Page 231 of 338

Service & Appearance Cam
Hydraulic Clutch Fluid (CONTJ
How to Check
The proper fluid should be added if the
level does not reach the bottom
of the
diaphragm when it’s in place in the
reservoir. See the instructions on the
reservoir cap.
230
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 or
if you need to add
coolant to your radiator, see the Index
under Engine Overheuling.
The proper coolant for your Pontia’c
will:
Give freezing protection do;wn to
Give boiling protection up to 262°F
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine
Let the warning lights work as they
What to Use:
Use a mixture of one-half dean water
(preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze that meets
“GM Specification
1825-M,” which won’t darnage
-34°F (-3 7 “C) .
(12S°C).
temperature.
should.
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.
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 mix will.
Your vehicle’s coolant warning
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 Droner antifreeze.
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Service & Appearance Care
Turning the radisiitor pressure
1 b cap when the en& and
radiator am hat can daw steam
and scalding liquids to blow out
and burn you badly. With the
almost never have to add coolant at
the radiator. Never turn the
radiator pressure mp-evtm a
I.lttle-whm the engine and
coolant recoverg tadq lyou will
Add coolant mix at the recovery tank,
but be careful not to spill it.
Radiator Pressure Cap
Dm
Your radiator cap is a 15 psi
(105 kPa) pressure-type cap and
must be tightly installed to prevent
coolant loss and possible engine
damage
from overheating. Be sure
the arrows on the cap line up
with
the overflow tube on the radiator
filler neck.
I I'
11 CAUTION
You can be burned if you
I spill coolant on hot engine I
,~rts. Coolant contains ethylene
glycol, and it will burn if the engine
parts are hot enough.
Don't spill
coolant on a hot engine.
I I When you replace your radiator pressure
I
cap, an AC@ 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.
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Page 235 of 338

Service & Appearance Care
Windshield Washer Fluid (CONT.)
NOTICE
When using concentrated washer
fluid, follow the manufacturer’s
instructions for adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-
use washer fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer fluid tank
and other parts
of the washer
system. Also, water doesn’t clean
as well as washer fluic
allows for expansiok, which
could damage the tank if it i
completely full.
Don’t use radiator antifreeze in
~ ~~~-
Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is
filled with DOT-3 brake fluid.
Your vehicle is equipped with either
Standard Power Brakes or the Anti-
Lock Brake System.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in your master cylinder
might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable
level during normal brake lining wear.
When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The
other reason is that fluid is leaking
out of the brake system.
If it is, you
should have your brake system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later
your brakes won’t work well, or won’t
work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top
off” your
brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak. If you add fluid when
your linings are worn, then you’ll have
too much fluid when you get new bralce
linings. You should add (or remove)
brake fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
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Page 237 of 338

Service & Appearance Care
Baftery
Every new Pontiac has a Delco
Freedom@ battery. You never have to
add water to one of these. When it’s
time for a
new battery, we recommend a
Delco Freedom@ battery. Get one that
has the catalog number shown on the
original battery’s label.
Jump Starting
For jump starting instructions, see the
Index under Jump Starting.
Vehicle Sforage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle
for
25 days or more, take off the black,
negative
(-) cable from the battery. This
will help keep your battery from
running down.
I
A Batteries have acid that can
- 1 burn you and gas that can
explode. You can be badly hurt if
you aren’t careful. See the
Index
under Jump Starting for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
‘I
Contact your dealer to learn how to
prepare your vehicle for longer storage
periods.
Bulb Rephcement
In this section you’ll find directions for
changing the light bulbs
in some of the
lights
on your Pontiac. You’ll also find
directions for adjusting the alignment of
the mini-quad headlights’
if you have
this type.
Be sure to read the directions before
you begin to replace or adjust any
lights.
See the
Index under Replacement
Bulbs to find the type of bulb you need
to use.
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Page 239 of 338

Service lS Appearance C
Checking Aim of the Headlights
(CONT.)
To make sure your headlights are
aimed properly, read all the
instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructlons
could cause damage to headlight
parts.
State inspection stations will allow a
vertical reading of up plus .76 degrees
or down minus
.76 degrees €or the
center of the bubble.
It is recommended that the upper limit
not exceed up plus
.4 degrees for the
center of the bubble. There may be
an
increased chance of being flashed if
adjustment is much above
up plus
.4 degrees.
Aiming HeadJishts
(2-DOOR MODELS)
To check the aim, the vehicle should be
properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle must have all four tires on
a perfectly level surface.
The vehicle should not have any
snow, ice or mud attached to it.
There should not be any cargo or
loading
of vehicle, except it should
have a full tank
of gas and one person
or
160 pounds (75 kg) on the driver’s
seat.
Tires should be properly inflated.
The horizontal indicator should read
0 (zero).
ProCarManuals.com
Page 241 of 338
Service & Appearance Care
, M.8
To Replace a Headlight (CONT.)
2. Be careful not to move the aiming
screws when you replace the
headlight. If the headlight being
replaced was properly aimed, the new
one will be also
if it is properly
installed.
240
3. Remove the screw at the top of the
headlight support panel. Loosen the
two screws at the bottom
of the panel
until they are out
of the headlight
frame but still in the brackets on the
headlight assembly.
4. Lift the headlight assembly and
headlight support panel. Be careful
not to damage the vertical aim
indicator.
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Page 243 of 338
..I
Service & Appearance Care
To Replace a Headlight (CONT.)
9. Check the new headlight again. The
number on the top
of the light (A)
must match the number on the
headlight being replaced. The letter,
“U” or “L,” must also match.
10. Place the new headlight in the
headlight assembly. The socket
must be pointing in the same
direction the socket on the
burned-out bulb
was.
242
1 1. Insert the tabs on the aiming ring
into the slots in the headlight
assembly. 12. Holding the aiming ring closed,
insert the screws at the end
of the
ring. Tighten the screws until the
aiming ring touches the plastic nuts
on both the top and bottom.
Do not
overtighten.
Do not damage the
vertical aiming bubble.
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Page 245 of 338
Service & Appearance Care
Driver Side
Headlight Replacement
(4-DOOR MODELS)
See the Index under Replacement
Bulbs to check the type of bulb to use.
To Replace a Bulb:
1. Open the hood. Open the protective
panel above the headlights.
2. Reach behind the headlights and turn
the socket counterclockwise until it
pops loose from the housing.
3. Pull the socket and bulb free.
4. Lift the locking tab on the electrical
connector and pull it from the socket.
5. Plug a new bulb and socket into the
electrical connector. Be sure the
locking tab snaps securely onto the
socket.
6. Replace the socket in the headlight
7. Turn it clockwise to lock it in place.
8. Close the protective panel.
housing.
Passenger Side
Front
light Bar Bulb
Replacement
DOOR MODELS)
See the Index under Replacement
Bulbs
to check the type of bulb to use.
To Replace a Bulb:
1. Open the hood and remove the seven
pins from the covers above the light
bar.
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