CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1996 Owners Manual

Cooling System - Diesel Engines
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what you’ll see:
A. Coolant surge tank pressure cap
B. Engine fan(s)
C. Radiator
If the coolant inside the coolant surge 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
1 or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
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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.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank
NOTICE:
The diesel engine has a specific coolant fill procedure. Failur\
e to
follow this procedure could cause your engine to overheat and \
be
severely damaged.
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 a proper
antifreeze at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool before you do it. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information about the proper
coolant mix.)
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NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the engine, radiat\
or,
heater core and other parts.
So use the recommended coolant.
1. You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant surge tank pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly to the left
until
it first 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.
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2. Then keep
turning the cap,
but now push
down
as you turn
it. Remove the
pressure cap.
3. After the engine
cools, open the
air bleed valve on
the thermostat
housing.
4. Fill with the proper mix. Add coolant until you see a steady stream of
5. Close the bleed valve. coolant coming
from the bleed valve.
6. Rinse or wipe the spilled coolant from the engine and compartment.
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7. Then fill the coolant
surge
tank with the
proper mix, up to
the COLD mark.
8. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the engine and let it
run until you can feel the upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for
the engine fan(s).
By this time, the coolant level inside
the coolant surge tank may be
lower. If the level is lower, add more of the proper mix to the coolant
surge tank until the level reaches the
COLD mark.
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h
9. Then replace the
pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows
on the pressure
cap line up like
this.
Engine Fan Noise
Your 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 every day
driving conditions the fan
is spinning slower and 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 as the clutch more
fully 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 partially disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the engine. It will go away
as the fan clutch partially disengages.
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, 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.
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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.
A. Flat Tire
B . Blocked Tire
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and change a tire.
The equipment you’ll need is located in the rear cargo area. You’ll also find
your spare tire there.
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Spare Tire - ZDoor Utility Model and Suburban
I
c
I
First open the tire cover, if you have one. Turn the wing nut
counterclockwise and take it, and the adapter,
off the bolt. Take the tire out
of the vehicle and remove the tire cover.
Spare Tire - &Door Utility Model
Your vehicle’s spare tire is stowed under the vehicle in an underbody carrier.
The removal
of the spare tire is covered later in this part.
Jack and Jacking Tool Storage - 2-Door Utility Model
If your 2-door utility model has a jack cover, turn the wing nut
counterclockwise and take the cover off.
To take the jack out, turn the wing nut counterclockwise and take it and the
retainer
off. Take the jack and storage box out and take the tools out of the box.
Your vehicle may have a pair
of emergency gloves secured to the jack. You
can use them when changing the tire,
or during other emergency situations.
Remember
to replace them with the jack, so you will have them handy if
needed later.
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Jack and Jacking Tool Storage - &Door Utility Model
To open the jack cover on 4-dOOr utility models, push the cover latches
down and remove the cover.
To take the jack out, turn the wing-head bolt counterclockwise and take it and the
retainer
off. Take the jack and storage box out and take the tools out of the box.
Your vehicle may have a pair of emergency gloves secured to the jack. You
can use them when changing the tire, or during other emergency situations.
Remember
to replace them with the jack, so you will have them handy if
needed later.
Jack and Jacking Tool Storage - Suburban
If your Suburban has a jack cover, lift the tab up to release the cover, then
take it
off.
To
take the jack out, turn the wing nut counterclockwise and take it and the
retainer
off. Take the jack and storage box out and take the tools out of the box.
Your vehicle may have a pair
of emergency gloves secured to the jack. You
can use them when changing the tire, or during other emergency situations.
Remember to replace them with the jack,
so you will have them handy if
needed later.
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