Adding coolant to a (potentially) very low 2nd gen

If you're not having any engine temperature problems, just add coolant to the reservoir and let the system take care of itself. The fluid from the reservoir will get siphoned into the radiator as the engine heats and cools. Monitor the level for several days and add if it lowers. Level can be hard to see on a Gen 2, so use a flashlight at the side of the reservoir to help see coolant level in the tank.

Look at the lower passenger side of the engine, where the water pump is. When losing coolant, it's one of the more common reasons. Look at the inside surface of the water pump pulley for any evidence of pink residue. If there is some, and it's dry then you have a very slow seep from the water pump seal, but is not a crisis. If it's wet, you need to replace the pump soon as possible because the seal is failing.

 

You should fill the radiator to the very top and then fill the overflow bottle to the full line. Drive the car for a day or two and recheck the level.

 

1. Make sure everything is cool to the touch.
2. If there's a radiator cap on the radiator, check that first. If it isn't full (all the way to the top) fill it. ONLY use compatible Toyota coolant, incompatible coolant may jell and cause other issues. If there isn't enough coolant in the radiator, there's NO "siphoning action" to draw the coolant from the coolant bottle.
3. Fill the coolant bottle to the FULL line.
4. Monitor it for the next week or so.

Hope this helps.....

PS, you should probably read the operations manual for that car; so you know how to do simple things like this......

 

It takes an hour it's like watching the grass grow you want to uncap the rad. And fill thru neck slooooowly. When you can get water to stand at the very top of the filler neck for 5 minutes then it's full . 5 min is a loooong time. After you cap it off make sure the reservoir is full to bottom of its neck . Now you should be good drive car . Tomorrow when you walk out in the morning crack the cap let vacuum subside and water should be in same place on neck if not add till it holds full . If this continues you have a small drip somewhere you need find.

 

It shouldn't matter. Small air bubbles in the system will eventually work it's way out. A large air-gap between radiator and coolant bottle would prevent coolant movement between the two.
Years ago, someone on this forum thought their coolant level was OK but the car was overheating. Later found out that there was hardly any coolant in the radiator but the coolant bottle remained full. Since there was not enough coolant in the radiator, the connection just blew bubbles into the coolant bottle but suction wasn't strong enough to pull liquid back into the radiator.
If you've ever siphoned liquid out of a tank, you'll know what I'm talking about. It's the liquids' surface tension that keeps them moving back and forth. Small bubbles within a tube will retain tension; whereas an air bubble the length of the tube will break the surface tension.