1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC Owners Manual

Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
3100 Engine
3800 and 3800 Supercharged Engine
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Electric Engine Fans
C. Radiator Pressure Cap
5-15
ProCarManuals.com

I
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing
and tools away from
any underhood electric 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
on the overflow hose in the coolant recovery bottle. To
check the coolant level remove the cap on the coolant
recovery bottle. Make sure to check that the coolant
level is up to the
COLD fill level on the hose attached to
the cap.
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, a i 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.
5-16
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
_I
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fans are running.
If the engine
is overheating and the key
is on, both fans should be
running. If they aren’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 the
COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL
antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index for more information.)
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 antifreeze.
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.
ProCarManuals.com

You can b’e 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 the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
COLD mark, 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.
5-18
ProCarManuals.com

Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system 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.
--:. 5-19
-. . . .. .. .A , ProCarManuals.com

How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
NOTICE:
Your engine has a specific radiator fill procedure.
Failure to
follow this procedure could cause your
engine to overheat
and be severely damaged.
hose, is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise 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 pressureleft.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down
as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
1. You can remove the pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the pressure
cap and upper radiator
5-20
ProCarManuals.com

[ON:
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.
3. After the engine cools, open the coolant air bleed valve. 3.1L
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.
3800 V6 (VIN Code
K) & 3800 V6' supercharged
engine (VIN Code
1): There is one bleed valve.
It is located on the thermostat housing.
4. Fill the 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
valves after the radiator
is filled.
5. Rinse or wipe any spilled coolant from the engine
and the compartment.
5-21
ProCarManuals.com

6. Then fill the coolant recovery tank.
7. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the 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.
5-22
ProCarManuals.com