1994 CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER tow

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE: (Continued)
Additional ramping may be required for car-carrier equipment.
Use safety chains and wheel straps.
If your vehicle has the all-wheel drive option,
a dolly MUST be
used under the rear wheels when towing from the front.
Towing From the Front (Except AII-Wheel Drive)
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NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the front bumper
system will be damaged.
Use wheel lift or car-carrier equlpment.
Additional ramping may be required for car-carrier equipment.
Use safety chains and wheel straps.
If your vehicle has the all-wheel drive option, a dolly MUST be
used under the rear wheels when towing from the front.
5-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Rear (Except All- Wheel Drive)
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the rear bumper
system will be damaged.
Use wheel lift or car-carrier equipment.
Additional ramping may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use safety chains and wheel straps.
If your vehicle has the all-wheel drive option, a dolly MUST be
used under the front wheels when towing from the rear.
5-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little
too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning
with no sign of steam, try this for a minute
or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan speed and open the
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to “N” (Neutral).
window as necessary.
If you no
longer have the overheat warning, you can drive. Just to be safe,
drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there’s still
no sign of steam, push the accelerator until the engine speed is
about twice as fast as normal idle speed. Bring the engine speed back to
normal idle speed after two or three minutes. Now see if the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the warning, TURN
OFF THE ENGINE AND
GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE VEHICLE until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service help right away.
5-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 8. Then replace the
pressure cap. At
any time during
this procedure
if
coolant begins to
flow out of the
filler neck,
reinstall the
pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on
the pressure cap
line up like this.
Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When the clutch is engaged,
the fan spins faster to provide more
air to cool the engine. In most every day
driving conditions the clutch is not engaged. This improves fuel economy
and reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or
high outside temperatures, the fan speed increases when the clutch engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise. This is normal and should not be
mistaken as the transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely the
cooling system functioning properly. The fan will slow down when
additional cooling is not required and the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the engine. It will go away
as the
fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain your tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely to
leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a
few tips
about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove
your foot from the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be very bumpy and
noisy, but you can still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well off the road if
possible.
If a tire goes flat,
the next section shows how to use your jacking equipment
to change a flat tire safely.
5-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine k.
Replace the wheel
nuts with the rounded
end
of the nuts toward
the wheel. Tighten
each nut by hand until
the wheel
is held
against the hub.
Lower the vehicle by
rotating the ratchet to
the left. Lower the
jack completely.
5-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is to spin your
wheels. The method known as “rocking” can help you get out when you’re
stuck, but you must use caution.
.. .. .. ., ..., . ....
1 NOTICE: I
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as
the tires. If
you spin the wheels too fast while shifting your
transmission back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
I
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around
your front wheels. Then shift back and forth between
“R’ (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear. If that doesn’t get you out after a few tries,
you may need to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing
Your Vehicle’’ in the Index.
5-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service work without knowing enough
about it, your vehicle could be damaged.
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number (VTN) shows the code
letter for your engine. You will find the VIN at the top left
of your
instrument panel. (See “Vehicle Identification Number”
in the Index.)
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher. With the
4.3L (Code
W) engine, use premium unleaded gasoline rated at 9 1 octane or
higher for high power performance, when towing a trailer or with a high
payload requirement. But when operating with a light load as a normal
condition, you may
use middle grade or regular unleaded gasolines.
The gasoline
you use should meet specifications ASTM D48 14 in the U.S.
and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These fuels should have the proper additives,
so you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
In the U.S. and Canada, it’s easy to be sure
you get the right kind of
gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see “UNLEADED” right on the pump. And only
unleaded nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
91 for premium, 89 for middle grade
and
87 for regular. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy
knocking noise when you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your
engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 91 octane or higher and you still hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service. But don’t worry if
you hear a little
pinging noise when you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have
to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid of it. It’s the heavy,
constant knock that means
you have a problem.
What about gasoline with blending materials that contain oxygen \
(oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.” Fuel that is no more than
15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle.
6-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
I
When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD line, then 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.
L
NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so much oil that the
oil level gets above the cross-hatched area that shows the pro\
per
operating range, your engine could be damaged.