combatmedic
Banned
Hey guys, I searched and found mixed answers... What coolant is recommended for the v6 5vzfe? (2000)
Coolant question?"
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T4R_Finally
New member
Based on my reading, i would say toyota red dilluted to a 50/50 mix, or toyota pink which is already 50/50. Or zerex asian formula, which is what i will be using when i swap radiators next week.
combatmedic
Banned
TheDurk
Elite Member
Nothing at autozone or advanced will work?
NAPA has Zerex Asian.
T4R_Finally
New member
Nothing at autozone or advanced will work?
Didn't say nothing would work, but you asked what is recommended. Some say they run the green type stuff just fine, but as far as recommendations, the red or pink is by far the most common. I don't have an autozone, and advance doesn't carry anything zerex, and my napa doesn't either. My Toyota Dealer doesn't even sell the red anymore and the pink was over $20 a gallon. Got my O'Reilly's to order me some Zerex Asian for about $14 a gallon. They ordered a case and were willing to sell me 3 gallons out of it. The Zerex Asian is close to what the Toyota Pink is.
combatmedic
Banned
Thank you, also how much do I need for a complete drain and fill? 3gals?
BrianSD_42
New member
T4R_Finally said:
Why Red?
I agree it is mentioned on T4R a lot but I never see a technical explanation. I ran Green coolant up to 195,000 miles until I replaced the radiator last year. I did one flush every 60k with diluted standard green.
Never had any problems but I do live in a pretty neutral area San Diego.
:barf:
T4R_Finally
New member
OP, the capacity is a little over 8 quarts. So, if you were able to drain 100% of the old, it should actually take a little more than 1 gallon of red and the same amount of water (distilled). Chances are you wont get every drop out so you might get by with just one gallon.
Brian, I did actually find a technical explanation on this forum or over on YT, but I dont remember the details. I also recently did the same research for coolant for my truck. Ended up with zerex g-05 for that, which is NOT approved for 96 and up asian vehicles. I like the fact that both zerex formulas specify which manufacturers approvals each has for which model years. The stuff that says it is good for all makes and model years makes me think there is either some hype or it is maybe just an okay formula but missing something a manufacturer would recommend.
Whatever you get, dont let it be dex-cool.
Brian, I did actually find a technical explanation on this forum or over on YT, but I dont remember the details. I also recently did the same research for coolant for my truck. Ended up with zerex g-05 for that, which is NOT approved for 96 and up asian vehicles. I like the fact that both zerex formulas specify which manufacturers approvals each has for which model years. The stuff that says it is good for all makes and model years makes me think there is either some hype or it is maybe just an okay formula but missing something a manufacturer would recommend.
Whatever you get, dont let it be dex-cool.
Nelsonmd
New member
Yeah, there has been lots of discussion and lots of confusion about coolants, and Toyota doesn't make it any easier.
OP, the only thing you really need to look out for is not mixing different types of coolant. If you are fully flushing your system, you can use pretty much any coolant you want, as long as you obey there change interval for the specific coolant you use.
Toyota has stopped using their old "toyota red" coolant and have moved over to "toyota pink". I read an in depth discussion about that once (Maybe that's the one T4R_Finally is talking about) about the red vs pink, but I don't remember all the details. I think the red and pink are just meant to be in service much longer than typical coolants.
BTW, here's an interesting little article I just found talking about the corrosion inhibitor additives' compatibility. To summarize it if you don't want to read the whole thing, "nothing catastrophic will happen if you mix coolant types, but don't do it because it decreases the service life of the coolant"
http://www.search-autoparts.com/sea...estandard//motorage/162005/156227/article.pdf
OP, the only thing you really need to look out for is not mixing different types of coolant. If you are fully flushing your system, you can use pretty much any coolant you want, as long as you obey there change interval for the specific coolant you use.
Toyota has stopped using their old "toyota red" coolant and have moved over to "toyota pink". I read an in depth discussion about that once (Maybe that's the one T4R_Finally is talking about) about the red vs pink, but I don't remember all the details. I think the red and pink are just meant to be in service much longer than typical coolants.
BTW, here's an interesting little article I just found talking about the corrosion inhibitor additives' compatibility. To summarize it if you don't want to read the whole thing, "nothing catastrophic will happen if you mix coolant types, but don't do it because it decreases the service life of the coolant"
http://www.search-autoparts.com/sea...estandard//motorage/162005/156227/article.pdf
combatmedic
Banned
Thanks alot fellas. Seems like theres more discussion as to coolant than oil lol.
T4R_Finally
New member
medic, I could be wrong but the only two products that I have found that specifically state they are manufacturer approved are the Toyota pink and the Zerex Asian - both are premixed (hence the pink color instead of red). There are some products out there that state "safe for all makes" or something to that effect. What probably makes them safe is that they are missing some things that the manufacturer's say should be there but aren't necessary for cooling the motor itself (just guessing there).
I looked at it this way - I could get something off the shelf or get something "approved" for around the same price. Why not go with what Toyota says is okay?
This is the back of the Zerex Asian container:
I looked at it this way - I could get something off the shelf or get something "approved" for around the same price. Why not go with what Toyota says is okay?
This is the back of the Zerex Asian container:
BrianSD_42
New member
T4R_Finally,
Thanks for good info!
I am still comfortable with my Green coolant but I live in San Diego. If I lived somewhere with extreme temperature I would be more concerned.
:bluejump:
Thanks for good info!
I am still comfortable with my Green coolant but I live in San Diego. If I lived somewhere with extreme temperature I would be more concerned.
:bluejump:
Nelsonmd
New member
Take compatibility claims on the bottle of coolant with a grain of salt. The universal green stuff will say the same thing, just different wording. I have also read that toyota pink is not pre-diluted toyota red, but is different, see this post:
http://www.yotatech.com/f123/wow-toyota-coolant-pricey-215331/#post51488782
No coolant other than Toyota Red or Toyota Pink is "Manufacturer approved". If you read the wording in that picture, it doesn't say anything about Toyota approving or recommending the Zerex stuff, they word it the way every other one does too, that they "meet or exceed the Toyota specification". Toyota does not approve other brand coolants than their own.
That said, it seems lots of guys use the Zerex asian and is formulated to be similar to Toyota coolants, and it says it is HOAT with no silicates, like the Toyota stuff is. All in all, use what you want, though it seems like lots of guys hate dex-cool. I think the safest thing not matter what coolant you use is to only use 1 at a time.
http://www.yotatech.com/f123/wow-toyota-coolant-pricey-215331/#post51488782
No coolant other than Toyota Red or Toyota Pink is "Manufacturer approved". If you read the wording in that picture, it doesn't say anything about Toyota approving or recommending the Zerex stuff, they word it the way every other one does too, that they "meet or exceed the Toyota specification". Toyota does not approve other brand coolants than their own.
That said, it seems lots of guys use the Zerex asian and is formulated to be similar to Toyota coolants, and it says it is HOAT with no silicates, like the Toyota stuff is. All in all, use what you want, though it seems like lots of guys hate dex-cool. I think the safest thing not matter what coolant you use is to only use 1 at a time.
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T4R_Finally
New member
True, Zerex doesn't say "Toyota approved". I was thinking it did but I bought some G-05 about the same time for my truck and it says it's manufacturer approved by Dodge, among others. I was getting those two mixed up. It does say that it meets requirements, though, and some of the "good for all makes" don't go that far. Not trying to talk the OP out of something else, he originally asked for "recommendations". Also, by saying that pink is premixed and is, therefore pink, not red, I don't mean to imply that it is purely premixed red. I believe I have read here or on YTF that there is some sort of difference between the pink and the red. However, pink is what the dealers and toyota recommend and the pink is all that the dealers near me even sell anymore. The Zerex seems to be very similar to the pink but is not the same stuff in a different bottle.
Nelsonmd
New member
Yeah, I think the Zerex is a solid choice, I just hate how they use trick wording to make it sound like the OEM has evaluated and approved their product. And I doubt that Toyota has an concrete long term corrosion spec; that is a really difficult thing to quantify. That is probably why they make their own coolant.
For all we know, Zerex does make the pink and red for Toyota; it is probably subcontracted out to someone outside of Toyota anyway. Without chemical analysis, we will never know I suppose.