coolant DODGE VIPER 2008 ZB II / 2.G Owners Manual

INSTRUMENT PANEL FEATURES
1 Ð Air Outlet 7 Ð Speedometer/Odometer 13 Ð Climate Control
2 Ð Sound System Speaker 8 Ð Oil Pressure Gauge 14 Ð Engine Start Button
3 Ð Main Message Center 9 Ð Passenger Airbag Off Light 15 Ð Voltage Gauge
4 Ð Fuel Gauge 10 Ð Passenger Airbag 16Ð Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
5 Ð Auxiliary Message Center 11 Ð Glove Box 17Ð Engine Oil Temperature Gauge
6 Ð Tachometer 12 Ð Sound System Controls 18 Ð Trip ButtonUNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 95
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6000 RPM. This serves as a visual aid to shift before
reaching the red line. This warning will turn off when the
tachometer pointer falls below 5900 RPM. (See page 136
for more information.)
Coolant Temperature Gauge
This gauge shows the engine coolant tempera-
ture. The gauge pointer will likely show higher
temperatures when driving in hot weather, up
mountain grades, or in heavy stop and go
traffic. If the red warning Light turns on while driving,
safely bring the vehicle to a stop, and turn off the engine.
DO NOT operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
Engine Temperature Warning Light
The red Engine Temperature Warning Light is
located in the Coolant Temperature Gauge. It will
turn on to warn of an overheated engine condi-
tion. If this light turns on while driving, safely bring thevehicle to a stop and turn off the engine. DO NOT
operate the vehicle until the cause is corrected. (See page
176 for more information.)
Oil Temperature Gauge
This gauge shows the oil temperature. The
gauge pointer will likely show higher tempera-
tures when driving in hot weather, up moun-
tain grades, or in heavy stop and go traffic. If
the red warning light remains on after the bulb check or
turns on while driving, safely bring the vehicle to a
complete stop and turn off the engine. DO NOT operate
the vehicle until the cause is corrected.
Oil Pressure Gauge
This gauge shows engine oil pressure when the
engine is running. The pressure will vary with
engine speed, oil viscosity, and engine tem-
perature. Oil pressures will be higher as the
engine is warming up. The normal operating pressure is
104 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

Operating Tips
NOTE:Refer to the chart at the end of this section for
suggested control settings for various weather condi-
tions.
Summer Operation
The engine cooling system in air-conditioned vehicles
must be protected with a high-quality antifreeze coolant
to provide proper corrosion protection and to protect
against engine overheating. A 50% solution of ethylene
glycol antifreeze coolant in water is recommended. Refer
to ªMaintenance Proceduresº in Section 7 of this manual
for proper coolant selection.
Winter Operation
²
Use the Defrost mode to direct cold air away from the
occupants during engine warm-up in cold weather.
²The blower air will heat faster in cold weather if you
use only the low blower speeds for the first ten
minutes of vehicle operation.
²Use of the air Recirculation mode during winter
months is not recommended because it may cause
window fogging.
Vacation Storage
Anytime you store your vehicle, or keep it out of service
(i.e. vacation) for two weeks or more, run the air condi-
tioning system at idle for about five minutes in the fresh
air and high blower setting. This will insure adequate
system lubrication to minimize the possibility of com-
pressor damage when the system is started again.
126 UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL

driving. The noise may also be more noticeable when
the transmission is warm. This noise is normal and is
not an indication of a problem with your clutch or
transmission.
Recommended Shift Speeds
To use your manual transmission for fuel economy it
should be upshifted as listed below. Shift at the vehicle
speeds listed for acceleration. Earlier upshifts during
cruise conditions (relatively steady speeds) will result in
increased fuel economy, and may be used as indicated.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
RECOMMENDED SHIFT SPEEDS
1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6
MPH 15 25 40 45 50
(km/h) (24) (40) (64) (72) (80)
Higher upshift speeds may be used to obtain a desired
acceleration rate.
Skip Shift Indicator Light
There are times when you must shift the transmis-
sion directly from First gear to Fourth gear instead
of from First gear to Second gear. This is to help you get
the best possible fuel economy from your vehicle. This
occurs when engine coolant is higher than 106ÉF (41ÉC),
and vehicle speed is greater than 12 MPH but less than 20
MPH, and engine speed is less than 1322 RPM, and the
transmission is in 1st gear, and the accelerator is at 1/4
throttle or less. The Skip Shift Indicator Light located in
the tachometer will turn Amber during these times.
When the indicator light turns amber, the shift mecha-
nism will only allow shifts from First gear to Fourth gear.
After you shift the transmission to Fourth gear, you can
press the clutch in and shift to another forward gear.
Downshifting - Proper downshifting will improve fuel
economy and prolong engine life.
138 STARTING AND OPERATING

²In city traffic ÐWhile moving, shift into the highest
gear possible to reduce engine RPM.
NOTE:There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition. If your air conditioner
is on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the cooling system and turning off the A/C removes this
heat. You can also turn the Temperature control to
maximum heat, the Mode control to floor, and the fan
control to High. This allows the heater core to act as a
supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the cooling system.WARNING!
A hot cooling system is dangerous. You or others could
be badly burned by steam or boiling coolant. If your
temperature gauge pointer is in the red area, turn off
the engine immediately. You may want to call a service
center for service. If you decide to look under the hood
yourself, see Section 7 of this manual. Follow the
warnings under the Radiator Cap paragraph.
TIREFIT KIT
Small punctures in the tire tread can be sealed with
TIREFIT. Foreign objects (e.g., screws or nails) should not
be removed from the tire. TIREFIT can be used in outside
temperatures down to approximately -4ÉF (-20ÉC).
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 177
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Cooling System
WARNING!
²When working near the radiator cooling fans,
disconnect each fan motor lead or turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position. The fans are tempera-
ture controlled and can start any time the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
²You or others can be badly burned by hot coolant
or steam from your radiator. If you see or hear
steam coming from under the hood, don't open the
hood until the radiator has had time to cool. Never
try to open a cooling system pressure cap when the
radiator is hot.
Coolant Checks
Check engine coolant (antifreeze) protection every 12
months (before the onset of freezing weather, where
applicable). If coolant is dirty or rusty in appearance, the
system should be drained, flushed, and refilled with
fresh coolant. Check the front of the A/C condenser/
radiator for any accumulation of bugs, leaves, etc. If dirty,
clean by gently spraying water from a garden hose
vertically down the face of the condenser/radiator.
Check the coolant recovery bottle tubing for brittle rub-
ber, cracking, tears, cuts, and tightness of the connection
at the bottle and radiator. Inspect the entire system for
leaks.
With the engine at normal operating temperature (but
not running), check the cooling system pressure cap for
proper vacuum sealing by draining a small amount of
coolant from the radiator drain cock. If the cap is sealing
properly, the engine coolant (antifreeze) will begin to
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 219
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drain from the coolant recovery bottle. DO NOT RE-
MOVE THE COOLANT PRESSURE CAP WHEN THE
COOLING SYSTEM IS HOT.
Cooling System Ð Drain, Flush, and Refill
The system should be drained, flushed, and refilled at the
intervals shown on the ªMaintenance Schedulesº in this
manual.
If the solution is dirty or contains a considerable amount
of sediment, clean and flush with a reliable cooling
system cleaner. Follow with a thorough rinsing to remove
all deposits and chemicals. Properly dispose of old
antifreeze solution.
Selection Of Coolant
Use only the manufacturer's recommended coolant. Re-
fer to ªFluids, Lubricants, and Genuine Partsº for the
correct coolant type.
CAUTION!
²Mixing of coolants other than specified HOAT
engine coolants, may result in engine damage and
may decrease corrosion protection. If a non-HOAT
coolant is introduced into the cooling system in an
emergency, it should be replaced with the speci-
fied coolant as soon as possible.
²Do not use plain water alone or alcohol-base
engine coolant (antifreeze) products. Do not use
additional rust inhibitors or antirust products, as
they may not be compatible with the radiator
engine coolant and may plug the radiator.
²This vehicle has not been designed for use with
Propylene Glycol based coolants. Use of Propy-
lene Glycol based coolants is not recommended.
220 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

Adding Coolant
Your vehicle has been built with an improved engine
coolant that allows extended maintenance intervals. This
coolant can be used up to 5 Years or 100,000 miles (160
000 km) before replacement. To prevent reducing this
extended maintenance period, it is important that you
use the same coolant throughout the life of your vehicle.
Please review these recommendations for using Hybrid
Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) coolant.
When adding coolant:
²The manufacturer recommends using Mopart
Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/100,000 Mile Formula
HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technology).
²Mix a minimum solution of 50% HOAT engine coolant
and distilled water. Use higher concentrations (not to
exceed 70%) if temperatures below234ÉF (237ÉC) are
anticipated.
²Use only high purity water such as distilled or deion-
ized water when mixing the water/engine coolant
solution. The use of lower quality water will reduce
the amount of corrosion protection in the engine
cooling system.
Please note that it is the owner's responsibility to main-
tain the proper level of protection against freezing ac-
cording to the temperatures occurring in the area where
the vehicle is operated.
NOTE:Mixing coolant types will decrease the life of the
engine coolant and will require more frequent coolant
changes.
Cooling System Pressure Cap
The cap must be fully tightened to prevent loss of
coolant, and to insure that coolant will return to the
radiator from the coolant recovery bottle.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 221
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The cap should be inspected and cleaned if there is any
accumulation of foreign material on the sealing surfaces.
WARNING!
²The warning words ªDO NOT OPEN HOTº on
the cooling system pressure cap are a safety pre-
caution. Never add coolant when the engine is
overheated. Do not loosen or remove the cap to
cool an overheated engine. Heat causes pressure to
build up in the cooling system. To prevent scald-
ing or injury, do not remove the pressure cap while
the system is hot or under pressure.
²Do not use a pressure cap other than the one
specified for your vehicle. Personal injury or en-
gine damage may result.
Disposal of Used Coolant
Used ethylene glycol based engine coolant is a regulated
substance requiring proper disposal. Check with your
local authorities to determine the disposal rules for your
community. To prevent ingestion by animals or children,
do not store ethylene glycol based engine coolant in open
containers or allow it to remain in puddles on the
ground. If ingested by a child, contact a physician
immediately. Clean up any ground spills immediately.
Coolant Level
The coolant bottle provides a quick visual method for
determining that the coolant level is adequate. With the
engine idling, and warm to normal operating tempera-
ture, the level of the coolant in the bottle should be
between the ranges indicated on the bottle.
The radiator normally remains completely full, so there is
no need to remove the radiator cap unless checking for
coolant freeze point or replacing coolant. Advise your
222 MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE

service attendant of this. As long as the engine operating
temperature is satisfactory, the coolant bottle need only
be checked once a month.
When additional coolant is needed to maintain the
proper level, it should be added to the coolant bottle. Do
not overfill.
Points to Remember
NOTE:When the vehicle is stopped after a few miles (a
few kilometers) of operation, you may observe vapor
coming from the front of the engine compartment. This is
normally a result of moisture from rain, snow, or high
humidity accumulating on the radiator and being vapor-
ized when the thermostat opens, allowing hot coolant to
enter the radiator.
If an examination of your engine compartment shows no
evidence of radiator or hose leaks, the vehicle may be
safely driven. The vapor will soon dissipate.
²Do not overfill the coolant recovery bottle.
²Check coolant freeze point in the coolant bottle. If
antifreeze needs to be added, contents of the coolant
bottle also must be protected against freezing.
²If frequent coolant additions are required, or if the
level in the coolant recovery bottle does not drop when
the engine cools, the cooling system should be pres-
sure tested for leaks.
²Maintain coolant concentration at 50% HOAT engine
coolant (minimum) and distilled water for proper
corrosion protection of your engine, which contains
aluminum components.
²Make sure that the radiator and coolant recovery
bottle overflow hoses are not kinked or obstructed.
²Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean, also.
MAINTAINING YOUR VEHICLE 223
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