Noob Question: Coolant???

Alright, been using the search button. Even accessed Dave's illustrated coolant change area (Pic's are now gone).

My first question is exactly what brand coolant do you guy's and gals use for your Gen I's??? I looked in my manual and saw the Prestone II & Peak. The manual also say's use with a silicate inhibitor...I've so far only found the regular Prestone (for cars & light duty trucks) brand that mentions this.

Second question, do I add the 50/50 mix directly to the plastic coolant bottle above the passenger wheel well. I called the local dodge dealer and they were saying to use ONLY propyl-glycol coolant??? I had not heard this before. Thanks in advance for your help.

Any modern, high quality coolant will be fine. I think more guys are going with the orange (dex-cool I believe) and that's what I'm using. Holds up well for up to 5 years. Yes, when your filling the system, don't forget to properly fill the overflow bottle in the front facia, and then check it a few times after a few hot/cold cycles.

I'd consider replacing your hoses at this time as well if you don't know their age. Also, if your using a different type coolant from what's currently in the motor, you should fully flush the motor by removing the block drain plugs (drivers and passenger side), and flush with distilled water.

Good luck. There are plenty of threads on the procedure.

Thanks for the speedy response!!! What's odd is I just had the car completely serviced about 3 months ago. Had a small mishap two months ago so the car has been sitting at the dealership (new A/C condensor) & front rim/side sill. Picked it up yesterday & went for a 10 minute drive today...I watched the temperature guage and it kept rising. Hit the heater & it went down. Got home & there was NO coolant in the coolant bottle??? No leaks that I can find.

Texas1, I would suggest that you start posting this type of question in the Gen I/Gen II section as more folks read that section than this one...so you should bet more answers faster.

I see (by doing a search) that you have a 95...I like to know "the anatomy"...especially of the cooling system.

I am unfamiliar with the specifics of your "mishap' but would suggest that you could have sustained "collateral damage" to the coolant overflow bottle in the front fascia (a fastener under this bottle can puncture it with right front damage) and/or to the radiator.

When you say "NO coolant in the coolant bottle"...about which "bottle" are you speaking?? The pressure bottle under the hood or the overflow bottle in the right front fascia...of both??

There is a another reason to worry about low coolant in the system...the well known Gen I head gasket failure. Have you seen any coolant in the oil? Did the oil level rise? Smell of coolant when driving?? White smoke out of the sidepipe cars can be harder for the driver to see that a rear exhaust system...noting that some synthetics give off a white smoke as well.

Another COMMON problem is that many owners have NO IDEA how/where to check coolant status nor how to maintain proper levels of the coolant. You MAY have started ownership with levels on the low side. Ever replace "radiator cap" on the pressure bottle?

As to "proper" coolant...YOUR Viper carries the recommendation for MOPAR "Antifreeze/Coolant 3 Year Formula" 04267020AB"...which happens to be green. It DOES NOT MATTER TO ME what you use...BUT, to my recently updated knowledge, SRT has NOT recommended (or "signed off on") using even Mopar's own 5 year coolant that comes as the factory fill on Gen III and IV Vipers. Read some recent issues of Viper Mag and this will confirm same. While I LIKE the 5 year Mopar stuff ( "HOAT"), I still use the 3 year formula in OUR Gen I and II Vipers BY MY CHOICE. Dex-Cool is a different product, widely used in GM cars...though NOT without some negative history itself. While I do use Dex-Cool in my GM cars, I stick with Mopar's formulations and recommendations for our personal Vipers. (right or wrong). PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, that I test and change coolant regularly...AND that I am just a hobbyist...NOT an engineer or chemist !!!

For "editorial balance", I feel obligated to add some coolant info from a well known ENGINEER, Viper Guru, serious hobbyist, great all-around guy who REALLY knows this stuff and who has spent countless hours kindly mentoring many of us "dummies" with a gentle hand:

Tom, F&L GoR ...who recently posted:

"The green antifreeze uses silicates that coat the surface upon the first heating to protect against corrosion... but after 2-3 years it flakes off. The flakes are abrasive and cause water pump seal wear.

Long life coolants (and there are many, different colors, etc) are all extremely low or no-silicate. The chemistry lies in wait until corrosion begins, then attacks it. Therefore it lasts longer (5 yeats to lifetime) and water pumps last much longer. Whatever you do after your radiator swap, go with a long life coolant. The Peak Lifetime coolant looks good to me.

Coincidentally my '96 Dakota is going to my daughter, so I looked at the radiator and it is corroded from the outside; the lower half had lost all the cooling fins, even though the inside tubes looked great. I also had a hardened radiator cap gasket, so upon replacing the cap and radiator, the pressure caused a water pump gasket leak. To be safe, I bought a new pump.

Here is a picture of the OEM pump after one-fill of pre-DexCool antifreeze. Texaco pioneered this long life technology and um, well, I helped evaluate it. I guess I should let someone know how it did. After 13 years and ~95,000 miles, it looks better than the reman pump I put on."

This was posted in the following thread:

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/636612-cooling-questions.html

Tom has written a ton on this issue...AND, his Viper sees REAL usage...street and competition...and has at least 100,000 miles on it, and is still going strong.

Please let us know how you progress with your "coolant diagnostics"!!

Thanks for the response Steve-Indy. I checked both bottles and both seemed low. Added about 1 gallon of 50/50 mix Prestone long life coolant & ran the car for about 10 mins. After stopping it noticed a large puddle and drip near the right front fascia. No smoke and oil is at's normal level w/ normal smell. Will have her towed back to Stealership Monday.

I'd do a little more searching before I brought it back to the dealer, unless you have deep pockets . If there is a leak out of the front right facia area, you might have a small hole in the bottle (caused by a fasia screw often times according to prior posts), or you may have overfilled the bottle. It's not pressurized, and should be filled to between the two level marks inside the front of the right front wheel well. You may have to get a flashlight inside the fasia through the large round inspection hole in the wheel well to check the level properly.

A new bottle for the nose costs around $40.00...but you have to remove fascia to replace it. A search will reveal some who have successfully repaired the presumed leak mentioned in the above posts.

U sure the dealer didn't forget something, like fill the car with coolant. Does happen.

SquadX said:

U sure the dealer didn't forget something, like fill the car with coolant. Does happen.

Click to expand...

That was/is my initial thought. Also the vehicle took a little trauma to the right front end (rim/tire/tie rod/AC condensor) so I'm going to send it back to them & let them trouble shoot the problem...Ins is paying. Thanks again everyone for the advice. I'll keep ya posted.

I guess the dealer just didnt fill her up the right way and you miss a gallon or so.

So quick update...vehicle was towed to Dealer that did repairs (no viper tech currently). A coolant leak test was performed & I was advised no leaks. They then stated that my thermostat was "sticking" and I needed a new one. Okay, two days later they call back & state the vehicle has NO thermostat??? A new thermostat was put in and now the car is running even warmer. For the next week and 1/2 all I was told was it could be the water pump or since your car has such low miles the radiator is probably full of calcium so we need to replace both. My insurance company states they would only pay if damage was done due to my mishap. I found a viper tech locally and had the car towed today. Let's see what he says??? The beast has now been down three months tomorrow. The saga continues......

What dealer is this so I can avoid them?

PM sent......