radiator OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1996 Owners Manual

wnen 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
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't
do anything else until it cools down.
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The coolant level should be at the ADD 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.
1 A CAUTION:
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 I
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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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
ADD 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.
I NOTICE:
r
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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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
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.
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
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
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.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as you
turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
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3. Fill the radiator with the proper mix, up to the base
of the filler neck. 4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the ADD mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off.
5-18
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6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine fan.
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.
7. By this time the coolant level inside the radiator
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during I
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.
5-19
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NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL
TM (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting
GM Specification 6277M.
If silicated coolant 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.
What
to Use
Use a mixture of one-half
clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets
GM Specification
6277M, which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture, you don’t need to add anything else.
A CAUl ,ON:
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 (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
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NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine
could overheat and be badly damaged. The repair
cost wouldn’t be covered by your warranty. Too
much water in the mix 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.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
imnrove the system. These can be harmful.
Checking Coolant
When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
ADD, or a little higher. When your engine is warm, the
level should be
up to FULL HOT, or a little higher.
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Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper mix at the
coolant recovery tank.
Add coolant mix at the recovery tank, but be careful not
to spill it.
'hrning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
With the coolant recovery tank, you will almost
never have to add coolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiator pressure cap
-- even a
little 0- when the engine and radiator are hot. 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.
I
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