All out of Antifreeze/Coolant, how come my engine didn't overheat!?!? Options

[tomazws]

OK, so this morning just out of curiousity I opened up all the caps under the hood and checked their levels. Found out my Coolant tank is completely empty, way below "LOW", so low that there was nothing there. So immediately I went to the cabinate and poured in everything inside that Toyota 50/50 bottle... but there was only like 1qt left.....

Please not that I don't know anything about motors except changing motor oil and refilling gas from gas station
1. Am I screwed? Is my radiator/engine/car/everything screwed?
2. http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=22922 <-- in this thread someone questioned if radiator is blown. How do I check if my radiator is blown or not?
3. My gauge reads my engine right in the middle of COLD and HOT.... is the sensor bad?
4. http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=32767 <-- I think I'm leaking. I've seen red drips under my car, so it shouldn't be head gasket correct? How shall I fix the dripping?
5. http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=31352 <-- I heard the same sound sometimes, is that a sign that I ran out of coolant or a sign that coolant is leaking into my carpet?
6. http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27578 <-- Is Toyota 50/50 bad? Should I switch to Prestone or redlines water wetter?
7. http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27378 <-- If I switch from Toyota to Prestone, do I have to flush it first?
8. If I mix the red Toyota fluid with green Prestone fluid, would it mix into a different color?
9. lol am I asking too much questioins?

[SiN_CeLi]

The leak is most likely from an old hose check the bottom radiator hose for cracks. if not that then check the radiator drain plug. it is on the bottom right side of the radiator and make sure that it is tight. Changing coolants doesn't really make a diff. most people prefer to stay with the factory coolant but alot of others change to aftermarket brands.It is always good to regularly flush ure radiator and ure entire cooling system so yes before u add diff. coolant make sure to flush ure radiator and get some rust treatment to make sure u get all buildup deposites out of ure radiator

[blu94gt]

1. No, you're not screwed. Mine is well below the low mark on the reservoir but there is still plenty in the radiator itself. Did you open the top of the radiator and look, or did you just look at the reservoir? Trust me you would know if it overheated.

2. You would know if it was blown exactly how they knew, the car would overheat or the radiator would have physical cracks like theirs.

3. Right in the middle is where it's supposed to be, all the time. You start the car and it will be cold then warm up to right in the middle.

4. What color of coolant did you put in the car? The coolant should be green, if you're seeing red drips then that's most likely transmission related. *EDIT* saw that you used red coolant, probably a leak somewhere

5. Not sure about that, but probably heater core related. Do you smell antifreeze in the car or get a greenish fog on the windows when they're foggy?

6. Don't buy the Toyota stuff just because it's expensive for the same product as everything else. Brand or color doesn't really matter as long as you don't use the GM Dexcool orange stuff. Just a regular Prestone green is just fine.

7. Yes, flush it first. Shouldn't be too big of a deal but still a good idea to flush anyways.

8. If you're not going to flush it, at least drain it so that you get mostly new coolant in.

Any other questions just ask

[Negative]

Wait - I'm not disputing what blu94gt above said but Toyotas use the red coolant from the factory. If no one has changed the coolant over to green during the life of the car then he would still have red coolant in there. I don't know for a fact but I have been told by numerous mechanics and car people that you can not mix the red and green together or it will cause a sludge or something.
As I said I don't know for sure but better to be safe then sorry - he should probably stick with the red. So far Toyota has never steered me in the wrong direction. Plus isn't the red coolant supposed to last longer?

[Cutrara]

Prestone makes an "Any make, model, brand or color" anti-freeze so i doubt it.

[jgreening]

most likely a leaking hose. Sometimes they are difficult to find but be patient and check regularly. Keep the radiator full in the mean time. If you have to add more than a few cups inbetween trips and you still can't find it, its time to take it to someone. You would have overheated if it had gone completely dry. Your engine is most likely ok.

[tomazws]

Thanks for everyone's reply. Most likely I'd just refill it with overpriced Toyota fluid and keep checking on where the leak is coming from... After that maybe a flush to refresh it or somethin i guess..

[blu94gt]

Wait - I'm not disputing what blu94gt above said but Toyotas use the red coolant from the factory. If no one has changed the coolant over to green during the life of the car then he would still have red coolant in there. I don't know for a fact but I have been told by numerous mechanics and car people that you can not mix the red and green together or it will cause a sludge or something.
As I said I don't know for sure but better to be safe then sorry - he should probably stick with the red. So far Toyota has never steered me in the wrong direction. Plus isn't the red coolant supposed to last longer?

there was pinkish in my car when I got it. I didn't want to buy the Toyota stuff (plus when I flushed and changed my thermostat I was living in a small town that didn't have anywhere that sold the red Toyota coolant) so I did like I did with all my other cars, flushed and changed to green. Coolant is coolant is coolant. You could use water in there if it wasn't gonna freeze or corrode the engine. I guess I just don't see any added benefit from dishing out like twice the money for Toyota coolant.