topping up my coolant?

Anonymous · June 19, 2006, 10:13

Hi Everyone

I want to top up my coolant but i thought i would just check to see if there was anything i needed to know or is it just a case of pouring the coolant in and off you go?

thanks

Alan

philster_d · June 19, 2006, 11:49

Yes just top it up.

i believe toyota 4life is the official stuff.

Don't do it when the system is hot though !!

Anonymous · June 19, 2006, 15:59

My level is up and down like a yoyo at the moment. I nearly topped mine up the other day when it was just under the lower level. After another run it was back full up again.

I purchased a 1L bottle of Toyota 4Life for around £4 from the local dealer. He asked me if i wanted pink or red - i didn't know so he looked it up and the correct one is red. Not sure what the difference is.

kanujunkie · June 19, 2006, 16:17

mine has always jumped around like a yo yo, its been pressure bleed 4 times and still did it. ironically since going turbo its stopped but it does seem normal for some 2's to do this. sorry cant remember the fluid off the top of my head, have a look in the manual for details

Anonymous · June 19, 2006, 16:18

This may be dumb - and no doubt I'm going to get shouted at for this but...

I've only ever topped coolant on other vechiles with water, having the level of antifreeze checked at service. Is it different on the 2, and if so why?

kanujunkie · June 19, 2006, 16:25

Quote from: "dodzi"This may be dumb - and no doubt I'm going to get shouted at for this but...

I've only ever topped coolant on other vechiles with water, having the level of antifreeze checked at service. Is it different on the 2, and if so why?

not wrong, but do remember one thing, yes it is antifreeze, but by definition of name "coolant" it will perform a better duty than water on its own.

philster_d · June 19, 2006, 16:37

Only use toyota forlife or equivalent dont use water.

Anonymous · June 19, 2006, 16:39

Why?

Do you know or have you just been informed.

Not trying to be awkward just like to know why!

Anonymous · June 19, 2006, 16:43

dont know about the roadster, but anything other than 4life in the mrk1 ate the seals for breakfast! coolants cheap, use what the manual says. s:)

s:)

Tem · June 19, 2006, 16:44

Quote from: "Jaso"My level is up and down like a yoyo at the moment. I nearly topped mine up the other day when it was just under the lower level. After another run it was back full up again.

The level is different when the coolant is cool/hot.

philster_d · June 19, 2006, 17:05

It long standing advice from owning mr2's

The forlife is probably a ready mix blend of deionised water and glycol ethelene. So yes I guess you could make your own. any good quality Ethyl Glycol based coolant will do the trick but definately not tap water.

I wouldnt top up 4life with water tho, that was the question.

Heres what Luke says from the 3s Mr2 garage...

Quote from: "Skywalker"personally, I'd only put in what was already in there, unless you done a COMPLETE flush. But of course, this is only what I'd rather do.
From my experience Forlife doesn't like mixing with generic coolant/water. Seems to froof alot. Seen a car with many mixtures in it, then a few months later the water pump went.

IMO

I personaly been brought up to respect that as well, i looked on in horror as I saw somone adding some tap water to mine the other day s:? :? s:? *adds coolant change to list*

Anonymous · June 19, 2006, 17:36

I added tap water to mine once, and that was only to bring it up to the minimum level soI could drive to Mark's and pinch some of the good stuff.

As for t6he colour of the 4life coolant, I thought it came in red and blue varieties, not pink and red?

TommyD · June 19, 2006, 18:10

When I last got some from my local Toyota I was told it was the Red variety. It only costs something like £3.50 a bottle. I've also added a little water wetter to the mix to try and keep those temps down. Mine level also plays around, looks like it is close to minimum, but after a run over maximum.

philster_d · June 19, 2006, 19:49

Red is correct or turbo's

Anonymous · June 19, 2006, 22:41

Quote from: "Tem"
Quote from: "Jaso"My level is up and down like a yoyo at the moment. I nearly topped mine up the other day when it was just under the lower level. After another run it was back full up again.

The level is different when the coolant is cool/hot.

I always check when the car is cold, usually first thing in the morning. The level differs quite a lot.

spit · June 19, 2006, 22:47

Quote from: "Jaso"I always check when the car is cold, usually first thing in the morning. The level differs quite a lot.

Yep its good to keep to the same rules when you check. Mine's erratic too.

Does the Red coolant deteriorate under temperature? - with the proximity to the turbo jacket my tank boils like a kettle after I've parked up s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

ChrisGB · June 19, 2006, 23:52

Hi

If I understand correctly, the Toyota stuff has a corrosion inhibiting action. Dont know if other coolants do as well, but at that price, it would just be plain daft not to use the approved stuff.

The stuff in mine is pink in colour. I know there is a red as well. I assume the pink has been in since the factory?

Chris

Tem · June 20, 2006, 05:10

Quote from: "ChrisGB"If I understand correctly, the Toyota stuff has a corrosion inhibiting action. Dont know if other coolants do as well, but at that price, it would just be plain daft not to use the approved stuff.

All coolants have that.
(well, maybe some racing coolants don't, but normal ones)

Like mentioned above, the most important thing is to use what you have. Even a tiny amount of wrong coolant can mess up the whole system and you end up with uneffective coolant, that may be corrosive and eat through seals.

Or if you really want to change the type, make sure you flush it more than enough and use a coolant that doesn't kill Toyota seals. I don't think it makes any sense to save a pound or two, or just get what you can from local store, if that makes you end up with a leaking waterpump in the middle of nowhere.

Anonymous · June 20, 2006, 08:49

Sorry I still am puzzled as to why topping with water would cause a problem with corroding seals. I believe the fact that some has been given this advice and it works , and to be honest I'm going to trott down to MR T's this w/e to get some (Collant level is fine at the mo). I would still like to know the reason why adding water would corrode the seals.

(Suppose its just a desire to know the entire facts!)

s:? :? s:?

philster_d · June 20, 2006, 09:45

Its more about furring up your pipework and corroding your metals

ChrisGB · June 20, 2006, 11:18

Quote from: "Tem"
Quote from: "ChrisGB"If I understand correctly, the Toyota stuff has a corrosion inhibiting action. Dont know if other coolants do as well, but at that price, it would just be plain daft not to use the approved stuff.

All coolants have that.
(well, maybe some racing coolants don't, but normal ones)

Like mentioned above, the most important thing is to use what you have. Even a tiny amount of wrong coolant can mess up the whole system and you end up with uneffective coolant, that may be corrosive and eat through seals.

Or if you really want to change the type, make sure you flush it more than enough and use a coolant that doesn't kill Toyota seals. I don't think it makes any sense to save a pound or two, or just get what you can from local store, if that makes you end up with a leaking waterpump in the middle of nowhere.

Hi Tem

From what I have read and been led to believe over the years, the Toyota stuff is specifically designed to work with the combination of metals found in the cooling system (head, block, pipes and radiator). Most other coolants have corrosion inhibiting factors built in but I would not want to find out if they are suitable the hard way.

Adding tap water introduces limescale and chlorine at the very least, so would not be my coolant of choice.

Chris

Anonymous · June 20, 2006, 12:13

Limescale - that makes sense. Things are becoming clearer.

So to top up with filtered water would be about the same then?

Again I will use the toyota stuff but I'm a bit of a bugger for knowing WHY I'm doing something....

philster_d · June 20, 2006, 12:20

Distilled maybe.

Furring up in the pump could lead to it labouring under load

mg · June 20, 2006, 20:07

Quote from: "Jaso"He asked me if i wanted pink or red - i didn't know so he looked it up and the correct one is red. Not sure what the difference is.

I'm pretty sure as the Toyota branded coolant is pre-mixed, pink and red refer to the concentration (i.e., red is more concentrated)

Tem · June 21, 2006, 06:27

Quote from: "ChrisGB"From what I have read and been led to believe over the years, the Toyota stuff is specifically designed to work with the combination of metals found in the cooling system (head, block, pipes and radiator). Most other coolants have corrosion inhibiting factors built in but I would not want to find out if they are suitable the hard way.

I tried to say the same with this: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
"use what you have"

In other words, don't change from what Toyota uses.

QuoteAdding tap water introduces limescale and chlorine at the very least, so would not be my coolant of choice.

I don't even count tap water as coolant. s:? :? s:?