Hello all, My gen 3 is at 110K miles and want to do a radiator/inverter coolant flush. The problem is that I got a quote from my local Toyota dealer for their Toyota Super Long antifreeze coolant at $28 per gallon. I can buy Zerex or Prestone Asian vehicle coolant at Advance Auto Parts for $14 a gallon. Would you recommend that I switch from the Toyota brand? Since I will also switch spark plugs and clean the EGR valve, it is beginning to add up for this major maintenance. Thanks!
Is this all maintenance you will be performing yourself or having someone else do? I’m not one for cutting fluid corners as you do the activity so infrequently. I just picked up 2 gallons from the local toyota dealer near us and the parts guy got me down to $24 per gallon which was cheaper than amazon. I’d stick with the SLLC personally as I know it’s what it should be and for not much more. Good luck with your maintenance project .
I would stick with the Toyota coolant, considering that a coolant change is infrequent, and for complete compatibility. About four years in with ours both reservoirs were down a bit so for top-up I've already bit the bullet and bought a gallon of the Toyota stuff
And what is the difference between the two types I am showing below? The Toyota dealer had both and said I must buy the 50/50.
One says Super Long Life. The other just says Long Life. Since Toyota recommends Super Long Life coolant. why look for anything else?
Yeah, use the Super Long Life, as recommended in your Owner's Manual, page 501: Watch all the pertenant @NutzAboutBolts videos if you haven't already, they're all linked, in a thread in the 3rd gen maintenance section. Your's is the v, but still I'd think worth watching, probably very similar.
Since (as been talked about on other threads) you cannot drain all the coolant out I sure would stick with the super long life coolant that's in the car now. Since it seems no matter what you do there is going to be a lot of the old coolant left it's not a good idea to mix things up.
Someone disconnect one of the hoses on the exhaust coolant heating circuit. Another way to get more out.
Super Long Life Coolant has a 50K mile change interval after the factory fill is replaced. Long Life Coolant has a 30K mile change interval, and needs to be mixed with distilled water, hence 1 gallon of LLC becomes 2 gallons with addition of the water.
