The final word, Nissan/Toyota

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Son and DIL moving(Air Traffic Control job in Little Rock), have lots of preventative maint. to do. Have 2 radiator flushes to do this week. One on an 06 Altima 2.5 and an 05 Tacoma 2.7. Have read all the old posts and STILL don't get a good answer on coolants for these vehicles other than OEM. Not wanting to start another 10 page debate, just simple solutions.
 
Just get the stuff from the dealer. It isn't that expensive at all.

Also, unless it has been serviced before with the wrong fluid, just drain and refill the radiator and engine block-- no flush needed.
 
I used Peak Global in my girlfriend's VW because I didn't want to go to the dealer for coolant.

It seems to be working well. I got it at NAPA.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Just get the stuff from the dealer. It isn't that expensive at all.

Also, unless it has been serviced before with the wrong fluid, just drain and refill the radiator and engine block-- no flush needed.

+1

If you have problem with removing engine block bolt, you can try to remove lower radiator hose it will drain most coolant from the block too. Also, set heater to max to drain as much coolant from the heater core as possible.
 
Easy solution.. Zerex Asian Antifreeze.
It meets toyota and nissan spec.

in reality the toyota red is probably made by Zerex anyway.
the Nissan stuff would be no different.
If you can't get the Zerex Asian formulation, then what's a few extra bucks for the OE stuff?

Trying to find the Peak global isn't too easy in my area.. however there's a 7-11 nearby that sells it for $8/gal because the owner has no clue what it is.
 
Originally Posted By: SwampDweller
Son and DIL moving(Air Traffic Control job in Little Rock), have lots of preventative maint. to do. Have 2 radiator flushes to do this week. One on an 06 Altima 2.5 and an 05 Tacoma 2.7. Have read all the old posts and STILL don't get a good answer on coolants for these vehicles other than OEM. Not wanting to start another 10 page debate, just simple solutions.


Here is my solution to your dilemma:

Go to any place that sells coolant. Choose what you feel is best. It's coolant. Coolant is coolant. Oh and make sure it's ok for aluminum engines.

That's all. Dilemma dismissed.
 
I agree with others about calling the dealer to get a cost for the OE coolant. But if your local dealer is a ripoff, I wouldn't bother ordering it online.

Off topic - I have found the genuine Nissan fluid to be the best for my Frontier's manual transmission. One dealer I called said they didn't have it and wouldn't order it for me unless I bought a full 12-quart case. That's total [censored], IMO. Other dealers have sold it to me for around $9 quart, if I remember correctly.

Does Nissan have a specific spec for their coolant? Here is the Peak Global website. It has a list of specs it meets.

It's also one of the all makes/all models coolant, so you don't have to worry about mixing it with whatever antifreeze you have in there now.

http://www.peakantifreeze.com/antifreeze-peak-global_lifetime.shtml
 
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When I just can't figure out which product to use in my vehicles, wheather it's ATF or Coolant, I use the dealer fluid as much as I hate doing it. At least until I decide which brand fluid(s) that I trust. I'm still confused on the Coolant.

I have an '04 Altima 2.5 S using Peak any makes/models.
Been using Toyota Red in the wifes Lexus
And Peak Global Lifetime in the daughters Mazda 3.

In the past, I have used any coolant in any vehicle including brass and aluminum ratiators, aluminum and cast iron engines, without any issues...EVER! And I have owned my vehicles well into their teens w/ many hundred thousand miles on em'.

The only vehicles that I or my circle of friends/family have ever had cooling system issues with were the engines that were "known" to have issues anyway!!! Such as head gasket issues and IM gasket issues(GM 3.1/3.4 V6), Chrysler(2.2/2.5 4cyl), Ford (3.0/3.8Vulcan's). Even when using the correct coolants...Otherwise, nada! OH, I guess any car company can have an issue but, there are the notorious ones.

So, I'm still not sure about the coolant thingy. If the engine is built correctly using good/tested gasket material, you'll not have any issues. I mention gaskets because they are the main problem more so than other cooling system parts such as water pumps, heater coars, radiators, and thermostats. But, then there are the know gasket eaters on the market. I hope they're all gone now!

As-far-as ATF's go...I think that there is tons of info here about using Universal ATF's with good succuss without any extra friction modifiers(i.e. LubeGard HFM). Such as MaxLife ATF, Castrol IMV ATF etc. And then there are the well known Synthetic ATF's from Amsoil, RedLine etc.
 
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After discussing this previously on my car specific forum, I have been told it is better to go to the dealer for the coolant:
- They do a complete flush which will last at least 5 years,
- They use the right stuff (ask for the blue Long Life coolant for the Nissan),
- It is not that expensive for the trouble of DIYing (about 100-150$ for a complete flush with the proper tool).

I have been told that by a guy who do all his maintenance, so I believe he has good reason to send me to the dealer this time around, as he has done for his own car.
 
I know too many people that, for example, have gone to the Toytoa dealership for a complete flush on a Toyota in this example and have gotten something GREEN in the place of RED. Maybe these people didn't know that they had to be specific in the coolant they recomended to the service writer. Turns out the most dealerships put in anything if your not specific. Same with oil/filter changes. If you want Toy, Niss, Hond specific oil(ester or "0" wgt) you have to be specific otherwise your getting Cheap-O bulk oil!
 
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