Went to my local auto parts guy today and ordered a new radiator for my '89 T/A. 125 bucks, free delivery, lifetime warrenty. Not to bad a deal.

He asked me if I intended to flush my system and put in new coolant....Yes, obvioulsy. He told me rather than go back to an off the shelf coolant, that I might consider going to my local Toyota dealer and pick up a few gallons of the Red stuff they use in Toyotas. Says it's absolutely wonderful stuff. A bit more expensive but worth the cost.

He said he had a street rod ('33 Plynouth) that he built and put the red coolant in and drove it for roughly 10 years. When he sold it, he said the coolant was as clean as the day he put it in.

Anyone ever heard of this? Any one tried it?

 

Not sure about the Hype, but other than my T/A and Silverado I do Own a 1996 Toyota T-100 4WD truck that has 300k on it and still runs great. In that time it has never overheated on me. I've just had to replace the radiator twice due to rock chips.

I'd say try it its worth a shot

 

Sounds like all the hype on GM's agent orange coolant. That crap trashed my 97 camaros cooling system real bad and treatments don't help am afraid next step after engine rebuild is replace entire cooling system. That agent orange is something else.

go with the green stuff.

 

I had bad luck with the orange stuff as well in my Silverado and my other toy that got totaled (an 1984 Monte Carlo).

 

Nuthn but green stuff in my cars..

 

i work at a lexus store that red coolant gets changed at regular recommended intervals like normal coolant.

 

having worked for a hino { toyota} dealership, i agree. it gets changed regular. no different then the heavy duty truck red stuff. actually caterpillar uses the red stuff. ill be using the red stuff. we flush ours every 75,000 but they say its good for 100,000. doesnt cool any different but my understanding is that its designed more for the aluminum engine components. your local truck stop sells it and its comparable price to the green stuff.

 

i've seen green stuff that looks brand new after 10 years, too... it doesn't matter how it looks- the additive package that protects the cooling system breaks down over time. that's just basic chemistry..

 

I wondered the same thing about the Toyota red coolant.
I have a 94 Celica. Replaced the rad, the parts guy asked if I wanted the red.
At $35-40 a gallon I passed.

 

Whatever you do, DO NOT MIX the coolants. Toyota Red plus GM orange turns to a jello-like substance and clogs everything. It's...bad.

When I put the new motor in my car, I went with the GM orange, but after putting several flushes of the prestone "any color" coolant in the car, it's more green now than anything. Still...whatever you do...do not mix brands. IF it doesn't say "All", then don't mix it! Bad juju.

 

Any of the newer coolants are not a good idea in these cars.

They will ALL seep through the various Stone Age paper gaskets and porous cast iron they are made of.

Stick with the green stuff.

In newer cars, with better materials, tighter tolerances, and gaskets made of something that actually seals (molded silicone rubber usually), the newer coolants are AWESOME. In these cars,,, .... not so much.