1997 BUICK CENTURY engine coolant

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half dean 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.
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
50150 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine
could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost wouldn’t
be covered by your
warranty.
Too much water in the mix can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
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Checking Coolant
I
When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the
COLD mark or a little higher. When your engine is
warm, the level should
be up to the HOT mark or a
little higher. If
this light comes on,
it means you’re low on
engine coolant.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture at the coolnnt wcovev tank, but be
careful not to spill it.
If the coolant recovery tank is completely empty, add
coolant to the radiator. (See “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.)
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Radiator Pressure Cap
Turning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
With the coolant recovery tank, you will almost
never have to add coolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiator pressure cap
-- even a
little -- when the engine and radiator are hot.
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.
NOTICE:
Your radiator cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant
loss and possible engine damage
from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap
line up with the overflow tube
on the radiator
filler neck.
When you replace your radiator pressure cap, an
AC@
cap is recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches
a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC@ thermostat
is recommended.
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1 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 1
100,000 Miles (166 000 km) (Continued)
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, the fluid and filter do not
require changing.
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
Drain, flush and refill cooling system
(or every
60 months since last service,
whichever occurs first). See “Engine
Coolant”
in the Index for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser,
pressure cap and neck. Pressure test
cooling system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Sewice.
DATE SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
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I Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule
100,000 Miles (166 000 km) (Continued)
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any
of these colzditions, the fluid and filter do
not require changing.
I DATE I ACTUAL MILEAGE JSERVICED BY: I
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
0 Drain, flush and refill cooling system
(or every 60 months since last service,
whichever occurs first). See “Engine
Coolant’’ in the Index for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser,
pressure cap and neck. Pressure test
the cooling system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
I DATE I ACTUAL MILEAGE lSERVICED BY: I
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Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed below are owner checks and services which
should be performed at the intervals specified
to help
ensure the safety, dependability and emission control
performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part
D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
pegorm these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil
if necessary. See “Engine Oil” in the Index for
further details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOL@
coolant mixture
if necessary. See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the
windshield washer tank and add the proper fluid if
necessary. See “Windshield Washer
Fluid” in the Index
for further details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tires are inflated to the correct pressures.
See “Tires”
in the Index for further details.
Cassette Deck Service
Clean cassette deck. Cleaning should be done every
50 hours of tape play. See “Audio Systems” in the
Index for further details.
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Part D: Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants
NOTE: Fluids and lubricants identified below by name,
part number or specification may be obtained from your
GM dealer.
USAGE
Engine Oil
Engine Coolant
FLUID/LUBRICANT
Engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certified For
Gasoline Engines “Starburst”
symbol of the proper viscosity. To
determine the preferred viscosity
for your vehicle’s engine, see
“Engine Oil” in the Index.
50/50 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and use only
GM Goodwrench@ DEX-COOL@
or Havoline@ DEX-COOL@
coolant. See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index.
I USAGE I FLUIDLUBRICANT I
System Delco Supreme
11
@ Brake Fluid
(GM Part No. 12377967
or
equivalent DOT-3 brake fluid). 1
Power Steering
System GM
Power Steering Fluid (GM
Part No. 1052884
- 1 pint,
1050017
- 1 quart, or equivalent). 1
Transaxle
Key Lock
Cylinders
-
DEXRON@-I11 Automatic
Transmission Fluid.
Multi-Pu
ose lubricant,
Superlube
% (GM Part No.
1234624 1 or equivalent).
Windshield Washer Solvent GM
Optikleen@ Washer Solvent
(GM
Part No. 1051515)
or equivalent.
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Inside of Your Buick .......................... 6-45
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-48
Leather
..................................... 6-48
Outside of Your Buick
......................... 6-50
Special Problems
............................. 6-47
Stains
...................................... 6-46
Tires
....................................... 6-52
Vinyl ....................................... 6-47
Wheels
..................................... 6-51
Windshield and Wiper Blades
.................... 6-50
Clock. Setting the
............................... 3- 12
Comfort Controls
............................ 3- 1. 3.2
Compact Disc Care ............................. 3-36
Compact Disc Player
....................... 3.24. 3.30
Compact Disc Player Errors .................. 3.24. 3.30
Control. Lossof
................................ 4-13
Control
of a Vehicle .............................. 4-6
Convenience
Net ............................... 2-49
Convex Outside Mirror
.......................... 2-48
Coolant
....................................... 6-20
Bleedvalves
................................. 5-22
RecoveryTank
............................... 5719
Coolant Heater. Engine
.......................... 2-20
Cooling System
................................ 5-17
Courtesy Lamps
................................ 2-44
Courtesy Transportation
........................... 8-6
Cruise Control
................................. 2-37
Cruise Light
................................... 2-67
Compact Spare
Tire
............................. 5-37
Cupholders
.................................... 2-49
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone Users
......... 8-4
Customer Assistance Information
................... 8- 1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-2 Damage.
Finish
............................... 6-52
Damage. Sheet Metal
............................ 6-52
Daytime Running Lamps
......................... 2-42
Dead Battery
................................... 5-3
Defects. Reporting Safety
......................... 8-8
Defensive Driving
............................... 4-2
Defogger. Rear Window
......................... 3-11
Defogging ............................ 3-4.3.6. 3- 10
Defrosting ............................ 3.4.3.6. 3.10
Delayed Exit Lighting ........................... 2-45
Dimensions. Vehicle
............................ 6-63
Dolby@
B Noise Reduction ............. 3.18.3.21. 3.29
Dome Lamp Bulb Replacement
.................... 6-35
DoorLocks ..................................... 2-4
Door/Trunk Ajar Warning Light
................... 2-68
Driver Position
................................. 1 . IO
Driving
City
........................................ 4-19
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-3
Freeway
.................................... 4-20
InaBlizzard
................................. 4-26
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-5
IntheRain
.................................. 4-16
Night
...................................... 4-14
OnCurves
................................... 4-9
On Grades While Towing
a Trailer ............... 4-36
On Hill and Mountain Roads
.................... 4-22
On Snow or Ice
.............................. 4-25
WetRoads
.................................. 4-16
Winter
...................................... 4-24
With
a Trailer ................................ 4-34
Delayed Entry Lighting
.......................... 2-44
Through Deep Standing Water
................... 4-18
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