Toyota Long Life Coolant (Red) same as GM Dexcool?
- Thread starter RavenTai
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All I can tell you is that I have flushed Toyotas that had the red fluid after doing engine work and have refilled with Dex cool no problems yet! We have done this on at least three different vechiles. My Dads Tacoma has had Dex-Cool for a long time. My Moms Tundra was topped up with Dex-Cool as well. My family does not belive in 5 year 100,000 mile anti-freeze! I think that you are pushing your luck in the long run once you past two years.
Their are even some Coolants now that are claiming universal usage in all OEM longlife systems reguardless of manufacture.
They are proably simalar but not identical. Toyota uses Harrison radiators for the trucks built in the USA. Harrison is also the supplier to GM for a bulk of their aluminum radiators.
[ January 06, 2004, 12:03 AM: Message edited by: JohnBrowning ]
Their are even some Coolants now that are claiming universal usage in all OEM longlife systems reguardless of manufacture.
They are proably simalar but not identical. Toyota uses Harrison radiators for the trucks built in the USA. Harrison is also the supplier to GM for a bulk of their aluminum radiators.
[ January 06, 2004, 12:03 AM: Message edited by: JohnBrowning ]
Dexcool is not ethylene glycol based I believe.
I think the Toyota Red coolant is similar to this 50/50 premixed rotella ELC coolant I use in my honda. It is red and ethylene glycol, but made for trucks' extended service.
I think the Toyota Red coolant is similar to this 50/50 premixed rotella ELC coolant I use in my honda. It is red and ethylene glycol, but made for trucks' extended service.
Dexcool is ethylene glycol based, but some of the rest of the chemistry is different.
I just got some Prestone GM Dex-Cool approved coolant for my Chebby.
The label sez:
Ethylene glycol
Diethylene glycol
Sodium 2-ethyl hexanoate
Sodium neodecanoate
It also claims to meet:
GM 6277M
Ford WSS-M97B44-D
and property and performance requirements of Daimler/Chrysler
MS-7170 and MS-9769
I suspect other Dexcools may vary a bit on the non-GM applications.
I was also looking for some Honda compatible coolant, but couldn't find anything that gave me confidence so paid through the nose at a Honda dealer. It cost about 3.5 times what the Dexcool cost me. The good news was the 4 year old Honda factory fill coolant looked like new when I drained it, as did the inside of the radiator.
Are there any for sure Honda compatible coolants for a reasonable price?
I switched to the Amsoil PG based coolant in my older vehicles, since I have six cats and PG coolants are less toxic. PG coolants also behave differently with regards to how they boil on hot surfaces and provide excellent corrosion protection of solder joints and Aluminum materials. The specific heat of PG is actually slightly lower than EG, but I haven't noticed any difference in engine temps. You can also run this coolant in the Ford PS diesels without adding the SCA on a periodic basis.
That changeover to PG coolants includes my 1995, 2.4L Tacoma pickup, which has run just fine for the last four years with PG coolant. The only thing I did was to use some Prestone Superflush and run it for about 15 minutes ....
www.amsoil.com/products/anf.html
Tooslick
[ February 15, 2004, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: rugerman1 ]
That changeover to PG coolants includes my 1995, 2.4L Tacoma pickup, which has run just fine for the last four years with PG coolant. The only thing I did was to use some Prestone Superflush and run it for about 15 minutes ....
www.amsoil.com/products/anf.html
Tooslick
[ February 15, 2004, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: rugerman1 ]
Those last 2 items are what make it different from regular EG fluids. The name for coolants with these types of adds are called OAT for Organic Acid Technology. You have to be rather careful when using in older systems because they usually eat lead solder and clog things up pretty quick. They also are not very tolerant to ingressed air in the cooling system such as can happen with cavitation.
The Toyota coolant is plain ole EG without silicates and borates, with some additives for anti-corrosion. Good stuff, will continue to use it in the Tacoma.
I inquired of Toytoa Corporate about this as the dealer changed mine from the OEM ethelene glycol green to teh Toyota red. Dealer said it was compatible with nothing else but in an emergency the green was okay. Corporate confirmed it should not be mixed with anything else.
WHo's correct. Don't know but I now have three different coolants sitting on my shelf for top offs.
the real problem with the Toyota red is that it is red and mimics PS fluid or tranny fluid. In my case, I have a leak and still trying to confirm if PS or coolant, slightly diff shade but a pain. Green is so nice to see if a leak occurs.
WHo's correct. Don't know but I now have three different coolants sitting on my shelf for top offs.
the real problem with the Toyota red is that it is red and mimics PS fluid or tranny fluid. In my case, I have a leak and still trying to confirm if PS or coolant, slightly diff shade but a pain. Green is so nice to see if a leak occurs.
Thats easy, the coolant tastes better
The Amsoil PG coolant starts out purple, but turns a nice golden color after about 1000 miles. You'd never mistake it for transmission fluid ...
I really have been very pleased with this coolant and can recommend it without reservations. I pay about $11.00/gallon for the stuff at dealer cost, so it isn't cheap. However, it is an extended drain formulation, so the cost is minor for me. The stuff in my Totota is about four years and 40,000 miles old and is still very clean. I need to check the pH on it, but as far as I can tell, it's doing just fine and will last as long as the Toyota coolant ...
The average price for a new vehicle is now about $25,000.00 dollars. Yet some folks insist on putting in the cheapest, lowest performing fluids they can find - it just makes no sense at all to me. Engine fluids are just like tires or shocks, if you buy cheap, you get cheap ....
Tooslick
Dixie Synthetics
I really have been very pleased with this coolant and can recommend it without reservations. I pay about $11.00/gallon for the stuff at dealer cost, so it isn't cheap. However, it is an extended drain formulation, so the cost is minor for me. The stuff in my Totota is about four years and 40,000 miles old and is still very clean. I need to check the pH on it, but as far as I can tell, it's doing just fine and will last as long as the Toyota coolant ...
The average price for a new vehicle is now about $25,000.00 dollars. Yet some folks insist on putting in the cheapest, lowest performing fluids they can find - it just makes no sense at all to me. Engine fluids are just like tires or shocks, if you buy cheap, you get cheap ....
Tooslick
Dixie Synthetics
Dex Cool is not the same as Toyota fluid. That said, It is perfectly ok to use Dex-Cool in your Toyota. The Toyota fluid is fairly conventional but does not use silicates. This is to enhance the life of the water pump. Dex-Cool is also a no silicate formula. Probably best not to mix different formulations,however.
Prestone long life and genuine GM Dex_cool are not exactly the same either. The original GM product was supplied by Texaco. Rumor has it that GM is now using the Prestone product because of continued reports of serious problems with the Texaco supplied product.
I've used Prestone long life in my Toyota for years and it it works beautifully.
Ed
Prestone long life and genuine GM Dex_cool are not exactly the same either. The original GM product was supplied by Texaco. Rumor has it that GM is now using the Prestone product because of continued reports of serious problems with the Texaco supplied product.
I've used Prestone long life in my Toyota for years and it it works beautifully.
Ed
In general the Japanese don't like the silicates. Their formulations are much closer to the Delo Extended Life Coolant than the Dex-Cool. Per Spec Sheet:
Delo Extended Life Coolant System meets:
• Phosphate-free requirement of European OEMs
• Silicate-free requirement of Japanese OEMs
• Caterpillar EC-1
• Navistar B1, Type 3
Delo Extended Life Coolant System meets:
• Phosphate-free requirement of European OEMs
• Silicate-free requirement of Japanese OEMs
• Caterpillar EC-1
• Navistar B1, Type 3
Dexcool and Toyota Red are NOT the same.
Dexcool relys strictly on OATs, Toyota red relies on a blend of OATs and Inorganics. Neither has silicates.
I've not heard of any of the, well documented, failures of Dexcool, happening with Toyota Red, so that is what I run now.
[ January 11, 2004, 05:37 AM: Message edited by: VaderSS ]
Dexcool relys strictly on OATs, Toyota red relies on a blend of OATs and Inorganics. Neither has silicates.
I've not heard of any of the, well documented, failures of Dexcool, happening with Toyota Red, so that is what I run now.
[ January 11, 2004, 05:37 AM: Message edited by: VaderSS ]
I think comments about Dexcool eating lead solder are myths and unsuported. I've specifically asked different engineers at GDI (aftermarket radiator company) and Texaco about Dexcool and lead solder in older heating cores and they all deny that it is any issue. I guess only time will tell.
No doubt the ingressed air is causing problems.
I have a 1997 Camry 2.2 about to hit 120K, ready for the belt and water pump change. Amsoil PG OK, or Toyota Red only?
Considering how well the Toyota coolant works and the problems people are having with other coolants and switching coolants, why switch?
I just picked up 2 gallons of Toyota red at my local dealer for just over $12 each or about twice the cost of standard Prestone, call arround prices were from 12 to over 20 at the local Toyota dealerships, also grabbed 10 gallons of distilled water at wally world for .58/each
and the obligatory question anybody used RedLine water wetter with Toyota red? any problems? I am going to assume it will be ok as Toyota red appears to be standard chemistry with a few tweaks
the Toyota I am using it in has a history of head gasket problems if it overheats, hoping the water wetter will give me slightly better chances
[ February 19, 2004, 04:52 AM: Message edited by: RavenTai ]
and the obligatory question anybody used RedLine water wetter with Toyota red? any problems? I am going to assume it will be ok as Toyota red appears to be standard chemistry with a few tweaks
the Toyota I am using it in has a history of head gasket problems if it overheats, hoping the water wetter will give me slightly better chances
[ February 19, 2004, 04:52 AM: Message edited by: RavenTai ]
$12 is great. I got 2 gallons for $15.50 /ea.
I used about 5-5.5 qts. How long do you think the shelf life of the coolant is if I don't mix and store away?
I used about 5-5.5 qts. How long do you think the shelf life of the coolant is if I don't mix and store away?
I am running WW, RMI-25, Toyota Red, and 75% distilled water.
Keep in mind that the closer to 100% distilled water you have, the better WW works, and at 50/50, it does not do much good. Basically, look at the coldest temp you can reasonably expect to subject your car to, and use enough anti-freeze to protect to that temp. In my case, 10F is plenty of protection, so 25/75 it is.
anti freeze also raises the boiling point (good in hot climates)
which i think is one reason for the 60 40 mix recommendation
which i think is one reason for the 60 40 mix recommendation
It's much less likely to get anywhere near the boiling point with a light mix, or even pure distilled water and Water Wetter. Water transfers heat MUCH better than glycol.
At any rate, a coolant's effect on boiling point is much smaller than it's effect on freezing. Pure distilled water under 15PSI(a typical pressure cap rating) will not boil until it reaches 250F. A 60% mix will only increase that to 270, but the reduced water concentration reduced the capacity of the cooling system and makes it more likely to reach that temp.
I've run 100% distilled water with WW and RMI-25 in 110F temps and still come nowhere near overheating. I would have seen higher temps with a 60/40 mix.
