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How To Use This Manual 
These symbols are  used on warning lights in your vehicle: 
1- 
Engine  Coolant Temperature 
BRAKE 
Brake  Battery 
Charging 
System 
I RELEASE 
Parking  Brake  Release 
s Fuel 
SHIFT 
Shift Light 
Engine  Oil 
Pressure 
Low 
Coolant 
Here are  some other symbols you may see: 
Fuse 
I II 
Hood Release Lighter  Horn 
PO594 
0-6 
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When  your  engine  is  cold,  let it run  for  a  few  minutes  before  you  move  your 
vehicle.  This  lets  oil pressure  build  up.  Your  engine  will  sound  louder  when 
it's  cold. 
NOTIP 
- 
If you're  not in an idling  vehicle  and  the  engine overheats,  you  wouldn't 
there  to see  the  coolant  temperature  gage.  This could  damage  your 
hicle.  Don't  let vour  enaine  run  when  you're  not 
in vour  vehicle. 
Cold  Weather  Starting  (Diesel  Engine) 
The  following  tips  will  help  you  get  good  starting  in cold  weather. 
Use 
SAE IOW-30 oil  when  the  outside  temperature  drops  below  freezing. 
When  the  outside  temperature  drops  below 
0°F (-18"C), use  your  engine 
block  heater. 
If you  park  your  vehicle  in  a  garage,  you  shouldn't  need  to  use \
 the  block 
heater  until the  garage  temperature  goes  below 
0°F (-18"C), no  matter  how 
cold  it  is  outside. 
To  use  the engine  block  heater,  first  turn 
off the  engine.  Then  open  the  hood, 
unwrap  the  electrical  cord  and  plug it in.  It uses  normal  house  voltage 
(110 
volts),  but: 
2-1 7 
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Features & Controls 
Listed  are  four  situations  you  may  experience  with  your  fuel  g\
age: 
At  the  gas  station,  the  fuel  pump  shuts off before  the  gage  reads full. 
It  takes  a  little  more  or  less  fuel  to fill up  than  the  fuel  gage  indicated. 
For  example,  the  gage  may  have  indicated  the  tank  was  half  fu\
ll,  but 
it 
actually  took  a  little  more  or  less  than  half  the  tank's  capa\
city  to  fill the 
tank. 
The  gage  moves  a  little  when  you  turn  a  corner  or  speed  up. \
The  gage  doesn't go back  to  empty  when  you  turn  off  the  ignition. 
None  of these  indicate  a  problem  with  the  fuel  gage. 
For  information  on  how  to 
fill your  fuel  tank  see  "Fuel-Filling  Your  Tank"  in 
the  Index. 
For  your  fuel  tank  capacity,  see  "Fuel-Tank  Capacity" 
in the  Index. 
Engine  Coolant  Temperature Gage 
760 
K2334 
This  gage  shows  the  engine  coolant  temperature. If the  gage  pointer  moves 
into  the  red  area,  about  260°F 
(145°C) or  more,  your  engine  is  too  hot!  It 
means  that  your  engine  coolant  has  overheated. 
If you  have  been  operating 
your  vehicle  under  normal  operating  conditions,  you  should  pull \
off the  road, 
stop  your  vehicle  and  turn 
off the  engine  as soon as  possible. 
Hot Coolant  Can  Burn You Badly! 
In  "Problems  on  the  Road",  this  manual  shows  what  to  do.  See \
 "Engine 
Overheating"  in  the  Index. 
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Heater  Output 
Optional Engine Block Heater 
If  your  engine  is equipped  with  an  optional  engine  block  heater,  you  can  use 
it  during  initial start-up  in  cold  weather  (20”F, 
-8”C, or  lower) to help  heat  the 
passenger  compartment  faster.  Because  an  engine  block  heater  war\
ms  the 
engine  coolant,  your  vehicle’s  heating  system  can  provide  som\
e  heat  as  soon 
as  you  start  the  engine. 
The  use 
of an  engine  block  heater  also  reduces  the  time  it takes  for  the 
engine  to reach  normal  operating  temperature,  and  shortens  the  time  it takes 
the  heater  to reach  full output.  For  more  information,  See  “Engine  Block 
Heater”  in  the  Index. 
Diesel Engine 
If you  idle  your  diesel  engine  for  a  long  time  when  it’s  cold\
  outside,  your 
heater  may  blow  out  cool  air.  This  is  normal.  When  you  increase  the \
 engine 
speed,  your  heater  should  blow  out  warmer  air. 
If it  doesn’t,  your  coolant 
level  may  be 
low. See  “Engine  Coolant’’  in the  Index  to find  out  how to 
check  your  coolant  level. 
Electronic  HeatingAir  Conditioning  System 
Function  Display 
K2305 
If your  vehicle  has  air  conditioning,  your  heating/air  conditioning \
 system  will 
look like  this. 
3-5 
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If your  vehicle  has  the  four-wheel-drive  option  and  the  transfer  c\
ase  is 
engaged,  a  dolly  must  be  used  under  the  rear  wheels  when  towi\
ng  from  the 
front. 
Engine  Overheating 
You will  find  a  coolant  temperature  gage  on  your  vehicle  instrument\
  panel. If 
you  have  a  diesel  engine,  you  will  also  find a low coolant  light  on  your 
instrument  panel. 
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine: 
K2509 
I CAUTION 
A 
Steam  from  an  overheated  engine  can  burn  you  badly,  even  if  you 
just  open  the  hood.  Stay  away  from  the  engine 
if you  see or hear 
steam  coming  from  it.  Just  turn 
it off and  get  everyone  away  from 
the  vehicle  until 
it cools down.  Wait  until  there  is  no  sign  of  steam 
or coolant  before  opening  the  hood. 
If you  keep  driving  when  your  engine is overheated,  the  liquids  in it 
can  catch  fire. You or others  could be badly  burned.  Stop  your 
engine 
if it overheats,  and  get  out  of  the  vehicle  until  the  engine  is 
cool. 
5-9 
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Service & Appearance ,Care 
Engine Coolant 
r 
PO593 
The  following  explains  your  cooling  system  and  how  to  add  cool\
ant  when  it  is low. 
If you  have  a  problem  with  -engine  overheating,  see  “Engine 
Overheating”  in the  Index. 
The  proper  coolant  for  your  vehicle  will: 
Give  freezing  protection  down  to  -34°F (-37°C). 
Give  boiling  protection  up  to  258°F (125°C). 
Protect  against  rust  and  corrosion: 
Help  keep  the  proper  engine  temperature. 
Let  the  warning  lights  and  gages  work  as  thiy should. 
What to Use: 
Use  a  ,mixture  of clean water (preferably  distilled),  and  antifreeze  that  meets 
“GM  Specification  6038-M,”  which  won’t  damage  aluminum  p\
arts. 
Also use 
GM Engine  Coolant  Supplement  (sealer)  with a complete  coolant  change. If 
you  use  these,  you  don’t  need  to  add  anything  else. 
, 
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Service & Appearance Cam 
Thermostat 
Engine  coolant  temperature  is  controlled  by  a  thermostat in the  engine  coolant 
system.  The  thermostat  stops  the  flow  of  coolant  through  the  r\
adiator  until the 
coolant  reaches  a  preset  temperature. 
When  you  replace  your  thermostat,  an 
AC@ thermostat  is  recommended. 
Power Steering Fluid 
K2630 
How To Check Power  Steering  Fluid: 
Unscrew  the  cap  and  wipe  the  dipstick  with  a  clean rag. Replace  the cap 
and  completely  tighten it. Then  remove  the  cap  again  and  look  at  the  fluid 
level  on  the  dipstick. 
K2693 
6-46 
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Scheduled Maintenance  Services 
Explanation Of Scheduled  Maintenance  Services 
Below  are  explanations  of the  services  listed  in the  maintenance  charts. 
The  proper  fluids  and  lubricants  to use  are listed  in this  section.  Make  sure 
whoever  services  your  vehicle  uses  these.  All  parts  should  be  \
replaced  and 
all  necessary  repairs  done  before  you  or  anyone  else  drives  the  ve\
hicle. 
1. 
ENGINE  OIL  AND  OIL  FILTER  CHANGE* -ALWAYS  USE SG OR 
SGKE  QUALITY,  ENERGY  CONSERVING II OILS OF THE  PROPER 
VISCOSITY. To determine  the  preferred  viscosity  oil  for  your  vehicle’s 
engine  (e.g.  SAE  5W-30  or  10W-30),  see  “Engine  Oil”  in the  Index. 
2. CHASSIS  LUBRICATION -Lubricate  the  front  suspension,  king  pin 
bushings,  steering  linkage,  transmission,  and  transfer  case  shift\
  linkage, 
parking  brake  cable  guides,  propshaft  splines  (2  wheel  drive),  brake 
pedal  springs,  and  clutch  pedal  springs  at  the  intervals  specified. 
If you  have  a 3500 HD, lubricate  the  king  pins  and  king  pin  bushings 
every  1,500  miles 
(2500 km)  for  Maintenance  Schedule  1,  or  every  3,000 
(5000 km)  for  Maintenance  Schedule 2. 
Ball  joints  and  king  pin bushings  should not  be  lubricated  unless  their 
temperature  is 
10°F (-12”C), or higher.  When  the  weather  is cold,  let 
them  warm  up  before  lubrication  or  they  could  be  damaged. 
Also,  be  sure  to  check 
all the  vehicle  fluid  levels  at  this  time. 
3. 
CLUTCH  FORK  BALL  STUD  LUBRICATION -Lubricate  the  clutch  fork 
ball  stud  through  the  fitting  on the  clutch  housing.  Lubricant  must  be 
added  “sparingly”  to the  fitting,  as  only. 
0066 Ib.  (.003  kg)  is  required  to 
lubricate  the  ball  stud  surface. 
Do not  add  lubricant  more often  than  the 
intervals  in the  Maintenance  Charts. 
Too  much  lubricant will damage 
the  clutch  assembly. 
4. ENGINE  IDLE  SPEED  ADJUSTMENT  (DIESEL  ENGINES)* -Adjust  to 
the  specifications  shown  on  the  underhood  label.  You  must  use 
calibrated  test  equipment. 
5. COOLING  SYSTEM  SERVICE* -Drain,  flush  and  refill  system  with  new 
coolant.  See  “Engine  Coolant’’  in  the Index  for  the  proper  coolant  and 
mixture  to use  in  your  vehicle. 
Also  inspect  the hoses  and  replace  them 
if they  are  cracked,  swollen,  or 
deteriorated.  Tighten  all  hose  clamps  (except  constant  tension  \
clamps). 
Remove  debris  and  clean the  outside 
of the  radiator  and  air  conditioning 
condenser.  Wash  the  radiator  neck. 
To ensure  proper  operation,  pressure 
test  the  radiator  and  cap. 
* An  Emission  Control  Service 
7-1 
8 
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