1997 CHEVROLET CAMARO engine overheat

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Temperature Gage

1
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into
the red area, your engine
is approaching an
overheating condition.
Low Coolant Light (V8 Engine)
This warning light should
come on briefly while
you
are starting your engine. If
the light doesn’t come on,
m
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the road as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road” this section shows what
to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index. Your
Camaro is equipped with a
LOW COOLANT
indicator that is designed to detect when the coolant
level drops below the set limit.
If the low coolant level
sensor (on the radiator) detects that the level drops while
the engine is running, the
LOW COOLANT indicator
will light and remain lit until the ignition switch is
turned to the
OFF position. Check the coolant level and
add coolant as needed.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The LOW COOLANT light might stay on after filling
the radiator. Turn the ignition switch to the
OFF
position, then restart the engine to verify that the LOW
COOLANT light goes out. See “Engine Coolant’’ in
the Index.
NOTICE:
Driving with the LOW COOLANT light on could
cause your Chevrolet to overheat. See “Engine
Overheating” in the Index. Your Chevrolet
could be damaged, and it wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Your Chevrolet is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD
I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce
a cleaner
environment. (In Canada,
OBD I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.)
The SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system
is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making firns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t
strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
%rn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Chevrolet dealer. The green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop. When
towing
a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you
start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to
use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed
to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If
you are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with overdrive,
you may prefer to drive in
DRIVE
(D) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear). Or, if you have a
manual transmission with FIFTH (5) or SIXTH (6) gear
and
you are towing a trailer it is better not to use
FIFTH
(5) or SIXTH (6) gear. Just drive in FOURTH
(4) gear (FIFTH (5) gear if you have a six-speed manual
transmission) (or, as
you need to, a lower gear).
4-38

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-8
5-14
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating 5-28
5-29
5 -40
5-4 1
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 'Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Chevrolet's instrument panel. You may also find a LOW
COOLANT warning light on your Chevrolet's
instrument panel.
(V8 Engine Only)
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
t A
/! CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn
it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine
if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I NOTICE:
~~ ~
If your engine 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.
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get
a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If
you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open
the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a) or
DRIVE (D) for automatic transmissions.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked,
to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone out
of the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not
to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When it is cool, remove the coolant recovery tank cap
and look at the dipstick.
The coolant level should be
at FULL COLD.
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.
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 fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
5-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at FULL COLD, 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.)
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 mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
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 mix.
5-18