1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER cooling

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 ojjfthe 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.
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what \
you’ll see:
A. Radiator Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fan
C. Coolant Recovery Tank
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
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.
Don’t reach through the grille
to release the
underhood lever.
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 FULL.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I A
A C ,U ION:
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 cooling fan
is running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it
isn’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 or above the
FULL mark, add a 50/50
mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and a
proper coolant at the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information
about
the proper coolant mixture.)
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 a
proper coolant.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 mixture.
A CAUT,JN:
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 the coolant in the coolant recovery tank
is at or
above the
FULL mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant
mixture directly
to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system is cool before you do it.
5-17
.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1 LUTION:
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
I
1. You can remove the radiator pressure cap when
the cooling system, including the radiator pressure
cap and upper radiator 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 pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push
down as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. Fill the radiator with the proper coolant mixture, up
to the base of the filler neck. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information about the proper
coolant mixture.)
4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the
FULL mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off.
6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
7. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper coolant mixture through the
filler neck until the level reaches the base
of the
filler neck.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the differential is cold, add enough lubricant
to raise the level to 1/2 inch (12
mm) below the filler
plug hole.
When the differential is at operating temperature
(warm), add enough lubricant to raise the level to
the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and
how to add coolant when it is low. If you have a
problem with engine overheating, see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -33°F (-36°C).
Give boiling protection up to 258 OF (1 25 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half coolant that meets GM
Specification 1825-M, which won’t damage aluminum
parts.
You can also use a recycled coolant conforming
to GM Specification 1825-M with a complete coolant
flush and refill.
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 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 the
proper coolant.