engine coolant PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1997 User Guide

The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD 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. 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 NOTICE: I
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 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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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 FULL COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@
(silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information.)
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 50/58
mix of clean water and DEX-COOL@ coolant.
r--- Adding only plain water to your cooling system 1 c NOTICE:
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some o’ther
liquid like alcohol,
can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix,
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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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.
L
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at 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 mix
directly to the radiator, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before you do it.
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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 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 like this.
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v Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Pontiac. 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
6-6
6-9
6-13
6-18
6-2 1
6-24
6-27
6-28
6-29
6-30
6-33
6-34
6-42
6-42
6-50 Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires
Appearance
Care
6-5 1
6-53
6-53
6-54
6-55
6-56
6-56
6-56
6-57 6-58
6-58
6-59
6-65
6-66
6-66
6-67
6-67
6-67 Cleaning the Inside
of
Your Pontiac
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning Glass Surfaces Cleaning the Outside of Your Pontiac
Cleaning Aluminum
or Chrome Wheels
Cleaning Tires Sheet Metal Damage
Finish Damage
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Engine Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Vehicle Dimensions
ProCarManuals.com

Checking Things Under the Hood
The following sections tell you how to check fluids,
lubricants and important underhood parts.
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.
A CAUTION:
F-
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.
ProCarManuals.com

3800 Series I1 Engine (L36 - Code K)
When you open the hood, you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Battery
C. Radiator Pressure Cap
D. Engine Oil Dipstick G. Brake Master Cylinder
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap H. Air Cleaner
E Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
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3800 Supercharged Engine (L67 - Code 1) (Option)
When you open the hood, you'll see:
A. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank D. Engine Oil Dipstick G. Brake Master Cylinder
B. Battery
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap H. Air Cleaner
C. Radiator Pressure Cap E Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
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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 funnel, add enough fluid ,. @e
dipstick hole to bring it to’ the proper level.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one
pint
(0.5 L). Don’t overjU.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label i,s
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
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-COOL6 extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have ;e problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the
Index.
A 50J50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 2685 “F (129 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Llet the warning lights and gages work as
8
they should.
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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. 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@ coolant.
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.
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