Page 227 of 339

In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines.
These gasolines are specially designed to
reduce vehicle emissions. General
Motors recommends that you use
reformulated gasoline. By doing
so, you
can help clean the air, especially in
those parts of the country that have high
ozone levels,
You should ask your service station
operators
if their gasolines contain
detergents and oxygenates, and if they
have been reformulated
to reduce
vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the
U.S. or Canada,
unleaded fuel may be hard to find.
Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even
one tankful, your emission controls
won’t work well or at
all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get
fouled, the exhaust system can corrode,
and your engine oil
can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor
will be damaged. All of that means costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an
auto club, or contact a major oil company that does business in
the
country where you’ll be
driving.
You can also write us at the following
address for advice. Just tell us where
you’re going and give your Vehicle
Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors of Canada Limited
International Export Sales
P.O. Box 828
Oshawa, Ontario LIH 7N1
Canada
ProCarManuals.com
Page 230 of 339
Service & Appearance Care
l-
a
I LUU I lV1V
An electric fan under the
hood can start up and injure
you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and
tools away from any underhood
electric
fan. Don't reach through
the grille to release the underhood
lever.
I
7."
When you open the hood, you'll see:
1. Battery
2. Automatic Transmission Dipstick
(Option)
3. Oil Fill Cap
4. Brake Fluid Reservoir
5. Air Cleaner
6. Power Steering Reservoir (Option)
7. Engine Coolant Reservoir
8. Radiator Cap
9. Electric Fan
10. Engine Oil Dipstick
11. Windshield Washer Reservoir
12. Main Fuse Box
CAUTION
A
Things that burn can get on
hot engine parts and start a
fire. These include liquids like
gasoline, 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.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the
filler caps are on.
... 228
ProCarManuals.com
Page 231 of 339
Then lift the hood to relieve pressure on
the hood prop. Remove the hood prop
from the slot in the hood and return the
prop to its retainer. Then just let the
hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil
level every time you get fuel.
In order
to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on
level ground.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a
few minutes to drain back into the oil
pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick might
not show the actual level.
To Check Engine Oil: Pull out the
dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back
in all the
way. Remove
it again, keeping the tip
lower.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 232 of 339
Service & Appearance Care
I
When to Add Oil: If the oil is at or
below the
ADD mark, you’ll need to
add some oil. But you must use the right
kind. This section explains what kind
of
oil to use. For crankcase capacity, see
“Capacities and Specifications’’ in the
Index. Don’t add
too much oil. If your
engine has
so much oil that the oil
level gets above
the upper mark
that shows the proper operating
range, your engine could be
damaged. Just fill it enough
to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you’re through.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 233 of 339

What Kind of Oil to Use:
Look for three things:
SG
SG must be on the oil container,
either by itself or combined with other
quality designations, such
as SGKC,
SG/CD, SF, SG, CC, etc. These
letters show American Petroleum
Institute (API) levels
of quality.
Recommended SAE Viscosity
Grade Engine
Oils
For best fuel economy and cold starting,
select the lowest
SAE viscosity grade oil
for the expected temperature range.
HOT
WEATHER
1-1
@ 1 5W.30
c~coNs.8
LOOK
FOR THIS
LABEL
4$
--
SAE 1OW-30
SAE 5W-30 PREFERRED
COLD
WEATHER
you use oils that don’t have the IF NEITHER SAE 5W-30 NOR SAE 1OW-30
GRADE OILS ARE AVAILABLE, SAE 30 GRADE
MAY BE USED AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE BG designation, you can cause
engine damage not covered
Sy 40 DEGREES F (4 DEOREES C).
your warranty. DO NOT USE SAE 10W-40, SAE 2OW-50 OR 1 ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED.
SAE 5W-30
As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE
5W-30 is best for your vehicle.
However, you can use SAE
1OW-30
if it’s going to be 0°F (- 18°C) or
above.
These numbers
on an oil container
show its viscosity, or thickness. Do
not use other viscosity oils such as
SAE
1OW-40 or SAE 2OW-50.
Energy Conserving I1
Oils with these words on the container
will help you save fuel.
231
ProCarManuals.com
Page 234 of 339

Service & Appearance Care
This doughnut-shaped logo (symbol) is
used on most oil containers to help you
select the correct oil.
You should look for this
on the oil
container, and use
only those oils that
display the logo.
GM Goodwrench@ oil (in Canada, GM
‘
Engine Oil) meets all the requirements
for your vehicle.
Engine Oil Additives: Don’t add
anything to
your oil. Your Geo dealer is
ready to advise if you think something
should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil: See if
any
one of these is true for you:
Most trips are less than 4 miles
(6 km).
It’s below freezing outside and most
trips are less than
10 miles (16 km).
The engine is at low speed most of
the time (as in door-to-door delivery,
or
in stop-and-go traffic).
You tow a trailer often.
Most trips are through dusty places.
The vehicle is frequently operated
off-road.
If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, you
need to change your oil
and filter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km)
or 3 months - whichever comes first.
If none of them is true, change oil and
filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or
7.5 months - whichever comes first.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 235 of 339

What to Do with Used Oil:
CAUTION
Used engine oil contains
D things that have caused skin
Gancer in laboratory animals.
Don’t let used oil stay on your
skin for very long. Clean your
skin
and nails with soap and water
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly throw away clothing or
rags containing
used engine oil. Used
oil can be
a real threat to the
environment. If you change your own
oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t
ever dispose of it by pouring it on
the
ground, into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
If you have a problem properly
disposing of your used oil, ask your
dealer, a service station or a local
recycling center for help.
-m
Air Cleaner
Refer to your Maintenance Schedule to
determine when to replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
A Operating the engine with the
L air cleaner off can cause you
or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air, it
stops flame if the engine backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine
backfires, you could be burned.
Don’t drive with
it off, and be
careful working,on the engine with
the air cleaner off.
233 - =
ProCarManuals.com
Page 236 of 339
Service & Appearance Care
c
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire
can cause a damaging engine fire.
And, dirt can easily get into your
engine, which will damage it.
Always have
the air cleaner in
place when you're driving.
... 234
Air Filter Replacement
To check or replace the filter, remove
the screws and lift up the cover.
Automatic Tmnsmissian Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic
transmission
fluid level is when the
engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine
when to change your fluid. See
"Scheduled Maintenance Services"
in
the Index.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a Geo dealership Service
Department.
If you do
it yourself, be sure to follow
all the instructions here, or you could
get a false reading
on the dipstick.
ProCarManuals.com