engine OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 2003 Manual Online

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
A. Radiator Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fans
C. Coolant Recovery Tank An electric
engine cooling far. -..-er 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. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
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The coolant level should be at or above the FULL COLD
mark. If it isn’t, you may have a leak at the pressure cap
or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the cooling system. 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.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see
if the electric engine cooling fans are running.
If the engine is overheating, both fans should be
running. If they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
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Notice: Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in the Index for information on driving to
a safe place in an emergency.
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.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at
or above the FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable waterand DEX-COOL@
engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. See Engine
Coolant on page
5-23 for more information.
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as 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.
Vn~lr en~ine mt1ld catch fire and YOU or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX
COOL@ coolant.
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Notice: In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
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 or
above the
FULL COLD mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant
mixture directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system
is cool before you do it.
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How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
Notice: Your engine has a specific radiator fill
procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could
cause your engine to overheat and be severely
damaged.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss
means there is still some pressure left.
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.)
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
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You can -_ burned if you sc-.. 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.
3. After the engine cools, open the coolant air bleed
valves.
4. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture, up to the base of the filler
neck. See
Engine Coolant on page 5-23 for more
information about the proper coolant mixture.
If you see a stream of coolant coming from an
air bleed valve, close the valve. Otherwise,
ciose tne vaives aiier ine radiaior
is iiiiea.
and the compartment.
5. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the engine
There are two bleed valves. One is located on the
thermostat housing. The other
is located OR the
thermostat bypass tube.
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6.
7.
Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fans.
By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more of the proper
DEX-COOL@ coolant mixture
through the filler neck until the level reaches
the base
of the filler neck. 8.
Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
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 with the
vent tube.
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9. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the FULL
COLD mark.
10. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is located to the right
of the windshield washer fluid reservoir, at the back
of the engine compartment.
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When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering fluid
unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise.
A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page
5- 72 for reservoir location.
How to Check Power Steering Fluid
Turn the key off , let the engine compartment cool down,
wipe the cap and the top
of the reservoir clean, then
unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
Replace the cap and completely tighten
it. Then remove
the cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
When the engine compartment is hot, the level should
be at the H (hot) mark. When it’s cold, the level
should be at the
C (cold) mark. If the fluid is at the
ADD mark, you should add fluid.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to use, see Part D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-16.
Always use the proper fluid. Failure to use the proper
fluid can cause leaks and damage hoses and
seals.
Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer fluid, be sure to read
the manufacturer’s instructions before use.
If you will
be operating your vehicle in an area where the
temperature may fall below freezing, use a fluid that
has sufficient protection against freezing. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on page
5-12 for reservoir
location.
Adding Washer Fluid
. --
PA
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until
the tank is full.
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Noiice:
a
a
a
When using concentrated washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer fluid tank and other parts of
the washer system.
Also, water doesn’t clean as
well as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only three-quarters full
when it’s very cold. This allows for expansion
if
freezing occurs, which could damage the tank if it is completely full.
Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze)
in your
windshield washer.
It can damage your washer
system and paint.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is filled with DOT-3
brake fluid. See Engine Compatfment Overview on
r n3np --a - 5-12 fnr the Incatinn nf the resewnir~
5-39