radiator replacement for a manual transmission question

[jaypapa]

The dreaded strawberry milkshake is well documented for 4Runners with an auto trans. One of the suggestions is to replace the radiator before this occurs.

I have a 2000 with a manual transmission and I will be changing the coolant soon. I understand the strawberry milkshake failure is specific to auto trans models, but has anyone with a manual trans had to replace their radiator? If so, at what age and mileage? I'm tempted to leave well enough alone, but I'd like to hear experiences from others for consideration. Thanks in advance.

 

[TheDurk]

I'm running Toyota Red at 60K change intervals. Everything looked very clean when I changed at 120k--I'm at 138k now. I'm gonna ride this one until something looks nasty at a coolant change. I have pretty good confidence in Toyota Red and Pink anti-corrosion absent the auto rad design flaw.

I have not heard anyone complain of a 3G manual rad fail on here or YT and I pay pretty close attention.

 

[Climber]

I'm running Toyota Red at 60K change intervals. Everything looked very clean when I changed at 120k--I'm at 138k now. I'm gonna ride this one until something looks nasty at a coolant change. I have pretty good confidence in Toyota Red and Pink anti-corrosion absent the auto rad design flaw.

I have not heard anyone complain of a 3G manual rad fail on here or YT and I pay pretty close attention.

I had mine fail at 192k... Just finished my timing belt and water pump and when I refilled with coolant I saw the real leak right at the top of my radiator. Ive been looking for a manual specific radiator but can find one. should I just get the auto and plug the trans cooler lines? And my 4runner has had regular green coolant in it since I bought it so that's what ive been using. Not sure what to use at this point...

 

[Run 4 Fun]

I had mine fail at 192k... Just finished my timing belt and water pump and when I refilled with coolant I saw the real leak right at the top of my radiator. Ive been looking for a manual specific radiator but can find one. should I just get the auto and plug the trans cooler lines? And my 4runner has had regular green coolant in it since I bought it so that's what ive been using. Not sure what to use at this point...

Yep an auto radiator will work fine. You don't even need to plug it as its sealed off from the main radiator. The only reason you would want to plug it is if it did leak through then it would run out the lines onto the ground. If you're worried about that, run a piece of hose from one line to the other.

I would get rid of the green coolant and run Toyota Red. Its specifically made for these vehicles. You can get some from the dealer or on Amazon.

 

[TheDurk]

I had mine fail at 192k... Just finished my timing belt and water pump and when I refilled with coolant I saw the real leak right at the top of my radiator. Ive been looking for a manual specific radiator but can find one. should I just get the auto and plug the trans cooler lines? And my 4runner has had regular green coolant in it since I bought it so that's what ive been using. Not sure what to use at this point...

Well, mine was delivered new with Toyota Red and I stick to that. (We both have '99's so I assume yours was, too.) If I had to get a new rad, I'd get the auto and loop the cooler fittings with a piece of hose in case they ever fail internally.

If I ran green, I'd change at no more than 25-30K. What have you been doing?

 

[pluton]

Bought my '97 in June of 2013 with 119K miles.
I planned to replace the hoses, T-stat, coolant....and the 16-year-old plastic and aluminum radiator with green coolant in it.
One of the easiest jobs on the truck, really.

 

[Climber]

Well, mine was delivered new with Toyota Red and I stick to that. (We both have '99's so I assume yours was, too.) If I had to get a new rad, I'd get the auto and loop the cooler fittings with a piece of hose in case they ever fail internally.

If I ran green, I'd change at no more than 25-30K. What have you been doing?

Yeah I'm sure I originally had red but I bought it from a small dealership who I'm sure replaced it with green. Well I bought it at 180k and I now have 192k so I will be sure to put coolant as one of my matenience items. What brand radiator should I go with? I've heard good about koyo but I'm still not sure.

 

[TheDurk]

Yeah I'm sure I originally had red but I bought it from a small dealership who I'm sure replaced it with green. Well I bought it at 180k and I now have 192k so I will be sure to put coolant as one of my matenience items. What brand radiator should I go with? I've heard good about koyo but I'm still not sure.

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/114586-radiators-koyo-vs-rest.html

 

[amalik]

I'm running Toyota Red at 60K change intervals.

I didn't know you are doing 60k for Toyota Red. Thought you were doing 30k. Good to know.

 

[JohnMc]

The top tank cracked on my wife's 96 at around 245K miles. The original radiator is still hanging in there on my '99 at 195K miles.

 

[TheDurk]

I didn't know you are doing 60k for Toyota Red. Thought you were doing 30k. Good to know.

I should do less. But that's what I've done. Dang, it's up to 45k already on the current coolant.

 

[nevada]

I should do less. But that's what I've done. Dang, it's up to 45k already on the current coolant.

that seems early. isn't it rated for like 100k? or 150k even?

 

[sterbenlicht]

that seems early. isn't it rated for like 100k? or 150k even?

Nah, the pink SLLC is 100k.

Also, I saw some posts in another thread earlier where some quoted a T-SB about pink SLLC and Toyota Red coolant being compatible with no adverse effects, but they teach at University of Toyota that apparently mixing the pink with the red is okay, but the change interval changes to about 15k. Working at the dealership, I have access to as much coolant as I need, so I stick to the red and would replace it every 30-40k. I honestly don't see any problems pushing it a little longer. Toyota's change intervals are meant to be preventive and excessively so. Working on a budget, you can push some things a little past their recommendation as long as you use some common sense with it.

OP: If your truck has very high mileage, and you have time on your hands, you might be preventing an issue in the near future (possibly the upcoming winter) if you change it asap. Otherwise, with a manual, I'd just wait until it starts seeping somewhere. As long as the coolant in there looks clean, I wouldn't fix it if it ain't broke.

 

[Jowenbrown]

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/114586-radiators-koyo-vs-rest.html

I worked at a radiator wholesaler for a few years. I can vouch for koyo radiators. They are much higher quality parts.

Also, if you want a better deal on a radiator (or a transmission cooler) go to a wholesaler.

 

[TheDurk]

Nah, the pink SLLC is 100k.

Also, I saw some posts in another thread earlier where some quoted a T-SB about pink SLLC and Toyota Red coolant being compatible with no adverse effects, but they teach at University of Toyota that apparently mixing the pink with the red is okay, but the change interval changes to about 15k. Working at the dealership, I have access to as much coolant as I need, so I stick to the red and would replace it every 30-40k. I honestly don't see any problems pushing it a little longer. Toyota's change intervals are meant to be preventive and excessively so. Working on a budget, you can push some things a little past their recommendation as long as you use some common sense with it.

OP: If your truck has very high mileage, and you have time on your hands, you might be preventing an issue in the near future (possibly the upcoming winter) if you change it asap. Otherwise, with a manual, I'd just wait until it starts seeping somewhere. As long as the coolant in there looks clean, I wouldn't fix it if it ain't broke.

Well, then the TSB is total BS. A change interval of 15k means the anti-corrosion package is essentially neutralized. I'm not arguing with you; it never made sense to me anyway. Even though I have run 60k with no problem, I think the 40k is a better number at the age of our trucks. Here is a pic of the inside of my factory water pump that I pulled after 120K with just the one change at 60k always Toyota Red. Absolutely no sign of corrosion on the wet parts. The crud on the impeller is center is just crud from the spare box. From what I could see at the time, the inside of the passage was even better. The WP has also been exposed to air in my trail spare box for two years so its no longer shiny.

And yes SLLC (the pink stuff) is 100k in new motors, but only 50k on a refill.

 

[sterbenlicht]

Oh yes, you're totally right about the 50k.

And yeah, I'm not sure which is correct. I trust the T-SBs but I know they also often come out without thorough revisions. I think they just determined that there's a substantial electrical charge developing somewhere around 15-20k when mixing the LLC and SLLC that isn't present when all coolant is of the same type. That part never made sense to me because I'm not sure what's happening to cause two compatible higher interval fluids to combine for a lower interval, but I'd rather trust it than risk it. Honestly though, since the degradation of coolant is a pretty complex thing, I find it easier to stick to the same coolant. I hate that feeling you get when you're unsure if something will work. You drive for a while and report no problems. Eventually you decide it's working out okay. Then you decide whether you would do it again or not. Screw all that. I'm all about total peace of mind in my own car. For anyone who knows all of the science behind coolant, experiment all you wish. All I know is from time to time I put my multimeter between the coolant in the radiator and the negative battery terminal to see what kind of numbers show up. I love the Toyota red LLC. You can fill it and forget it, things will look like the water pump above.