2000 HONDA ODYSSEY cooling

Cooling Syste m
1. Make sure the engine and radiator
are cool.
2. Turn the radiator cap counter-
clockwise, without pressing down
on it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.
3. Remove the radiator cap by pushing down and turning
counterclockwise.
4. The coolant level should be up tothe base of the filler neck. Add
coolant if it is low.
5. Put the radiator cap back on. Tighten it fully.
6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank. Fill it to halfway between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap back
on the reserve tank.
Do not add any rust inhibitors or
other additives to your vehicle's
cooling system. They may not be
compatible with the coolant or
engine components.
Maintenanc e
RADIATOR CA P
RESERVE TAN K

Cooling Syste m
Replacin g Engin e Coolan t
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use Genuine Honda Antifreeze/Coolant.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the vehicle. Unless you have the tools and
knowledge, you should have this maintenance done by a skilled
mechanic.
1. Turn the ignition ON (II). Turn the heater temperature controldial fully clockwise. Turn the
ignition off.
Open the hood. Make sure the
engine and radiator are cool to the
touch.
2. Remove the radiator cap. 3. Loosen the drain plug on the
bottom of the radiator. Thecoolant will drain through thesplash guard. Loosen the drain
bolt.
CONTINUED
Maintenanc e
DRAIN PLU G DRAI
N BOL T

Cooling Syste m
4. Install a rubber hose on the drain
bolt in the back of the engine
block. Loosen the drain bolt. 5. Remove the reserve tank from its
holder by pulling it straight up.Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder.
6. When the coolant stops draining, tighten the drain plug at the
bottom of the radiator.
7. Tighten the drain bolt at the rear of the engine cylinder block
securely.
Tightening torque:
7 lbf .
f t (1 0 N .
m,1. 0 kgf .
m )
8. Mix the recommended antifreeze
with an equal amount of purifiedor distilled water in a clean
container. The cooling system
capacity is:
1.7 4 U S ga l (6. 6 l,1.4 5 Im p gal )
Maintenanc e
RESERVE TAN KRESERV ETANK CA P
HOLDE R

Cooling Syste m
10. Fill the reserve tank to the MAX
mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
11. Install the radiator cap, and tighten it to the first stop.
12. Start the engine and let it run until the radiator cooling fan comes on
at least twice. Then stop the
engine.
13. Remove the radiator cap. Fill theradiator with coolant up to the
base of the filler neck.
14. Install the radiator cap, and tighten it fully.
Maintenanc e
9. Pour coolant into the radiator up
to the base of the filler neck.
FILLER NEC K
Fill u p to her e

Air Conditionin g Syste m
Your vehicle's air conditioning is a
sealed system. Any major mainte-
nance, such as recharging, should be done by a qualified mechanic. You
can do a couple of things to make sure the air conditioning works
efficiently.
Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects, and dirt stuck to the front surface. These
block the air flow and reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or a soft brush to remove them.
The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a steady speed with the engine at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates the lubricating oil con-
tained in the refrigerant. If the air conditioning does not get as
cold as before, have your dealer
check the system. Recharge the
system with Refrigerant HFC-134a
(R-134a). (See Specifications on page 322.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.
Maintenanc e
NOTICE
AIR CONDITIONIN GCONDENSER
NOTICE

Air Conditionin g Filter , Driv e Belt s
Air Conditionin g Filte r
The air conditioning filter removes pollen and dust that is brought in
from the outside through the heatingand cooling system/climate control
system.
This filter should be replaced every 30,000 miles (48,000 km) under
normal conditions. It should be
replaced every 15,000 miles (24,000
km) if you drive primarily in urban areas that have high concentrations
of soot in the air from industry and
diesel-powered vehicles. Replace it
more often if air flow from the
heating and cooling system/climate control system becomes less than
usual. Have the air conditioning filter
replaced by your Honda dealer. Driv
e Belt s
Check the condition of the two drive belts (power steering belt andalternator belt). Examine the edgesof each belt for cracks or fraying.
Check the tension of the power
steering belt by pushing on it with
your thumb midway between the
pulleys.
The belt should have the following "play" or deflection.
Power steering belt: 0.51 — 0.65 in (13.0
—16.5 mm)
If you see signs of wear or looseness,
have your dealer adjust or replace
the belts.
Maintenanc e
ALTERNATO R BEL T
POWE
R STEERIN G BEL T

If You r Engin e Overheat s
The pointer of your vehicle's
temperature gauge should stay in
the midrange under most conditions.
It may go higher if you are driving up
a long steep hill on a very hot day. If
it climbs to the red mark, you should
determine the reason.
Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine.
Your vehicle can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a
mechanical problem. The only
indication may be the temperature
gauge climbing to or above the red
mark. Or you may see steam or
spray coming from under the hood.
In either case, you should take
immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road. Put the transmission in Neutral or
Park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling/ climate control system and allother accessories. Turn on the
hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turnoff the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately.
If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
CONTINUED
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
NOTICE
Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.
Do not open the hood if steam
is coming out.

If You r Engin e Overheat s
4. If the temperature gauge stays at
the red mark, turn off the engine.
5. Wait until you see no more signs of steam or spray, then open the
hood.
6. Look for any obvious coolant leaks,
such as a split radiator hose.
Everything is still extremely hot, so use caution. If you find a leak, it
must be repaired before you
continue driving (see Emergenc y
Towin g on page 317).
7. If you don't find an obvious leak, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank (see page 193). If the level is below the
MIN mark, add coolant to halfway
between the MIN and MAX marks.
8. If there was no coolant in the reserve tank, you may also have toadd coolant to the radiator. Let the
engine cool down until the pointer reaches the middle of the tempera-
ture gauge, or lower, before check-
ing the radiator.
9. Using gloves or a large heavy cloth, turn the radiator cap
counterclockwise, without pushing
down, to the first stop. This
releases any remaining pressure in
the cooling system. After the
pressure releases, push down on
the cap and turn it until it comes off. 10. Start the engine and set the
temperature control dial to
maximum (climate control to
FULL AUTO at 90°F/32°C). Add
coolant to the radiator up to the
base of the filler neck. If you do
not have the proper coolant
mixture available, you can add
plain water. Remember to have the cooling system drained and
refilled with the proper mixture assoon as you can.
11. Put the radiator cap back on tightly. Run the engine and watch
the temperature gauge. If it goes
back to the red mark, the engine needs repair. (See Emergenc y
Towin g on page 317.)
12. If the temperature stays normal, check the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. If it has
gone down, add coolant to the MAX mark. Put the cap back on
tightly.
Takin g Car e o f th e Unexpecte d
Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and
radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.