Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Coolant

[RClark]

It is about that time, 41,000 mi and 3 yrs on the truck. I believe that it is due for a flush and coolant change.

Any suggestions on a good coolant and thinges to do/look for while flushing?

 

[Ram4Sam]

Just did mine...

RC, I just used good old Prestone. One thing to do is make sure you check/clean the front of the radiator(between it and the condenser), mine was covered with crud that the fan had sucked up. Also, I just siphoned out the old stuff from the radiator instead of messing with the wimpy plastic drain valve, it is much faster.



Sam

 

[rweis]

Search for antifreeze, there is an excellant article about how Steve St Lawrance (sp?) did his. Very well done. Well worth the reading.



Bob Weis

 

[GKinney]

I just did mine this last summer. I was amazed at how clean everything was inside. I used Fleetguard ES compleat antifreeze which has the DCA additive (rust preventative) already added in it. We'll see after I get another 200k mi. or so in it... . haha. Hope this helps.

 

[Hohn]

If you have the $$, I'd use the EVANS NPG+



JMHO

 

[Hemiless]

My Cummins Likes the Caterpillar Coolant

I know I know I drive a Cummins not a Cat but the Cat fluid is awesome and the local Cat dealer is good to deal with and keeps a great inventory. Not That I will need anymore coolant as this stuff will last longer then the truck not the engine just the truck. :-laf



I highly recommend Cats Extended life coolant and if you go to their website and read more about it I'm sure you will be impressed as well. To each there own though luckily there aren’t as many coolant options as there is oil options or I'm sure this topic would be as bad as the old oil wars posts.

 

[Rob Levandoski]

Antifreeze Recommendation

I recently did this service and stopped at a local Cummins dealer. He sold me a new thermostat and Fleetguard ES Compleat. This is prediluted engine coolant that you do not add water to. It's already premixed with 50% deionized water (it is a 50/50 propylene glycol mix).



Pre-antifreeze change - my engine normally ran a needles width below the 195 mark with short bursts above on hot day.



Post-antifreeze - temp gauge is halfway up the arch and NEVER comes close to the 195 mark. It still gets warm and all but runs much cooler.



Whole job took an hour or so and was really easy.



I'd do it again in a heartbeat (although not for another 100K or so).

 

[socal_rattler]

I use Fleetguard ES Complet EG pre-mix. Here is a good link for all kinds of routine maintenance tips, part way down the page you will see a section on changing coolant.



http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/maint/2nd_Gen-12v.htm

 

[Loren]

RClark,



For a how-to, see my article in TDR #35, pages 76-81.



Ignore the section on using voltage as a method to test coolant; it doesn't work.



My choice of coolant is Caterpillar Extended Life Coolant, part number 101-2844. This is pre-mixed; you can also buy concentrate for about twice the price. This coolant is good for 300,000 miles or 3 years, whichever comes first. At that point, you add the appropriate amount of Caterpillar Extender and go another 3 years. After 6 years, you have to change the coolant.



The choice of coolant is not critical, as long as it's an ethylene glycol type and meets Cummins' specifications. The main difference from a user's perspective is how often you have to change it. The Caterpillar with extender lasts longer than anything else I've found. The reason I bought Caterpillar is because they were the only people who had the extender in stock.



Loren

 

[Aaron_A]

Today I was looking at antifreeze at the local Wal-Mart,and now I have a question. When did they start mixing gold in this stuff? Its darn near 9 bucks a gallon for Prestone

Is there a website where I can buy fluids for my truck such as the Castrol syntorque,Caterpillar or fleetgaurd antifreeze etc.

 

[Loren]

Aaron,



I know what you mean. I paid $7. 93/gallon for the Caterpillar anti-freeze, and it was pre-mixed! The extender was $9. 95, but at least that will last for two cycles. Even with the high prices, I think the Cat coolant is a pretty good deal due to its long life.



I bought mine locally (Cincinnati). I searched for an Internet seller of anti-freeze but I couldn't find anyone who would ship it. Apparently it's a hazardous substance.



Loren