engine coolant PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1998 User Guide

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
: CA
L
A CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling 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.
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Electric Engine Fans
5-17

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.
A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts,
can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you coul 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 fied 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 fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If
they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
5-18

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@
engine coolant at the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information.)
I 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.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
5-19

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.
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
mixture directly
to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system .. is cool before you do it.
5-20

3. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture, up to the base
of the filler neck.
(See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for more
information about the proper coolant mixture.)
4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the FULL
COLD mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure
cap off.
5-23

6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fans.
7. 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.
5-24

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
6-6
6-9
6-9
6-13
6- 17
6-20
6-23
6-26
6-26
6-27
6-28
6-32
6-32
6-40
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
Radiator Pressure Cap
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6-4 1
6-49
6-49
6-5
1
6-52
6-54
6-54
6-56
6-57
6-58
6-64
6-65
6-65 6-66
6-66
6-66
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Sheet Metal Damage
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Engine Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement
Parts
Vehicle Dimensions
6-1

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
I
1 A CAUTION: I
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:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
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 ring
is complete.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
The following sections tell you how to check fluids,
lubricants and important underhood parts.
A CAUTION:
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.
A CAUTION:
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.
I
6-9

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
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E Automatic Transaxle
Fluid Dipstick
G. Brake Master Cylinder
H. Air Cleaner
I. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
6-11

3800 Supercharged Engine (L67 - Code 1) (If Equipped)
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 I. Windshield Washer
Fluid Dipstick Fluid Reservoir