I topped off my 4Runner with the "Recommended for Toyota" Zerex.
What do I do now that I have gritty "gel" in my system? I only put in around (maybe as much as) 1/3 of a bottle of Zerex radiator clog. I do not know how extensive it is and I have sucked out as much as I could see which is maybe 2 inches to each side of the radiator cap. It's not horribly gooey, but there is a fine grit to it. It actually seemed to be more dense right under the cap, as to each side it was much less dense. Using a small dental mirror I don't see much beyond that. Could it be that's where the pressure relief before piping off to the reservoir bottle is so that is where it all ended up?
https://imgur.com/gallery/vD6U4ki
(PS the pink on the neck for the radiator cap is a reflection. Pink gel is not going up the neck...
What would Scotty say?
Flush the system and put the oem fluid and you should be fine.
Would that be a passive flush with distilled water or a power flush, do you think?
If the radiator doesn't seem that bad I would stay away from the power flush.
Agreed, actually I don't like anything powered in terms of flushing. Whether it's transmission fluid, coolant or whatever else some mechanic might want to recommend.
After I suck out as much of the gel I can see out of the top of the radiator, I will start a radiator fill and drain first. I used a boroscope/endoscope to look down and I am able to get my home-crafted fish tank air tubing suction line connected with a small 20-volt battery-powered vacuum.
I have a little catch can thing that I used to use for my children's noses when they were congested and I'm able to use that as the trap so I'm not sucking up wet stuff into the vacuum...
Yay Zerex! That was the last Valvoline product I ever bought. If they are so careless or deceptive as they didn't say it met the standards of Toyota engines, but they said it was recommended; they will not get my money anymore.
Thanks for your input!