1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO engine coolant

6-
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6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries (Gasoline Engines)
6
-6 Filling Your Tank (Gasoline Engine)
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)
6
-16 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-22 Manual Transmission Fluid
6
-24 Hydraulic Clutch
6
-25 Rear Axle
6
-25 Four-Wheel Drive
6
-28 Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
(Gasoline Engine)
6
-28 Thermostat
6
-29 Engine Coolant
6
-32 Power Steering Fluid6
-33 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-34 Brakes
6
-37 Battery
6
-38 Bulb Replacement
6
-44 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-45 Tires
6
-54 Appearance Care
6
-54 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-58 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-62 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-63 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-64 Electrical System
6
-73 Replacement Bulbs
6
-74 Capacities and Specifications
6
-76 Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6
-77 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

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6-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:

Dispense gasoline only into
approved containers.

Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle's trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.

Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline or
diesel fuel, oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield
washer and other fluids, and plastic or rubber.
You or others could be burned. Be careful not
to drop or spill things that will burn onto a
hot engine.

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6-10
VORTEC 4300 V6 Engine
When you lift up the hood you'll see:
A. Air Cleaner
B. Coolant Surge Tank
C. Air Filter Restriction Indicator
D. Engine Oil Dipstick
E. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick (If Equipped)F. Fan
G. Engine Oil Fill
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
I. Remote Negative Terminal (GND)
J. Remote Positive Terminal
K. Brake Fluid ReservoirL. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)
M. Underhood Electrical Center
N. Battery
O. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir

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6-11
VORTEC 4800, 5300 and 6000 V8 Engine
VORTEC 5300 V8 engine shown, locations for other engines similar.
A. Air Cleaner
B. Coolant Surge Tank
C. Air Filter Restriction Indicator
D. Engine Oil Dipstick
E. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick (If Equipped)F. Engine Oil Fill
G. Fan
H. Remote Negative Terminal (GND)
I. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
J. Remote Positive Terminal
K. Brake Fluid ReservoirL. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)
M. Underhood Electrical Center
N. Battery
O. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir

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6-28
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
(Gasoline Engine)
The coolant surge tank pressure cap must be fully
installed on the coolant surge tank.
NOTICE:
Your coolant surge tank pressure cap is a 15 psi
(105 kPa) pressure
-type cap and must be tightly
installed to prevent coolant loss and possible
engine damage from overheating.
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 ACDelco


thermostat is recommended.

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6-29
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX
-COOL
engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX
-COOL
extended life 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 ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL
coolant will:

Give freezing protection down to
-34F (-37C).

Give boiling protection up to 265F (129C).

Protect against rust and corrosion.

Help keep the proper engine temperature.

Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
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.

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6-30 What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one
-half DEX-COOL
coolant which won't damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you
don't need to add anything else.
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 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, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL
coolant.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture 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 dealer check your cooling system.
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.

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6-31 Checking Coolant (Gasoline Engine)
The coolant surge tank
is located on the
passenger's side of the
engine compartment.
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see ªChecking
Coolantº in the Diesel Engine Supplement.
CAUTION:
Turning 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.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the
FILL COLD mark.
If the LOW COOLANT
message comes on, it
means you're low on
engine coolant.
See ªLow Coolantº in the Index.
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.
CAUTION:
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 hand
-tight.