What coolant should be used ram v10?

Answer 1

Either Green or the Green/Yellowish "mixes with all types" coolant/antifreeze should be used. Be sure to mix your coolant 50/50 before adding it to your cooling system. You can buy it "pre-mixed", but then you are just paying extra for water and getting 1/2 less actual coolant in your gallon jug. Remember, 1 gallon of "straight" concentrated coolant = 2 gallons of 50/50 premix.

The cooling system of your Dodge Ram 8.0L V-10 engine holds around 6.625 gallons (26.5 quarts) when filled from completely "bone-dry". You will likely need less if you are just adding or even replacing say, your radiator or your water pump. However, to be "safe", I'd buy at least 3 gallons of straight/concentrated antifreeze when doing any cooling system work on your truck. Or, just buy 4 gallons to be "extra safe". (You can always return what you don't use if you don't open it, or just keep some around to poison those miserable woodchucks that are routing around under your back shed - whoops - I didn't say that!)

It's a good idea to check the protection level in your vehicle's cooling system also. For pretty cheap, you can pick up a tester at your local auto parts store. Stick the tube into your radiator filler and suck out some coolant up to the little "fill-to-here-line" on the side of the tester. (Be sure to test the protection level AFTER you've allowed it to mix a bit with what you've added to the system - run your engine until it gets up to operating temp some to achieve this and then let it cool before removing the cap.) The little "floating balls" will tell you your protection level. (It's pretty self-explanatory.)

A good 50/50 coolant mix is somewhere around -34deg F, if my memory serves me correctly. (Yes, that's NEGATIVE 34 degrees F.)

For mixing purposes, mixing your concentrated antifreeze with plain tap water works. However, distilled water is best, as there are no trace minerals in distilled water. (Same thing goes for adding water to batteries.) An empty milk jug or empty windshield washer bottle works great for mixing straight coolant from a new concentrated antifreeze/coolant container. Just be sure to label your "spare" container as having 50/50 coolant mix in it.

Never use that red/orange Dex-Cool crap that is also marketed as "long-life" or "extended-life" coolant. That stuff is not compatible with certain types of seals & gaskets, particularly certain plastics. If you don't believe me, just ask any of the MILLIONS of GM owners out there with major intake gasket leaks, that lead to HUGE repair bills of around $700 - $800, on average.

BTW, the "long-life" of Dex-Cool is only 2 years longer than regular coolant. Regular coolant is supposed to be changed every 3 years. Yeah. Very few people ever change it, if ever. Most change it once there is a failure, such as a water pump, heater core, or radiator failure. Hate to admit it but yeah, that includes me. Regardless, now you know.

Oh, and NEVER use just straight water in a radiator, nor straight antifreeze. Remember, water alone will freeze at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Straight water will rust and corrode internal parts very quickly. Straight water - use for an emergency use (such as to get home) ONLY.

Straight antifreeze coolant actually absorbs heat. You will have overheating issues if you run straight antifreeze for your coolant. There are other issues that can develop as well.

One last note... If you are finding yourself adding coolant to your V-10 but can't seem to figure out where it's going, you likely have a cracked cylinder head (or 2 possibly). Good 'ole Chrysler Corp produced a long run of defective cylinder heads that had casting issues (weak) and they would crack and leak coolant into the engine. Usually they were minor cracks found in the centers of the heads, near/under/around the center head bolts most typically, and thus the coolant loss would be minimal.

However, as time progresses you'll find more than normal vapor (like white "smoke") coming from your exhaust pipe for longer than normal. You may even experience the occasional hard-starting or even hydro-locking of the engine, caused by coolant leaking into the cylinders and on top of the pistons. Yes, some coolant will also very likely weep into your engine oil and slowly destroy your engine from bearing "wash-out", caused by the water mixing with your engine oil.

How do I know all of this? Well, I've been there, done that. F-Chrysler Corp and their defective junk! I've heard that a product called Dura-Seal may work to stop the coolant leaks in the heads. Not sure though. I'm very skeptical, but for only around $150, it's probably worth a try considering what new (or even remanufactured) cylinder heads cost.

It just so happens that I own a Dodge Ram V-10 truck and a Chevy Lumina V-6, as well as a plethora of other Dodge, GM, and Ford vehicles.

I'm also a professional mechanic.

Cheers! - AJ