1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

~
~~ WTICE:
.If your enghe'catches fire because
you keep driving with no coolant,
your vehicle can be badly damaged..
The costly repairs would not be
covered- by your warranty.
1 I

160
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the
hood, here’s what you’ll see:
(A) Coolant recovery tank
(€3) Radiator pressure cap
(C) Electric engine fans 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.

NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator,
heater core and other-parts. Use the
recommended coolant.

2. Then keep turning the pressure cap,
but now push down as you turn it.
Remove the pressure cap. 3. After the engine cools, open the
coolant air bleed valve or valves.
3100 V6 (VIN Code M): There are
two bleed valves. One is located on
the thermostat housing. The other is
located on the thermostat bypass
tube.
3.4L V6 (VIN Code X): There are
two bleed valves. They are located
on
the thermostat housing and heater
inlet pipe.
163

Problems on the Road
' 164
4. Fill the radiatot with the praper mix,
.up to the base of the filler neck. If
you see a stream af coolant coming
from. an air bleed valve, close the
valve. Otherwise.,
close. the valves
&er the radiator is filled.
5. Rinse or wip*e any spilled coolant
from the engine 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.
10. 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.
11. Check the coolant in the recovery
tank. The level in the coolant
recovery tanlc should be at the
HOT
mark when the engine is hot or at
the
COLD mark 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 traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a slid 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 a tire goes flat, the next section shows
how to use your jacking equipment to
change a flat tire safely.
165

Problems on the Road
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. 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 floor of
the trunk.
2. Turn the center retainer bolt on the
compact spare tire housing
countercloclmise to remove it, then
lift the tire cover.