Ideal Coolant - Older Toyota Engine

A

AdmiralYoda

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Jan 23, 2013
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I've got a 1987 Toyota 22RE engine getting ready for a rebuild. It currently has cheap universal green coolant in it, I don't remember the brand or chemistry. 5 years old, no gunk or junk. Looks clean. Probably IAT.

Going forward after the block is cleaned and after I put it back together...what would be the ideal coolant to use? I'd like to prevent future corrosion as much as possible. The other parts (radiator, hoses, heater core, etc) will either be replaced or cleaned/flushed/drained. Contamination shouldn't be a problem....I can start brand new with whatever is best.

Toyota Red Long Life
Toyota Pink Super Long Life
Generic HOAT or POAT

And I've already got 2 gallons of Prestone MAX Asian Green which is a POAT. Thanks!
 
I flush everything I get and refill with Prestone universal 10yr/300k when its due for coolant and I have no issues. I've got to many cars to keep specialized coolant for all of them. My 87 Samurai has had universal long life coolant of one variety or another in it since 05 and the same for my 88 F-150 and I don't have any coolant related issues. Folks think 2-EHA is the boogie man, but it works for me. My Samurai still has a couple of its ORIGINAL hoses even..

Key is to do a full flush and refill with distilled water and coolant. I think all the horror stories are folks mixing different types.
 
Ed_Flecko said:
For me?...that would be an easy choice - Toyota Pink Super Long Life

Why use anything else?

Ed
Click to expand...
This has been said multiple times on my google search. I'm wondering what the specific reason is. Does Toyota genuinely make a higher quality product than the rest or is it just an opinion that has been repeated 10 million times? Toyota makes it so it must be the best for a Toyota engine....right?

I admit I do not know much about coolant chemistry aside from a couple of the common acronyms. Just looking for the best there is.
 
AdmiralYoda said:
This has been said multiple times on my google search. I'm wondering what the specific reason is. Does Toyota genuinely make a higher quality product than the rest or is it just an opinion that has been repeated 10 million times? Toyota makes it so it must be the best for a Toyota engine....right?

I admit I do not know much about coolant chemistry aside from a couple of the common acronyms. Just looking for the best there is.
Click to expand...
This is the way *I* look at it; you KNOW the factory Toyota Pink Super Long Life works perfectly, but you do NOT know that some aftermarket works as well. So...why take the chance with a, effectively, brand new engine?

As a side note, whenever I look at buying a used vehicle, one of the things I focus on is the maintenance and what has someone changed. If you were to buy a vehicle from someone, you'd probably prefer one that has used the original, factory OEM parts, fluids, etc. I know *I* would, but maybe that's just me.

Just my .02

Ed
 
31.gif


Don't use Prestone Deathcool :sneaky:

For real Toyota coolant, use Zerex Asian Red or Pentofrost A1 or A4, Peak OET, or Recochem OEM red or pink.

If you want to stick with green, use Peak or Zerex Original Green.

(the old no-no emoji is graemlin 31)
 
I run Toyota Red Long Life in my 1992 camry with a copper heater core etc. Been fine for the last few years for me.

Honestly if you have a clean slate with flushed heater core etc, i'd use what ever coolant is convenient. My main reason for using the Toyota red in my camry is
A.) I have another Toyota
B.) If my wife is driving it while i'm away from home and it needs to be in a shop, it makes sense for a Toyota to have Toyota red instead of say Dexcool or VW purple.

My second option would of been just universal long life since it's everywhere.
 
Thanks everyone for the responses! I'm probably way overthinking this. The 22RE is in a 1987 Toyota 4Runner that gets used as a pleasure vehicle. 2,000 miles a year and mostly used in the warmer months and sits a lot during the winter months. It has an easy life but since I'll be starting with a clean slate I figured I'd start fresh with the best stuff out there.

No special metals or alloys to be concerned about, just looking for maximum corrosion protection.

I will probably go with Toyota Pink Super Long Life or a name brand "Asian" red coolant that is meant for Toyota.
 
2-EHA isn’t the bogeyman as many think it is - but newer coolants also don’t play nice with brass radiators or heater cores. There’s less triazole in them that protects copper and lead solder. Supposedly phosphate does protect lead solder - and Prestone Cor-Guard/Peak Titanium are pHOATs.

Toyota Red would be my pick.
 
My '88 Supra only gets Toyota Red concentrate. It's perfect for the mix of iron, aluminum, and brass this car has.

What is your heater core made out of? Mine is brass. I now have an aluminum radiator, but the original one was copper.
 
Valvoline Zerez pink made for Toyota is a perfect coolant that can be used and with a better price. Probably better than the Toyota SLLC. Toyota doesn't make their own coolant. You are paying for the name. The Aisin ACT002is supposed to be exactly the same or nearly identical.
 
Reloader59 said:
Valvoline Zerez pink made for Toyota is a perfect coolant that can be used and with a better price. Probably better than the Toyota SLLC. Toyota doesn't make their own coolant. You are paying for the name. The Aisin ACT002is supposed to be exactly the same or nearly identical.
Click to expand...
It's been working fine in my old Toyotas as well.
 
@Asterix To be honest I don't remember what my heater core is made of. It is a replacement from RockAuto so it is probably not the original copper, most likely aluminum. The radiator is currently an aluminum cheapy too.

I will be replacing these eventually with better made copper versions, so it makes sense to go with a formulation that works well with cast iron, aluminum and copper.
 
I forgot where I read but the Toyota Red has a compatibility problem with lead solder in some of the radiator. I'd check with Toyota to see if they have any of those cross reference list to compare against. This is actually where I think a Universal long life coolant would actually be safer.
 
PandaBear said:
I forgot where I read but the Toyota Red has a compatibility problem with lead solder in some of the radiator. I'd check with Toyota to see if they have any of those cross reference list to compare against. This is actually where I think a Universal long life coolant would actually be safer.
Click to expand...
Agreed, your best bet is to use a universal extended life house brand coolant like Supertech, Autozone's Shop Pro or Napa 1EXT. They're proven to protect anything and everything and I've been using them for almost 20 years now in numerous makes/models with absolutely no issues whatsoever. Yes, old cars too.
 
PandaBear said:
I forgot where I read but the Toyota Red has a compatibility problem with lead solder in some of the radiator. I'd check with Toyota to see if they have any of those cross reference list to compare against. This is actually where I think a Universal long life coolant would actually be safer.
Click to expand...
Please find and post your source. I have a really hard time believing that.
 
I'm also intrigued, not the end of the world for me but it's what I have in my 92 Camry with the original non-aluminium heater core
 
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