Toyota Coolant questions. Change to Toyota pink or stick with green?

[xpeed]

I was wondering if flushing out my antifreeze coolant from the green to pink will do anything to the engine. I know that Toyota pink coolants are for newer cars, but will it damage the engine for older cars like my Gen 4? Are there any restrictions based on that? I've searched and found nothing that answered my question. Thanks all.

[touringcamry]

Better to stick with red since it costs less.

Alternatively, you could use something like Peak Global regular or the lifetime formulation that claims that you'll never have to change the coolant again.

[71Corolla]

Toyota Pink is for all aluminum systems, which you do not have. Use Toyota RED.

[Stillrunning]

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...1747873&page=1

http://www.toyotapart.com/ENGINE_COO...T-PG010-02.pdf

[JohnGD]

Stick with Toyota Red and 50% distilled water, Valvoline Asian vehicles formula, or flush clean and use Valvoline G-05 if your water pump doesn't use a cheap rubber seal.

Here is the Motor.com article on the Toyota Pink coolant:

http://www.motor.com/article.asp?article_ID=816
"Results of industry standard tests of the new Toyota extended-life coolant now show a substantial weight loss (corrosion), both in a 50-50 mix and in a 33% coolant mixture (solder corrosion is much greater in this more diluted solution). If you have to change a radiator or heater core, use aluminum."

Specifically it's the solder used in copper/brass heat exchanger. Besides the solder the Pink only offers "a small amount" of protection for brass/copper. I guess that's why Toyota still sells both the Red and the Pink coolants. Since Toyota jacked up the price of the Red to nearly $30/gal, an alternative is NAPA's Valvoline Asian Vehicles formula ($11/gal pre-diluted). Looking at the ingredients list it's similar to the Toyota Red, with sodium benzoate as the primary inhibitor (vs the Pink's sebacic acid, or 1/2 of Dexcool which also contains the dreaded 2EHA acid).

Here is another excellent Motor.com article on coolants:

http://www.motor.com/article.asp?article_ID=1655

[fenixus]

^excellent articles, bookmarked them. thanks John!

[JohnGD]

You're welcome. It's these articles and other discussions like in BITOG that I wouldn't recommend coolants like All-Makes. However, there seem to be many who reported the Dealth-cool clone worked fine for them.

[fenixus]

... so ... I read through both articles and I am scared of how complicated the issue is LOL!

... seems that still the best option is to use Toyota RED LLC concentrate with distilled water. or Zerex Asian Formula premixed (with whatever water it comes, probably tap) with shorter interval ... or that Valvoline Asian formula (same story probably)... or old G-05 with much shorter intervals ...

I wouldn't dare using green (usually as I read, but not any more in some OE applications) Dex-cool (OAT), silicates are a terrible thing ... I've seen gel deposits on my old GM 3.8L on bottom of return tank and even under the the rad cap, it was scary ... but that car had periods of sitting time and that's probably when the silicates got dropped out from it...

[carpetguy00]

i have had standard green in mine for a year. havent noticed any problems... i do sometimes smell antifreeze after driving for a while... and every couple months have to top off res bottle... which i guess could be a problem......

[Nark]

Originally Posted by carpetguy00

i have had standard green in mine for a year. havent noticed any problems... i do sometimes smell antifreeze after driving for a while... and every couple months have to top off res bottle... which i guess could be a problem......

And you called that no problem?

[carpetguy00]

do i call that i problem? idk turd. u tell me

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by fenixus

Zerex Asian Formula premixed (with whatever water it comes, probably tap)

I doubt tap. Probably treated water and QC controlled. You can email them to see what they say.

I wouldn't dare using green (usually as I read, but not any more in some OE applications)

My choice: "The Super Tech 50/50 Antifreeze/Coolant Pre-Mix is compatible with any antifreeze/coolant used in any vehicle with aluminum and other engine metals.It meets or exceeds ASTM D3306 and D4985 for corrosion protection for cars and light duty trucks while providing freeze-up and boil-over protection."

ASTM D3306: http://www.astm.org/Standards/D3306.htm
ASTM D4985: http://www.astm.org/Standards/D4985.htm

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by carpetguy00

havent noticed any problems... i do sometimes smell antifreeze after driving for a while... and every couple months have to top off res bottle...which i guess could be a problem......

Originally Posted by carpetguy00

idk turd. u tell me

Touchy, given your own contradiction in the same post.

[fenixus]

how often do you drain and refill?

I like using red LLC with distilled water, it safely survives 3-5 years without loosing properties...

Originally Posted by Stillrunning

I doubt tap. Probably treated water and QC controlled. You can email them to see what they say.



My choice: "The Super Tech 50/50 Antifreeze/Coolant Pre-Mix is compatible with any antifreeze/coolant used in any vehicle with aluminum and other engine metals.It meets or exceeds ASTM D3306 and D4985 for corrosion protection for cars and light duty trucks while providing freeze-up and boil-over protection."

ASTM D3306: http://www.astm.org/Standards/D3306.htm
ASTM D4985: http://www.astm.org/Standards/D4985.htm

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by fenixus

how often do you drain and refill?

I've gotten into yearly rad drain and refill. I was trying to test with litmus paper to track acidity but it was hard to get small quantities of proper range litmus and it goes bad quickly. Became to much a PITA so Walmart's green is cheap enough that I can just replace rad quantity to keep properties within spec. I also add ratio amount of Prestone Antifreeze Treatment.

I like using red LLC with distilled water, it safely survives 3-5 years without loosing properties...

How are you testing, or on faith?