2007 Other Toyota Models FJ Cruiser - cant find coolant drai

ROADKINGDM

MEMBER
2007 TOYOTA
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
31,000 MILES

Model is TOYOTA FJ Cruiser.
I followed the factory service manual and attached a vinyl hoze below the radiator drain and opened the drain and drained coolant into a bucket. I took off the radiator cap and then looked for the two "engine drain plugs" specified in the factory manual. One is supposed to be on the top (or maybe behind?) of the square casting at the top front of the motor that the oil fill is bolted to. One is supposed to be down just under the oil filter at the front driver's side of the motor. Neither one is there on my truck. The top of the oil fill casting is smooth--no drain plug. If there was a plug there, you would have to remove all the intake manifold snorkels and stuff on top of the motor to get to it--a big job. Below the oil filter is the belt tensioner and the alternator so if a drain plug was there you could not get near it without removing the alternator. I looked everywhere I could and couldn't see any "drain plug." All bolts were mounting something to the block. On my truck there are two rubber hoses with braided protective covers, one about 8 mm id , one about 3 mm id which terminate with plugs you can pull out just about 5" across from the oil fill anti oil drip plate. I unplugged these thinking they might be remote air plugs for the coolant.
When only about 2.4 quarts drained, I blew into the radiator and got a few more ounces out. Since the coolant capacity is over 10 quarts, draining 2.7 quarts in not enough so I put it back in the radiator and gave up. I would like to know how to find the "drain plugs" (their exact location, what they look like) as mentioned in the factory manual so most of the coolant can be drained and refilled with new.
The picture I uploaded is from the factory manual which is supposed to show where the drain plugs are on the motor.

1 Reply

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Hi roadkingdm,

Thank you for the donation.

The engine drain plugs shown are not clear in the diagram. Both drain plugs are at the center of the engine block, one on each bank.

For the one that looks like it is on top, actually it is at the other side of the engine. The one in front is near the engine mount brackets, much further behind than where you were looking at.

Both drain plugs are located on engine block of either bank, somewhere midpoint between the oil sump gasket and cylinder head gasket.

The diagram shown is the correct design for the drain plug. It is a protruding hexagonal metal piece with a nut at the end and a bent tube curling down for attaching the tube draining coolant. Loosening the end bolt would allow you to drain the coolant.