2008-2018 Radiator Failure and Public Service Announcement

[legendts]

My URJ202R has PA66+PA612-GF30

Matt, I've just got into the shed and checked mine (Dec 09 build) and it is definitely GF30 not CF30 and have asked the guy on LCOOL to re check his number. The other letters/numbers match yours.

EDIT: The guy on LCOOL rechecked his and it is the same GF30 so the material is the same as you guys but we don't seem to see the issue down under. Ours will probably leak on the bottom.

 

[bjowett]

Maybe we need to upgrade the gas LC to the diesel radiator w/ expansion tank. Perhaps the expansion tank is the key here, after all, it adds volume and thus reduces pressure in the entire system.

 

[matt12]

My 4.6L 1URFE has the expansion tank, so that's not the solution.

 

[bjowett]

The 4.6 has the overflow/reserve tank, just like the 5.7. The diesel has a true expansion tank mounted in the same place.

 

[matt12]

oh ok .. sorry .. never realised there were two different types, but I understand the difference .. ie one is pressurised and one isn't.

 

[bjowett]

No worries!

 

[brussum]

Great information on this thread!

I just checked my '08 (with about 96K miles) and there were no signs of cracking. So far, so good. Probably just jinxed myself.

 

[mike mooradian]

I have an 08 LC with the crack line, which I found after reading this thread. Thank you for posting this. For the heck of it I called Toyota Care and explained my situation and within 24hours they got back to me. They set it up thru my local dealer to have the radiator changed for half price. Considering my truck is 9 years old and I'm the second owner I am really happy with the way Toyota treated me. They truly are the best car company on earth. Unfortunately I have to wait now because my local Toyota dealer burned down but I'll wait.....and cross my fingers.

 

[Markuson]

I have an 08 LC with the crack line, which I found after reading this thread. Thank you for posting this. For the heck of it I called Toyota Care and explained my situation and within 24hours they got back to me. They set it up thru my local dealer to have the radiator changed for half price. Considering my truck is 9 years old and I'm the second owner I am really happy with the way Toyota treated me. They truly are the best car company on earth. Unfortunately I have to wait now because my local Toyota dealer burned down but I'll wait.....and cross my fingers.

Nice! They gave me a $300 voucher when I did mine... Sounds like you did even better. My dealer has always been good to me too. Sorry to sometimes hear horror stories on mud. Hasn't been my experience at all here...

 

[mike mooradian]

Nice! They gave me a $300 voucher when I did mine... Sounds like you did even better. My dealer has always been good to me too. Sorry to sometimes hear horror stories on mud. Hasn't been my experience at all here...

Actually it was a $600 job at my dealer, which seems cheap, so 300 is about what I'm getting as well. After the dealership burned down I checked into getting it done at some other Toyota dealers and they wanted closer to 900 for the same job. I'm going to wait it out.

 

[Markuson]

Actually it was a $600 job at my dealer, which seems cheap, so 300 is about what I'm getting as well. After the dealership burned down I checked into getting it done at some other Toyota dealers and they wanted closer to 900 for the same job. I'm going to wait it out.

Wow. That's a great deal! At that price...I wouldn't wait.
It can go all at once, and it will happen soon anyway... Once that crack is there--it's ready to go.

 

[YouBetcha]

I have bought an OEM radiator as I have a tiny pressure leak in mine. How many gallons of radiator fluid will I need to fill the new radiator? Do you feel it is necessary to use the OEM radiator fluid?

 

[NLScooby]

I have bought an OEM radiator as I have a tiny pressure leak in mine. How many gallons of radiator fluid will I need to fill the new radiator? Do you feel it is necessary to use the OEM radiator fluid?

I would say the consensus is to stay with the factory magic fluid. Just be sure to purchase the non-diluted fluid and mix it with distilled water yourself - otherwise you are paying a lot of money for the water component!

 

[YouBetcha]

I would say the consensus is to stay with the factory magic fluid. Just be sure to purchase the non-diluted fluid and mix it with distilled water yourself - otherwise you are paying a lot of money for the water component!

Thank you for your advice. Any idea how many gallons it will take to fill a new radiator?

 

[TonyP]

I remember running the numbers and it wasn't entirely more expensive to get the premixed stuff. Then again you should be buying Toyota red anyways which I don't know if it can come premixed.

 

[gaijin]

Then again you should be buying Toyota red anyways which I don't know if it can come premixed.

That is not correct based on my experience - SLL Pink is preferred over the LL Red you mention.

Here's what the OM says we should be using:

Note that it specifies "Super Long Life Coolant" aka SLL Coolant.

SLL coolant is commonly known as "Factory Filled Pink Fluid" or simply Toyota Pink. Here's a pic:

I have only been able to find this SLL Pink in the pre-mixed 50:50 dilution.

The Toyota Red you mention is known as "Long Life Coolant" or LL Coolant, or Factory Red. Here's a pic:

The Long Life Toyota Red is NOT simply concentrated Super Long Life Toyota Pink - they are different.

It is important to use the Toyota Super Long Life Pink Coolant, not the older Long Life Red.

HTH

Edit to Add:

The Super Long Life Pink Coolant should be about $15/Gallon at your dealer: 00272-SLLC2 - Genuine Toyota SUPER LONG LIFE COOL

 

[TonyP]

That is not correct based on my experience - SLL Pink is preferred over the LL Red you mention.

Here's what the OM says we should be using:

Note that it specifies "Super Long Life Coolant" aka SLL Coolant.

SLL coolant is commonly known as "Factory Filled Pink Fluid" or simply Toyota Pink. Here's a pic:

I have only been able to find this SLL Pink in the pre-mixed 50:50 dilution.

The Toyota Red you mention is known as "Long Life Coolant" or LL Coolant, or Factory Red. Here's a pic:

The Long Life Toyota Red is NOT simply concentrated Super Long Life Toyota Pink - they are different.

It is important to use the Toyota Super Long Life Pink Coolant, not the older Long Life Red.

HTH

One man's pink is another man's red, depending on the time of the month.

 

[gaijin]

One man's pink is another man's red, depending on the time of the month.

What are you trying to say?

 

[bjowett]

Here is the top of the diesel radiator, note there is no radiator cap on the upper tank... they do have the part number spot molded in (which is our failure point on the gasoline models).... yet, they do not seem to have failures with this tank. The diesel does have a true expansion tank mounted where our overflow/recovery tank is... more to add to the solution.

 

[NLScooby]

Seems like nothing to worry about in terms of compatibility though. Here's a link to when the change from Red to Pink occurred.

https://www.toyotaparts.metro-toyota.com/ENGINE_COOLANT_COLOR_CHANGE_T-PG010-02.pdf

Apparently there is a slight difference in the fluid chemical make-up and there are plenty of folks arguing over the reason for the change on multiple sites.....

Toyota Long Life (RED) ingredients from jug: Ethylene Glycol(107-21-1),Diethylene Glycol(111-46-6) Water(7732-18-5) Orangic Acid Salt(532-32-1) Hydrated Inorganic Salt(1310-58-3).

Toyota Super Long Life Antifreeze/coolant ( Pink ): Water (7732-18-5), Ethylene Glycol (107-21-1), Diethylene Glycol (111-46-6), Sebacic Acid (111-20-6), Potassium Hydroxide (1310-58-3).