1998 Dodge Ram 1500 5.9. How the hell do you get the air out of the coolant system? I have removed the rad cap and squeezed the hoses until no more bubbles come out, but I can still hear what gurgling in the heater core when I start it in the morning. Sure would have been nice if MaMopar put a drain tap in the radiator. Very little heat at idle.

Typical Dodge that isn't made to last longer than the warranty period, and engineers never designed them to be easily taken apart.

MOPARMANIAC

 

ur supposed to put it up on ramps and leave the cap off and let it idle for a while...there is a drain on the rad

 

well FYI there is a drain plug on the radiator. If you came here to complain about how crappy a Dodge is you came to the wrong place.
Another thing have you tried raising the passenger side of the truck and removing the cap to see if that helps?
It sounds like you have a clogged heater core too.

 

Ok, here's one way we did cars at the shop. Drain coolant out of your radiator, till you can take the return heater hose off w/out getting antifreeze every where. Get a tranny fluid funnel. Stick in the hose and back fill your system with your radiator cap off until you fill your heater core and block. The T stat wont allow coolant to go thru to your radiator. Make sure to hold the hose above the core and the block. Once full, connect the hose quickly so to not lose all the coolant you just put in it and fill the radiator. Fill up the radiator till its about 3/4's full, and start your truck. Leave the radiator cap off till the T stat opens and then fill your radiator all the way up. Make sure your radiator cap is good, I suggest replacing it every time you change your coolant. And then check your coolant level after a couple days and you should be good.

 

Thanks for the fast responses. I find that the rad builds up pressure when idling it and it won't just bleed out the air itself sitting w/o the cap on.

There is absolutely no drain valve on the rad itself and it is the stock Dodge OE part. The only way I drained it was to remove the lower rad hose.
I'm not sure if the heater core is plugged as it blows hot when driving but will try some CLR in it.

MOPARMANIAC

 

look on the driver's side of the radiator. It will be on the bottom corner, and its there. It has a flat edge that you can twist off

 

isn't supposed to last longer than the warrenty??? Hello, 240k miles on my original engine and transmission and it still could pull a house off the foundation. Nothing can kill a 360. And god forbid you just take the bottom hose off if there ain't no drain plug it's not that hard to get to i mean it's starin you in the face as you lay down. Had the same problem with my old radiator. after that many miles it finally went so i just replaced it but was getting the same noise. If you don't like dodge's products go buy a ford and let them nickle and dime you to death....500 dollars for a simple tune up from ford on my old expedition!!!!!

 

I wasn't trying to condemn the Dodges. I am die hard Mopar and always have been. I was just mad because I have coolant in 1 cylinder and after pulling the head found a crack. After reading that the heads are prone to cracking I wonder why.

Lets not start arguing over crap like this. Noone can win any argument here. However, the original engine in my truck lasted for 216,000 km which isn't bad. It still ran fine but went through a lot of oil and coolant.

As for pulling a rad hose staring you in the face while you lie down, wtf. Dodge like everyone else looks for ways to cut costs, and if that means no drain **** on the rad, then theres $.12 saved. Mine is the original rad so it has lasted a long time.

Now for replacing the head.
MOPARMANIAC

 

i think the heads are the weakest link on the 360's. I had a motor rebuilt in my other truck a couple months ago and that was really only the biggest problem. The hose thing in your face isn't that bad just turn your head haha but seriously i think there is a drain plug. I was so frustrated with the old one i chunked it without actually lookin over it.

 

Yeah it's odd that the heads are the weakest part as the old LA castings never really had any problems such as cracking or gaskets failing, and the magnum should be better and a step up from them since they are both cast iron and newer technology. In any event, the 360 makes a lot of torque and in a 4x4 it still pulls hard. I just wish it would hold together like my 79 Ramcharger 360 with 1973 heads. Those trucks were made to last.
MOPARMANIAC