Which coolant can I use?

[detroiter]

I'm wondering what equivalent coolant I can use that's cheaper than the expensive Toyota "pink" stuff? I'm changing out the water pump on Monday since it's starting to crap out.

[A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby]

prestone green 50/50 that is labeled for -any car- -any cooling system- will be fine

toyota red toyota red is the mantra, but that new prestone 50/50 is fine

[detroiter]

Thanks! Any idea how much coolant the Yaris takes when empty?

[Klink10]

Without getting into it.....you didn't define empty but as quoted from another post v

straight out of your user's manual...


Quote:
Total capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
Manual transmission 4.8 (5.1, 4.2)
Automatic transmission 4.7 (5.0, 4.1)
Coolant type:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is
used in your Toyota vehicle at factory
fill. In order to avoid technical problems,
only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non−silicate, non−amine, non−
nitrite, and non−borate coolant with
long−life hybrid organic acid technology.
(Coolant with long−life hybrid organic
acid technology is a combination of low
phosphates and organic acids.)
Do not use plain water alone.
Please contact your Toyota dealer for
further details

I did do a complete drain (block, radiator lines, fluid overflow tank & thermostat housing) taking out the amount for AT shown above. You might say why thermostat housing....well when I didn't get the amount after draining all else and that I wanted to replace the thermostat anyway, when i popped the housing off there is a cavity area behind it and the waterpump that held the rest that won't drain.

[thepartsmancometh]

buy toyota red and dilute it. its cheaper, and essentially the same as toyota pink. Our toyota technical rep said its basically the same antifreeze without dilution.

[LugNut]

I'm new to the Yaris, but in the manual doesn't say to use extended life HOAT coolant? It's available here at O'Reillys, for example.

[A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby]

OP wants to save some money,

and the 50/50 anycar prestone is the cheapest that won't nuke your
Toyota warranty and is available at WallyWorld for low bux

[detroiter]

Toyota stealership wants $26 a gallon for the "pink stuff".

Went to my local small business parts store that's been around for decades and
they had universal 50/50 that's compatiable with ALL makes and models, foreign or
domestic that have aluminum engines. Now I don't think the life of the coolant will
last as long as the pink stuff but I'll gladly pay $7 a gallon for it than $26.

[auxmike]

Last gallon I bought 2 weeks ago was $21. It's premixed too. I think it's more red than pink too. I just reused my antifreeze when I did my first pump swap at 30k since it's good for 100k.

[detroiter]

Well my car is at 120,000 and the waterpump is crapping out. So i was going to change the fluid anyhow, I'm going to do the waterpump while I'm at it. Glad that it decided to give out when I was getting ready to change the fluid so I don't have to do it twice lol

[YAR1S]

Just had to replace my broken water pump.... used toyota red coolant.

[robkay]

buy toyota red and dilute it. its cheaper, and essentially the same as toyota pink. Our toyota technical rep said its basically the same antifreeze without dilution.

Old thread I know, but still relevant. As my coolant is down a little I went over to the local dealer this afternoon to buy a gallon of red. He asked about my car and I told him it was an '07 Yaris. He said he thought the pink was spec'd for it and checked his book and confirmed. I told him I thought the pink was just diluted red. He went and got a gallon of each and showed me in the Contents list how there is a little difference in the composition between the two and they are spec'd for different model year ranges of vehicles.

Each component in the product has a name and number (even the water in the pink). They were the same in both, except for two components, I believe an acid and some chemical. Interestingly, one of the components had the same number on both products, but the name was different. The second component had a completely different name and number on each jug. He even walked out to the shop to ask a tech whether he knew if the pink and red were exactly the same thing, but he said he didn't know.

So, while the pink and red are similar and compatible it would appear that they are not quite exactly the same thing. Will either one cool your engine? Sure. Will using red in your Yaris, or mixing the two, cause engine damage? Doesn't sound like it, at least not in the short term. But, the pink "Super Long Life" product might be formulated to be nicer to engines it's spec'd for over a longer period of time than the red.

OTOH, the two chemical differences between red and pink as stated on the jugs might just be marketing mumbo jumbo BS to get people who bought cheaper cars to spend more money on parts.

Much as I was looking forward to saving money by buying the red ($31.84/gal which would make 2 gals when diluted), I caved and spent $21.81 to get a gal of the pink as it is spec'd for my car. sigh......

[UberSilver]

I think Red is OAT and pink is HOAT. I use Zerex Asian Vehicle, as I've been a 20+ year user of Zerex coolant, and I've never had any issues.

[YarisSedan]

I know your trying to save money but why not go with what is recommended your only spending about 15 dollars more on service you wont need to do for 60k miles which equates on averaged about 5 years or so, thats only 3 dollars a year thats the price of a cup of coffee for just the assurance. If your not going to get the premixed one at least make sure you used distilled water and not water from your garden hose.

[scioncrew]

i allways us Zerex pink
http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/zerex/antifreeze/105

[robkay]

I know your trying to save money but why not go with what is recommended your only spending about 15 dollars more on service you wont need to do for 60k miles which equates on averaged about 5 years or so, thats only 3 dollars a year thats the price of a cup of coffee for just the assurance. If your not going to get the premixed one at least make sure you used distilled water and not water from your garden hose.

I think the issue is that usually a gallon of coolant is under ten bucks. With Toyota wanting anywhere from $20-30 a gallon it seems like a rip. While it may legitimately cost a little more to manufacture it's hard to believe that triple the price of other products is justified. That's why people look for alternatives.

[esse10]

Old thread I know, but still relevant. As my coolant is down a little I went over to the local dealer this afternoon to buy a gallon of red. He asked about my car and I told him it was an '07 Yaris. He said he thought the pink was spec'd for it and checked his book and confirmed. I told him I thought the pink was just diluted red. He went and got a gallon of each and showed me in the Contents list how there is a little difference in the composition between the two and they are spec'd for different model year ranges of vehicles.

Each component in the product has a name and number (even the water in the pink). They were the same in both, except for two components, I believe an acid and some chemical. Interestingly, one of the components had the same number on both products, but the name was different. The second component had a completely different name and number on each jug. He even walked out to the shop to ask a tech whether he knew if the pink and red were exactly the same thing, but he said he didn't know.

So, while the pink and red are similar and compatible it would appear that they are not quite exactly the same thing. Will either one cool your engine? Sure. Will using red in your Yaris, or mixing the two, cause engine damage? Doesn't sound like it, at least not in the short term. But, the pink "Super Long Life" product might be formulated to be nicer to engines it's spec'd for over a longer period of time than the red.

OTOH, the two chemical differences between red and pink as stated on the jugs might just be marketing mumbo jumbo BS to get people who bought cheaper cars to spend more money on parts.

Much as I was looking forward to saving money by buying the red ($31.84/gal which would make 2 gals when diluted), I caved and spent $21.81 to get a gal of the pink as it is spec'd for my car. sigh......

If it was just a little low on coolant you could have just add some distilled water and call it good-to-go for now. If the problem comes back then deal with that. The coolant does not have to be mixed exactly 50/50 you can get away with running 60/40 with no issues. good luck folks

[nookandcrannycar]

Perhaps I am being naive and paranoid, but with my OEM water pump still in place (and (frugal frugal frugal :biggrin:) never doing a flush), when I did need to add some coolant (within the last 50k miles I think) I caved and bought the pink stuff.

[Everglade]

Have read the thread from the beginning ))
Just changed coolant in my 07 Yaris.
Drained around 1 gallon of pink one.
Filled same amount 1 gallon of Prestone (http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/CoolingHeating/AntifreezeCoolants/PRD~0293020P/Prestone+Long+Life+Antifreeze%2BCoolant.jsp?locale =en) yellow-green concentrate.
Right now ratio is around 70/30 or 80/20.