Hello everyone, I’m going to try to flush my coolant system before I get a new radiator on my 97 ram. I bought a flush kit, and I’m don’t know where the heater inlet hose is. All the YouTube videos I’ve seen are using different vehicles but it seems easy enough. Can someone point out where the heater inlet hose is for my dumb self? Any other tricks and tips?

 

Just yank off any hose near the heater core. I pulled it from the passenger side near the head. Don't worry about the fancy kits. I used a garden hose and blew out the core then ran and drained the block and radiator. Throw fresh in and run til the t-stat opens and you should be good!

 

Get one of these
No spill funnel kit
Makes it much easier to bleed the air out without making a big mess.
Also, park the truck on an incline or on ramps when you refill the radiator, so the radiator cap is higher than the rest of the cooling system.

 

Heater inlet hose comes off the passenger side of the intake manifold, at the front. Most will have a joint in them about halfway down the valve cover. Great place for a flush T.

 

Thanks guys! I got it figured out and flushed, my next goal is to change the thermostat. It’s fun learning (and a little embarrassing that I don’t know more about working on vehicles at 29) to work on my truck instead of paying outrageous prices at the mechanic shop.

 

I've been doing this over 10 years and am still learning

 

The best way to learn is to ask. Be sure to put an OEM perature thermostat in it. I started working on cars when I was 5. I started FIXING them at about 10. I took classes in school but most of what I learned came from guys who learned in the military in WW1 and WW2. Yes, I'm old.

 

I see different temperatures on the thermostats on autozone's website. 160F-195F....which do you recommend?

 

195 is factory
180 will give you a little more power and what most guys run

 

180 will lower your fuel economy, and if it gives you any more power, it won't be noticeable, and it's entirely possible it will annoy the PCM, and set a code. Stick with the 195 stat, unless you have a custom tune that expects a lower temp stat.