radiator coolant

i was planning on draining/changing the radiator fluid today and was wondering if i had to use the red coolant from toyota or can i pick up any kind from autozone? since it is sunday toyota is closed but i wanted to get it done today...i live in Louisiana so freezing isnt a big issue so unless the toyota brand has something others wont i should be able to use any kind...?

 

A bit late, but if you are draining the radiator and the block, or draining the rad and flushing, or something that gets the majority of the old coolant out, then you should be able to replace it with any of the major off-the-shelf coolants. The problems that some see, or hear about, are usually to do with mixing different kinds of coolants in the system.

 

There is nothing special about the Toyota brand engine coolant, I recommend you going to Autozone and just buy some coolant to replace what you drained, they have some coolant called Peak there that says that you can mix it with any color.

 

After research Toyota recommends any coolant with ethylene glycol in it. thanks though.

 

The red stuff is supposed to be extra life and corrosion inhibiting.. think you can still buy the green stuff. Radiators used to last a lot less time on that than they do now.