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Topping off coolant

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by andrew61987, May 14, 2018.

  1. May 14, 2018 at 8:14 AM
    #1
    andrew61987

    andrew61987 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I feel like an idiot asking this question because I know what I'd do in any other car but people talk about this Toyota pink stuff like anything else will blow your engine right up. I know the consensus is to only use said genuine Toyota pink stuff, which is why my last radiator flush that's what I used. I spilled a little in the process and as a result I'm about a pint low. Would you buy another gallon of Toyota pink stuff just to top it off with a cup or two or would you top it off with water? Warm climate only barely creeps below 32 degrees a few times a year.
     
  2. May 14, 2018 at 9:29 AM
    #2
    Larzzzz

    Larzzzz Grande' Ricardo

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    Use distilled water.
     
  3. May 14, 2018 at 9:32 AM
    #3
    knottyrope

    knottyrope Well-Known Member

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    only use that
     
  4. May 14, 2018 at 9:33 AM
    #4
    MolonLabeTaco

    MolonLabeTaco Well-Known Member

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  5. May 14, 2018 at 9:38 AM
    #5
    Sig45

    Sig45 Well-Known Member

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  6. May 14, 2018 at 9:39 AM
    #6
    Bebop

    Bebop Old fashion cowboy

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  7. May 14, 2018 at 9:45 AM
    #7
    MolonLabeTaco

    MolonLabeTaco Well-Known Member

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    Next time, drain ALL the pink stuff, flush REALLY good w/distilled water then replace w/ Prestone green & distilled water. The Pink is over-rated, over-priced & more difficult to get.
     
  8. May 14, 2018 at 10:36 AM
    #8
    grizquad

    grizquad Well-Known Member

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    I go along with SIG45, thats what I bought for my 2012. The red or pink stuff is extended life and made for aluminum radiators and usually comes pre mixed 50/50. I have seen when the first extended life stuff came out and they said it was "universal" and you could mix it, well you could not mix it. Back then if you mixed Green Prestone with red extended life, the cooling system looked like thick chocolate milk. I saw that many times when they first started using the extended life stuff (red). In 6 years I have only added maybe a pint to my overflow tank.
     
    Sig45 likes this.
  9. May 14, 2018 at 11:10 AM
    #9
    Bebop

    Bebop Old fashion cowboy

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    Can’t be worse than mixing dexcool and air.
     
  10. May 14, 2018 at 11:13 AM
    #10
    BillsSR5

    BillsSR5 Looking out for #1

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  11. May 14, 2018 at 11:39 AM
    #11
    nd4spdbh

    nd4spdbh Well-Known Member

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    dont even get me started on that shit.... took 4 full flushings to get that shit out of my chevy.

    OP stick with the Zerex asian red and call it good.
     
  12. May 14, 2018 at 12:10 PM
    #12
    Bebop

    Bebop Old fashion cowboy

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    I had a Buick century with that shit so bad it was a gross paste everywhere inside the engine, replaced all hoses, radiator, little elbow that runs from the block to the heater core, water pump, and took a garden hose to the water inlet and pulled the thermostat and housing to get the coolant paste out of the block and water jackets. That was a damn nightmare.
     
  13. May 14, 2018 at 2:21 PM
    #13
    SargeBB

    SargeBB Active Member

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    Valvoline Red (Blue will also work) for Asian vehicles, available at Walmart. Zerex Pink or Red (Blue will also work) for Asian vehicles. Pentofrost (make sure it's the part # for Asian vehicles). Toyota LLC (Red) or Totota SLLC (Pink). All are silicated HOAT. All will work. The blue is dyed to be used with Honda or Nissan or Subrau(or maybe all) but it's my understanding the chemistry of the blue is the same as pink or red so you can use any of the 3. Maybe the Purple can be used, also.
    I believe all the "Red's" are to be 50%-50% mixed with distilled water and all the "Pink's" are premixed and should not use extra water. I would use nothing that's not silicated HOAT, because that's what Toyota/Lexus says to use.
     
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  14. May 15, 2018 at 2:49 PM
    #14
    Plain Jane Taco

    Plain Jane Taco ALL human beings deserve equal treatment

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    I'll second this. ^^^

    Here's another alternative. Valvoline Red Asian formula with Zerex. It's premixed and sold OTC at Walmart. About $12 a gallon. It's a HOAT coolant that's silicate and borate free....which is exactly what our cooling systems need. It's also 100% compatible with Toyota’s LLC and SLLC.

    I'm running it in a couple of Toyotas.

    6159b654-55bc-428c-b721-be9473cfaea3_1.674a95546c271693b8c6a84b82f5fd01.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2018
    QChawks, ABNFDC and Sig45[QUOTED] like this.
  15. May 15, 2018 at 3:22 PM
    #15
    Boyk1182

    Boyk1182 Well-Known Member

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    I’ve mixed all sorts of coolants for about 20 years and never had an issue, including yellow with the Toyota pink. I wouldn’t recommend that though I guess :anonymous:
     
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  16. May 15, 2018 at 5:21 PM
    #16
    MolonLabeTaco

    MolonLabeTaco Well-Known Member

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    I mixed Toyota red w/ older style Prestone Green. It made a brownish/grayish sludge in next to no time. Had to fully flush the system 3 times, over a period of a couple months, to get it all out.
     
  17. May 15, 2018 at 5:26 PM
    #17
    Boyk1182

    Boyk1182 Well-Known Member

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    Like I said, I wouldn’t recommend it lol. No problems for me though yet. I always buy the kind that says it can be mixed with other types, so maybe that helps.

    Edit: Prestone claims to be ok to mix with other colors, use at your own risk of course https://www.walmart.com/ip/Prestone...93696&wl11=online&wl12=16879960&wl13=&veh=sem
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2018
  18. May 15, 2018 at 7:48 PM
    #18
    TexasWhiteIce

    TexasWhiteIce Well-Known Member

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    Don’t be cheap, just buy some more pink stuff and rest easy
     
    Boyk1182 likes this.
  19. May 16, 2018 at 12:32 PM
    #19
    Mikemoe5

    Mikemoe5 Well-Known Member

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    If you live close to the dealer I’d just swing by and pay them a couple dollars to top off the coolant. They may not even charge you. The Toyota coolant is truly a great product.
     
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