AirRyan
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2023
- Messages
- 44
- Reaction score
- 39
I'm in a couple of FB groups for HD Rams and wow, all sorts of people having issues with either a plugged heater core that just needs to be flushed, or one that is already bad and the entire dash needs to be removed in order to replace it. Sometimes it's the blend doors, too. So I can't help but wonder, is it the MOPAR OAT coolant that comes from the factory just not good for 10 years/150k miles or is it this theory of sediment in the CGI engine blocks? (Have a hard time believing that theory with these engines coming from a Cummins manufacturing facility.)
Much like many things, if the owner's manual says you can go up to 15k miles or 1 year on an oil change, I'll probably cut that in half and go 7,500 miles, if even that long. I just don't trust this coolant (or any coolant, really) to last me 10 years. I've seen too many gunked-up coolant reservoirs and busted heater cores to feel comfortable with that. I'm thinking 5 years at most on the factory coolant, maybe even 3 years if I think there is a better coolant out there. I was expecting to see purple OAT coolant in my MY23 Ram HD, but it's a red/pink and as I have gathered, probably still OAT, it just has a different dye in it.
Prestone has some really interesting advertising on their latest products. 15+ years or 350k miles with their new Prestone Platinum. I can't find where it says it's an OAT coolant or what it is, but the dyes just don't always indicate what type of coolant it is anymore. I'm a little turned off however when they say it can universally work with all fluid colors including all OAT, POAT, HOAT, and IAT. That just doesn't make sense to me, or rather label me not convinced. They say they guarantee it, though, but you have to read the fine print and they say you need to do a complete flush and follow your owner's manual for topping off requirements and change intervals.)
https://prestone.com/product/platinumafc/
The one that I am most intrigued about and interested in trying, is the Valvoline Zerex Heavy Duty Extended Life. It comes in both Red and Yellow, and is stated that it is a OAT coolant. I know Cummins likes Valvoline and I would tend to believe that Zerex is better than the MOPAR OAT coolant that we don't even know who makes it. Silicate and Nitrate free, they new labels are claiming 10 years or 1 million miles with no supplemental coolant additives required, (like the previous labels for the same product said.) This Zerex is Cummins certified and can also be used in gas engines, stationary power, marine, natural gas, and light-duty applications. To me, if it is CAT EC-1 and Cummins CES certified, I'm good with that.
https://www.valvolineglobal.com/en/zerex-nitrite-free-extended-life-red-antifreeze/
Much like many things, if the owner's manual says you can go up to 15k miles or 1 year on an oil change, I'll probably cut that in half and go 7,500 miles, if even that long. I just don't trust this coolant (or any coolant, really) to last me 10 years. I've seen too many gunked-up coolant reservoirs and busted heater cores to feel comfortable with that. I'm thinking 5 years at most on the factory coolant, maybe even 3 years if I think there is a better coolant out there. I was expecting to see purple OAT coolant in my MY23 Ram HD, but it's a red/pink and as I have gathered, probably still OAT, it just has a different dye in it.
Prestone has some really interesting advertising on their latest products. 15+ years or 350k miles with their new Prestone Platinum. I can't find where it says it's an OAT coolant or what it is, but the dyes just don't always indicate what type of coolant it is anymore. I'm a little turned off however when they say it can universally work with all fluid colors including all OAT, POAT, HOAT, and IAT. That just doesn't make sense to me, or rather label me not convinced. They say they guarantee it, though, but you have to read the fine print and they say you need to do a complete flush and follow your owner's manual for topping off requirements and change intervals.)
https://prestone.com/product/platinumafc/
The one that I am most intrigued about and interested in trying, is the Valvoline Zerex Heavy Duty Extended Life. It comes in both Red and Yellow, and is stated that it is a OAT coolant. I know Cummins likes Valvoline and I would tend to believe that Zerex is better than the MOPAR OAT coolant that we don't even know who makes it. Silicate and Nitrate free, they new labels are claiming 10 years or 1 million miles with no supplemental coolant additives required, (like the previous labels for the same product said.) This Zerex is Cummins certified and can also be used in gas engines, stationary power, marine, natural gas, and light-duty applications. To me, if it is CAT EC-1 and Cummins CES certified, I'm good with that.
https://www.valvolineglobal.com/en/zerex-nitrite-free-extended-life-red-antifreeze/
