1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE engine coolant

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Conditioning Heating
On
very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more
quickly and economically if you open the windows long
enough to let hot inside
air escape. Then keep your
windows closed in order to allow the air conditioning to
work best. Maximum cooling will occur when the
RECIRCULATE setting is operating, airflow direction is
in the upper mode, and the temperature control knob (on
a manual climate control system) is turned all the way to
the blue area. These settings will be selected by the
Automatic Electronic Dual Climate Control System if
operating in AUTO when maximum cooling is required.
When the air conditioning is on, you may sometimes
notice slight changes in your vehicle’s engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system is
designed to .help fuel economy while maintaining the
desired cooling level.
The
air conditioning removes moisture from the air, so you
may notice water dripping fi-om under your vehicle when
it is idling or after it has been turned
off. This is normal. The
heater works best
if you keep your windows closed.
Maximum heating will occur when airflow direction is
in the lower mode and the temperature control knob (on
a manual climate control system) is all the way
in the
red area. These settings will be selected by the
Automatic Electronic Dual Climate Control System if
operating in AUTO when maximum heating is required.
The BI-LEVEL setting is designed for use on sunny days
when the
air is only moderately warm or cool. On days
like these, the sun may adequately warm your upper body,
but your lower body may not
be warm enough. The
BI-LEVEL setting will direct cooler airflow to
your upper
body and warmer
air to the floor area.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater and use it
during cold weather
0°F (- 18 “C) or lower, your heating
system will provide heat more quickly because the
coolant is already warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater”
in the Index.
3-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
You will find an engine coolant temperature gage on the
instrument cluster and a COOLANT OVER TEMP
message on the Driver Information Center
(DIC).
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
Should a low coolant condition exist and the messages
COOLANT OVERTEMP and REDUCED ENGINE
POWER are displayed, along with the Check Engine
light, an overheat protection mode which alternates
firing groups of four cylinders helps prevent engine
damage. In this mode, you will notice a loss in power
and engine performance. This operating mode allows
your vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an
emergency; you may drive up
to 50 miles (80 km).
1 NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss, change the oil and reset
the oil life monitor. See “Engine Oil, When to
Change” in the Index.
5-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
y4
‘I
CAUTION:
I
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
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.
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-. . . .

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. See “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index.
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:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute
or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2.
3.
Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window
as necessary.
If you’re in a traffic
jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@) or
THIRD (3) 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 off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously in
this section.
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 Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll
see:
An electric engine cooling 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.
I I
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
A. Electric Engine Fans
B. Coolant Surge Tank
5-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
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.
A CAUTION:
I
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 if you keep running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in the Index.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling
fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both
fans should be running. If
they aren’t.
vow vehicle needs service.
5-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the FULL COLD
mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@
coolant at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling
system, including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is
cool before you do it. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the
Index for more information.)
A CAUTION:
I
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 coolant surge
tank pressure cap -- even a little -- they can come
out at
high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the coolant surge
tank
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system
and coolant surge
tank pressure cap to cool if you
ever have to
turn the pressure cap.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
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 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So
use the recommended coolant.
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.
5-19