Toyota Coolant

"bobb" <None@NoWhere.com> wrote in message
news:mjuu21preino22kinoskv0lkklkq5m2ntt@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 14:35:47 -0800, ll
> <lkslittle@REMOVEcomcastTHIS.net> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>'04 Highlander and '04 RAV4
>>I want to top off the coolant from time to time, as needed.[/color]
>
>
>
> Coolants don't need to be "top off." It runs on a close system, and
> minute amount may eveporate from the reservour but other than that...
> Yer looking to spend$ where it doesn't need it.
>
>
>So........In the middle of the summer when you open your hood and the
>overflow resevoir is nearly empty you shouldn't bring it up to the "full
>hot " mark ? Sounds ridiculous to me.[/color]
-Dana


-

I'm from South Africa and have 2 Toyotas - a 1986 HiLux 4x4 double cab and
now also a 1 month old Prius. Here are some relevant comments:

Both the vehicles handbooks recommend coolant change after about 2 years in
use. Note - NOT distance related.
I also have on my home dwelling a roof mounted indirect hot water solar
heater system, and they also recommend changing the yellow/green anti freeze
every 2 years - they say it becomes acidic and hence damaging after long
use.

Chatting to Castrol technical people here I learned Toyota Red is possibly
the only coolant with a phosphate additive. So it is incompatible with any
of the more common yellow/green types.

None of my current vehicles nor previously owned ones [3 Audi saloon models
since 1989] or the others in my family [ Wife's - Renault Clio and
previously Opel Corsa, Opel Monza, Opel Kadette & Daihatsu Charade] have
ever needed topping up of coolant. All had overflow/recovery systems.
Temperatures here can exceed 40'C/104'F and when I've been in the remote
parts of our subcontinent [Namibia, Botswana & Angola] in my 4x4 where it
has been even hotter and the engine working harder than any city car would
ever do - I have never had to top it up.

Re the two types of coolant: This hits a raw spot - this is a current
message to a Toyota dealership I await a reply to:

** Please ask your parts person, Dennis - from whom I got my HiLux 4x4
spares last week Friday [Invoice 90260M], to comment: When I last bought [in
2002] Toyota Long Life Coolant - it was part # A08889-0GLLC and was
concentrated and one diluted it to suit the lowest temperature needed. Cost
about R30/litre. For use I bought 3 litres and diluted with 4 litres water.
Total cost about R90. Now Dennis has sold me Toyota Super Long Life Coolant
part number 08889-80089 costs R23.21 /litre and it is pre-diluted 50% so I
need 7 litres which costs me R172.50. Something is wrong! Please ask him
to call me and discuss if I can get the older coolant.

Hope this assists.
Peter