01 sr5 coolant

[SilverBullet01]

went to go pick up some more coolant for my '01 sr5, and the guy told me that "toyota uses special coolant for 2000+ years that can only be purchased at the stealership"

is this true, or can i just pick up my usual stuff?

 

[toytech76]

I hate toyota coolant personally. I think the red stuff is corrosive. No..you can use the normal green stuff or whatever you use. The only time it is special is if it says its the 'long-life' stuff

 

[SilverBullet01]

well my engine was to hot to check yesterday, but its strange, it looks like the red stuff, but from an angle it has a bit of green in it. could the previous owner have mixed it, or is that just the red stuff, and im being crazy.....

 

[toytech76]

When you do a cooling sys service, you will have red and green mixed because there will still be some old coolant in the block that didnt come out. After a couple times changing it out it will fade out. It wont hurt anything to be mixed

 

[SilverBullet01]

k, just makin sure

 

[p nut]

I use the red stuff, and never have had problems in my past 3 Toyotas. Toytech - Why do you think it's more corrosive?

If you're going to change, I'd do a full flush. Drain, then flush with water a few times, then fill with what ever you want. Good time to change out the thermostat, if you haven't already done so.

 

[SilverBullet01]

i have not changed the thermostat.

so im still fairly new to automotive work, anyone have a link to help show me how to flush my coolant?

 

[bgmac]

Theres a bunch of information on the web, just use google or ask.com. Heres a link to one I found
http://www.robrobinette.com/flush.htm

 

[toytech76]

I personally think that just because of the different cooling system failures and coolant related problems ive seen in the past 10 years when toyota red has been used. Just my opinion

 

[shootmymime]

why do cars have a thermostat?

 

[p nut]

why do cars have a thermostat?

Are you serious? If so, you can google 99% of your questions.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question248.htm

 

[Tomsriv]

Toytech76. I wonder if the failures you saw with the red stuff were on older cars where people never changed their coolant. I changed mine after 5 years and 120k with the red stuff and plan on keeping it in there another 5 years. I don't think it is to big a deal to pay a little more. I have read a lot about coolant and how the green is more for protecting brass/copper radiators and the red is for protecting aluminum radiators. I think if I were to use the green I would drain the block as well as the radiator and change it every 2 years.

 

[toytech76]

well actually they arnt on older trucks. Case in point, I just worked on a customers 01 4runner this week whose trans cooler inside his radiator eroded away inside causing all sorts of problems. This truck wasn't neglected in any way. All of the green coolant we use even says on the bottle it is also made for aluminum. % years on coolant is a long time. The service interval is supposed to be every 30K which on average is every 2 - 2.5 years. I just see alot more cooling system problems with the red is all