engine overheat Acura Integra 2000 Sedan Owner's Manual

5-spee
d Manua l Transmissio n

The manual transmission is syn-
chronized in all forward gears for smooth operation. It has a lockout so
you cannot shift directly from Fifth
to Reverse. When shifting up or down, make sure you push the clutch
pedal down all the way, shift to the next gear, and let the pedal up
gradually. When you are not shifting, do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal. This can cause your clutch to
wear out faster. Come to a full stop before you shift
into Reverse. You can damage the transmission by trying to shift into
Reverse with the car moving. Push down the clutch pedal, and pause for
a few seconds before shifting into
Reverse, or shift into one of the
forward gears for a moment. This stops the gears so they won't "grind."
When slowing down, you can get extra braking from the engine by
shifting to a lower gear. This extra
braking can help you maintain a safe speed and prevent your brakes fromoverheating while going down a
steep hill. Before downshifting,
make sure engine speed will not go
into the tachometer's red zone in the
lower gear.

Drivin g
Rapid slowing or speeding-up

can cause loss of control on

slippery surfaces, if you crash,
you can be injured.

Use extra care when driving on

slippery surfaces.

Towin
g a Traile r
Drivin g Safel y Wit h a Traile r
The added weight, length, and height of a trailer will affect your
vehicle's handling and performance, so driving with a trailer requires
some special driving skills and

techniques.

For your safety and the safety of others, take time to practice driving
maneuvers before heading for the open road, and follow the guidelines

discussed below.

Towing Speeds and Gears
Driving slower than normal in all
driving situations, and obey posted speed limits for vehicles with trailers.
If you have automatic transmission,
use D4 position when towing a trailer
on level roads. D3 is the proper shift
lever position to use when towing a
trailer in hilly terrain. (See "Driving on Hills" in the next column for
additional gear information.)
Making Turns and Braking

Make turns more slowly and wider
than normal. The trailer tracks a smaller arc than your vehicle, and it
can hit or run over something the
vehicle misses. Allow more time and distance for braking. Do not brake or
turn suddenly as this could cause the
trailer to jackknife or turn over.

Driving on Hills

When climbing hills, closely watch your temperature gauge. If it nears the red mark, turn the air
conditioning off, reduce speed and, if necessary, pull to the side of the
road to let the engine cool.
If the automatic transmission shifts
frequently between 3rd and 4th gears while going up a hill, shift to
D3.
If you must stop when facing uphill,
use the foot brake or parking brake.
Do not try to hold the vehicle in
place by pressing on the accelerator, as this can cause the automatic
transmission to overheat.
When driving down hills, reduce
your speed and shift down to 2nd gear. Do not "ride" the brakes, andremember it will take longer to slowdown and stop when towing a trailer.

Driving

CONTINUED

Spar
k Plug s
4. Remove the spark plug with a five-eighths inch (16 mm) sparkplug socket.
5. Put the new spark plug into the socket; then screw it into the hole.
Screw it in by hand so you do not
crossthread it. 6. Torque the spark plug. (If you do
not have a torque wrench, tighten
the spark plug two-thirds of a turn after it contacts the cylinder head.)
Tightening torque:
13 lbf .
ft (18 N .
m,1.8 kgf .
m)

Tighten the spark plugs carefully. A
spark plug that is too loose can
overheat and damage the engine.Overtightening can cause damage to
the threads in the cylinder head.

7. Install the spark plug cap.
8. Repeat this procedure for the other three spark plugs.

(GS-R)

Reinstall the plug wire cover, and tighten the four nuts.

Maintenanc e
NOTIC
E

Takin
g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
This section covers the more- common problems that motoristsexperience with their vehicles. It
gives you information about how to safely evaluate the problem and what
to do to correct it. If the problem has stranded you on the side of the road,
you may be able to get going again. If not, you will also find instructionson getting your car towed. Compact Spare Tire....................... 220
Changing a Flat Tire..................... 221
If Your Engine Won't Start........... 226
Nothing Happens or theStarter Motor OperatesVery Slowly......................... 226
The Starter Operates Normally................................. 227
Jump Starting................................. 227
If Your Engine Overheats............. 229Low Oil Pressure Indicator.......... 231
Charging System Indicator........... 232
Malfunction Indicator Lamp........ 233
Brake System Indicator................ 234
Closing the Moonroof................... 235
Fuses............................................... 236 Checking and Replacing........... 237
Emergency Towing...................... 241

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a longsteep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge

pointer at the red mark can cause
serious damage to your engine.
Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or amechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or spray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road. Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake. Turn off the heating and cooling
system and all other accessories. Turn on the hazard warning
indicators. 2. If you see steam and/or spray
coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If
the high heat is due to overloading(climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for
example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
4. If the temperature gauge stays at the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the

hood.

CONTINUED

Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d

Steam and spray from an

overheated engine can

seriously scald you.

Do not open the hood if steam

is coming out.

NOTIC
E

I
f You r Engin e Overheat s
6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks,
such a
s a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot,
so use caution. If you find a leak, it must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergenc y
Towin g on page 241).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in theradiator reserve tank (see page 123). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have to
add coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer
reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy
cloth, turn the radiator cap

counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off.
10. Start, the engine and set the
temperature control lever tomaximum. Add coolant to the
radiator up to the base of the filler
neck. If you do not have the
proper coolant mixture available,
you can add plain water. Remember to have the cooling
system drained and refilled with
the proper mixture as soon as you

can.

11.Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engineneeds repair. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 241.)
12.If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on

tightly.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.

Always let the engine and radiator cool down before

removing the radiator cap.

Inde
x

Cold Weather, Starting in............. 133 Compact Spare............................... 220
Console Compartment.................... 85
Consumer Information *................ 256
Controls, Instruments and.............. 51

Coolant
Adding......................................... 172

Checking..................................... 123
Proper Solution.......................... 172
Replacing.................................... 174
Temperature Gauge.................... 58
Corrosion Protection..................... 216
Crankcase Emissions Control
System......................................... 252

Cruise Control Operation............... 66 Customer Relations Office........... 256
DANGER, Explanation of................. ii
Dashboard........................................ 52 Dead Battery, What to Do............ 227
Defects, Reporting Safety............. 258
Defog and Defrost........................... 96
Defogger, Rear Window................. 64
Defrosting the Windows................. 96 DEXRON
®
III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.................... 178
Dimensions..................................... 246
Dimming the Headlights................ 61
Dipstick Automatic Transmission........... 178

Engine Oil................................... 122

Directional Signals........................... 62
Disabled, Towing Your Car If...... 241

Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 141
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 171 Doors Locking and Unlocking............... 72
Open Indicator............................. 55
Power Door Locks....................... 72
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 248
Downshifting, 5-speed Manual Transmission.............................. 134
Driver and Passenger Safety............ 5 Drive Belts...................................... 191
Driving............................................ 131 Economy.....................................
124

In Ba
d Weather..........................

145

In Foreig

n Countries................. 251
Economy, Fuel............................... 124

Emergencies on the Road............. 219
Battery, Jump Starting.............. 227
Brake System Indicator............ 234
Changing a Flat Tire................. 221
Charging System Indicator ...... 232
Checking the Fuses................... 237
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 231
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 233
Manually Closing Moonroof.... 235 Overheated Engine................... 229
Emergency Brake............................ 82 Emergency Flashers....................... 64
Emissions Controls........................ 252
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 58
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp................................ 55, 233

Oil Pressure Indicator........ 54, 231
Oil, What Kind to Use............... 167
Overheating................................ 229
Specifications............................. 246
Speed Limit........................ 135, 138
CONTINUED

Inde
x

Maintenance
Required Indicator....................... 59
Safety........................................... 154
Schedule.............................. 156-162

Malfunction
Indicator Lamp. 55, 233
Manual

Transmission.................... 134
Manual Transmission Fluid ......... 179 Meters, Gauges................................ 57
Methanol in Gasoline.................... 250Mirrors,

Adjusting........................... 81

Moonroof.......................................... 80
Closing Manually....................... 235
Operation...................................... 80

Neutral Gear Position.................... 137

New Vehicle Break-in................... 118

Normal

Shift Speeds...................... 135

NOTICE, Explanation of.................... i

Numbers, Identification................ 244

Octane

Requirement, Gasoline.... 118

Odometer.......................................... 57
Odometer, Trip................................ 57

Oil
Change, How to......................... 170
Change, When to....................... 158
Checking Engine.......................
122
Pressure Indicator.............. 54, 231
Selecting Proper Viscosity Chart....................................... 169
ON (Ignition Key Position)............ 71
Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery..................................... 252
Opening the Hood......................... 120
Opening the Trunk.......................... 73
Operation in Foreign Countries... 251
Outside

Mirrors............................... 81
Overheating, Engine..................... 229
Park Gear Position......................... 137
Parking............................................ 140

Parking Brake.................................. 82

Parking Lights.................................. 61

Parking Over Things that Burn... 254

PGM-FI

System.............................. 253
Polishing and Waxing................... 213

Power

Doo

r Locks................................... 72

Mirrors.......................................... 81

Steering.......................................

181

Windows....................................... 79

Pre-Drive

Safety Checklist............. 11
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts.......... 19

Protecting Adults............................. 12
Additional
Safety Precautions.... 19
Advice for Pregnant Women...... 19
Protectin

g Children......................... 21
Protecting Infants........................ 29
Protecting Larger Children........ 37 Protecting Small Children.......... 33
Using

Child Seats with
Tethers...................................... 40
Radiator Overheating.................... 229
Radio/Cassett

e Sound System....... 98
Rear End Towing........................... 241
Rear

Lights, Bulb Replacement... 204
Rear Seat, Folding........................... 77
Rear View Mirror............................. 81