Best Radiator Fluid?

[Gen3cruiser]

Hey guys,

Kinda surprised this hasn't been brought up before, maybe it has, no luck finding anything though.

WHat is the best antifreeze to put in your radiator? I just got my performance radiator for my Gen 3 and was hoping you guys could recomend what to fill it with.

Thanks!

[amerikim]

I actually like the Toyota Red.

Even if it costs more than cheap vodka.

Whatever you run, make sure its aluminium/rubber friendly.

*Off topic
The wierd thing is that the picture you have of your car is actually holding me back from getting my windows tinted. It does look clean.

[Gen3cruiser]

*Off topic
The wierd thing is that the picture you have of your car is actually holding me back from getting my windows tinted. It does look clean.

Heres it with tint. Time to go get it done! lol

[Lauren]

I use the Toyota Red too. Yeah your cam is gorgeous-I shouldn't show that pic to my gen 3-she'll fall in love!

[amerikim]

Good counterpoint.

[Xevuhtess77]

whats different about the toyota red from stuff you could get at any auto store though?

[Toysrme]

GREEN.

Toyota is having more problems with their god-sent RED A/F than you would believe. Takling to different mechanics, there have been more blown radiators from that stuff than they've ever seen from Toyota.

The problem isn't 100% the fluid. It's also Toyota's ludicris policy on changing the stuff.

[Toysrme]

DO NOT put Toyota RED A/F in any car that it did not come with it OEM.

[Xevuhtess77]

why?

[5spd V6 ClrTail]

My 2000 V6 5spd came w/ the red fluid. It's been in there since 1999 I guess. Good stuff. I flush the fluid in the 92 V6 every year or so.

[amerikim]

93 V6 run the Red.

[Tommy]

kinda OT, but anyone know about how much fluid/water it takes to fill the cooling system on a 1991 Camry 3SFE, with stock radiator?

I use regular Prestone antifreeze. what freakin difference does it make? that stuffs been in there at least 3 years and it looked brand new last week.

[Toysrme]

The mixing of Toyota Red and "normal" green/yellow Antifreeze is HELLA bad. (some things I just belive, and some things I will shove down everyone's throat, this is one of the I'll shove it down everyone's throat until people stop doing it)

Two *Very* bad reactions happen when Toyota red mixes with a normal fluid.

1) It produces a gel that clogs the entire system. I HAVE SEEN an OEM radiator on a gen3 Camry pulled out of the car at a Toyota dealership. IT WAS 100% BLOCKED.
If anyone doesn't believe me mix a bit of Toyota red and some normal A/F fluid. It'll turn into a hard gel.
2) The chemical reaction of the fluids dose erode both IRON AND ALUMINUM (Very bad for us VZ owners)

Also. The corrosion packages of the Red A/F are different as well. You can't not put Red A/F with Copper/Brass parts. They will corrode. I can 100% tell yall that 3vz-fe's have a few brass fittings in our cooling system. Because of that, one would assume ALL gen3 and previous Camries have at least some amount of copper, or brass at some point in the cooling system.

So I will say again:
DO NOT USE TOYOTA RED IN A CAR THAT IT DID NOT COME WITH IT!


I would highly suggest to anyone that has, or is using Toyota red in the wrong application to do a HARD CORE full system flush with the addition of the strongest cooling system cleaning agents you can find.

THEN swap back to silicate A/F (normal USDM Green/Yellow)

[Toysrme]

And I suggest it to be done immediatly. Not at the end of your life cycle.

FYI to Toyota Red users. It's not really a lifetime fluid and it has been, and still is wrongly marketed as a life-time fluid. (All Local B'ham dealers refuse to claim the lifetime anymore) It should be changed at a regular service interval like normal fluid.

AFYI - You don't go by the color of the antifreeze alone. The most important part of A/F to the engine is the inhibitor package that keeps the water from eating metal parts. That is why it should be changed at a regular time. (I'll leave the time to be debated)

[Wraith]

Motul Radiator fluid