engine CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1997 Service Manual

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch
of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires
on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush of
the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in
less
than a second,
and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving, Scan the road ahead
and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If
you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take
a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
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Hill and Mountain Roads If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See “Off-Road
Driving” in the Index for information about driving
off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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A CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope.
’ A CAUTION:
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Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle
in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples
are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area
or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
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Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps
the
battery (or batteries) charged. You will need a
well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the vehicle,
and possibly for signaling later on with your headlamps.
Let the heater
run for awhile.
If you have a diesel engine,
you may have to run it at a
higher speed to get enough heat. Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only
when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you
can. To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal,
not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh less than the capacity stamped on your step
bumper. You should always use a sway control if
your trailer will weigh more than the capacity
stamped on your step bumper. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts at
full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow
in OVERDRIVE
(@). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD
(3) or, if necessary, a lower
gear selection
if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions). Three important
considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
0 and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how
you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
Use the following chart to determine how much your vehicle
can weigh, based upon your vehicle model and options.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming the
driver and
one passenger are in the tow vehicle and it
has all the required trailering equipment. The weight
of
additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum
trailer weight.
Above the
2,000 lbs. (908 kg) trailer rating, the engine
oil cooler is required on
C/K-1500 and C/K-2500
models. Refer to the Trailering Guide for oil
cooler recommendations.
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Vehicle
C-1500 (2WD) Utility
K- 1500 (4WD) Utility
C- 1500 (2WD) Suburban
K- 1500 (4WD) Suburban
Engine
5.7L
5.7L
6.5L Diesel
5.7L
6.5L Diesel
5.7L
6.5L Diesel
Axle Ratio
3.08
3.42 3.73
3.42
3.73
3.42 3.73
3.42
3.73
3.42
3.42
3.73 3.42
Max. Trailer Wt.
5,000 lbs. (2 270 kg)
6,000 lbs. (2 724 kg)
7,000 lbs. (3 178 kg)
5,500 lbs. (2 497 kg)
6,500
lbs. (2 951 kg)
6,000 lbs. (2 724 kg)
7,000 lbs. (3 178 kg)
5,500 lbs. (2 497 kg)
6,500 lbs. (2 951 kg)
5,500 lbs. (2 497 kg)
5,000 lbs. (2 270 kg)
6,000 lbs. (2 724 kg)
5,000 lbs. (2 270 kg)
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Vehicle
C-2500 (2WD) Suburban
K-2500 (4WD) Suburban
Engine
5.7L
6.5L Diesel
7.4L 5.7L
6.5L Diesel
7.4L
Axle Ratio
3.73
4.10 3.73
4.10
3.73
4.10
4.10
3.73
4.10
3.73
4.10
Max. Trailer Wt.
6,000 lbs. (2 724 kg)
7,500 lbs. (3 405 kg)
6,500 lbs. (2 951 kg)
8,000 lbs. (3 632 kg)
8,500 lbs. (3 859 kg)
10,000 lbs. (4 540 kg)
7,000 lbs. (3 178 kg)
6,000 lbs. (2 724 kg)
7,500 lbs. (3 405 kg)
8,000 lbs. (3 632 kg)
10,000 lbs. (4 540 kg)
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Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 Ibs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Your trailer brake system can tap into the vehicle’s
hydraulic brake system only if:
The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi
(20 650 kPa) of pressure.
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s
master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems
won’t work well. You could even lose your brakes.
The trailer’s brake system will use less than
If everything checks out this far, make the brake tap at
the
port on the master cylinder that sends the fluid to the
rear brakes. But don’t use copper tubing for this. If you
do, it will bend and finally break off. Use steel
brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull
a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle.
You can’t see
or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness or
death. (See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.)
To
maximize your safety when towing a trailer:
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Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting
on your trip.
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through
a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use the
recirculation button
or MAX because it
only recirculates the air inside your vehicle.
(See “Comfort Controls”
in the Index.)
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Making ’hms
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have
to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 kmh) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow
in
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0). You may want to
shift the transmission to THIRD
(3) or, if necessary, a
lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar
to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK
(P) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get the
overheat warning, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached,
on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
PARK
(P) yet.
3. When
the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P).
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be
sure the transfer case
is in a drive gear -- not in
NEUTRAL (N).
6. Release the regular brakes.
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It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer
case is in
NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will be free
to roll, even if your shift lever is in
PARK (P). So,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear -- not
in
NEUTRAL (N).
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