I just changed my radiator and the old coolant I was using was green. I placed new red coolant in the new radiator. After that replacements I started seeing light smoke and burning smell. Also noticed the temperature rising very fast to the half way mark with no over heating, So I changed the thermostat. Still smell the burning and see light smoke once in a great while. Please help?? Does it matter what color coolant I used and is something else wrong with my car??

 

Please tell me you mixed it with water, right? Or did you buy pre-diluted stuff?

You probably sprung a leak somewhere. See any wet spots or spots with white deposits?

If you want to DIY it, you can buy a coolant dye kit (dye, UV light and yellow glasses) at a local auto parts store for like $40 or so and put it in your coolant, then run the car for a while and then look around the engine bay with the light and glasses. The dye will usually make it very obvious where the leak is.

Good luck

 

What year LS?
Inspect the tranny cooler lines to the radiator. Did you "burp" the system sufficiently? Sound like an air bubble if the temp is rising that quickly. Good that you replaced the thermostat as well.

There are "compatible" coolants, many of us prefer to stick with manufacturer spec and use the Toyota stuff either pre-mixed or one that needs to be diluted.