1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the
hood, here’s what you’ll see:
(A) Coolant recovery tank
(B) Radiator pressure cap
(C) Electric engine fan
If the coolant inside the coolant
recovery tank is boiling, don’t do
anything else until it cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above
the
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.
I
- 1
CAUTION I
Heater and radiator hoses,
and other engine parts, can
1;, ;cry 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
I
you drive the vehicle.
I
If there seems to be no leak, check to
see
if the electric engine 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
Recovery
Tank:
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but
the coolant level isn’t at or above
COLD, add a
50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper
antifreeze at the coolant recovery
tank.
(See the Index under Engine Coolant
for more information abaut the proper
coolant
mix.)
199

Problems on the Road
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 a proper antifreeze.
I
200
You can be burned if you
spill coolant on hot engine
-I.& Coolant contains ethylene
pdrts are hot enough. Don't spill
ycol
and it will burn if the engine
I I coolant on a hot engine.
When the coolant
in the coolant
recovery tank is at or above
COLD,
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.
1
1
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.
1

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 to
the left 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.
You can be burned if you
spill coolant on hot engine
,&s. Coolant contains ethylene
glycol and it will burn
if the engine
~ I parts are hot enough. Don’t spill
coolant on
a hot --~ 3ine.
I
1
201

Problems on the Road
202
Engine Overheating (CONTJ
3. After the engine cools, open the
coolant air bleed valve or valves.
3.1L V6 (VIN Code T or M): There
are two bleed valves. They are located
on the thermostat housing and the
thermostat bypass tube.
3.4L V6 (VIN Code X): There are
two bleed valves. They are located on
the thermostat housing and the
heater inlet pipe. 4. Fill the radiator with the proper mix,
up to the base of the filler neck.
If you see a stream of coolant coming
from
an air bleed valve, close the valve.
Otherwise, close the valve(s) after the
radiator is filled.
5. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant
from the engine and compartment.

6. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to
the COLD mark. 7. Put the cap back on the coolant
recovery tank, but leave the radiator
pressure cap
off.
8. Start the engine and let it run until
you can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. Watch out for the engine
fans.
9. By this time, the coolant level inside
the radiator 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.
203

204
Problems on the Road
Engine Overheating (cow.)
IO. Then replace the pressure cap. Be
sure the
arrows on the pressure cap
line up like this.
1 1. Check the coolant recovery tank.
The coolant level should be at
HOT
when the engine is hot and at
COLD when the engine is cold.
Ifa Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to (‘blow out’’
while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to
leak out slowly. But
if you should ever
have a “blowout,” here are a few tips
about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will
create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and
grip the steering
wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane
position, then gently brake to a stop
well out of the trafEic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a skid.
In any rear blowout, remove your foot
from the accelerator pedal. Get the
vehicle under control by steering the
way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the
next section
shows how to use your jacking
equipment to change a flat tire safely.

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to a level
place. Turn on
your hazard warning flashers.
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move, you can put chocks at the
front and rear of the tire farthest away
from the one being changed. That would
! the tire on the other side of the vehicle. at the omosite end.
c& ..:
The following steps will tell you how to
use the jack and change a tire.
The equipment you'll need is
in the
trunk.
1. Pull the carpeting from the Boor of
the trunk.
2. Turn the center retainer bolt on the
compact spare tire housing
countercloclwise to remove it, then
lift
the^ tire cover.
205

Problems on the Road
206
Changing a Flat Tire ~CONT.)
3. Twn the wheel wrench retainer nut
located under the tire cover
counterclockwise to remove the
wheel
wrench.
4. Remove the wing nut securing the
compact spare tire
and spacer by
turning
it counterclockwise. Then lift
off the spacer and remove the spare
tire.
5. Remove the bolt securing the jack by
turning
it counterclockwise, Then
remove the jack.