Anti Freeze

[brian3315]

With all the confusion regarding cracked heads I decided to approach my dealer for his opinion.
He said that he had just got it through frm Toyota Technical Dept, after trying for 7 years, that the fault lies with the sort of anti-freeze people are using. They say that if you use "ordinary anti-freeze" it will cause a chemical reaction with the metal. You should only use the Toyota approved which you put in neat. If you have to top-up you dont use water at all only the Toyota stuff. It is meant to contain a "water wetter" what ever that is and is meant to leave a film on all metal it comes into contact with.
He is that confident that this is the answer he is doing my surf F.O.C.
Brian

[gemini]

With all the confusion regarding cracked heads I decided to approach my dealer for his opinion.
He said that he had just got it through frm Toyota Technical Dept, after trying for 7 years, that the fault lies with the sort of anti-freeze people are using. They say that if you use "ordinary anti-freeze" it will cause a chemical reaction with the metal. You should only use the Toyota approved which you put in neat. If you have to top-up you dont use water at all only the Toyota stuff. It is meant to contain a "water wetter" what ever that is and is meant to leave a film on all metal it comes into contact with.
He is that confident that this is the answer he is doing my surf F.O.C.
Brian

there is a few members that actually use this, as for the antifreeze the surfs come over here with the toyota stuff in them, so according to your man everything should be ok, but this is not the case the majority of head problems seem like they are already there, its not just coincidence they show up after a few weeks driving, if it was a chemical reaction why does it crack the head in exactly the same place, between the valve in one of the combustion chambers have a read on the water wetter here http://www.trackstore.co.uk/redline.html

[laser_jock99]

There are two basic types of anti-freeze, one suitable for cast alloy blocks and one for steel blocks. The corrosion inhibitors used are different. Use the wrong type and you'll have no corrosion protection!

Using "Toyota Red" is good advice but to my Knowledge it doesn't contain any Redline Water Wetter unless Toyota have added thier own surfactant (no pun) substances. You can allways use any quality brand coolant and add the Water Wetter separatley which is what I have done. Read what it says on the coolant container as some (like Toyata Red) are already diluted for use- others are concentrated.

Allways change the coolant at least every two years/ 20,000 miles. It is the most neglected part of many cars- yet critical to the engine function. Most of the trouble we get from old Surfs is due neglect by the previous owners......

[Guest]

To be honest I think all this stuff about the correct corrosion inhibitors is just manufacturer techno babble designed to baffle those of us who have been caught with problems.

What about those engines with cast blocks and alloy heads, didn't use one load of coolant for the block and one for the head, just one all round.

Generally I think the more you pay for antifreeze the better it will be however I have always used Bluecol in every car I have had and never had a cracked head before now.

I have also put some DEI Radiator relief in mine which I have heard good things about.

Remeber Toyota have a vested interest in selling more of their antifreeze as they make a margin on it.

Plus mine had the Toyota Antifreeze in it when I got it and I am pretty sure that the head was gone on mine before I bought it, it just took a year before it was bad enough to cause problems (my opinion only though).

Cheers

[da SLUG man]

i've never put any anti freeze or coolant in a car... always just water.
never had any problems!

maybe this is the answer?!?!?!

[gemini]

i've never put any anti freeze or coolant in a car... always just water.
never had any problems!

maybe this is the answer?!?!?!

froze solid on a cold night, cracked engine block, core plug blown out, rusty waterways, your lucky, some of them core plugs are very hard to see let alone change if it pops one out

[stara]

i've never put any anti freeze or coolant in a car... always just water.
never had any problems!

maybe this is the answer?!?!?!

eeeeeeeeek!!, range rover i had, had a leaky hose, i just used to top it up with water until we had a cold spell, and froze the coolant, the inlet manifold cracked and filled no.8 cylinder with water and bent a rod, cost lots to fix. I now use a 60/40 de-ionised water/bluecol mix.

[Ditch]

Why deionised water ?

[gemini]

Why deionised water ?

to stop the limescale build up inside the waterways in the engine