radiator cap CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN 2003 2.G Owners Manual

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-11
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Cover...............................................5-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-24
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-25
Engine Coolant.............................................5-28
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-30
Engine Overheating.......................................5-31Cooling System............................................5-33
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-39
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-40
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-41
Brakes........................................................5-42
Battery........................................................5-46
Jump Starting...............................................5-47
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-52
Rear Axle.......................................................5-53
Front Axle......................................................5-54
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-55
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-55
Headlamps..................................................5-55
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-59
Taillamps.....................................................5-60
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-61
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-62
Tires..............................................................5-63
In¯ation Ð Tire Pressure...............................5-64
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-64
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-66
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you don't
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
Checking Coolant
The engine coolant tank is
located in the engine
compartment on the
passenger's side at the
front. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-14
for more
information on location.The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at ADD, or a
little higher. When your engine is warm, the level
should be up to FULL HOT, or a little higher.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOLž
coolant mixtureat the coolant recovery tank.
{CAUTION:
Turning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. With the coolant recovery tank, you will
almost never have to add coolant at the
radiator. Never turn the radiator pressure
cap Ð even a little Ð when the engine and
radiator are hot.
5-29

Add coolant mixture at the recovery tank, but be careful
not to spill it.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.
Occasionally check the coolant level in the radiator. For
information on how to add coolant to the radiator,
see
Cooling System on page 5-33.
Radiator Pressure Cap
The radiator pressure cap
is located in the engine
compartment on the
passenger's side of the
vehicle.
Notice:Your radiator cap is a 15.6 psi (110 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed
to prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap
line up with the over¯ow tube on the radiator ®ller.
5-30

Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Engine Cooling Fan
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.The coolant level should
be at the ADD mark.
If it isn't, you may have a leak at the pressure cap or in
the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don't touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don't run the engine if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine ®re, and you could be burned.
Get any leak ®xed before you drive the vehicle.
5-33

If the overheat warning continues, there's one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant
mixture directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system is cool before you do it.
{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the radiator
pressure cap Ð even a little Ð they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and
radiator pressure cap to cool if you ever have
to turn the pressure cap.
5-36

How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
You can remove the
radiator pressure cap when
the cooling system,
including the radiator
pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
1. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until
it ®rst stops. (Don't press down while turning the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss
means there is still some pressure left.2. Then keep turning the
pressure cap, but now
push down as you
turn it. Remove
the pressure cap.
5-37

3. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOLž
coolant mixture, up to the base of the ®ller
neck. SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-28for more
information about the proper coolant mixture.4. Then ®ll the coolant recovery tank to the ADD mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank,
but leave the pressure cap off.
5-38

6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
7. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator
®ller neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper DEX-COOL
žcoolant mixture
through the ®ller neck until the level reaches
the base of the ®ller neck.
Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to ¯ow out of
the ®ller neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure
the arrow on the pressure cap lines up.
Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the clutch is not fully engaged. This improves
fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy
vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside
temperatures, the fan speed increases when the clutch
engages. So you may hear an increase in fan noise.
This is normal and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely
the cooling system functioning properly. The fan will
slow down when additional cooling is not required and
the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
5-39

93,000 Miles (155 000 km)
qChange engine oil and ®lter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).An Emission Control Service.
qLubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).(See footnote #.)
qCheck rear/front axle ¯uid level and add ¯uid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
96,000 Miles (160 000 km)
qChange engine oil and ®lter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).An Emission Control Service.
qLubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).(See footnote #.)
qCheck rear/front axle ¯uid level and add ¯uid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
qRotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-64for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote +.)
99,000 Miles (165 000 km)
qChange engine oil and ®lter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).An Emission Control Service.
qLubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).(See footnote #.)
qCheck rear/front axle ¯uid level and add ¯uid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
qInspect spark plug wires.An Emission Control
Service.
qReplace spark plugs.An Emission Control Service.
qIf you haven't used your vehicle under severe service
conditions listed previously and, therefore, haven't
changed your automatic transmission ¯uid, change
both the ¯uid and ®lter.
qChange transfer case ¯uid.
qInspect Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve.
An Emission Control Service.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
qDrain, ¯ush and re®ll cooling system (or every
60 months since last service, whichever occurs ®rst).
See
Engine Coolant on page 5-28for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap and neck. Pressure test cooling system and
pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
qInspect engine accessory drive belt.An Emission
Control Service.
6-17

97,500 Miles (162 500 km)
qChange engine oil and ®lter (or every 12 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).An Emission Control
Service.
qLubricate chassis components (or every 12 months,
whichever occurs ®rst).(See footnote #).
qCheck rear/front axle ¯uid level and add ¯uid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
qRotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-64for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote +).
100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
qInspect spark plug wires.An Emission Control
Service.
qReplace spark plugs.An Emission Control Service.
qIf you haven't used your vehicle under severe service
conditions listed previously and, therefore, haven't
changed your automatic transmission ¯uid, change
both the ¯uid and ®lter.
qChange transfer case ¯uid.
qInspect Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve.
An Emission Control Service.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
qDrain, ¯ush and re®ll cooling system (or every
60 months since last service, whichever occurs ®rst).
See
Engine Coolant on page 5-28for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap and neck. Pressure test the cooling system
and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
qInspect engine accessory drive belt.An Emission
Control Service.
6-25