Replacing Coolant

[ttufrosty]

So I am tinkering around with the idea of flushing out my coolant and replacing. Then I go read my owners manual and now I am rethinking that idea.

Add only: "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 to fill the
radiator."

Could they put any more non-ingredients into that statement.

[black2yaris]

it's good stuff soo leave it in ! Check yer maint schedule & u'll see that it gets changed at a major maint 60.000miles , i think it is & I think they filter it at 30,000 I've have to look at the book . use anything else & you'll get corroded Rad, water pump seals , engine damage . You can brush yer teeth in it Too ! minty brite !

[PetersRedYaris]

I wouldn't mess with it unless you have a LOT of miles (I believe the Toyota coolant has 100,000 mile life). I think preventitive maintanance is great but don't do things too early. Besides, Toyota coolant is $20 a gallon and comes prediluted. Save your money untill you need to do it.

[GuySmily]

FYI, if you don't want to buy the expensive but pretty red-colored Toyota coolant, I recommend Prestone all makes/all models. It qualifies as a "similar high quality ethylene glycol based non−silicate, non−amine, non−nitrite, and non−borate coolant with long−life hybrid organic acid technology to fill the radiator."

It is available prediluted if you're too lazy to pick up a gallon of DISTILLED water while you're at the store, but in the end you'd be paying twice as much money for one bottle of coolant (1 gal distilled water = $1. Usually 50/50 coolant is $1 cheaper than 100% coolant).

Do not use regular coolant, whatever you do! Normal coolant is not silicate free, so it can damage your gaskets/seals (like the head gasket). Or at least, that's what I've heard.

The only reason I wouldn't recommend mixing Toyota and Prestone coolant is because red + green = ugly brown. Chemically speaking, they are supposed to be compatible with eachother.