engine BUICK REGAL 1996 Workshop Manual

If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
The coolant level should be at or above the COLD mark. If it
isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the cooling system.
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
fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see
if the electric engine fans are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at the COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information.)
I
Adding only plain water to your cooling system ‘
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant
mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant
mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
.Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
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c
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.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system
is
cool before you do it.
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
CAUTION: (Continued) I
pressure cap -- even a little -- 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.
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How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
NOTICE:
Your engine has a specific radiator fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure could cause your
engine
to overheat and be severely damaged.
1. You can remove the
radiator pressure cap
when the cooling
‘
system, including the
radiator pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is
no longer hot. Turn the
pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until it
first stops. (Don’t press
down while turning the
pressure cap.)
h
2. Then keep turning the
pressure cap, but now
push down as you
turn it. Remove the
pressure cap.
AUTION:
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.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
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3. After the engine cools, open the coolant air bleed
valve
or valves.
3.1L
V6 (VIN Code M): There are two bleed valves.
One
is located on the thermostat housing. The other is
located on the thermostat bypass tube.
3.8L V6 (VIN Code K):
There is one bleed valve. It
is located on the thermostat
housing.
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... ".
Fill the radiator with the
proper mix, up to the
base of the filler neck.
If you see a stream of
coolant coming from an
air bleed valve, close
the
valve. Otherwise, close
the valve(s) after
radiator is filled.
5. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the
engine compartment. the
6. Then fill the coolant recovery tank
to the
COLD mark.
7. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off.
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8. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
,.upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine fans.
filler neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mix through the filler neck until
the level reaches
the base of the filler neck.
9. By this time the coolant level inside the radiator
10. Then replace the
pressure cap. At any
time during this
procedure if coolant
begins to
flow out of
the filler neck, reinstall
the pressure cap. Be
sure the
arrows on the
pressure cap line up
like this.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level in
the coolant recovery tank should be at the
HOT
mark when the engine is hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine is cold.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if
you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane. .
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In
any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
I
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other,
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
L
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
,
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of you%
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get it Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as
little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle
is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
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Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher.
At a minimum, it should meet specifications ASTM
D4814
in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93 in Canada.
Improved gasoline specifications have been developed by
the American Automobile Manufacturers Association
(AAMA) for better vehicle performance and engine
protection. Gasolines meeting the
AAMA specification
could provide improved driveability and emission control
system protection compared to other gasolines.
Be sure
the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough,
it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at
87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t
have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem. If
your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated
on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California specifications. If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle will
operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal specifications, but emission control system pexformance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on your
instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle may
fail
a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Buick dealer for diagnosis to determine the cause of
failure. In the event
it is determined that the cause of the
condition is
the type of fuels used, repairs may not be
covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane enhancing
additive called MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this happens, return to your
authorized Buick dealer for service.
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