2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

5-14
CAUTION:
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.

5-15
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.
So use the recommended coolant.
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.

5-16
1. You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap
when the cooling system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise (left) about one
-quarter turn and
then stop.
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 slowly, and
remove it.
3. Then fill the coolant surge tank with the proper
mixture, to the FULL COLD mark on the coolant
surge tank.

5-17
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until you can feel the upper
radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the engine
cooling fan(s).
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches the FULL COLD mark on the
coolant surge tank.5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure
cap is hand
-tight.

5-18
If a Tire Goes Flat
Your Corvette has no spare tire, no tire changing
equipment and no place to store a tire.
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº while you're driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. See
ªTiresº in the Index. If air goes out of a tire, it's much
more likely to leak out slowly.
If your vehicle has Extended Mobility Tires (EMT), you
won't need to stop on the side of the road to change a
flat tire. EMT tires can operate effectively with no air
pressure. If you drive on a deflated EMT for 50 miles
(80 km) or less and at speeds of 55 mph (90 km/h) or
less, there is a good chance that the tire can be repaired.
Contact the nearest authorized Chevrolet or Goodyear
EMT servicing facility, as soon as possible, to have the
flat tire inspected and repaired or replaced. For more
information, see ªExtended Mobility Tiresº in the Index.CAUTION:
Special tools and procedures are required to
service an Extended Mobility Tire (EMT). If
these special tools and procedures aren't used,
you or others could be injured and your vehicle
could be damaged. Always be sure the proper
tools and procedures, as described in the service
manual, are used.
To order a service manual, see ªService and Owner
Publicationsº in the Index.

5-19
Z06 models do not have Extended Mobility Tires. If a
Z06 model tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel
damage by driving slowly to a level place and stopping.
Then do this:
1. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. Put the shift lever (manual transmission)
in REVERSE (R).
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Inspect the flat tire.
If the tire has been separated from the wheel or has
damaged sidewalls or large tears that allow rapid air
loss, call a tire repair facility. See ªRoadside Assistanceº
in the Index.
If the flat tire is due to a slow leak caused by a nail or
other similar road hazard, the Tire Inflator Kit may be
used to repair the damaged tire temporarily. The kit uses
a liquid tire sealant to seal small punctures in the tread
area of the tire. The flat tire is then inflated to at least
26 psi (179 kPa) and driven to evenly distribute the tiresealant. The tire pressure is checked after driving for a
maximum of 10 minutes to see if the slow leak has been
stopped. If the tire pressure is 19 psi (131 kPa) or more,
inflate the tire up to the standard operating pressure as
shown on the Tire Pressure Label found on the rear edge
of the driver's door. See ªTires, Pressureº in the Index.
You should have the damaged tire repaired as soon as
possible. The tire sealant is a temporary repair only.
For more information regarding the tire inflator kit see
ªTire Inflator Kitº following this section.
NOTICE:
If the tire pressure has dropped below 19 psi
(131 kPa), the vehicle should not be driven
further. Damage to the tire may be severe and
the sealant will not be effective. Contact Roadside
Assistance, see ªRoadside Assistanceº in
the Index.

5-20
Tire Inflator Kit (Z06 Models Only)
Every Z06 model with P295/35ZR18 and
P265/40ZR17 tires, when new, was equipped with a Tire
Inflator Kit. The repair kit contains a detailed instruction
card that outlines step by step the temporary repair
procedure. Be sure to read and follow all the Tire
Inflator Kit instructions. The kit also includes:
A. Air Compressor
B. Tire Sealant
C. Sealant Filling Hose
D. Air Compressor
Accessory Plug
E. Air Compressor
Inflator HoseF. Air Pressure Gage
G. Sealant Filling
Hose Plug
H. Valve
Core Remover
I. Spare Valve Core
J. 55
-mph Label

5-21 Tire Sealant
The kit contains a liquid sealant that when injected into
a flat tire, may temporarily repair nail holes or cuts in
the tread area of the tire. The tire sealant cannot repair
tire damage caused while driving on a flat tire or a tire
that has had a ªblow outº or a tire that has punctures in
the sidewall areas. The tire sealant solution is a one
-time
use application for one tire only. Check the tire sealant
expiration date; the sealant may not be as effective
beyond the expiration date. The tire sealant can be
peeled off easily after drying.
NOTICE:
Do not use a tire sealant if your vehicle is
equipped with Extended Mobility Tires or tire
pressure monitors. The tire sealant can damage
tire pressure monitor sensors. See ªExtended
Mobility Tiresº in the Index.
Air Compressor
The air compressor included in the Tire Inflator Kit,
was designed exclusively for the Z06 Model equipped
with P295/35ZR18 and P265/40ZR17 tires. After the
sealant has been injected into the flat tire, use the air
compressor to inflate the tire to at least 26 psi (179 kPa).
Instructions for connecting and using the air compressor
are located on the air compressor.
A. Inflating Hose
B. Air Pressure Gage
C. Air Compressor Plug