OM says Dexcool but i havepink stuff?

1.8-liter VVTL-i (2ZZ-GE) and VVT-i (1ZZ-FE) engine, transmission, exhaust, intake, and performance tuning discussions
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woodyg
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:57 am

OM says Dexcool but i havepink stuff?

Post by woodyg »

I bought the car with 100k on it about 1.5 years ago the car vas a fleet car with some vibes and some matrixes.....the coolant was a little low the other day. the coolant was a pink red color. I went over to toyota and bought a gallon of their premixed pink stuff and added it. today i was looking in the owner manual and noticed that it says the car take dexcool. I assume that it was serviced and they swapped to the toyota stuff.....any thought s on this. Do your cars have the dexcool....also my OM say Dextron III for powersteering is that what you use?
2006 vibe, White, 1zzfe, auto, AWD, PW, PL, CC, AC, 192,000 miles....(07/14/2014). been working on my cars for many years. I am an OK backyard tech.
Cougar Vibe
Posts: 412
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:03 am

Post by Cougar Vibe »

Every Vibe came from NUMMI w/Toyota fluids and filters; the owner's manual for the Vibe is the only place you'll see GM-fluid recommendations. That said, I prefer to follow the Matrix/Corolla recommendations (buying a used M/C owner's manual off of Ebay isn't a bad idea).
woodyg
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:57 am

Re: (Cougar Vibe)

Post by woodyg »

thanks for the info!!!......do you know what the Toyota recommended power steering fluid is?
2006 vibe, White, 1zzfe, auto, AWD, PW, PL, CC, AC, 192,000 miles....(07/14/2014). been working on my cars for many years. I am an OK backyard tech.
dayday
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:45 am

Re: OM says Dexcool but i havepink stuff? (woodyg)

Post by dayday »

Dexcool is Pink/Red
'09 Vibe 2.4L 5sp
woodyg
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:57 am

Re: OM says Dexcool but i havepink stuff? (dayday)

Post by woodyg »

the Dexcool I am familiar with is orange? is there another kind of Dexcool that is Red/pink?
2006 vibe, White, 1zzfe, auto, AWD, PW, PL, CC, AC, 192,000 miles....(07/14/2014). been working on my cars for many years. I am an OK backyard tech.
Old Tele man
Posts: 668
Joined: Sat May 02, 2009 6:15 am

Post by Old Tele man »

...the Dexcool was orange in our 1999 Malibu too....maybe a color difference between Dexcool-I and Dexcool-II?
...and the Devil said: "...yes, but it's a DRY heat!"
• 2014 Prius 1.8L eCVT
• 2009 Vibe 1.8L 4A
• 2004 Vibe 1.8L 4A
woodyg
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:57 am

Re: (Old Tele man)

Post by woodyg »

thisis what i use as a guidegreen=conventionalyellow= ext life conventionalorange=dexcoolred/pink=asianthere are other colors for swedish, german etc
2006 vibe, White, 1zzfe, auto, AWD, PW, PL, CC, AC, 192,000 miles....(07/14/2014). been working on my cars for many years. I am an OK backyard tech.
dayday
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:45 am

Re: (woodyg)

Post by dayday »

Sorry, I guess Dexcool does look a little more orange than the pink stuff in the Vibe.
'09 Vibe 2.4L 5sp
jake75
Posts: 4792
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 1:33 pm
Location: Columbus, OH

Re: (dayday)

Post by jake75 »

The '09 Owners' Manual says "The coolant in the vehicle should last for five years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever occurs first. When coolant is added or changed, use DEX-COOL coolant."Also "Notice: Using coolant other than DEX-COOL can cause premature engine, heater core or radiator corrosion. Always use DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle."No mention of DEX-COOL I or DEX-COOL II.However, the coolant in my '09 Vibe looks pink to me.
2009 Vibe 1.8L Carbon Gray AT Power Pkg 1/12/092003 Vibe 1.8L Neptune AT Mono Power Pkg 1/27/03 [sold 2/2/09]2007 T&C SWB 7/31/07 "Broke people stay broke by living like they're rich. Rich people stay rich by living like they're broke."
woodyg
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:57 am

Re: (jake75)

Post by woodyg »

this is getting weirder........these 1zz engines are probably made all at the same place. I am sure the 1zz engine is designed to run on the Asian coolant. I am almost positive all dexcool is orange. maybe I will call a gm dealer and see what they say.....thanks for the feedback
2006 vibe, White, 1zzfe, auto, AWD, PW, PL, CC, AC, 192,000 miles....(07/14/2014). been working on my cars for many years. I am an OK backyard tech.
jake75
Posts: 4792
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 1:33 pm
Location: Columbus, OH

Re: (woodyg)

Post by jake75 »

Quote, originally posted by woodyg »this is getting weirder........these 1zz engines are probably made all at the same place. I am sure the 1zz engine is designed to run on the Asian coolant. I am almost positive all dexcool is orange. maybe I will call a gm dealer and see what they say.....thanks for the feedbackIt's been weird since day 1. My '03 owner's manual referred to "coolant that meets GM Specification 1825-M" and said to drain, plus and refill cooling system very 30,000 mile or 24 months whichever comes first. My memory is that the coolant from the factory on the '03 was also pink.When I had it changed at the Pontiac dealer they put in Dex-Cool. (They also said the factory coolant they replaced was Dex-Cool.)I remember someone saying the Toyota "pink" was a 24 month change coolant.Any '09 Matrix owner here that can post what the coolant change srec and schedule is for the '09 Matrix? Or any other year(s)?
2009 Vibe 1.8L Carbon Gray AT Power Pkg 1/12/092003 Vibe 1.8L Neptune AT Mono Power Pkg 1/27/03 [sold 2/2/09]2007 T&C SWB 7/31/07 "Broke people stay broke by living like they're rich. Rich people stay rich by living like they're broke."
Cougar Vibe
Posts: 412
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:03 am

Post by Cougar Vibe »

Guys, guys, guys...The 1ZZFE engine is a Toyota engine, not a GM engine. It's from the ZZ engine class, which Toyota has put in tens of millions of cars (if not more); the only exception to that being the Prizm (Corolla clone), Vibe (Matrix clone) and Lotus Elise. I realize that many people want to support GM and have their Vibes serviced by GM, but this engine was engineered and developed by Toyota. There's enough of a track record w/this engine (because it's been around for a long time), that IMO, you should go w/what Toyota says...not GM.That said, will Dexcool have an adverse effect upon your cooling system? I don't know...there was a lot of hoopla and confusion about coolants in the recent past, but over at the oil-obsession website, I've yet to read of any cooling system failures due to using Dexcool (or not using Dexcool). As for Toyota pink being a 24 month coolant, nope...pink is the "Super Long Life" coolant, which started going into Vibes in '05 (prior to that, it was red). Here's a link to a discussion about "pink vs. red"...a lot of chemistry, so your eyes may gloss over:Toyota red long life & pink super long life.
woodyg
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:57 am

Re: (Cougar Vibe)

Post by woodyg »

Quote, originally posted by Cougar Vibe »Guys, guys, guys...The 1ZZFE engine is a Toyota engine, not a GM engine. It's from the ZZ engine class, which Toyota has put in tens of millions of cars (if not more); the only exception to that being the Prizm (Corolla clone), Vibe (Matrix clone) and Lotus Elise. I realize that many people want to support GM and have their Vibes serviced by GM, but this engine was engineered and developed by Toyota. There's enough of a track record w/this engine (because it's been around for a long time), that IMO, you should go w/what Toyota says...not GM.That said, will Dexcool have an adverse effect upon your cooling system? I don't know...there was a lot of hoopla and confusion about coolants in the recent past, but over at the oil-obsession website, I've yet to read of any cooling system failures due to using Dexcool (or not using Dexcool). As for Toyota pink being a 24 month coolant, nope...pink is the "Super Long Life" coolant, which started going into Vibes in '05 (prior to that, it was red). Here's a link to a discussion about "pink vs. red"...a lot of chemistry, so your eyes may gloss over:Toyota red long life & pink super long life.thanks for the info.....I had gone over to toyota and bought a gallon of their superlong life 50/50 coolant.the guy sold it to me for $21(cheap)...it appears to have been the same color that was in their.(pink).....I am going to flush it out in the spring......pisses me off that GM puts their dexcool in the OM........BITOG has put me to sleep on a few nights.......just when you think you understand simple motor oil......lol
2006 vibe, White, 1zzfe, auto, AWD, PW, PL, CC, AC, 192,000 miles....(07/14/2014). been working on my cars for many years. I am an OK backyard tech.
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