1995 CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN check engine

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
Section
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section
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 part devoted to its appearance care.
Service
Your GM dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to be happy with it.
We hope you’ll
go to your dealer for all your service needs. You’ll get
genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM. Genuine
GM parts
have one
of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll want to get the
proper GM Service Manual.
It tells you much more about how to service
your vehicle than this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service Publications’’
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
Filling Your Tank
The cap is behind a
hinged door
on the
driver’s side
of your
vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right type. Your dea\
ler
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
Hood Release
To open the hood, first
pull the handle inside
the vehicle on the
lower driver’s side of
the instrument panel.
Then
go to the front of
the vehicle and release
the secondary hood
release.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
- 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.
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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 down.
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 part explains what kind
of oil to use. For
crankcase capacity,
see “Capacities and Specifications” in the Index.
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.
Just fill it enough to put the level somewhere in the proper operating range.
Push the dipstick all the way back in when you’re through.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a damaging engine
fire. And, dirt can easily get into your engine, which will damage
it. Always have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid level is when the
engine oil
is changed. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
when
to change your fluid. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the
Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may choose to have this
done at your
GM dealer 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.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your transmission. Too
much can mean that some of the fluid could come out and fall on
hot engine parts or exhaust system parts, starting
a fire. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your transmission fluid.
Wait at least
30 minutes before checking the transmission fluid level if you
have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32” C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic - especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal operating
temperature, which is 180°F to
200°F (82°C to 93°C).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To check transmission fluid hot: 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), drive the vehicle in DRIVE (D) until the
engine temperature gage moves and then remains steady for ten minutes.
Then follow the hot check procedures.
To check transmission fluid cold: A cold check is made after the vehicle
has been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off and is used only
as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for five minutes if outside
temperatures are
50°F (10°C) or more. If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you
may have to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low during a
cold check, you
must perform a hot check before adding fluid. This will
give you a more accurate reading of the fluid level.
To check the fluid hot or cold
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through each
gear range, pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then,
position the shift lever in
PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and then pull it back out
clean rag or
paper towel.
again.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower level. The fluid
level must be in the COLD area for a cold check or in the
HOT area or
cross-hatched area for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the dipstick back in all
the way; then flip the handle down to lock the dipstick in place.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what kind of transmission
fluid to use., See “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid
HOT. (A COLD check
is used only’ as a reference.) If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the
proper fluid to bring the level up to the
HOT area for a hot check. It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than a int.
Don ’t overjill. We recommend
you use only fluid labeled DEXRON
8 -111, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission. Damage caused by fluid
other than DEXRON@-I11 is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as described under “How to
Check.”
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the dipstick back in all
the way; then flip the handle down to lock the dipstick in place.
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