code58

Absolutely true!

99jewel

I recently changed mine at 98,000 miles, and it was as clear red as the day it was poured in at the factory in '99. Best I could find the red was $25.00 at Toyota dealer, and due to unfortunate financial circumstances, I had to go with a newer Prestone Extended Life full strength concentrate (made me want to cry) for $5.99 (which includes a $5.00 rebate). It is made to top off any other color fluid, and I felt that if I was careful enough draining ALL of the red, and flushing thoroughly, it would work just as well. So far, no problems- I will keep a close eye on it though, and when I am in better financial shape, I will replace with the red.

TunedRX300

Prestone worked fine for me for over one year now. I drained off the engine block by opening both drain screws for the front and rear, radiator and coolant reservoir were emptied as well.
Saved tons of $ and complies with Lexus recommendation in RX300's User Manual (does not call out Toyota coolant for warranty or maintenance).

lexus114

how many gallons does this radiator hold anyway?

code58

99J- to bad- I think i would have put the red back in until you could afford new, unless you had drained it in a way that you couldn't reuse it. I have worked in automotive all my life and have NEVER seen anything that hold up the way that does, NOTHING! I am a firm believer in changing fluids BEFORE they need changing, not after. It is the cheapest insurance you can buy. In spite of that, I gave what I had drained out to my son to use, when needed, to top off the overflow bottle. I couldn't bring myself to throw that away. I had put it in 2 clean milk jugs and you could look through the jugs and it looked like you had poured it from the new jugs. Not a single trace of sediment. The radiator shined inside! I have difficulty believing anything the American chemists would formulate would perform like that after 8 yrs. My son's '97 Suburban was almost solid rust at 80k+ mi., and that's with the original GM Dexcool Long Life Coolant! Not impressed!

P.S. The RX is my DIL's, that I had changed the red in, that's why I gave the old to my son.

code58

Lexus- It's my DIL's car so I don't have the manual here but from what I remember it took less than 2 gal. of straight (I always mix 50-50 with distilled water), so less than 4 gallons to fill completely drained block, rad., heater core, and overflow bottle. I had some of the 2nd. bottle of straight left over.

P.S. I had the engine out, so I know everything was drained COMPLETELY.

lexus114

thanx, i figured it would be around 2 gallons for just the radiator.

HarrierAWD

Mechanics generally flush the cooling system with hot water. Since some hot water stays in the system after the flush, so simply adding the coolant into the reservoir usually would give you roughly a 50/50 mix in most cars. Not sure if this is how it works in the RX300.

I like the genuine Toyota Long Life (red) coolant. It does not gunk up like other brands of coolant that I have used in my other cars. My RX is almost 7 years old, yet the reservoir tank is still pristine. So I use the Toyota coolant in my computer for liquid cooling as well.

lexus114

Cool,

UNOHOO

iTrader: (3)

do you think that a toyota dealership would carry it or would i have to go to a lexus dealership to get it, reason i ask is the place im moving to the closest lexus shop is like 1.5 hours away...

Lexmex

Toyota dealership was the only place I was able to get this coolant when I was in Mexico.

HarrierAWD

You should get it at Toyota. My Toyota dealer sells it for $19, whilst Lexus wants $28.

lexus114

harrier,that $27.00 price "was" @ my Toyota dealer.

HarrierAWD

Ouch. Shop around and maybe you'll find a better price.

lexus114

It must just be the North East inflated prices at work. Lexus would probably want $47.00 for a jug. I had to pay $18.00 dollars more for my windshield washer pump,because not one Toyota dealer had one in stock.