As I sit here and write this, I know how stupid this is going to sound, I normally have common sense - but I had a really dumb moment. I was on auto-pilot changing my oil and washing my 2021 Ram 5.7 and I put half gallon of rainx windshield washer fluid in the coolant tank. In my defense, I am not the first to do this as the coolant tank is black with a yellow cap on the left of the radiator (when looking at it from the front) and the washer tank is black with a yellow cap as well on the right.
I wasn't thinking about it until the next day DURING my 200 mile trip. I thought to myself "uh oh" and I stopped at a gas station, opened the lid of my coolant tank and sure enough, it smelled like straight rainx.
I could not do anything about it at the time, so when I got home the next day, I ordered 2 gallons of mopar concentrate 68163848AB from RockAuto.com (after tons of research, this is the correct part number and best price I could find ~$18 per gallon). I also purchased 6 gallons of distilled water from local grocery store as this is needed (do not use tap water).
I planned on using both gallons of coolant and 2 gallons of distilled water since that equals 16 quarts (manual says it holds 18.3 quarts but as we know, a little stays behind). I also planned on using 4 full gallons of water to run in the truck until at operating temperature plus 10 minutes, with defrost on high heat. But when I opened the drain on the bottom driver side of the radiator, only 5 quarts came out into a 15 quart pan. I did have the radiator cap off. It was all brand new orange/pink colored coolant, no blue rainx. This is good. However, I expected way more to come out, the rest must be in the block and only true way to eliminate is a professional flush. But I dont think I need that since the coolant was normal color.
I siphoned out the coolant tank and it was all blue. This is good too. This tells me that 500 miles of hwy/city did not pull anything from the reservoir.
Since the radiator was now empty and so was the tank, I poured 1 gallon and 1 quart (5 quarts) of distilled water in the radiator after closing the valve.
I then poured the remaining 3 quarts of distilled water in the coolant tank.
I started the truck and let it run to operating temperature plus 10 minutes, with defrost on high heat. I monitored the coolant temp and it maybe got up to 190F and there was heat coming out of the vents.
I let it cool down and drained the 5 quarts of water out of the radiator with the cap off and siphoned out the tank.
I poured in 2.5 quarts of coolant concentrate and 2.5 quarts of distilled water into the radiator after closing the valve. And 1.5 quarts coolant and 1.5 water in the tank.
All good.
Moral of this story is if you accidentally put washer fluid in the tank, just siphon it out, even if you drove it. And if you get out the same amount you put in, you may be just fine.
I wasn't thinking about it until the next day DURING my 200 mile trip. I thought to myself "uh oh" and I stopped at a gas station, opened the lid of my coolant tank and sure enough, it smelled like straight rainx.
I could not do anything about it at the time, so when I got home the next day, I ordered 2 gallons of mopar concentrate 68163848AB from RockAuto.com (after tons of research, this is the correct part number and best price I could find ~$18 per gallon). I also purchased 6 gallons of distilled water from local grocery store as this is needed (do not use tap water).
I planned on using both gallons of coolant and 2 gallons of distilled water since that equals 16 quarts (manual says it holds 18.3 quarts but as we know, a little stays behind). I also planned on using 4 full gallons of water to run in the truck until at operating temperature plus 10 minutes, with defrost on high heat. But when I opened the drain on the bottom driver side of the radiator, only 5 quarts came out into a 15 quart pan. I did have the radiator cap off. It was all brand new orange/pink colored coolant, no blue rainx. This is good. However, I expected way more to come out, the rest must be in the block and only true way to eliminate is a professional flush. But I dont think I need that since the coolant was normal color.
I siphoned out the coolant tank and it was all blue. This is good too. This tells me that 500 miles of hwy/city did not pull anything from the reservoir.
Since the radiator was now empty and so was the tank, I poured 1 gallon and 1 quart (5 quarts) of distilled water in the radiator after closing the valve.
I then poured the remaining 3 quarts of distilled water in the coolant tank.
I started the truck and let it run to operating temperature plus 10 minutes, with defrost on high heat. I monitored the coolant temp and it maybe got up to 190F and there was heat coming out of the vents.
I let it cool down and drained the 5 quarts of water out of the radiator with the cap off and siphoned out the tank.
I poured in 2.5 quarts of coolant concentrate and 2.5 quarts of distilled water into the radiator after closing the valve. And 1.5 quarts coolant and 1.5 water in the tank.
All good.
Moral of this story is if you accidentally put washer fluid in the tank, just siphon it out, even if you drove it. And if you get out the same amount you put in, you may be just fine.
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