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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
Section
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle . This part
begins with service and fuel information. and then
it shows how to check
important fluid and lubricant levels
. There is also technical information
about your vehicle. and a section devoted to
its appearance care .
Service ................................................... 6-2
Fuel
..................................................... 6-3
Checking Things Under the Hood
.............................. 6-6
Engineoil
.............................................. 6-8
Aircleaner
............................................ 6-14
Automatic Transmission Fluid
............................. 6-15
Manual Transmission Fluid
............................... 6-18
Hydraulic Clutch ........................................ 6-20
RearAxle
............................................. 6-20
Transfer Case
.......................................... 6-21
FrontAxle
............................................. 6-22
Enginecoolant
......................................... 6-23
Power Steering Fluid
.................................... 6-26
Windshield Washer Fluid
................................. 6-28
Brake Master Cylinder
................................... 6-29
Replacing Brake System Parts
................................ 6-30
Battery
.................................................. 6-31
Vehiclestorage
......................................... 6-31
Bulb Replacement
......................................... 6-32
Other Maintenance Items
.................................... 6-35
Loading Your Vehicle
...................................... 6-39
Tires .................................................... 6-42
Appearance Care
.......................................... 6-49
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
.......................... 6-58
Service Parts Identification Label
............................. 6-60
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
.................................. 6-60
Capacities and Specifications Charts
........................... 6-62
6-1
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) 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 91 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 9
1 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.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel that is no more than
10% ethanol is fine for your vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for your vehicle.
Don’t use it. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel syst\
em and
also damage plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t be
covered under your warranty. And even at
5% or less, there
must be “cosolvents” and corrosion preventers in this fuel\
to
help avoid these problems.
6-3
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Gasolines for CIeaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will help prevent
deposits from forming in your engine and fuel system. That helps keep your
engine in
tune and your emission control system working properly. It’s good \
for your vehicle, and
you’ll be doing your part for cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates. General Motors
recommends that you use gasolines with these blending materials,
such as
MTBE and ethanol. By doing so, you can help clean the air, especially in
those parts
of the country that have high carbon monoxide levels.
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
deposit control additives 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 Overseas Distribution Corporation
North American Export Sales
(NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
LlH 8P7
6-4
Page 241 of 348
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling ‘Your Tank
The fuel cap is behind
a hinged door on the
left side of your
vehicle.
To take
off the cap, turn it slowly to the left.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from painted surfaces as
soon as possible.
See “Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle” in the Index.
When you put the cap back
on, turn it to the right until you hear a clicking
noise.
6-5
Page 242 of 348
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right type. Your dealer
can get one for you. If you get the wrong type, it may not fit or
have proper venting, and your fuel tank and emissions system
might be damaged.
Checking Things Under the Hood
Then go to the front of
the vehicle and release
the secondary hood
release.
6-6
Page 244 of 348
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remove the hood prop
from
the slot in the
hood and return the
prop to its retainer.
Then just pull the
hood down and close
it firmly.
Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil 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.
I 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.
6-8
Page 247 of 348

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your vehicle, as shown in
the following chart:
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
SAL VISCOSITY GRADE
011 FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER
[ + 60
+ 40
f 20
I
C
- +38
- +27
- +16
-+4
- -7
- -18
COLD
WEATHER
SAE 5W-30
PREFERRED
LOOK FOR
ONE OF THESE
LABELS
SAE 1OW-30
IF NEITHER SAE 5W-30 NOR SAE 1OW-30
GRADE OILS ARE AVAILABLE, SAE 30
GRADE MAY BE USED AT TEMPERATURES
ABOVE
40 DEGREES F (4 DEGREES C).
ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
DO NOT USE SAE 1OW-40, SAE 2OW-50 OR
As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your vehicle. However, you
can use
SAE low-30 if it’s going to be 0°F (-1 8°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 20W-50.
If you cannot find oils with the new “starburst” symbol on the front of the
container, you should look for and use oils containing the following three
things:
6-11
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SHorSG
“SH” or “SG” must be on the oil container, either by itself or combined
with other quality designations, such as “SH/CD,”
“SH, SG, CD,”
“SG/CD,” etc. These letters show American Petroleum Institute (API)
levels of quality.
SAE 5W-30
Energy Conserving I1
Oils with these words on the container will help you save fuel.
These three things are usually included
in a doughnut shaped logo (symbol)
on most containers. If you cannot find oils with the “starburst” symbol, you
should look for oils with the doughnut shaped symbol, containing the three
things noted above.
NOTICE:
If you use oils that do not have either the “starburst” symbol or
an API SH or SG designation, you can cause engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
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 GM dealer is ready to advise if you
think something should be added.
6-12