Should I stay green or go red (coolant). Also, best way to flush block.

E

EvilMole

New member
I'm going to pull my radiator as I'm in the process of doing my timing belt and water pump. I know I don't have to pull it for this, but I've decided to go with an external trans cooler, so might as well just get it out of the way.

The previous owner had been using green coolant, which was quite clean considering it's been well over 2 years since it's been changed. Is it best just to stick with the green stuff or swap to Toyota coolant? If I swap, is it necessary to flush the block of the green stuff? If so, what's the best way to do this?

I've never flushed coolant before in any of my cars. I would just drain and fill when I felt like they needed it.

Thanks.
 
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EvilMole said:
I'm going to pull my radiator as I'm in the process of doing my timing belt and water pump. I know I don't have to pull it for this, but I've decided to go with an external trans cooler, so might as well just get it out of the way.

The previous owner had been using green coolant, which was quite clean considering it's been well over 2 years since it's been changed. Is it best just to stick with the green stuff or swap to Toyota coolant? If I swap, is it necessary to flush the block of the green stuff? If so, what's the best way to do this?

I've never flushed coolant before in any of my cars. I would just drain and fill when I felt like they needed it.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

How many miles on your rig? I have ONLY used Toyota red coolant. I have a friend who is a Master Toyota Mechanic and I trust him. He said they went to a training and they had two engines there: One had run the "green" off the shelf coolant and the other ran only Toyota red. He said when they opened up the engines, there was a lot of corrosion on the engine with the green......and none with the red.....

The red coolant isn't inexpensive but I think it is worth it. To flush your coolant system, look around the forums. I have always drained the radiator, pull the hoses and let everything run out. Also, I have ONLY mixed DISTILLED water with the Toyota red. Wish I could help you more on the flush part of your question....
 
Green. Been around for decades. Been proven to work for decades. Cheap. Easy to find. Avoid the hassle of potentially mixing the two coolants if you don't get all of the other stuff out. In all of the years I've been driving, of all of the hundreds of thousands of miles myself and my family have been driving, none of us have had a single issue with the green coolant and we never change it out. No water pump failures, no radiator failures, no thermostat failures. Nothing. Recently we opened up a 1986 5.0 that had been run on green coolant all of its life and there was some corrosion and calcium build up but no where near serious and that's on a motor that's 29yrs old with God knows what kind of maintenance done on it if any.

Point is, either coolant is fine but if you've already got green why hassle flushing it all out?
 
If you do go with Toyota Red - make sure you put a label on the overflow tank. Something like "DO NOT FILL WITH ANYTHING BUT TOYOTA LONG LIFE COOLANT / DISTILLED WATER".

I took my rig in for an alignment (lifetime alignment at Firestone) and without asking as a courtesy they topped off my overflow tank. With green. Like a month after I had flushed and refilled with "Red Gold", aka Toyota Long Life. Bleh.

Also, when you flush, remember to run the rear heater.
 
cashmoney said:
Green. Been around for decades. Been proven to work for decades. Cheap. Easy to find. Avoid the hassle of potentially mixing the two coolants if you don't get all of the other stuff out. In all of the years I've been driving, of all of the hundreds of thousands of miles myself and my family have been driving, none of us have had a single issue with the green coolant and we never change it out. No water pump failures, no radiator failures, no thermostat failures. Nothing. Recently we opened up a 1986 5.0 that had been run on green coolant all of its life and there was some corrosion and calcium build up but no where near serious and that's on a motor that's 29yrs old with God knows what kind of maintenance done on it if any.

Point is, either coolant is fine but if you've already got green why hassle flushing it all out?
Click to expand...

I used to be all for red coolant, but after using green on pretty much everything without issues, I don't feel like bothering with the hassle of spending big bucks on a harder to find coolant that makes no difference. Green coolant is the last thing that will harm a 5VZ's cooling system.
 
T4R2014 said:
I used to be all for red coolant, but after using green on pretty much everything without issues, I don't feel like bothering with the hassle of spending big bucks on a harder to find coolant that makes no difference. Green coolant is the last thing that will harm a 5VZ's cooling system.
Click to expand...


For those using "green" and having success, that is awesome. I admittedly have OCD and my thought process is this: If Toyota spec'd this coolant and as important as coolant is to the longevity and life of the engine, I am sticking with the recommended RED. At 260K+ miles, always running the red - absolutely zero issues. Admittedly from reading some of the posts, seems like that is the same with the green in many cases. I guess my point is that RED is an absolutely sure bet with no room for doubt or concern. That "peace of mind" is worth the few extra bucks for me. (Blame my OCD)
 
Coolant

You are probably fine with the switch, if you switch with anything without completely flushing the block make sure that the new coolant is compatible with the previous stuff you used. Theres a chance of the old stuff gelling when the new formula is added. At least at NAPA anything that says "extended life" on it is compatible with all formulas
 
I don't buy the "hard to find" argument I'm seeing. Toyota coolant is available at any Yota dealership..... There are hundreds of them across the country. Also on Amazon....and they ship worldwild. It isn't hard to find. I have a container on hand at all times.
 
fblainen11 said:
I don't buy the "hard to find" argument I'm seeing. Toyota coolant is available at any Yota dealership..... There are hundreds of them across the country. Also on Amazon....and they ship worldwild. It isn't hard to find. I have a container on hand at all times.
Click to expand...

Relatively speaking. Say you pull into a gas station in a very unpopulated area, far from any large cities with a dealer. What is the likelihood of picking up a bottle of good ol' green as opposed to Toyota red or a Zerex/Pentosin equivalent?
 
Do they even sell old school "green" coolant anymore? The "green" I'm using is long life 5 year/150.000 mile coolant that's compatible with all coolants. So as far as I can tell, how can you go wrong with "green"???
 
Not the places I travel to or in between where I travel to. Matter of fact, there are only 3 dealerships in Austin. 1 south and 2 north. Next one is 2 cities north. There are none down by the deer lease nor any on my way to Houston to see my family. There are however over 2 dozen gas stations plus numerous parts stores, all of which are guaranteed to sell green coolant.
 
T4R2014 said:
Relatively speaking. Say you pull into a gas station in a very unpopulated area, far from any large cities with a dealer. What is the likelihood of picking up a bottle of good ol' green as opposed to Toyota red or a Zerex/Pentosin equivalent?
Click to expand...


Coolant and a quart of oil stay in the back....all the time.

Always be prepared!
 
The modern green "for Asian vehicles" or "compatible with all' coolants are probably just as good as the Toyota Red/Pink.
If you pull out the thermostat, most of the coolant in the block will spludge out all over you and leave very, very little in the block.
 
I've been running an OAT coolant in my 4Runner, for nearly 18 years now. The cooling system is spotless, and is still running the original water pump. The coolant is changed on a regular schedule.

In fact I'm using that coolant in every vehicle I own, with the exception of the newest bike, which is still on the factory fill.

The biggest problem for cooling systems, is neglect. Any coolant will eventually become acidic, and start to corrode the system from the inside out. The most vulnerable parts will show symptoms first. Think headgasket problems, the pink milkshake issue for those with Auto Transmissions, etc.
 
I rigged up a garden hose to the lower radiator hose and pulled the thermostat. Turn the engine on and the water hose on and let the water pump circulate the water through the block. It makes a mess but it gets everything out.
 
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