Which coolant

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

indept

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Posts
3,244
Reaction score
4,846
Location
South Jersey
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7L
Some evaporation is normal as is the need to occasionally add a small amount to the overflow reservoir.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 062044 miles.
Not much though. I bought my truck new Sept 2017, I have 38k miles and my antifreeze is still at the full mark. I never added any.
 

jackdashack

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2021
Posts
10
Reaction score
7
Location
USA East Coast
Ram Year
2013
Engine
1500 Hemi 5.7
OAT the color options can be confusing. Just an example Prestone makes a universal OAT that is like a yellow green. They then have a universal platinum now as well which is 15yr/300,000 mile while regular one was 10 yr/300,000 then they even have an orange OAT for North American. I emailed them as I find this to be very stupid. I personally use the Prestone universal concentrate and mix it myself 50:50. I use this in every vehicle I maintain. From GMs to Dodge to Ram. It works perfect.

Some even say Coagulant free. Just make sure it is OAT and I doubt you would ever have an issue. As far as warranty you will see Prestone universal is made to become whatever color it is mixed with on their site. I don’t think they could have done a worse job making coolant options confusing.
Smiley hello! I have a 2013 1500 Hemi 5.7 Bought new I only have 35k on it. I was told last oil change it was a little low on anti/cool. I have an unopened gallon here. And knowing nothing I have asked and get confused from answers. But one pointed me to this thread. This gallon is from Advance Auto and I poured some out to see the actual color. It's yellow green. And then I noticed on the label [Compare to Prestone Antifreeze/Coolant. Do you think I have the same as the Prestone you use. And is it necessary to mix it or is it premixed? Thanks!
 

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
23,718
Reaction score
54,465
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
Smiley hello! I have a 2013 1500 Hemi 5.7 Bought new I only have 35k on it. I was told last oil change it was a little low on anti/cool. I have an unopened gallon here. And knowing nothing I have asked and get confused from answers. But one pointed me to this thread. This gallon is from Advance Auto and I poured some out to see the actual color. It's yellow green. And then I noticed on the label [Compare to Prestone Antifreeze/Coolant. Do you think I have the same as the Prestone you use. And is it necessary to mix it or is it premixed? Thanks!
I think 13 was a cross over year as far as coolant goes.You might be wise to go to your local dealer with your VIN number and see what coolant your truck has,because mixing the wrong coolants could cost you a bunch of money down the road. Buy a gallon jug of their pre-mix and you should be good for a few years .Just my opinion though
 

smiley

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2011
Posts
6,632
Reaction score
2,978
Location
Minot, ND
Ram Year
2014 Ram 2500 Crew
Engine
6.7L Cummins
Smiley hello! I have a 2013 1500 Hemi 5.7 Bought new I only have 35k on it. I was told last oil change it was a little low on anti/cool. I have an unopened gallon here. And knowing nothing I have asked and get confused from answers. But one pointed me to this thread. This gallon is from Advance Auto and I poured some out to see the actual color. It's yellow green. And then I noticed on the label [Compare to Prestone Antifreeze/Coolant. Do you think I have the same as the Prestone you use. And is it necessary to mix it or is it premixed? Thanks!
It is safest to use the Peak global lifetime but frankly the universal stuff won’t coagulate so it would matter. Just make sure it isn’t the traditional green. If it was me and I wasn’t sure I would get Peak Global lifetime then it doesn’t matter what is in there. My 14 is OAT.
 

jackdashack

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2021
Posts
10
Reaction score
7
Location
USA East Coast
Ram Year
2013
Engine
1500 Hemi 5.7
It is safest to use the Peak global lifetime but frankly the universal stuff won’t coagulate so it would matter. Just make sure it isn’t the traditional green. If it was me and I wasn’t sure I would get Peak Global lifetime then it doesn’t matter what is in there. My 14 is OAT.
thank you. This I topped off with, I guess fingers crossed as I've crossed a lot of info here, was Prestone yellow-greenish in an Advance Auto bottle. Says on the side, Compare with Prestone. And on the back they made a statement that they used CAPS the word ANY 3 times, ANY make, ANY model, mix with ANY antifreeze . . . sounds universal to me. But to be sure I won't use it anymore. I might have even bought it since I bought the Ram 8 years ago telling them what I was driving, and this is what they gave me. I just don't remember the purchase. But it couldn't have been for my last vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler. It had to be the type for this Ram. In any case thanks! ":-Dx
 

LouM

Senior Member
Marine Corps
Joined
Sep 8, 2016
Posts
789
Reaction score
1,055
Location
Greeenwich/Easton upstate NY
Ram Year
2015 Ram Ecodiesel crewcab old/ 2019 Laramie Hemi old/ 2022 RAM 2500 6.7
Engine
eco diesel old / now Hemi missing the eco's mileage/ now back to enjoying diesel torqueesel
I see that there are two currently running threads on coolants,
I post this on this one also.

Just for information, I apparently mixed coolants in my SxS.
It took me considerable time money and work to get it cleaned out and working again.

water pump1A.jpg
inside the water pump cover

water pump2.jpg
what was left of the old impeller and the new impellor.

Not a fun few days.

And then not long after I got that fixed my daughter called me her mini van was over heating and no one knew why then she tells me a neighbor had put some coolant in for her because she was low. That made for a road trip to NC and a couple of days of flushing and blowing out a cooling system. Hers had just turned to a slimy jelly like substance thast actually cleaned out decently with lots of soap and a bit of chemical flushes and air pressure.
In 70 years I have only been directly involved in two instances but that was 2 to many.
 

smiley

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2011
Posts
6,632
Reaction score
2,978
Location
Minot, ND
Ram Year
2014 Ram 2500 Crew
Engine
6.7L Cummins
That is probably from traditional green mixed with new age HOAT or OAT. The whole topic makes my head spin. Sad really.
 

slickracer

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Posts
106
Reaction score
73
Location
PA
Ram Year
2018 Big Horn Crew Cab
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I'm trying to figure out why my 2018 5.7 has orange coolant from the factory, yet the recommended coolant is the purple 150,000. What do I use when it's time for a drain and fill?
 

LouM

Senior Member
Marine Corps
Joined
Sep 8, 2016
Posts
789
Reaction score
1,055
Location
Greeenwich/Easton upstate NY
Ram Year
2015 Ram Ecodiesel crewcab old/ 2019 Laramie Hemi old/ 2022 RAM 2500 6.7
Engine
eco diesel old / now Hemi missing the eco's mileage/ now back to enjoying diesel torqueesel
Some of the MoPar coolants will change color with use. I wouldn't stick my neck out and recommend any.
Except to flush / clean and flush some more and then use the recommended coolant or which ever one you prefer.
 

buckeyexx

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2015
Posts
768
Reaction score
797
Location
Ohio
Ram Year
2016 Power Wagon
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Are they not all marked and say what to use on the reservoir cap? My 2015 2500 has OAT on the cap of the tank.
 

Octane

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2019
Posts
1,573
Reaction score
2,130
Location
U S.A.
The best argument concerning buying from the dealership is confirmed by all the confusion the antifreeze companies have caused.I buy mopar online and it's maybe only a dollar or so cheaper than the dealer.Ships free to my door.And it makes me and my Mopar do the Happy dance.
 

Hemi395

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Posts
9,505
Reaction score
17,670
Location
Cape Cod MA
Ram Year
2013
Engine
5.7 Hemi
I'm trying to figure out why my 2018 5.7 has orange coolant from the factory, yet the recommended coolant is the purple 150,000. What do I use when it's time for a drain and fill?
The 10 year OAT will change color to a pinkish orange after a while, totally normal. Your truck being a 2018 is the 10 year OAT, as far as I know it's only the early 2013s that we're questionable.
 

Octane

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2019
Posts
1,573
Reaction score
2,130
Location
U S.A.
The 10 year OAT will change color to a pinkish orange after a while, totally normal. Your truck being a 2018 is the 10 year OAT, as far as I know it's only the early 2013s that we're questionable.
When I bought my 13 Challenger and my 13 Ram the dealer told me that all 2013 vin numbers used the 10 year stuff.But I know they make mistakes about their own products more than likely.
 

Sherman Bird

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Posts
3,086
Reaction score
6,687
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
1998
Engine
5.2
I see that there are two currently running threads on coolants,
I post this on this one also.

Just for information, I apparently mixed coolants in my SxS.
It took me considerable time money and work to get it cleaned out and working again.

View attachment 480404
inside the water pump cover

View attachment 480405
what was left of the old impeller and the new impellor.

Not a fun few days.

And then not long after I got that fixed my daughter called me her mini van was over heating and no one knew why then she tells me a neighbor had put some coolant in for her because she was low. That made for a road trip to NC and a couple of days of flushing and blowing out a cooling system. Hers had just turned to a slimy jelly like substance thast actually cleaned out decently with lots of soap and a bit of chemical flushes and air pressure.
In 70 years I have only been directly involved in two instances but that was 2 to many.
My step daughter was in college years ago.... drove a 1997 Saturn SL-1. It sported Dex-Cool pink coolant. She went up to her Dad's in Rural Central North Texas. As a favor to her, he checked her fluid levels and topped off the coolant with green. That turned the coolant into a peanut butter consistency. In those days, I used Oxalic acid to clean it out. It worked like a charm. Dontcha know that the EPA outlawed this acid for automotive use since then! I can get it at the hardware store nowadays. It's sold for use in wood finishing. I do know that a LOT of baking soda and massive numbers of gallons of water are required to neutralize this acid after use, lest it eat aluminum cylinder head, head gasket, etc. A few moths later, I did have to replace the radiator, but that was due to the cheesy plastic tank giving out from age/mileage.
 

Burla

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Posts
27,545
Reaction score
57,761
Ram Year
2010 Hemi Reg Cab 4x4
Engine
Hemi
Update on very cool development, prestone max has several choices of coolant, one is a ram ten year coolant clone, the sds shows pure base and it's purple. Maybe even better then mopar coolant, because mopar coolant has to use short term additives to protect young metal, but once metal is aged and protected, all you need is base, and this product is pure base.

This is not HOAT, it is OAT. So if you are early 4 gen like me, you might want to stick with 5 year hoat from mopar.
 

GTyankee

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Posts
12,391
Reaction score
17,459
Location
El Cajon Calif. 92021
Ram Year
2016
Engine
3.0 ecodiesel
OAT began with ALL Mopar passenger vehicles for the 2013 model year, if you have a 2013 or newer you need to run only the OAT and this is the dealer stuff.
MS 12106

Some info on Page 12

someone mentioned that what is in the radiator seems to be sort of Orange

Take something like a turkey baster
1691646528606.png
draw out some of cooled off Orange coolant
drip it onto clear glass or a bottle

in sun light, i think you will see that the liquid is purplish
 

nascar72

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2019
Posts
79
Reaction score
69
Location
Canada
Ram Year
2008
Engine
Hemi 5.7
It is horrible. They make you doubt yourself and it just sucks. I am thinking a lot of it has to do with everyone wanting to get money for certifications. I would trust Prestone universal in anything. Looks like on their site they also make autozone and super tech too.
I have an '08 2500 with the 5.7 that I bought in 2021 with 110k km (70k miles) and as soon as I had the chance, beside oil change, did complete coolant flush and refilled it with a 70/30 Prestone universal coolant and distillled water. And 40k km later, (25k miles), no issues whatsoever. Did same thing with my '03 1500 5.7 and my '05 Chevy Blazer. Never had any issues with any of my vehicles that I replaced the OEM coolant with Prestone universal coolant. But everytime I do a coolant flush I make sure that there isn't any trace of the old coolant left in there. Basically I flush until it comes out clear.
 

Sherman Bird

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Posts
3,086
Reaction score
6,687
Location
Houston, Texas
Ram Year
1998
Engine
5.2
I have an '08 2500 with the 5.7 that I bought in 2021 with 110k km (70k miles) and as soon as I had the chance, beside oil change, did complete coolant flush and refilled it with a 70/30 Prestone universal coolant and distillled water. And 40k km later, (25k miles), no issues whatsoever. Did same thing with my '03 1500 5.7 and my '05 Chevy Blazer. Never had any issues with any of my vehicles that I replaced the OEM coolant with Prestone universal coolant. But everytime I do a coolant flush I make sure that there isn't any trace of the old coolant left in there. Basically I flush until it comes out clear.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
210,991
Posts
3,060,772
Members
171,024
Latest member
BoBoway4
Back
Top