engine coolant Oldsmobile Achieva 1998 s User Guide

, ,- CAUTION:
~ Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
1 parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
l do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
1 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.
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 cooling fan is running.
If the
engine is overheating, the fan should be running.
If it
isn’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@ coolant 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.)
5-19

A CAUTION:
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 mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
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 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
I NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So
use the recommended coolant.
A CAUTION:
~
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.
5-21

3. Then fill the coolant surge tank with the proper
mixture, up
to FULL COLD, or just above the small
cylinder at the base
of the opening.
4. 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
cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more
of the proper mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches
FULL COLD, or just above
the small cylinder at the base of the opening.
5-23

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows
how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3
6-5
6-5
6-8
6-8
6-
12
6- 17
6-18
6-2 1
6-25
6-25
6-26
6-27
6-3
1
Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Thermostat Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid Brakes
Battery 6-32
6-3 6 6-36
6-44
6-45
6-47
6-48
6-5
1
6-52
6-52
6-57
6-58
6-58
6-59
6-59 Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper
Blade Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Appearance
Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts Vehicle Dimensions

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs.
To help avoid injury to you and others:
0 Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
0 Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in
a vehicle's trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling
is complete.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
A "P 3N:
&I - --
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
6-8

2.4L (CODE T) Engine
When you open the hood, you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Automatic Transaxle Dipstick
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
E Brake Fluid Reservoir
G. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
H. Air Cleaner
1. Battery

3100 (CODE M) Engine
When you open the hood, you’ll see:
I
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap D. Engine
Oil Dipstick
E. Automatic Transaxle Dipstick
F. Brake Fluid Reservoir
G. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
H. Air Cleaner
I. Battery
6-11

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck hnnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring
it to the proper level.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push
the dipstick back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant.
This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or
150,000 miles
(240 000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
B
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than The following explains your cooling system and how
one pint
(0.5 L). Don’t oveflZZ. to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
I 3 the Index.
NOTICE: A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Protect against rust and corrosion. Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-III
a Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (129 “C).
a Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Help keep the proper engine temperature. z
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
6-21

NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only
DEX-COOL’ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to the
system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs
first. Damage caused by the
use of coolant other than DEX-COOL’
is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL@ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum parts.
If you use this mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
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 mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture, With plain water or the wrong mixture,
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 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant,
6-22

NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can
freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your retailer check your cooling system.
I NOTICE: I
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located on the passenger’s side of the
engine compartment.
6-23