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Toyota OE Red vs. Zerex Asian coolant

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Trapperr, Jan 12, 2016.

  1. Jan 12, 2016 at 10:33 AM
    #1
    Trapperr

    Trapperr [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Anyone using the Zerex red coolant instead of the toyota stuff. Aside from cost and convenience, any other advantages? Does it do it's job as well as the toyota stuff?
     
  2. Jan 12, 2016 at 10:56 AM
    #2
    yoterdude

    yoterdude Well-Known Member

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    I use it in my truck and I think it is good. It is equivalent to Toyota pink coolant more so than red. I found it available at O'Reillys so it was easier than going to Toyota to get. I can't think of any real advantages beside cost and convenience because in the end its still just coolant.
     
  3. Jan 12, 2016 at 12:07 PM
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    Caligula

    Caligula Well-Known Member

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    Since when does Toyota use pink coolant? Its red, not pink.

    If you have a VW/Audi, then its pink.

    Being said, its what $30 for a gallon. How often do you change it, once a couple years? Just spend the extra $10, im sure we will be wasting $10 on something else during the years youll be using the coolant.
     
  4. Jan 12, 2016 at 1:03 PM
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    slander

    slander Honorary Crawl Boi

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    Carquest sells the red toyota coolant, at least the store attached to their big ass distribution warehouse here does.

    Nice to avoid the 75% dealer markup.
     
  5. Jan 12, 2016 at 1:09 PM
    #5
    ThunderOne

    ThunderOne Well-Known Member

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    Cookie if you find the MSDS of each.
     
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  6. Jan 12, 2016 at 6:47 PM
    #6
    00yotasr5

    00yotasr5 Well-Known Member

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    The new coolant for the 05+ and other Toyota vehicles uses the pink coolant and yes they are pink. Zerex is what I use now, for 14 bucks why not and is Toyota and other Asian make compatible.
     
  7. Jan 12, 2016 at 7:07 PM
    #7
    2004TacomaSR5

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    I've seen pink coolant in Toyotas I've worked on. I personally just go with the regular old school green 50/50 mix in all my vehicles. All those "special" ones you get from different dealers are marketing scams to get you to spend more money IMO. None of them are absolutely necessary and your engine wont blow up if you use something different. Coolant is like motor oil, your car don't give a shit what you put in the radiator as long as it keeps the engine cool. I believe some of that long life stuff they use ruins gaskets over time anyway so I prefer to go with the regular stuff and change it more often. I've never been a fan of GM's Dex-Cool stuff either, seen that shit cause all kinds of problems in the past.

    Either of those coolants will work fine, go with whatever's cheaper and run it with confidence.
     
  8. Jan 12, 2016 at 9:17 PM
    #8
    CodeSeven

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    See "Causes of Cooling System Electrolysis Corrosion" section.

    I use zerex asian formulation. only issue I had was the crimps on the radiator that came with my truck were loose and began leaking. so i changed it. other than that, ive had no problem with zerex's asian formula.
     
  9. Jan 13, 2016 at 8:54 AM
    #9
    slander

    slander Honorary Crawl Boi

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  10. Jan 13, 2016 at 9:00 AM
    #10
    ThunderOne

    ThunderOne Well-Known Member

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    I'm assuming the Toyota coolant everyone talks about is the RED "long life" formula.

    Toyota LL coolant MSDS (from a poster on BITOG, sorry couldn't find MSDS for 00272-1LLAC-01 anywhere online, only the PINK stuff which does not apply):
    http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forum...747948/Re:_Toyota_red_long_life_&#Post1747948
    Toyota Red Long Life ingredients from jug:
    Ethylene Glycol (107-21-1)
    Diethylene Glycol(111-46-6)
    Water(7732-18-5)
    Organic Acid Salt AKA Sodium Benzoate (532-32-1)
    Hydrated Inorganic Salt AKA Potassium Hydroxide (1310-58-3).

    Pentosin Pentafrost A1:
    http://www.pentosin.net/msds/Pentofrost_A1.pdf
    Ethanediol 50-100% (107-21-1)
    2,2'-Oxybisethanol <10% (111-46-6)
    Sodium Hydroxide <0,5% (1310-73-2)
    (plus "nonhazardous" additions not listed on sheet)

    Zerex™ ASIAN VEHICLE LONG-LIFE/HOAT FORMULA 50/50 ANTIFREEZE COOLANT:
    https://msds.ashland.com/ai-msds/sds/materialDocumentResults.faces
    Ethylene Glycol 48.97% (107-21-1)
    Diethylene Glycol 2.45% (111-46-6)
    Sodium Benzoate 2.41% (532-32-1)
    (plus "nonhazardous" additions not listed on sheet)


    In conclusion, OEM stuff contains both 532-32-1 and 1310-58-3, while the other two aftermarket options only contain ONE OR NONE of these each listed on their MSDS. Zerex has 532-32-1 which matches one ingredient in OEM stuff, while Pentosin has 1310-73-2 which matches none. Zerex may be closest if you're trying to save a buck, BUT does not contain potassium hydroxide.

    There appears to be some debate regarding the PINK coolant, but I would not use it unless the vehicle specifically calls for it, because it contains sebacic acid, a plasticizer, and can be known to deteriorate gaskets over time.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2016
  11. Jan 13, 2016 at 9:04 AM
    #11
    ThunderOne

    ThunderOne Well-Known Member

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    beat me to it. I didn't find a sheet with the MSDS for part # 00272-1LLAC-01 though, as the MSDS you posted for some reason says "L215EU" which I did look at. The ingredients seem to match what the poster on BITOG saw on the back of the jug. I would personally stick with OEM stuff though, as the aftermarket options do not contain the exact same composition, unless Zerex chose not to list the 1310-58-3 due to it being "nonhazardous", though a quick Google indeed states it is hazardous. Therefore it must not be in the Zerex coolant at all.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2016
  12. Jan 13, 2016 at 9:32 AM
    #12
    slander

    slander Honorary Crawl Boi

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    The MSDS wont tell you the formulation ratio, if you see it gives you % ranges. MFR's don't put anything proprietary on there, example if you looked at an MSDS for aircraft deicing fluid, it would look similar to all these products composition wise, does not mean its the same stuff and you can run it in your tacoma. MSDS is only for safety purposes, not for product comparisons. Cant go off the ingredient list since the mixture is what makes the product.
     
  13. Jan 13, 2016 at 9:33 AM
    #13
    ThunderOne

    ThunderOne Well-Known Member

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    According to the poser on BITOG, the materials are apparently listed on the back of the jug. Can anyone confirm?

    I get what you're saying, however, it does help in comparison to some extent, in identifying if products contain the same ingredients.
     
  14. Jan 13, 2016 at 9:37 AM
    #14
    slander

    slander Honorary Crawl Boi

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    The non hazardous composition they are talking about in Zerex is additional chemicals in the fluid that is not hazardous so they don't list them on the MSDS (could be water) so that does not make the chemical now non hazardous.
     
  15. Jan 13, 2016 at 9:39 AM
    #15
    ThunderOne

    ThunderOne Well-Known Member

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    Yes, more than likely the other 50% of the materials used is water. However, the other materials listed in the OEM coolant should be on there, and they are only partially there (Zerex) or not there at all and something different (Pentosin)
     
  16. Jan 13, 2016 at 9:44 AM
    #16
    slander

    slander Honorary Crawl Boi

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    That's the other pitfall of using MSDS's for chemical comparisons, there is some leeway as to what they have to put on there. Some MFR's will put all the chemicals, hazardous or not on there (I.E water in toyotas) however others will only put the bare minimum from an EH&S standpoint.
     
  17. Jan 13, 2016 at 6:14 PM
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    CodeSeven

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    Riddle me this, though. Isn't Potassium Hydroxide an electrolyte? Wouldn't it cause issues since it can eat away at aluminum quicker than without it being in the coolant? If so, that would mean Xerex is better since it's the Toyota stuff that has it.
     
  18. Jan 14, 2016 at 4:46 PM
    #18
    Trapperr

    Trapperr [OP] Well-Known Member

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    OE coolant it is. Thanks everyone
     
  19. Jan 15, 2016 at 12:32 AM
    #19
    Wyoming09

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    I just buy two cases of The Red Toyota Coolant every other fall.
     
  20. Jan 15, 2016 at 12:42 AM
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    jmaack

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    I didn't want girly pink fluid in my truck. So I put in green.
     

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