Class

To do the maintenance correctly, I should be having a timing belt, water pump job. But I don't think that will happen immediately.

So, I've got two gallons of half and half O'Reilly type coolant in my garage, would I be doing any harm to any engine seals to use it until the timing belt job is done.

hypervish

What year and how miles do you have on your RX?

I'm a bit confused as to what your question is exactly.

Class

Question is, I believe that Toyota Red fluid is the fluid of choice. If things go as I'm expecting, in six months I'd get the timing belt done. During that procedure the coolant is changed, and Toyota Red would be installed.

And, your right, harm wouldn't be to seals, but some people and cars are particular that only the specified fluid be installed.


Still, I'm thinking to do the coolant now, Tbelt later.. And wanted to hear opinions if using green coolant would mix badly with the stuff that's in there.

1999 RX300

hypervish

I'd suggest just waiting till the TB job, and using the proper Toyota coolant at that time.

I definitely wouldn't mix the toyota coolant with the green coolant.

I'm running green coolant myself, but I converted the entire system to green and am not running a mix of both. The Toyota coolant is very good though and I suggest you stick with that. I went to the green coolant because I can get it for free, and it just made sense to get new coolant for free than to pay for Toyota coolant. LOL, what can I say I'm cheap.

Class

Thanks for the advice.
I'm hearing, I'd be okay if I drained the fluid from block, and did a bit of a clear water flush. Then went from Red to Green. But better to stay with the red coolant.

99rx

iTrader: (6)

Coolant is coolant as long as you have some in there and aren't mixing colors. People hype it up to if you use the wrong color your car will blow up. NO. Either stay with the red, or swap it all out to the green so you can top it off whenever needed without having to worry about getting Toyota coolant.

salimshah

TB change does not require coolant change (unless you are doing a water-pump change).

You can use different coolant ,,, just make sure it Ok for RX engine block.

Salim

Class

Wouldn't normal maintenance be doing also the water pump and tensioner when doing timing belt? I thought it was normally assumed, but maybe this engine is different.

salimshah

Unless something is wrong, I would only replace the TB, idler and the tensioner-roller (not the tensioner) ONLY at the 90K services. For 180K service, I might replace the the water-pump and the tensioner also.

There is no hard and fast rule, but the water-pump should last 180k miles or more, provided the coolant was Toyota Red or better.

Salim

artbuc

Not looking for an argument, but this statement is completely untrue. Yes, the chemical that changes freezing & boling temperatures is the same but the corrosion packages are totally different and these differences can affect performance very substantially.