Coolant, how long

[SWUtah]

I agree with your general sentiment, but I prefer to avoid spurious maintainance items with minimal returns.

What I meant by the engine being designed for the coolant is that the type of materials used in parts that contact the coolant (so not only the engine block and head coolant ports, but also the radiator, thermostat, water pump and any piping that contacts the coolant) are selected to be compatible with the particular blent of anti-corrosion additives in the manufacturer's coolant.

.

The engine V8 that is used in the 4runner is the same engine with the same materials that has been used in the LC since 1998. My 2004 4runner came with the long life antifreeze so it makes sense that the same long life antifreeeze would work well in my 1999 LC, based on your analysis.

 

[greasefingers]

I believe the corrosion inhibitors thermally degrade over time. This would be bad for both the iron block and the aluminum radiator core. It would be nice to have a simple test for inhibitors. Therefore, I will replace the factory Red Long Life anti-freeze every 30 k miles unless someone can inform us of a way to measure this property.

People here, have submitted oil samples for analysis. Maybe this could also be done for coolant?

 

[greasefingers]

I might be wrong here, but the Toy Red Long Life coolant is no different, as far as time intervals, than any other after market anti-freeze. Most all coolant products have a 30 k mile change period. The name

 

[SWUtah]

I might be wrong here, but the Toy Red Long Life coolant is no different, as far as time intervals, than any other after market anti-freeze. Most all coolant products have a 30 k mile change period. The name

 

[00328]

More times than not, lifetime fluid or extended fluid change intervals are nothing more than marketing tools by the manufacturer. I think fluids have definitely improved over the years, but you have to use common sense. Check your fluids regularly and if they start to discolor change them. Screw the mileage.
Don't believe everything the dealer or manufacture says.
A fluid change is cheap insurance especially if you plan on keeping the vehicle long term.

 

[SWUtah]

More times than not, lifetime fluid or extended fluid change intervals are nothing more than marketing tools by the manufacturer. I think fluids have definitely improved over the years, but you have to use common sense. Check your fluids regularly and if they start to discolor change them. Screw the mileage.
Don't believe everything the dealer or manufacture says.
A fluid change is cheap insurance especially if you plan on keeping the vehicle long term.

Makes sense. I think the fluids are improved. I will run 7-8K mile one year mobil 1 changes in my LC and with the next change I will start running Mobil 1 5K mile changes on my 4runner until it is out of warranty then I will go with the 7-8K changes.

PS- I've loked at several Lexus LX470's in the past that were covered by the dealer with their extended 100K warranty and the past service records showed that the original owner at 10K mile OCI with dino oil. So that just shows that Lexus preowned vehicles are not the care for vehicles that Lexus wants buyers to believe they are.

 

[00328]

I think it's safe to say that someone who leases or trades in a vehicle after 3 or 4 years is not going to follow the same maintenance schedule that someone who buys the vehicle and plans on keeping it long term. Can't blame them, I probably wouldn't either.
Buyer beware.

As a side note to this thread, it really kind of pisses me off when Toyota(or other manuf) claims a lifetime transmission fluid and doesn't provide a drain or fill hole.
GIVE ME THE OPTION!!

 

[SWUtah]

I think it's safe to say that someone who leases or trades in a vehicle after 3 or 4 years is not going to follow the same maintenance schedule that someone who buys the vehicle and plans on keeping it long term. Can't blame them, I probably wouldn't either.
Buyer beware.

As a side note to this thread, it really kind of pisses me off when Toyota(or other manuf) claims a lifetime transmission fluid and doesn't provide a drain or fill hole.
GIVE ME THE OPTION!!

There is both a drain and a fill hole. Just no dipstick.

 

[00328]

In the '05 V8? Are you sure?
I was under the impression that it was a totally sealed system.

 

[SWUtah]

In the '05 V8? Are you sure?
I was under the impression that it was a totally sealed system.

I'm sure. crawl under it and check it out.

 

[00328]

Thanks, good to know.

 

[greasefingers]

You have a 2003 that has the red coolant, it is not long life coolant and should be changed at the shorter interval. In 2004 Toyota used the "pink" 5 year 100K mile coolant that is the long life coolant. You could do a complete flush and start using the pink long life stuff and go for a longer interval. That said if you don't get all of the red out it will still need to be changed at the shorter interval. If I were you I would do the flush and use the new pink toyota coolant and then use it for 30K miles and then do another flush and use the pink and you should be OK for the 5 year 100K interval. But at 90K you need to do the timing belt and water pump so you will be dumping the pink again and then going with the pink for the next say 90K when it will be time for another timing belt and water pump change. You could stretch the interval to 45K miles with the red that came in you 4runner then switch to the pink and that would get you too the 90K mile timing belt interval and then continue with the pink?? I have the pink in my 2004 and will sell it at 90K miles and buy another 4runner I went to the pink in my LC at 60K miles when I did the timing belt and water pump and will flush it again using the pink at 90K miles and then continue to just use the long life pink stuff. But I only will be putting around 8-10K miles on the LC a year.

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)

 

[SWUtah]

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

 

[coldbivy]

The engine V8 that is used in the 4runner is the same engine with the same materials that has been used in the LC since 1998. My 2004 4runner came with the long life antifreeze so it makes sense that the same long life antifreeeze would work well in my 1999 LC, based on your analysis.

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.

 

[SWUtah]

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

 

[gsmithhart]

Oil/Coolant replacement frequency

Even if you aren't comfortable with the full 100,000 miles on the long life coolant, changes at 30,000 are excessive (as are 3000 mile oil changes).

Doing so not only costs you some time and money, but creates additional waste products unnecessarily.

I agree that maintaining your cooling system is critical, but technology marches forward and those frequent coolant changes are just not necessary any more.

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.

 

[BLKNBLU]

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?

 

[Whitest Russian]

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.

 

[3ToyGuy]

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☺

 

[Whitest Russian]

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.