Toyota Nation Forum banner

The science of coolant

1K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Kingdom934 
#1 ·
I recently read two articles on coolant

http://www.autoserviceprofessional.com/article/92419/Coolant-and-colors-What-are-car-makers-up-to

https://www.holtsauto.com/prestone/2016/09/29/why-is-coolant-different-colours/

After reading these (especially the 1st one), it is my understanding that the old type coolant with silicon and phosphor is actually good for our engines which is cast iron block with aluminum head, as long as the owner does not consider changing coolant once very two years is too much of a burden. Is my interpretation correct?

Thanks a lot.
 
#3 ·
If you can wait a couple days for Amazon, I'd go with Zerex Asian Vehicle. It's the same pink as Toyota Super Long Life allegedly, so my stickler customers don't cause a commotion.
 
#5 ·
The silicates/phosphates of the old time "green" coolant is short-lived. That's why Toyota moved to phosphates PLUS benzoates for the Red and got rid of the silicates that can precipitate out of the solution in certain conditions. So personally I think Toyota Red is an improvement over the traditional Green (not the later HOAT green and blue, etc).

Now the market is flooded with clones of GM Dexcool - basically sebabic acid (same as in Toyota Pink) plus the dreaded 2EHA (2-ethyl hexanoate). 2EHA is a plasticizer, and has caused leaks in GM cooling systems with nylon-6,6 seals in the intake manifold. It will also soften silicone seals. That's why I'm reluctant to use it in cooling systems not designed for 2EHA.

The Pink replaced the benzoate with the sebacic for even longer service life, but the Pink is terrible in fighting corrosion in systems with copper/brass stuff (such as heater cores). So I think the best choice Pre-Gen 5 is still Toyota Red. You can buy Pentofrost A1 at Autozone for about $27. If you want to cheap out, get Pentofrost A2 for Subarus for about $24. These are 100% concentrates. Much cheaper than what Toyota's trying sell distilled water for. The Subaru Green is what Toyota wants you to use in Scion FR-S, which is basically a Subaru BRZ.

And since Toyota didn't add tolytriazole or benzotriazole like Ford did in its move to a single world coolant for Ford vehicles, the Pink really is NOT a retrofit for older cooling systems.

http://articles.sae.org/8242/
 
#6 ·
The silicates/phosphates of the old time "green" coolant is short-lived. That's why Toyota moved to phosphates PLUS benzoates for the Red and got rid of the silicates that can precipitate out of the solution in certain conditions. So personally I think Toyota Red is an improvement over the traditional Green (not the later HOAT green and blue, etc).

Now the market is flooded with clones of GM Dexcool - basically sebabic acid (same as in Toyota Pink) plus the dreaded 2EHA (2-ethyl hexanoate). 2EHA is a plasticizer, and has caused leaks in GM cooling systems with nylon-6,6 seals in the intake manifold. It will also soften silicone seals. That's why I'm reluctant to use it in cooling systems not designed for 2EHA.

The Pink replaced the benzoate with the sebacic for even longer service life, but the Pink is terrible in fighting corrosion in systems with copper/brass stuff (such as heater cores). So I think the best choice Pre-Gen 5 is still Toyota Red. You can buy Pentofrost A1 at Autozone for about $27. If you want to cheap out, get Pentofrost A2 for Subarus for about $24. These are 100% concentrates. Much cheaper than what Toyota's trying sell distilled water for.

And since Toyota didn't add tolytriazole or benzotriazole like Ford did in its move to a single world coolant for Ford vehicles, the Pink really is NOT a retrofit for older cooling systems.

http://articles.sae.org/8242/
Great info, thanks. Well, time to get rid of my half-bottle of Pink
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top