radiator flush?

[BigChick]

i have a 2015 ram 3500 dually with the cummins 6.7 diesel engine. it has 135,000 miles ion it.

dealer recommended a coolant flush and quoted $250. i've done some research and it sure looks like i could do this myself, the process, in simple terms, is to drain the radiator to get the old coolant out, put pure water back in, run the engine a bit to get the water to flush out remaining old coolant in the engine, and drain again. then refill with new coolant.

but before i start i'd like to ask a few questions.

there are kits out there where you cut a heater hose and install a t-fitting that allows you to attach a garden hose to the heater hose. then you run water into the coolant system via the garden hose and it circulates and flushes out the old coolant. are these worthwhile? the problem is that you end up with a plastic t-fitting in the heater hose which has the potential to leak.

there flush chemicals (i've seen blue devil and prestone) that you put into the coolant system after you drain the old coolant. then you run the engine for a while with these flush chemicals in it. then drain out the flush chemicals and refill with new coolant. are these worthwhile?

should you refill with 50-50 premixed coolant or concentrated coolant? even if you drain the radiator there will still be some water in the engine which would dilute the 50=50 premix.

any advice or comments you can offer would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[Slinge]

Mopar also makes a coolant flush

 

[Runaround]

I myself normally add one gallon of straight coolant and then top the system off with 50/50, buts that’s just my preference.

 

[06 Dodge]

i have a 2015 ram 3500 dually with the cummins 6.7 diesel engine. it has 135,000 miles ion it.

dealer recommended a coolant flush and quoted $250. i've done some research and it sure looks like i could do this myself, the process, in simple terms, is to drain the radiator to get the old coolant out, put pure water back in, run the engine a bit to get the water to flush out remaining old coolant in the engine, and drain again. then refill with new coolant.

but before i start i'd like to ask a few questions.

there are kits out there where you cut a heater hose and install a t-fitting that allows you to attach a garden hose to the heater hose. then you run water into the coolant system via the garden hose and it circulates and flushes out the old coolant. are these worthwhile? the problem is that you end up with a plastic t-fitting in the heater hose which has the potential to leak.

there flush chemicals (i've seen blue devil and prestone) that you put into the coolant system after you drain the old coolant. then you run the engine for a while with these flush chemicals in it. then drain out the flush chemicals and refill with new coolant. are these worthwhile?

should you refill with 50-50 premixed coolant or concentrated coolant? even if you drain the radiator there will still be some water in the engine which would dilute the 50=50 premix.

any advice or comments you can offer would be appreciated.

thanks

If you dont have a lot of rust or scale then you may be able to do a simple water flush and refill, being you have a 2015 diesel I would suggest if your not doing a chemical flush to just drain refill with distilled water run up to full operating temp let it cool, then drain the water and if its still has lots of color refill it again with distilled water and run to temp cool and drain, if that water look clear then refill with a quality OAT coolant like Mopar or Zerex long life OAT see below (I use zerex in my current 22) but suggest you use concentrate being you cant drain all of the water out of the block and as I see it I hate to buy 50/50 mix as your then paying $$ for them to premix it with distilled water. Also if ya have to do chemical flush also suggest you replace the T-stat with a new one from Cummins, dont use after market T-stat they dont always work as well or last as long as one from Cummins, and last check to be sure water pump has no leaks, if so replace, my preference is one Cummins as aftermarket dont last as long as a Cummins water pump, speaking from experience, oh almost forgot if you have a radiator cap on the radiator its self buy a new one jmho...

 

[crash68]

there flush chemicals

where's @Burla when you need him?

refill with a quality OAT coolant like Mopar or Zerex long life OAT

There's also Fleeguard ES Compleat OAT lifetime coolant.

 

[Burla]

RMI 25 you add before you flush for 500 miles, it will take any slime in system and trap it in overflow, you vacuum it out. I'd do 16 ounces in a Cummins. If you need room you can add it to over flow, take out some if you need to fit 16 ounces. Read about RMI 25, radiator shops secret, once you read what it does you wont bother with other flushes. And PM if you are going to use something different, there are flush products that are corrosive, even dumber to use those then to use hose water.

So yeah, don't go using hose water in your truck. 2015 you have Ethylene glycol as your base, so no reason to use flush kit, this is the base in all lifetime coolants. If you don't wanna buy 50/50, then buy a gallon of DISTILLED water and a gallon of Mopar 10 year and mix them before adding.

You are in ground zero truck for casting sand issues, just maybe you avoided it as 2016 was a horrid year, you will know when you add RMI 25 and see if any sand ends up in over flow. But that egr cooler issue combined with heater core is a huge cause of major problems, so run that RMI 25 and run the heater for 10 minutes or better. Then flush, I don't know the location for block drain bolts in Cummins, see if it is doable. If not don't worry, you can do a series of flushes just drain and fill, again if there is any left over it is ok, it is Ethylene glycol so it is just as effective as if it was new.

 

[BossHogg]

Since we are on this topic, and my 2015 is due for coolant replacement and I want to do it myself, I have one question. I've googled this with no good results. How do you recycle coolant? The places I take my old oil do not take coolant.

 

[HuskerRam]

Since we are on this topic, and my 2015 is due for coolant replacement and I want to do it myself, I have one question. I've googled this with no good results. How do you recycle coolant? The places I take my old oil do not take coolant.

Call some of the quick-lube places to see if they'll take your used coolant. I've had to do that in the past when changing coolant.

 

[crash68]

How do you recycle coolant?

Google where to take coolant in your city and/or county, most municipal departments will take it but just for residents. Same goes for used motor oil, my city has a 24/7 drop off for oil if you can leave it in container.

 

[Burla]

In the entire n bay there is one place and they only open for a few hours per day and only 3 days a week, with a guaranteed nearly hour wait til you get in front of the line and you need to hand them your ID. Plus they cant even keep them open on those days, many times I been there on day on time and no help. You can guess where mine goes, if I am supposed to care they have to do better then this.

 

[poopsleeve]

Since we are on this topic, and my 2015 is due for coolant replacement and I want to do it myself, I have one question. I've googled this with no good results. How do you recycle coolant? The places I take my old oil do not take coolant.

Anyplace that sells you coolant should take it back.
Auto zone, oriellys, Napa, murrays, allxtake coolant.

 

[BossHogg]

Anyplace that sells you coolant should take it back.
Auto zone, oriellys, Napa, murrays, allxtake coolant.

Like I said, they do not.

 

[Dusty]

i have a 2015 ram 3500 dually with the cummins 6.7 diesel engine. it has 135,000 miles ion it.

dealer recommended a coolant flush and quoted $250. i've done some research and it sure looks like i could do this myself, the process, in simple terms, is to drain the radiator to get the old coolant out, put pure water back in, run the engine a bit to get the water to flush out remaining old coolant in the engine, and drain again. then refill with new coolant.

but before i start i'd like to ask a few questions.

there are kits out there where you cut a heater hose and install a t-fitting that allows you to attach a garden hose to the heater hose. then you run water into the coolant system via the garden hose and it circulates and flushes out the old coolant. are these worthwhile? the problem is that you end up with a plastic t-fitting in the heater hose which has the potential to leak.

there flush chemicals (i've seen blue devil and prestone) that you put into the coolant system after you drain the old coolant. then you run the engine for a while with these flush chemicals in it. then drain out the flush chemicals and refill with new coolant. are these worthwhile?

should you refill with 50-50 premixed coolant or concentrated coolant? even if you drain the radiator there will still be some water in the engine which would dilute the 50=50 premix.

any advice or comments you can offer would be appreciated.

thanks

Only distilled water should be introduced into the coolant system. The problem I see with your thought is a garden hose will not provide the recommended distilled water and will likely leave some unwanted impurities in the system.

Has far as the concern about water left in the system from flushing, there is a measurement tool to determine freeze point available from auto stores.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 132507 miles.

 

[Hellcat dreamer]

Very few cooling systems drain out completely, keep track of the volume you drain and compare to capacity of your vehicle. The difference is the amount of straight coolant you put in first to end up at 50/50 with the distilled flush water that didn’t drain out. You always have to flush and drain several times buy extra distilled water.

 

[cutterman]

For those that don't know Cummins.com sells: Fleetguard ES Compleat OAT EG Concentrate 1 Gal
Part #CC36073 It is free shipping and they also give military discount. This is the coolant Cummins recommends and is lifetime coolant or 1,000,000 miles.