2004 Toyota Hiace - Radiator, Heater Core Flush - DIY.

[E01001101]

Hi

 

So I'm doing some long overlooked maintenance on my Hiace. It's a 2004 SWB (Old Shape) Model, and I've been needing to flush the heater core and radiator for a long time. 

 

I guess I'm the sort of person who needs a 'push' to get this sort of maintenance done, and I've been given one recently. 

 

Symptoms: The heater isn't working in the van.

 

Backstory: I took it to an Auto electrician a while ago for an unrelated issue and he told me the radiator system had a leak somewhere inconvenient and expensive to fix, so I've just been topping up the water for the last year or so. It's now at the point where it's basically 100% water in the system, and I guess that's why the heater has stopped working. Hoping that I can just flush the system out and put cooling liquid back in and it will keep going for a while yet...

 

Anyway, there seems to be a shortage of Hiace maintenance vids on youtube, so I'm hoping someone here has a link or can explain how to do the job. Lost my job over Covid and would love it if I didn't have to pay a mechanic to do this. 

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Cheers

[niZmO_Man]

I don't think they are anything special. Search for service manual

[The Bogan]

https://hiace-super-custom.forumotion.com/t2320-draining-the-cooling-system

Is the heater core connected?

Old trick when heater core leaks is to bypass the heater core.

Post pics

[E01001101]

Thanks for your replies. 

 

Tricky finding a service manual. I don't have an owner's manual for this thing, I understand it's a Jap only model. 

 

Interesting idea to bypass the heater core. Good to know I can do this, With any luck, I can just clean it and it'll be fine. Have seen some decent youtube vids now for other vehicles, and I reckon I know what to look for now. Hopefully it's not too hard to spot. 

 

Thanks for the link to the hiace forum. Will be handy in the future, I'm sure. 

 

Will post pics if I can (or cannot  ) figure out where the in and outlet for the core is.

 

Cheers guys.