before it over flows. So that way you know your capacity and you know whats in there is water and what your adding is mixing it 50/50 So after you put your 6-8 quarts of straight 100% yellow or green coolant in fill the remaining up with water. Could blow out all water with air pressure and mix with distilled or whatever (metal free) water if your real picky or have irony well water. Also recommended fill-up after your done connecting all your hoses is the upper radiator hose thermostat housing located top left (driver side) of radiator on the engine side of the hose. I would remove the thermostat housing on engine side upper radiator hose and replace thermostat and not buy the gasket unless really really bad. Rubber is forgiving. And costs almost as much as the thermostat. Anyways you must fill from that location by removing thermostat and pouring coolant there until full. I remember removing something to have better access to one bolt on thermostat housing just to make hob a bit easier. My rule of thumb is if you have to work just as long taking a hard to get bolt off as removing something in the way, just remove it. Usually saves time in the long run. Finish by replacing thermostat or not and use same gasket and button up. Fill reservoir, check for leaks, start car, check for leaks, drive a bit and fill reservoir afterward and check for leaks. Hose clamps should only be tightened till they are just below level of the rubber. Until it seems the rubber is just skimming over slightly. Over tighten and you will greatly reduce the life of your hoses and probably cause the leak yourself. Hope this helps Thanks

The total to refill the system is slightly less than 2 gallons. Purchase 1 gallon of the correct antifreeze and 1 gallon of distilled water. Mix them together 50/50 and you will have more than enough to fill the system after a drain and flush. Replace the thermostat at this time. Be sure and bleed all air from the system after the fill.

Yep, could be either one.

Alright, the best way to find a leak is to fill the reservoir and get it up on ramps or a car lift would be excellent. Start the engine and find out where the leak is coming from. Most common leaks are simply just bad hoses or busted fittings. However, there could be a blown head gasket, hole in the radiator, or a bad seal on the thermostat housing.

I've even seen where a bad thermostat was causing high pressure in the water system and ended up blowing the excessive pressure and water out the overflow, even when the water was actually low. So, find the location of the leak. Use the method I told you and it will help you find the exact location. Then you can proceed on fixing the leak.

Hope this helps out! :)