Coolant Recommendation?

[Kelemvor]

Hi all,

I picked up a. '01 Camry a while back and I noticed it's low on coolant. I come from a Pontiac where I had to use Dex Cool which I don't think I need to use any more. Is there a specific kind of coolant that I need to use in my Camry? I looked it up on Autozone.com and it listed all kinds of variations.

So, if I head over to Walmart or whatever, does it matter what I pick up? Is there a way to tell what's in it now that I have to match or anything?

Thanks.

[JohnGD]

No Death-cool, uhhh I mean Dexcool in systems not designed for it. (It's otherwise a great coolant for systems designed for it because of the 2EHA plasticizer).

Use Toyota Red concentrate with 50% distilled water. Or go to your local NAPA and get Valvoline Asian vehicles formula. It's premixed 50% similar to the Red from what I could tell (sodium benzoate as the primary inhibitor and no sebacic acid like in the Pink).

The Pink (1/2 Dexcool, without 2EHA) is meant for 02+ all aluminum systems. It doesn't protect some metals well, like brass/copper heat exchangers (heater core for example).

Or if you flush completely maybe switch over to Valvoline G-05.

[Stillrunning]

Good stuff here

[touringcamry]

Another suggestion is Peak Global. It is available as concentrate or 50/50 mixed. Whether or not you trust the lifetime claim is on you...I think it was $15 or so at Napa auto when I bought 1 gal concentrate to top off my coolant.

http://www.peakauto.com/antifreeze-p...lifetime.shtml

Provides guaranteed LifeTime protection - for as long as you own your vehicle - when a complete cooling system flush and fill is performed and specified maintenance followed

Formulated for use in all American, Asian and European automobiles

Features a patented non 2-EH formula that is phosphate-free and silicate-free