Another Coolant Leak Question

[theskier74]

Hey Everyone!
2016 Ram 1500 w/ Hemi. Just about 61k on the clock and I've been chasing problems all winter. First it was (and still is) an electronic steering issue. Then I had the exhaust manifold bolt problem. Now, I have a coolant issue.

Girlfriend borrowed it a few weeks ago for work and came home saying it smelt sweet after she got out of the truck that afternoon. So, it smelt like a coolant leak. I checked the reservoir (not under the rad. cap, unfortunately) and it was bone dry.

Filled it to the max line with Prestone Max, it's kind of purple/pinkish. I'm not sure what color was in there before. I let it sit for 24 hours to see if it would leak from the reservoir and it didn't seem so. I then started the truck up and let it idle for about 20 minutes. Couldn't smell anything or see any leaks anywhere. Drove it for about 5-10 minutes, enough so it got brought up to temp. Got home, let it idle and could not smell anything or see any leaks. I let the truck cool and it seems like the same amount of fluid is in the reservoir.

I am not sure how much my girlfriend drove it after she started smelling it but she said no alarms came on that indicated overheating. Other than this, the truck seems to be running fine. I am attaching photos of the bottom of the radiator cap and opening as the coolant definitely looks funny...but I'm not sure if thats just because I mixed potentially two colors when refilling it. What do you guys think...should I be worried that there's oil in there? Ugh. The dealership I bought the truck from told me "I might have just gotten a bad one..."

 

[theskier74]

Also, I hope this is in the right section. If not, please move it Mod.

 

[Dean2]

Mixing coolant types is a very bad idea, as is using the wrong type ofcoolant. I would use clean water to flush it all out, and fill with the proper coolant. I would also pressure test the cooling system. Far and away the easiest way to tell if you have leaks when you can't find fluid leaking out. Are you getting white smoke from coolant leaking into the combustion chambers? Does your oil look milky?

 

[huntergreen]

Don’t know about the leak, but what steering issue are you having ?

 

[Treburkulosis]

I agree with not mixing coolant. You will find the dealership is about the same price. I just had to get some for my wifes Jeep.

 

[theskier74]

Mixing coolant types is a very bad idea, as is using the wrong type ofcoolant. I would use clean water to flush it all out, and fill with the proper coolant. I would also pressure test the cooling system. Far and away the easiest way to tell if you have leaks when you can't find fluid leaking out. Are you getting white smoke from coolant leaking into the combustion chambers? Does your oil look milky?

Yeah, not knowing what was in the before was tough. I did try to get what I thought would be next best to the MOPAR direct replacement without going to dealership to get MOPAR. I probably should have just done that, huh?
I can try to look into a flush. I'm a bit mechanically inclined but not very and have never done that.
I do not see any white smoke from the exhaust or anywhere and last night after driving it, I did not see any milky looking oil.

 

[theskier74]

Don’t know about the leak, but what steering issue are you having ?

Feels like a lack of assist in the power steering. It's just not returning to center, a bit tougher to turn, things of that nature. Only thats that have helped are a car wash and jiggling the plug on the bottom of the ESC a little bit...but that has not solved the issue 100%

 

[Burla]

Hey Everyone!
2016 Ram 1500 w/ Hemi. Just about 61k on the clock and I've been chasing problems all winter. First it was (and still is) an electronic steering issue. Then I had the exhaust manifold bolt problem. Now, I have a coolant issue.

Girlfriend borrowed it a few weeks ago for work and came home saying it smelt sweet after she got out of the truck that afternoon. So, it smelt like a coolant leak. I checked the reservoir (not under the rad. cap, unfortunately) and it was bone dry.

Filled it to the max line with Prestone Max, it's kind of purple/pinkish. I'm not sure what color was in there before. I let it sit for 24 hours to see if it would leak from the reservoir and it didn't seem so. I then started the truck up and let it idle for about 20 minutes. Couldn't smell anything or see any leaks anywhere. Drove it for about 5-10 minutes, enough so it got brought up to temp. Got home, let it idle and could not smell anything or see any leaks. I let the truck cool and it seems like the same amount of fluid is in the reservoir.

I am not sure how much my girlfriend drove it after she started smelling it but she said no alarms came on that indicated overheating. Other than this, the truck seems to be running fine. I am attaching photos of the bottom of the radiator cap and opening as the coolant definitely looks funny...but I'm not sure if thats just because I mixed potentially two colors when refilling it. What do you guys think...should I be worried that there's oil in there? Ugh. The dealership I bought the truck from told me "I might have just gotten a bad one..."

There is a difference between lifetime coolant and "universal" or all "vehicle coolant". Lifetime coolant is just base, it is a great product. What you just put in your ram is a dex clone, see the 2eha in sds. They call it universal, that couldnt be farther from the truth. Run a dye pack through the system find the leak. I guess you will just have dex cool now, hopefully it works out, true flush is not easy at all. coolant thread for more info


Coolants dont have detergents, because they are meant to leave protection on the surface and detergents would clean that off. Look into rmi 25, if you get any dex damage which is gunked up, rmi 25 takes it away and deposits into the coolant resevoir where it gets trapped.

 

[Treburkulosis]

Yeah, not knowing what was in the before was tough. I did try to get what I thought would be next best to the MOPAR direct replacement without going to dealership to get MOPAR. I probably should have just done that, huh?
I can try to look into a flush. I'm a bit mechanically inclined but not very and have never done that.
I do not see any white smoke from the exhaust or anywhere and last night after driving it, I did not see any milky looking oil.

Call the dealership tell them what year and vin have them tell you which one it is. Order it on Amazon. I do it with my ram.

 

[Treburkulosis]

Here is what you need.

https://www.partsgeek.com/94t188b-ram-1500-coolant-antifreeze.html

 

[Burla]

Now that you have corrupted the system, I'd get peak global life and just stick with that. PGL is compatible with all non iat coolants, which is all 4 gens for sure. It has the same base a dex without 2eha which is also the base of mopar coolant types hoat and oat. Now, you have a mess of additives in there, but additives are for the time before coolant has populated the surface. Once the surface is populated or protected, the additives are a hindrance, not a help. Peak global = no additives, just base.

 

[theskier74]

There is a difference between lifetime coolant and "universal" or all "vehicle coolant". Lifetime coolant is just base, it is a great product. What you just put in your ram is a dex clone, see the 2eha in sds. They call it universal, that couldnt be farther from the truth. Run a dye pack through the system find the leak. I guess you will just have dex cool now, hopefully it works out, true flush is not easy at all. coolant thread for more info


Coolants dont have detergents, because they are meant to leave protection on the surface and detergents would clean that off. Look into rmi 25, if you get any dex damage which is gunked up, rmi 25 takes it away and deposits into the coolant resevoir where it gets trapped.

Ugh. I researched so much about coolant because at first, my girlfriend came home with dex cool stuff so I went down the worm hole of trying to find the right one but the guy at Autozone said not to use the universal since it's pretty bad and to go with the Max since it says Ram on it... I figured hey, it specifically says my trucks name on it, should be better than universal stuff.

Edit: see below comment for spec sheet

 

[NCRaineman]

Mopar hasn't done owners any favors with coolant lately. Our 2019 Ram has the orange/pink-ish stuff from the factory. The '22 Charger R/T I just bought has purple. It's the same engine in both vehicles. They're putting dye in it so people spend more $$$ on the "factory" brand.

 

[theskier74]

There is a difference between lifetime coolant and "universal" or all "vehicle coolant". Lifetime coolant is just base, it is a great product. What you just put in your ram is a dex clone, see the 2eha in sds. They call it universal, that couldnt be farther from the truth. Run a dye pack through the system find the leak. I guess you will just have dex cool now, hopefully it works out, true flush is not easy at all. coolant thread for more info


Coolants dont have detergents, because they are meant to leave protection on the surface and detergents would clean that off. Look into rmi 25, if you get any dex damage which is gunked up, rmi 25 takes it away and deposits into the coolant resevoir where it gets trapped.

https://prestone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/SDS914.pdf

That seems to be the specs for the stuff I bought

 

[theskier74]

Mopar hasn't done owners any favors with coolant lately. Our 2019 Ram has the orange/pink-ish stuff from the factory. The '22 Charger R/T I just bought has purple. It's the same engine in both vehicles. They're putting dye in it so people spend more $$$ on the "factory" brand.

So strange. You'd think the coolant is the same, its just the coloring to mess people up?

 

[NCRaineman]

So strange. You'd think the coolant is the same, its just the coloring to mess people up?

It's the same coolant, they're just putting a dye in it so people go to the dealer parts counter and pay their exorbitant markups.

That's all any of these big companies care about anymore, more $$$. That's why they've made things so complicated, so the average owner is deterred from trying to work on it himself. Read up on what farmers have been going through with their newer John Deere tractors, it'll give you insight into the practice.

 

[theskier74]

It's the same coolant, they're just putting a dye in it so people go to the dealer parts counter and pay their exorbitant markups.

That's all any of these big companies care about anymore, more $$$. That's why they've made things so complicated, so the average owner is deterred from trying to work on it himself. Read up on what farmers have been going through with their newer John Deere tractors, it'll give you insight into the practice.

These machines just seem so tricky nowadays. And honestly, feel a bit fragile.

 

[Treburkulosis]

These machines just seem so tricky nowadays. And honestly, feel a bit fragile

That is just Dodge in general. Its across the board. They are great if you can figure them out. They truly remind of maintaining a hot rod back in the day.

 

[theskier74]

That is just Dodge in general. Its across the board. They are great if you can figure them out. They truly remind of maintaining a hot rod back in the day.

I've been chasing problems since I bought it. Granted, I bought it used but jeez I'm almost afraid of driving it! Steering issues, coolant issues, manifold bolts, check engine lights, alignment problems... Never mind working on it or having my mechanic do it. I did own a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee as my first vehicle (with high miles 136,000 when I bought it) and definitely the same thing with that.

 

[Treburkulosis]

I've been chasing problems since I bought it. Granted, I bought it used but jeez I'm almost afraid of driving it! Steering issues, coolant issues, manifold bolts, check engine lights, alignment problems... Never mind working on it or having my mechanic do it. I did own a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee as my first vehicle (with high miles 136,000 when I bought it) and definitely the same thing with that.

My wife has a 21 Grand Cherokee L. Its had its recall issues. It picked up a rough start around 20k. I think I finally have that worked out. I swtiched from Castrol edge to PUP same filter Puralator Boss and I added lubegard biotech and lubegard kool it to it. Its running a ton better now.