2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO engine coolant

5-10
Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Radiator Pressure Cap
C. Engine Fan
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down.
When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the ADD 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.

5-11
CAUTION:
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.
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.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again.
See if the engine cooling fan speed increases when idle
speed is doubled by pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn't, your vehicle needs service. Turn off
the engine.

5-12 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 ADD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX
-COOL
engine coolant at the
coolant recovery tank. (See ªEngine Coolantº in the
Index for more information.)
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:
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.

5-13
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 the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
ADD 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.

5-16
3. Fill the radiator with the proper DEX-COOL

coolant mixture, up to the base of the filler neck.
(See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index for more
information about the proper coolant mixture.)
4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the ADD mark.
5. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but
leave the radiator pressure cap off.

5-17
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 DEX
-COOL
coolant mixture
through the filler neck until the level reaches the
base of the filler neck.
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line up like this.

6-
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
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-7 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-11 Engine Oil
6
-15 Engine Cover
6
-19 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-20 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-24 All-Wheel Drive
6
-25 Rear Axle
6
-26 Engine Coolant
6
-29 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-30 Power Steering Fluid
6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-32 Brakes6
-35 Battery
6
-36 Bulb Replacement
6
-42 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-43 Tires
6
-51 Appearance Care
6
-51 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-54 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-56 Cleaning Tires
6
-57 Finish Damage
6
-57 Underbody Maintenance
6
-58 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-59 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-59 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-60 Electrical System
6
-68 Capacities and Specifications
6
-69 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-8
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like 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.
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull the handle located inside the
vehicle on the lower driver's side of the kick panel.