Thanks, good to know.

This is the factory Red stuff that the dealer sold me for my 2003 model. Notice it says Long Life. What's so long about it? It has to be changed at the same time interval as Prestone (at 30 k miles)

That's funny, 30K miles is long life

When I said engine, I really meant cooling system. The engine contains parts of the cooling system.

The engine block is the same, but for all you know, Toyota now coats the coolant ports with something. They may have changed the head gasket material, head materials, water pump, raiator core, and who knows what else. Maybe they didn't change anything. Without knowing, depending on getting very long change intervals in the LC could be an expensive gamble.

So they changed everything between 2003 model and the 2004 model? That's when they went with the 5 year 100K mileage antifreeze change interval and the Pink long life stuff. Personally I think all they did was start using the long life antifreeze. If you check out the www.bobistheoilguy.com site they really get into antifreeze. I doubt I would ever go more then 3 years with my LC on changes even though I am using the 5 year 150K mile stuff. Just to cheap to change it every 3 years and make sure everything is working OK. Now I will go 5 years or 90K miles on the 4runner, but it came with the pink crap

I so agree with you. I was actually at the Toyota dealership today and was asking these same questions. People are unnecessarily changing these fluids much too frequently for the newer models. I have 2019 4Runner which are supposed to go 10,000 between oil changes. A local auto shop told me that even though they recommend that, I should still replace it every 5,000. The person at Toyota said I definitely don't need to do it more frequently than 10,000. Also, I keep seeing 30,000 on the coolant, but my official maint log from Toyota says 100,000 or 120 months.

Holy thread resurrection!! 18+ years since the last post.

Let's make this useful. What have we learned during this elapsed time?
It sounds from gsmithhart's experience that official Toyota is still recommending the lengthy change intervals.

Are we accepting that? There are lots of differing opinions around the internet that these longer intervals eventually lead to failure and this is just a marketing approach by Toyota convincing folks that buying a Toyota will relieve them of a fair bit of maintenance items. There is an opinion that these recommendations will get the vehicle through warranty but will ultimately sacrifice overall longevity. Are we accepting those opinions and recommendations?

Personally, I err on the side of caution and perform maintenance on a somewhat more frequent schedule. 5K oil and filter or 6 months. 50K coolant, PS fluid, brake fluid or 5 years. Transmission 60K or 6 years (I will probably do it with all the 50K stuff because I will already be dirty and oily and smelly and irritated so I might as well get it all in one shot) but I'm comfortable pushing it out to 6/60 if needed. T case and diffs at 30K-ish.

Thoughts anyone?

I've got a new to me 4runner at about 185k miles. I've done most other things but held off on coolant. I'm wondering if i should just do a drain an fill from the radiator/engine or do a flush.


What a crazy thread resurrect though.

If it hasn't been changed since the truck came out of the factory, a flush-n-fill would be called for. If it's been changed more recently, and I sure hope it has been, a drain and fill would be quite adequate. Take a look at the fluid, if you don't have solid information an the last change out. If it's all nasty, rusty, whatever, a flush is called for. If the inside of the radiator isn't all nasty and rusty, or the water pump isn't leaking, no drips in the cab from the heater core, etc, a simple drain and fill is acceptable.

Also, you might want to check the water hoses for softness, swelling, cracks, etc. Once again, if you have no information on the last change, it can't hurt to put new ones on. The OEM hose clamps are actually the preferred clamps, as well. They hold better than the screw-down ones.

It will never hurt either, to put in a new thermostat. Cheap insurance against problems. Same with the hot water control valve. They're a cheap plastic, and can disintegrate when they get older. Trust me on that!

Always ensure you burp the system if you break it open, or even just drain and fill the system. These Toyotas like to hide air bubbles in little, sneaky corners.

Good luck to you!
Pat☺

The coolant in the reservoir looks fine no discoloration or anything.

I'm 90% sure that I saw a coolant change was done at some point on the Carfax or something which is why I didn't do it when I changed the differential/transmission fluid.