How can I say this without sounding like a total NOOB? Cooling system Question

[XraytecH]

Am I able to do my own Coolant Flush or Is this the only way to do a proper coolant flush?

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[Killroy Was Here]

The factory fill MOPAR coolant that came in your truck is rated at 10 years or 150,000 miles.
Just wondering why you would think this is needed on your 2021 already?

 

[XraytecH]

Just curious…
Cooling system is fine. First car I’ve ever owned that I’ve done most of the maintenance myself. Just building a knowledge base.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Even on my classics, I use long-life coolant and don't "flush" anything - just drain what I can and refill.
It's not the coolant that goes bad anyway, it's the additives - anti-oxidation and so on.

Whatever you do, ONLY use OAT coolant in these if you ever need to add coolant. . Nothing else, not hybrid, not HOAT, not IAT.

 

[XraytecH]

Even on my classics, I use long-life coolant and don't "flush" anything - just drain what I can and refill.
It's not the coolant that goes bad anyway, it's the additives - anti-oxidation and so on.

Whatever you do, ONLY use OAT coolant in these if you ever need to add coolant. . Nothing else, not hybrid, not HOAT, not IAT.

I’ve only topped off with the recommended MOPAR coolant so far.

 

[ecidiego]

I wish it was HOAT. Best of both worlds.

 

[MoxiesDad]

You don't need to do anything like that video shows. In 10 years or 150,000 miles you can pull off the lower radiator hose and drain the system. Refill with water then drain again. Refill with 50/50 mixture of the proper coolant and distilled water. The key is using the proper coolant specified in the manual.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You don't need to do anything like that video shows. In 10 years or 150,000 miles you can pull off the lower radiator hose and drain the system. Refill with water then drain again. Refill with 50/50 mixture of the proper coolant and distilled water. The key is using the proper coolant specified in the manual.

Problem with that is that you'll still have water in there - and end up with less than a 50/50 mix. You have to refill at a point where water will get into places it won't drain.
The only time I do such a thing is when I can pull block plugs to drain the block and make real sure that any water put in can't stay anywhere, reducing the mixture.

The key is also using only distilled water.

 

[Old Young Man]

X2 on distilled water. Or a good pre-mix that meets specs.
I would guess there are no coolant drains on these engines.
The old stuff I replaced block drain plugs with good petcocks.
150k seems like a lot, but so does 10 K oil changes to an old guy.

 

[jeepers29]

X2 on distilled water. Or a good pre-mix that meets specs.
I would guess there are no coolant drains on these engines.
The old stuff I replaced block drain plugs with good petcocks.
150k seems like a lot, but so does 10 K oil changes to an old guy.

They say 100k on the spark plugs and those are complete toast at well before 100k.

 

[g2020]

For OAT-formulated coolant that complies with MS.90032 or MS-12106:

Please see my post, PEAK Antifreeze + Coolant Equivalent to OEM Original, for a review of PEAK, Prestone, and XEREX

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Here’s a reason to do a coolant flush early. This flush was about 10k kms into the second engine.

It doesn’t matter how good your coolant is or how long its life is or even if it can outlive your “lifetime” transmission oil. Manufacturing crap and sand debris in the system doesn’t do any engine any good. If some of you are inspired to do a flush after seeing what I had, screen your captured fluid like I did and post what goodies you found!

 

[Volt0]

Yep; I’m not a fan of trusting the long-life promises; I see those as an upper bounds in happy-path conditions. I’m no expert on coolant, but I know that changing the coolant is cheaper than replacing corroded head gaskets ( and a heck of a lot easier too ). Those fluids can become corrosive over time. Combine that with filter pics above, along with any possible contamination or gelling, and in my mind it makes a heck of a lot of sense to change out that coolant at 70k to 100k; I can only hope that would help to prolong my water pump too. I’m NOT doing the garden hose approach either.

 

[chr15m]

For OAT-formulated coolant that complies with MS.90032 or MS-12106:

Please see my post, PEAK Antifreeze + Coolant Equivalent to OEM Original, for a review of PEAK, Prestone, and XEREX

Thread is back from the dead.

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