engine coolant CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN 1995 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights:
Engine Coolant
Temperature System
I I
Fue
I
I II
Brake 4 - Wheel
(Digital Cluster)
Anti - Lock
(Digital Cluster)
Here are some other symbols you may see:
Fuse Lighter
Horn Engine
Oil
Pressure
I
Speaker
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
1. Engine Coolant Heater Strap
2. Engine Coolant
Heater Cap
In very cold weather, 0" F (-1 8 O C) or colder, the engine coolant heater can
help. You'll get easier starting and better fuel economy during engine
warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum
of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt outlet.
NOTICE:
After you've used the coolant heater, be sure to store the co\
rd as
it was before to keep it away from moving engine parts. If you
don't, it could be damaged.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged in? The answer
depends
on the weather, the kind of oil you have, and some other things.
Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact your GM
dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle. The dealer can give
you the best advice for that particular area.
Automatic Transmission
There are several
different positions for
your shift lever.
0 PARK (P) -This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best position to use
when you start your engine because your vehicle can’t move easily.
A CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not I
fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake firmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is running unless you
have to.
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, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever to PARK
(P). I
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If you’re pulling a
trailer,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Englne Coolant Temperature Gage
Standard Cluster Digital Cluster
If you have the standard cluster, you have a gage that shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the gage pointer moves to the
“H” (red) side, your
engine is
too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you have been
operating your vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should pull off
the road, stop your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
If you have
a digital cluster, a box around the temperature symbol will also
flash when your engine is too hot.
In “Problems on
the Road,” this manual explains what to do. See “Engine
Overheating”
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine BLEND - With this setting, the heated outside air comes out both the
heater
vents and defroster vents, with some air coming through the side
window vents. Adjust the temperature lever
for warmer or cooler air. This
setting
is useful for cold weather with a large number of passengers or very
humid conditions
to help keep the windshield clear. The A/C compressor
may operate in this setting
to dehumidify the air.
HTR (Heater)
- Most of the air comes out near the floor. The rest comes
out from the defroster vents under the windshield and at the front side
windows. This
is best for cold weather.
VENT
- The air comes out at the vents on your instrument panel. The air
conditioner will not run. Adjust the temperature lever for warmer or cooler air.
BI-LEV A/C - With this, outside air comes out through the heater floor
vent and the instrument panel vents. If you move your temperature control
lever between cold and hot, cooler air
will come out of the upper vents
while warmer air comes
out of the floor vent. This setting is useful in cool
weather with bright sunlight.
NORM A/C - This setting cools the outside air. If you first used MAX
A/C, use NORM A/C
as soon as the vehicle has cooled down, so outside air
will be going through your vehicle.
MAX A/C -This cools the air the fastest. Move
the other lever all the way to
Cold. MAX A/C lets in only a little air from the outside. You can use MAX A/C
at first when
it's really hot outside and you need to cool off quickly.
When
the air conditioning, defrost or BLEND is on, you may notice a slight
increase or decrease in engine speed, due
to compressor operation.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
If you use the optional engine coolant heater before starting your engine,
your heating system will produce warmer air faster to heat the passenger
compartment
in cold weather. See "Engine Coolant Heater" in the Index.
Rear Heater (Option)
You may have the
optional rear heater.
The three speed fan
switch is above the
radio. Slide
the lever
toward
HI for warmer
air in the rear area.
Move the switch to
OFF to turn the
system off.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 0
0
0
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.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine
coolant mix is correct.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle.
4-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
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.
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 PARK (P) yet. Turn your
wheels into the curb when facing downhill and away from the curb
when facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
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 shift to
5. Release the regular brakes.
PARK (P).
When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
If Steam Is Corning From Your Engine
-
8
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep driving with no
coolant, your vehicle can be badly damaged. The costly repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 fan
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
ADD. 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.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine without coolant isn’t \
covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See if the fan speed
increases when idle speed is doubled
by pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn’t, your vehicle needs service. Turn off the engine.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level isn’t at ADD , add
a
50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and a proper antifreeze
at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index
for more
information about the proper coolant mix.)
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the engine, radiat\
or,
heater core and other parts. Use the recommended coolant.
I I
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at ADD , 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.
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