This AI-generated draft has not been independently verified for your vehicle. Confirm engine, trim, build date, tool fitment and torque specifications against the relevant service information before buying tools or starting work.
The DT Ram 1500 makes this job easy in one way and annoying in another. Easy, because everything is filled and bled through the pressurized coolant bottle — there is no radiator cap to fight with. Annoying, because most of these trucks have no usable radiator drain, so you drop the lower air dam and splash shield and yank the lower radiator hose off, which dumps three or four gallons all at once. Have a big catch tub, not just a drain pan.
The mistake people make is the coolant itself. This generation uses Mopar purple OAT (MS-90032), not the orange HOAT that older Rams and Jeeps used. Mixing the two can drop out a sludge that plugs the heater core, and you will not enjoy replacing one of those. The second mistake is calling it done after one idle cycle: run the heater on full hot with the funnel attached, then recheck the cold level after a couple of real drive cycles before you trust it.
| Item | Type | Product search |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel chocks Blocks the rear wheels before lifting the front of the truck. | Safety | search retailer |
| Floor jack 2.5-3 ton, 20 in+ lift Lifts the front of the truck high enough to reach the lower radiator hose. | Required | search retailer |
| Jack stands 3 ton pair Supports the truck at the front frame rails while you work underneath. | Required | search retailer |
| Socket set 10 mm and 13 mm, 3/8 in drive, with 6 in extension Removes the lower air dam / engine splash shield and fan shroud fasteners. | Required | search retailer |
| Ratchet 3/8 in drive Drives the shield and clamp fasteners. | Required | search retailer |
| Torx bit socket T25 / T30, 1/4 in drive Some DT lower shields and air-dam clips use Torx screws instead of 10 mm hex heads. | Required | search retailer |
| Trim/clip removal tool Plastic pry set Pops the push-in plastic clips holding the splash shield without breaking them. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Hose clamp pliers Spring (constant-tension) clamp pliers, cable type preferred Releases the factory spring clamp on the lower radiator hose in a tight space. | Required | search retailer |
| Drain pan 6-8 qt low profile, plus a 4 gal catch tub Catches roughly 3-4 gallons of coolant that comes out fast when the hose pops off. | Required | search retailer |
| Flat-blade screwdriver Medium, 6 in shaft Works the hose loose from the radiator neck and opens the radiator drain if fitted. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Needle-nose pliers Repositions clamps and frees small hose retainers. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Spill-free funnel kit Universal coolant funnel with degas-bottle adapters Lets you fill above the bottle neck so air burps out instead of drawing back in. | Required | search retailer |
| Vacuum coolant fill tool Air-powered venturi type, needs ~90 psi compressor Best way to avoid trapped air, especially on the EcoDiesel and 5.7 eTorque circuits. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Coolant refractometer or hydrometer Ethylene glycol scale Confirms the finished mix protects to roughly -34 F. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 20-150 ft-lb Retorques the lug nuts if you pulled a front wheel for access. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Mopar OAT coolant MS-90032 purple/violet, 50/50 prediluted — 4 gal for 5.7/EcoDiesel, 3-4 gal for 3.6 The only coolant chemistry approved for this generation; mixing chemistries gels the system. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Distilled or deionized water 1-2 gal For a rinse flush and for topping off without adding minerals. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Spring hose clamp (spare) Matching lower radiator hose size, or worm-gear replacement Factory spring clamps can lose tension or distort when removed. | Parts | search retailer |
| Shop rags and degreaser Coolant on the crossmember and belly pan is slippery and attracts dirt. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Nitrile gloves and safety glasses Hot coolant sprays and ethylene glycol is toxic to skin and eyes. | Safety | search retailer |
| Sealable coolant container 4-5 gal jug Old coolant must be stored sealed and taken to a recycler — it is lethal to pets. | Consumables | search retailer |
The 3.6 Pentastar and 5.7 Hemi use the same 10 mm/13 mm shield fasteners, the same spring clamp on the lower hose, and the same purple OAT coolant; only capacity differs (roughly 12-13 qt for the 3.6, 13-15 qt for the 5.7). The 3.0 EcoDiesel holds the most (about 14-16 qt), has extra plumbing and low-mounted hoses that trap air, and is the one engine where a vacuum fill tool is genuinely worth having rather than optional. On 5.7 eTorque trucks the liquid-cooled 48-volt motor generator shares the circuit, so allow extra bleed time.
| Wheel lug nuts (if a front wheel is removed) | 130 ft-lb (176 Nm) |
| Lower air dam / splash shield bolts and screws | Snug only, about 5-8 ft-lb (7-11 Nm) — verify in the service manual |
| Radiator drain plug (where fitted) | Hand-tight only — verify in the service manual |
| Fan shroud bolts | verify in the service manual |
| Thermostat housing bolts (if serviced at the same time) | verify in the service manual |
Mopar OAT coolant to spec MS-90032, which is purple/violet and comes 50/50 premixed. It is a 10-year/150,000-mile coolant and must not be mixed with the older orange HOAT or with universal green antifreeze.
Some builds have a small plug or petcock on the driver's-side lower radiator tank, but many do not. If yours doesn't, drop the lower splash shield and pull the lower radiator hose off with spring clamp pliers to drain it.
Roughly 12-13 quarts on the 3.6 Pentastar, 13-15 quarts on the 5.7 Hemi eTorque, and 14-16 quarts on the 3.0 EcoDiesel. Buy four gallons of premixed so you have plenty for topping off after bleeding, and confirm the figure in your owner's manual.
Fill through a spill-free funnel on the coolant bottle, then idle the engine with the heater on full hot and high fan until the upper hose is hot and bubbles stop, revving to about 2000 rpm a few times. Shut it off, let it cool, set the cold level between MIN and MAX, then recheck after two or three drive cycles.