1993 PONTIAC GRAND-AM Owners Manual

...
Service & Appearance Care
Air Cleaner (CONI)
3300 V6: Air Filter Replacement
1. Unscrew the two wing nuts, then
slide
the cover forward and up.
216
2. Remove the air cleaner.
3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter
and replace the cover.
Automatic Tmnsax/e Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic
transaxle fluid level is when the engine
oil is changed. Refer
to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine when to change
your fluid. See the
Index under
Scheduled Maintenance Services.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a Pontiac 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

the transaxle fluid level if you have been
driving:
When outside temperatures are abve
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic-especially in hot
While pulling a trailer.
Ta get the right reading, the fluid should
be at normal operating temperature,
which
is 180°F to 200°F (82°C to
93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving
about 15 miles (24 km) when outside
temperatures are above 50°F (10°C). If
it’s colder
than 50°F (lO°C), you may
have to drive longer.
90°F (32°C).
weather.
0 Park your vehicle an a level place.
Place the shift lever in F (Park) with
With your foot on the brake pedal,
the parking brake applied.
move the shift lever through each gear
range,
pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in P (Park).
five minutes.
Let the engine run at idle for three to
Then, Without Shutting OMF the
Engine, Follow These Steps:
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with
a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three
seconds and then pull
it back out
again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and
read the luwer level. The fluid level
must be
in the crass-hatched area.
4. If the fluid level is where it should
be, push the dipstick back in all the
way.
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
Automatic Transaxle Fluid (CONT.)
How To Add Fluid:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind of transaxle fluid to
use. See the
Index under Fluids &
Lubricants.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper fluid to bring the level into
the cross-hatched area on the dipstick.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than a pint. Don’t overfill. We
recommend you use only fluid
labeled DEXRON@-IIE, because fluids
with that label are made especially for
your automatic transaxle. Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON@-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid
level as described under
How tu Check.
When the correct fluid level is obtained,
push the dipstick back in all the way.
Manual Transaxle Fluid
When to Check:
A good time to have it checked is when
the engine oil is changed. However, the
fluid in your manual transaxle doesn’t
require changing.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a Pontiac 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.
m.. 218
ProCarManuals.com

Check the fluid level only when your
engine is
off, the vehicle is parked on a
level place and the transaxle is cool
enough for you to rest your fingers on
the transaxle case.
Then, Follow These Steps:
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out
the dipstick and clean it with a rag or
paper towel.
remove it.
2. Push it back in all the way and
3. Check both sides of the dipstick and
read the lower level. The fluid level
must be between the
ADD and
FULL marks. (Note: Fluid may
appear at the bottom
of the dipstick
even when the fluid level is several
pints low.)
4. If the fluid level is where it should
be, push the dipstick back in all the
way.
5. Be sure to push the handle down
fully.
21s I..
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
Manual Transaxle Fluid (CONI)
How to Add Fluid:
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind
of fluid to use. See the Index
under Fluids & Lubricants.
1. Remove the dipstick by flipping the
handle up and then pulling the
dipstick out.
2. Add fluid at the dipstick hole.
Add
only enough fluid to bring the
fluid level up to the
FULL mark on
the dipstick.
3. Push the dipstick back in all the way;
then flip the handle down to lock the
dipstick in place.
220
Hydraulic Clutch
(MANUAL TRANSAXLE)
The hydraulic clutch in your vehicle is
self-adjusting.
When to Check and What to Use:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine how often you should check
the fluid level in your clutch master cylinder reservoir and what to add. See
the
Index under Fluids & Lubricants.
How to Check:
The proper fluid should be added if the
level is at or below the
STEP mark on
the reservoir cap. See the instructions on
the reservoir cap.
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how to add coolant when it
is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see the
Index under
Engine Overheating.
The proper coolant for your Pontiac
will:
Give freezing protection down to
Give boiling protection up to 262°F
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine
-34°F (-37°C).
(128°C).
temperature.
Let the warning
should. lights work as they
What to Use:
Use
a mixture of one-half clean water
(preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze that meets
“GM Specification
1825-M,” which won’t damage
aluminum parts. You can
also use a
recycled coolant conforming to GM
Specification 1825-M with a complete
coolant flush and refill. If you use this
mixture, you don’t need to add anything
else.
CAUTION I
A Adding only plain water ta
L pur cooling system can be
dangerous. Plain water, or some
other liquid like alcohol, can boil
bebe the proper coolant mix will.
system is set for the proper coolant
mix. With plain water or the
wrong mix, 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 mix
of clean water and a proper
antifreeze.
Your v&hicle’s coolant warning
221 .
ProCarManuals.com

Service & Appearance Care
I Engine Coolant (CONI)
If you use an improper coolant
mix, your engine could overheat
and be badly damaged. The reDair
cost wouldn’t be covered by
yo
warranty. Too much water in the
mix can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater
c ; and
other parts.
Adding Coolant
To Check Coolant:
When your engine is cold, the coolant
level should be at
FULL COLD, or a
little higher.
3
To Add Coolant:
If you need more coolant, add the
proper
mix at the surge tank, but only
when the engine is cool.
II
Turning the surge tank
L pressure cap when the engine
and radiator are hot can allow
sbeam and scalding liquids to blow
out and burn you badly. Never turn
the surge tank pressure capieven
a little-when the engine and I
radiator are hot.
ProCarManuals.com

1 CAUTION
A -'-u can be burned if you spill
A Luolant on hot engine parts.
Loolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Don't spill coolant
on a hot engine.
Surge Tank Pressure Cap
When you replace your surge tank
pressure cap, a
GM cap is
recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled
by a thermostat
in the engine coolant
system. The thermostat stops the
flow of
coolant through the radiator until the
coolant reaches a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC@ thermostat is recommended.
ProCarManuals.com