Ok, so I bought my 99 from my dad who got it new. Never had coolant changed.. what's the best way to go about doing it? Also how much fluid I need to refill.

Thanks, chad.

 

http://www.rm-indy.com/wavefiles/2001ramsrvcmanual.zip

Yes it says 2001 and yes it will work for your 99 it works with my 96. Unless you want to buy a decent de scaler and a crap load of distilled water to do it right, I would just take it to a shop and have them do it. It cost me about $125 in California to have it completely flush and the T-stat changed.

 

Is flushing necessary? Even draining and refilling necessary?

 

Yes. When it breaks down, antifreeze becomes corrosive.

 

Ok, so realistically how often should it be done?

 

I think it's recommended once a year. I don't change mine that often but I don't let it go too long. I can tell you I recently bought my 98 ram and am pretty sure it had never been changed for 150,000 miles. 2 of the freeze plugs were leaking and when I did the plenum, water pump, and timing chain the coolant passages had all kinds of build up in them. That was after running super cleaner through it and back flushing it with the freeze plugs out. I hope the heater core hangs in! Change all your hoses too!

 

You kinda want to be careful doing it if it has never been done, if your freeze plugs are going bad or shrunk the crud built up in them can actually make them leak when it is flushed with heavy duty cleaners.

But at the very least drain every thing and run fresh water through until it is mostly clear.

 

Ya, don't think ill go Chem route. Just thinking a drain and refill. 105k miles.

 

And what's a freeze plug?

 

Heres the 96 service manual

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-download.html

Get a radiator flush kit, attached it follow instructions on it flush system with hose while running system with full heat. feel free to add new collant 50/50 and radiator stop leak