Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 149
If the vehicle must be driven on a
flooded road or is parked in an area
that becomes flooded, promptly
perform a check for the following
points:
.Effectiveness of the brakes
. Water-ingress or damage to
drum brakes, disc brakes
. Engine damage due to
water-ingress
. Shorting of electrical
components
. Oil level and degradation
(cloudiness) of the engine,
transmission, differential
. Greasing of each components
(lubrication)Steering
Do Not Leave the Steering
Wheel Fully Turned for a
Long Time
{Warning
If you leave the steering wheel
fully turned for a long time, the oil
in the power steering oil pump will
become extremely hot. This
would cause poor lubrication, oil
tank damage and seal
deterioration, leading to power
steering oil pump damage, power
steering unit damage and power
steering hose damage. As a
result the steering wheel could
become extremely hard to turn
and a fire or a crash could occur.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Steering Wheel
If the steering parts have excess
play or looseness or if any abnormal
condition is noted, have the steering
system checked immediately.
Driving on Wet Roads
Driving on Slippery Surface or
Driving in Bad Weather (Rain,
Icy Roads, Snowy Roads, etc.)
In bad weather, visibility is reduced
and slippery road surfaces increase
stopping distances. Drive more
slowly than you would in good
weather. Also, avoid sharp turns of
the steering wheel and hard
braking. Use engine brakes together
with the foot brakes to decelerate.
Using the exhaust brake on a
slippery road surface could cause
the tires to slip.
You may not realize the surface is
slippery until the vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues—
such as enough water or ice on the
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
194 Driving and Operating
Selective Catalytic Reduction
(SCR) System
The Selective Catalytic Reduction
(SCR) system reduces nitrogen
oxide (NOx) emissions emitted from
a diesel engine. The SCR system
reduces NOx by adding (injecting)
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) into the
exhaust system and inducing a
reaction converting NOx into water
vapor and nitrogen.
The SCR system consists of the
DEF tank, DEF Control Unit, DEF
Supply Pump and Injector, and the
SCR Catalyst. It is important to keep
a good supply of DEF in the DEF
tank at all times. Monitor the DEF
gauge to be sure the DEF tank level
does not become too low.
If the DEF level becomes too low or
incorrect fluid is added to the DEF
tank, the warning buzzer will sound,
warning and indicator lights will
come on and engine power will be
reduced. If you see these warning
and indicator lights, add DEF as
soon as possible or have your
vehicle serviced as soon as
possible.Continuing to drive for too long after
these lights come on will result in
additional warnings, more engine
power reduction and will eventually
result in a severe vehicle speed
limitation. See
“Diesel Exhaust
Fluid (DEF) Low Level Warning” and
“Incorrect Diesel Exhaust Fluid
(DEF)/SCR System Malfunction
Warnings” later in this section.
{Warning
Do not touch the water that
comes out from the muffler. The
water is mildly acidified due to the
action of oxidation catalyst inside
the muffler. In the event that the
fluid does come into contact with
your skin, completely wash it off
with water. You and others could
be seriously injured. Do not relocate or modify the
exhaust pipe, muffler, DPF, SCR,
or DEF tank, which may affect the
exhaust gas cleaning performance.
If any relocation or modification is
necessary, consult your dealer.
The SCR system continues to
operate for approximately 3 minutes
after the engine control switch is
turned to the "LOCK" position. It is
normal to hear a buzzing type noise
from the DEF supply pump
(mounted on the left side frame rail
behind the cab) during the
shutdown process.
If it is necessary to disconnect the
batteries for any reason, be sure to
wait at least 3 minutes after turning
the engine control switch to the
"LOCK" position. This will allow the
SCR system to properly complete
its shutdown processes. See
Winter
Driving 0151.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
228 Driving and Operating
damage, such fuel can also
affect emission control. Before
using any diesel fuel, check with
the service station operator to
see if the fuel has been mixed
with engine oil.
. Do not use any fuel additive
(other than as recommended
under "Biocides" in Water in
Fuel 0231). At the time this
manual was printed, no other
fuel additive was recommended.
(See your authorized dealer to
find out if this has changed.)
. Take care not to run out of diesel
fuel. If you do run out of fuel,
you may need to bleed air out of
the supply pump to re-start the
engine after fuel has been filled.
Your vehicle is designed to use
either Number 1-D or Number 2-D
diesel fuel. However, for better fuel
economy, use Number 2-D diesel
fuel whenever possible. At
temperatures below -7 °C (20 °F),
Number 2-D fuel may pose
operating problems (see "Cold
Weather Operation" which follows).
At colder temperatures, use Number 1-D fuel (if available) or use a
"winterized" Number 2-D (a blend of
Number 1-D and Number 2-D). This
blended fuel is usually called
Number 2-D also, but can be used
in colder temperatures than Number
2-D fuel which has not been
"winterized". Check with the service
station operator to be sure you get
the properly blended fuel.
Do not use fuels other than those
recommended in this manual. Doing
so may adversely affect the engine.
DIESEL FUEL/APPLICABLE
STANDARD (Sulfur content below 15ppm)
ASTM
(AMERICAN
SOCIETY FOR
TESTING and
MATERIALS) Based on D975
Number 1–D
S15 or Number
2-D S15 (below
15 ppm)Biodiesel
Biodiesel, may also be referred to
as FAME blended (Fatty-acid methyl
ester) fuel is a renewable fuel
produced from vegetable oils or
animal fats that have been
chemically modified to make it
compatible with diesel fuel.
Caution
Do not use home-made biodiesel
or home test kits because the
quality cannot be verified by
approved scientific methods. Do
not use raw vegetable oil or other
unmodified bio-oils, fats,
or blends of vegetable oil with
diesel. They could damage the
fuel system and engine, and
damages would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 231
At low temperatures, wax flakes are
more likely to form in Number 2-D
fuel than in Number 1-D (or
"winterized" Number 2-D) fuel. For
best operation at temperatures
below -7 °C (20 °F), use Number
1-D, or Number 2-D which has been
blended with Number 1-D for winter
use. When temperatures are
consistently below (or near) -18 °C
(0 °F), use Number 1-D if at all
possible. Bear in mind, however,
that even Number 1-D fuel will form
wax flakes when temperatures are
extremely low.
Do not use home heating oil or
gasoline in your diesel engine;
either may cause engine damage.
The addition of kerosene will not
unplug a filter plugged with wax.
Warming a "waxed" filter to a
temperature of 0 °C to 10 °C (32 °F
to 50 °F) will return the wax to
solution. Filter replacement is not
normally required.Water in Fuel
During refueling, it is possible for
water (and other contaminants) to
be pumped into your fuel tank along
with the diesel fuel. This can occur if
a service station does not regularly
inspect and clean its fuel tanks, or if
a service station receives
contaminated fuel from its
supplier(s).
To protect your engine from
contaminated fuel, there is a water
separator system on the engine
which allows you to drain excess
water from the fuel.
{Warning
The drained water/diesel fuel
mixture is flammable, and could
be hot. To help avoid personal
injury or death and/or property
damage, do not touch the fuel
coming from the water separator
drain valve, and do not expose
the fuel to open flames or sparks.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Be sure you do not overfill the
drain pan. Heat (such as from the
engine) can cause the fuel to
expand. If the container is too full,
fuel could be forced out of the
pan. This could lead to a fire and
the risk of personal injury and/or
vehicle damage.
Biocides
In warm or humid weather, fungus,
and/or bacteria may form in diesel
fuel if there is water in the fuel.
Fungus or bacteria can cause fuel
system damage by plugging the fuel
lines, fuel filters or injector. They
can also cause fuel system
corrosion.
If fungus or bacteria has caused fuel
system problems, you should have
your authorized dealer correct these
problems. Then, use a diesel fuel
biocide to sterilize the fuel system
(follow the biocide manufacturer's
instructions). Biocides are available
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 233
2. Loosen the drain plug andmove the priming pump (1) up
and down by hand between
10 and 20 times.
3. Fully tighten the drain plug (2) and move the priming pump (1)
several times.
Fuel Filter (Engine-side)
1. Attach a plastic hose to the drain plug (2) on the bottom of
the engine-side fuel filter (1)
and put the other end of the
hose in a container placed
beneath the filter.
2. Loosen the drain plug andmove the priming pump up and
down by hand between 10 and
20 times.
3. Fully tighten the drain plug and move the priming pump several
times.
4. Test run the engine and check that there are no fuel leaks
from the drain plug of the
engine-side fuel filter. Also
check that the water separator
(fuel filter) warning light
stays off.
Running Out of Fuel
When the Fuel Tank is Empty
When the fuel tank is empty, air will
enter the fuel system, so refueling
alone will not be enough to restart
the engine. Use the following
methods to bleed the fuel system.
Bleeding the Fuel System
Steps for Refueling
1. Follow the directions in "Parking Brake Lever" under
Parking Brake 0220.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Vehicle Care 261
4. If no steam or engine coolantcan be seen or heard from the
engine compartment:
.Tilt the cab or open the
engine access cover.
‐If the engine coolant is
boiling, wait until it stops
before proceeding.
‐ Look at the see-through
reserve tank. The
engine coolant level
should be between the
"MAX" and "MIN" lines
on the reserve tank.
‐ If necessary, pour
engine coolant (See
Engine Coolant 0253
for the proper coolant
and water mixture) into
the reserve tank only,
not directly into the
radiator. Also, do not
check engine coolant
level at the radiator.
. Make sure the fan belts are
not broken, or off the
pulleys, and that the fan
turns when the engine is started. Make sure the fan
blade and pulleys are not
broken.
. Check the radiator hoses
and connections, heater
hoses and connections,
radiator, water pump, EGR
cooler, and SCR system
and hoses for leakage.
If you do not find a leak or
other problem, carefully add
engine coolant to the
reserve tank.
If the engine coolant level in
the reserve tank is at the
correct level but there is still
an indication on the
instrument panel of an
overheat condition:
You must let the engine
cool first. You may then add
engine coolant directly to
the radiator. See “Adding
Engine Coolant” under
Engine Coolant 0253. 5. Inspect to see if there is any
dirt, etc. attached to the front
surface of the radiator. Also,
inspect to see if there is
anything blocking the core.
If there is anything attached,
clean and remove it.
6. After the inspection, regardless of the vehicle condition, please
contact the nearest dealer.
Once the engine coolant
temperature gauge no longer
signals an overheat condition, you
can resume driving at a reduced
speed. Return to normal driving
after about 10 minutes if the gauge
pointer does not again show an
overheat condition.
When tap water only has been used
for engine coolant in an emergency,
change the engine coolant as soon
as possible.
Engine damage may be caused if
an overheating engine is suddenly
refilled with water. Instead, refill
slowly.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Vehicle Care 321
can cause serious damage to the
engine and its components,
particularly the fuel supply pump.
Handling the Radiator and
Charge Air Cooler
Cleaning the Radiator Core and
Charge Air Cooler Core
Cooling efficiency is compromised
when there is dirt or dust plugging
air passages in the radiator core
and charge air cooler core (diesel).This can also cause corrosion of
these cores. Wash the radiator core
with tap water every 24 months.
Make sure to turn the engine off and
remove the key from the engine
control switch before cleaning
cores.
The engine, exhaust pipe, and
radiator will be hot immediately after
the vehicle is driven. Be careful
around these parts to prevent burns.
Clean the engine when it is cold.
Do not clean the radiator, charge air
cooler (diesel) and their surrounding
areas using water that is supplied
under high pressure. Doing so may
cause damage.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Service and Maintenance 337
Engine Coolant0253. Have the
Engine Coolant replaced by your
authorized dealer.
13. Exhaust System : Check the
complete exhaust system every
16 000 km (10,000 miles). Check
body areas near the exhaust
system. Look for broken, damaged,
missing, or out-of-position parts.
Also inspect for open seams, holes,
loose connections, or other
conditions which could cause heat
build-up at the rear body floor pan,
or could let exhaust fumes seep into
the passenger compartment. Dust
or water in the cabin may indicate a
leak in that area. Required repairs
should be made at once.
14. DPF (Clean Filter) : Clean the
filter every 160 000 km
(100,000 miles) or 3,000 hours
whichever occurs first.
15. DPF (Pressure Difference
Sensor 0 Point Adjustment) :
Adjust the sensor every 160 000 km
(100,000 miles) or 3,000 hours
whichever occurs first. 16. DPF (Pressure Difference
Sensor Hose) :
Inspect the sensor
hose every 160 000 km
(100,000 miles) or 3,000 hours
whichever occurs first. Replace the
sensor hose every 400 000 km
(250,000 miles).
17. Fuel Line System : Inspect the
fuel tank, cap and lines for damage
which could cause leakage every
16 000 km (10,000 miles). Inspect
fuel cap for correct sealing ability
and indications of physical damage.
Replace any damaged or
malfunctioning parts.
18. Brake Lining and Pad for
Wear : Check drum brake lining and
disc brake pad for wear or cracks
every 16 000 km (10,000 miles).
Check brakes (including parking
brake) more often if operating
conditions or driving habits result in
frequent braking.
Front disc brakes have built-in wear
noise indicators which are designed
to make a high pitched squeal or
cricket-like warning sound when the
brake pads are worn to the point
where new pads are needed. When the truck is in motion, the
sound may be constant or it may
come and go. Pressing the brake
pedal firmly may cause the sound
to stop.
Have the brake linings or the brake
pads replaced by your authorized
dealer as soon as possible after the
warning first becomes evident.
Failure to do so can result in
expensive damage to the brake
system or a serious crash.
19. Brake Drum and Rotor for
Wear and Damage :
Check brake
drums (rear and parking) and rotors
(front) for wear or damage every
32 000 km (20,000 miles) or
12 months whichever occurs first.
20. Brake Electric Vacuum Pump
(4500HD, 4500XD models) :
Inspect the brake electric vacuum
pump operation every 16 000 km
(10,000 miles) or 12 months,
whichever occurs first.