Adding coolant after thermostat change

mridude · Nov 27, 2016

OK, maybe I'm over-analyzing this, but I searched all over this forum and the WEB and just get more confused. All I want to do is replace my stock T-Stat with a 180 in my 2013 RAM. I bought the 180 and figured this would be a quick and easy Sunday job in the garage. Problem is I know I am going to lose a bit of coolant during the change out and after searching everywhere I find out I MUST use dealer OAT coolant?! Really? The dealer is closed Sundays so am I screwed?

blrmkrl83 · Nov 27, 2016

Doesn't need to be from a dealer. I've bought HOAT antifreeze from NAPA before. Not cheap though. I think it was about $15 for a gallon.

mridude · Nov 27, 2016

blrmkrl83 said:
Doesn't need to be from a dealer. I've bought HOAT antifreeze from NAPA before. Not cheap though. I think it was about $15 for a gallon.

OK, except that I thought I read that the 2013 uses OAT versus HOAT, whatever that means...

Hipps2000 · Nov 27, 2016

I have a 13 and yes use dealer coolant.

mridude · Nov 27, 2016

Not to mention that Napa is also closed Sundays. So frustrating...

Broyd · Nov 27, 2016

Make sure you select and understand the exact coolant to be used in your truck! Mixing HOAT with OAT will cause a disaster. It will gel the mix. On the other forum, a member had to have his entire coolant system flushed for $450. The mix wasn't in his system long enough to damage parts but would have had that mix been in there longer. I'm not sure of the year that RAMs changed from HOAT to OAT but it may have been around 2013. The MOPAR OAT is expensive but has a 10 year lifetime. The Canadian stealer price for 4 litres of 100% MOPAR OAT is $75!

blrmkrl83 · Nov 27, 2016

Well crap. Sorry about that bit of misinformation. I didn't know they changed antifreeze. Thought that OAT was just a typo. Glad you guys corrected me.

Burla · Nov 27, 2016

What color was it? And you should have just saved it, next time be prepared or be willing to pay the price for not being prepared.

Burla · Nov 27, 2016

Also, unless you are in 32 degree weather, you can just go buy Distilled Water to fill your coolant until such a time when you can swap out fluid.

Last thing, if it is purple oat, I wouldn't mix it with anything but purple oat no matter what other guys are doing. I used to believe you could, but some guy on this forum posted up a large informational post about the new purple oat that changed my mine. It was like 2 years plus years, can't find it now. I would pre mix it outside the radiator as well, get the mix level 50/50.

mridude · Nov 27, 2016

Burla said:
What color was it? And you should have just saved it, next time be prepared or be willing to pay the price for not being prepared.

I haven't done the job yet...that's why I posted this thread.

mridude · Nov 27, 2016

Burla said:
Also, unless you are in 32 degree weather, you can just go buy Distilled Water to fill your coolant until such a time when you can swap out fluid.

Last thing, if it is purple oat, I wouldn't mix it with anything but purple oat no matter what other guys are doing. I used to believe you could, but some guy on this forum posted up a large informational post about the new purple oat that changed my mine. It was like 2 years plus years, can't find it now. I would pre mix it outside the radiator as well, get the mix level 50/50.

That's what i was thinking. I'm in Dallas, so...

Burla · Nov 27, 2016

Here, everyone who has the purple coolant should read this, Many oats are not compatable, the purple stuff is the ****, it was made to not have the same problems as other oats do. Just mix it with the same **** period.

Broyd · Nov 27, 2016

And here is another useful link ...

ATTENTION: Know Your Jeep JK Wrangler Coolants and Save Your Engine!

And another link from this forum ...

http://www.ramforum.com/f38/coolant_2015_ram_1500_a-91639/

Burla · Nov 27, 2016

If you want to mix coolants after the last two posts, there is a darwin award waiting for ya.

MANual_puller · Nov 27, 2016

You can do the job without losing enough coolant to cause issues too. Have a dealer top it off for you after work tomorrow or something. When I did the thermostat on my '06 I took the overflow tank and used the drain petcock on the radiator to fill it up. Squeezing the upper tube after you get a bunch of the coolant out will force most of the coolant out of that tube and you only lose a little less than a cup, certainly not enough to cause issues IF it was full at the start. Good luck and definitely, as already stated, NEVER mix coolants :happy107:

jag1886 · Nov 28, 2016

I bought a gallon before I changed mine and I didn't loose a drop and didn't need it. If you drain it down before popping out the stat you only loose about a tablespoon.

Saseacasea · Nov 29, 2016

Get a Lisle 24680 spill free funnel. It's 26 bucks shipped and worth every penny. Changed out my T-stat and used this, it allows you to burp the coolant system to ensure no air pockets are present. Also, make sure you are using coolant per manual. You can find online for cheaper. I have pics of install and will send them per your request.

Dubstep Shep · Nov 29, 2016

I just drained and flushed my coolant system out with distilled water, then put normal coolant back in.

Works like a dream.

Adding coolant after thermostat change

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