1997 Oldsmobile Aurora engine

What to Use I
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL@ is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result.
In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs
first. Damage caused by the use
of coolant other than DEX-COOL@ is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Use a mixture of one-half clean 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. A special procedure
is required for adding sealer; see the Aurora Service
Manual.
(To order a service manual, see “Service
Publications’’ in the Index.)
r =
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 DEX-COOL@ coolant.
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I
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 retailer check your cooling system.
I 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.
Checking Coolant
The engine coolant surge tank is located on the driver’s
side
of the engine compartment.
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- ~.

A CAUTION:
'hrning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn
you badly.
Never turn the surge tank pressure cap
-- even a
little
-- when the engine and radiator are hot.
When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the
FULL COLD mark or a little higher.
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If the message LOW ENGINE COOLANT is displayed
on your message center,
it means you’re low on
engine coolant.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL’
coolant mixture
at the surge tank, but only when the
engine is cool.
I A CAUTION: I
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 replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is tight.
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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Power Steering Fluid
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there
is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
How To Check Power Steering Fluid
When the engine compartment is cool, wipe the cap and
the top
of the reservoir clean, then unscrew the cap and
wipe the dipstick with a clean rag. Replace the cap and
completely tighten it. Then remove the cap again and
look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
The level should be at the
FULL COLD mark. If
necessary, add only enough fluid to bring the level up to
the mark.
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There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. The first
is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top ofi?’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on
the brake hydraulic system. When
your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on.
A chime will sound if you
try
to drive with this warning light on. See “Brake
System Warning Light”
in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 1 I @ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing
it. This will help keep
dirt from entering
the reservoir.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on the
engine. The fluid will burn
if the engine is hot
enough.
You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system. With the wronb -4nd
of fluid in your
brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.

NOTICE:
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Brake Wear
Your Aurora has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when
the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing on the brake pedal fiily).
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.

2. Release tension of the wing screw clamp on the air
intake duct where it attaches to the air cleaner cover
near the top of the engine.
Turn the wing screw
counterclockwise, then detach the hose
from the air
cleaner cover.
3. To remove the air cleaner cover, push the duct and
resonator assembly rearward and up, and hold them
out
of the way.
cover and tube.
4. Reverse the instructions to replace the air cleaner
Low-Beam Headlamp Bulbs
If you need to replace a headlamp bulb, do
the following:
1. Remove the two bolts and pull out the headlamp
assembly for more hand clearance.
2. Twist the bulb assembly one-sixth of a turn
counterclockwise and pull out the bulb assembly.
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