Page 289 of 488
What Kind of Oil to Use 
Look for  these  two things: 
CF-4/SH 
CF-4/SH 
is the best oil for  your vehicle. However.  if  you can not find 
CF4SH  oil, you  may  use 
CF4SG or CE/SH  or  CE/SG oil. 
These  may be  listed as shown or in reverse  order,  for  example 
SHKF-4.  Other letters  may 
also be listed,  such as SH/CD, CE, CF4. 
These  letters  show  American  Petroleum  Institute 
(API) levels of 
quality. 
NOTICE: 
If you  use  oils  that  don’t  have  these  designations,  you  can  ca\
use 
engine  damage  which  is not  covered 
by your  warranty. 
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To remove the air  cleaner  filter  on a 6.5 liter turbocharged  diesel  engine, 
first  remove  the rubber  elbow.  Remember  to observe the caution  about 
turbocharger  blades on the rubber elbow. 
Then, unhook the 
cover  retaining  clips 
and  push  the rear 
of 
the cover  toward the 
engine. 
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. 
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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 overfill. We recommend 
you use only fluid labeled  DEXRON 
-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. 
8 
0 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. 
Manual  Transmission  Fluid 
When to Check 
A good  time  to have it checked is when the engine  oil is changed.  However, 
the  fluid 
in your manual transmission doesn’t require  changing. 
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. 
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. 
Check  the  fluid level only when your  engine is off, the vehicle  is parked on 
a level  place  and the transmission is cool enough for you to rest your fingers 
on the transmission  case. 
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If the differential is at operating  temperature  (warm),  add enough  lubricant 
to  raise  the level  to the bottom 
of the  filler  plug hole. 
If  the  differential  is cold,  add enough  lubricant  to  raise  the level to 
1/2 inch 
( 12 mm) below  the  filler plug hole. 
What to Use 
Refer  to the  Maintenance  Schedule  to  determine  what kind of lubricant to 
use. See “Recommended  Fluids  and Lubricants” in the Index. 
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  “Engine 
Overheating” 
in the Index. 
The  proper  coolant  for  your  vehicle will: 
Give  freezing protection  down  to -34°F (-37°C). 
0 Give boiling  protection  up to 262°F  (128°C). 
Protect  against rust and corrosion. 
Help  keep  the proper  engine  temperature. 
Let the warning  gages work as they  should. 
What  to Use 
Use a mixture of one-half cleun water (preferably  distilled) and one-half 
antifreeze  that  meets “GM Specification  6038-M,” which won’t  damage 
aluminum parts. 
You can also use  a recycled  coolant  conforming to “GM 
Specification  6038-M.”  Use  GM Coolant  Supplement  (Sealer)  with a 
complete  coolant  flush and refill. If  you  use this  mixture.  you don’t  need to 
add  anything  else. 
A CAUTION: 
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 proper  antifreeze. 
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(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is done on the brake 
hydraulic  system. 
A CAUTION: 
If you  have too much  brake  fluid, it can spill on the engine.  The 
fluid  will burn 
if the engine  is hot  enough. You or others  could 
be  burned,  and  your vehicle  could be damaged.  Add brake  fluid 
only  when  work is done on  the  brake  hydraulic  system. 
Refer to the Maintenance  Schedule to determine  when to  check  your brake 
fluid.  See “Periodic  Maintenance  Inspections” 
in the Index. 
To Check  Brake Fluid 
You can check  the  brake fluid without taking off the cap.  Just  look  at the 
windows  on the brake  fluid reservoir.  The  fluid  levels should be above  MIN. 
If they  aren’t,  have  your  brake  system checked to see if there  is a  leak. 
After work 
is done  on the brake hydraulic  system, make sure the levels  are 
above  MIN and below  the top 
of each window. 
What to Add 
When  you do need brake  fluid, use only DOT-3 brake fluid - such as 
Delco  Supreme  11 
@ (GM Part No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a 
sealed  container  only, and always  clean the brake  fluid reservoir  cap before 
removing  it. 
NOTICE: 
Don’t  let someone  put in the  wrong  kind of fluid.  For 
example,  just 
a few drops of mineral-based  oil,  such as engine 
oil,  in  your brake  system  can damage  brake system  parts 
so 
badly that they’ll  have to  be  replaced. 
Brake fluid can damage paint, so be careful  not to spill  brake 
fluid  on  your vehicle. 
If you  do,  wash  it off immediately.  See 
“Appearance Care”  in the  Index. 
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CranKcase  Capacity 
ENGINE 
4.3L 5  .OL 
5.7L“ 
6.5L 
6.5L 
6.5L 
7.4L>$ 
VIN 
Z 
€4 
K 
P 
S 
F 
N 
QUANTITY WITH 
FILTER* 
4.5 Quarts  (4.3  Liters) 
5 Quarts (4.8 Liters) 
5  Quarts  (4.8  Liters) 
7 Quarts (6.5  Liters) 
7  Quarts 
(6.5 Liters) 
7 Quarts  (6.5 Liters) 
7  Quarts  (6.5  Liters) 
After refill, the  level 
MUST be checked  as outlined  under “Engine  Oil  And 
Filter Recommendations” 
in Section 5. 
All  quantities  are approximate. 
“Add  one  additional quart  for 
C3500 HD Models. 
+Oil filter should  be changed  at EVERY oil change. 
Fuel  Tank  Capacity 
TYPE 
Gasoline/Diesel 
with  Short  Bed 
with  Long  Bed 
Crew  Cab 
Standard 
Chassis-Cab  Models 
Standard  (Side Tank) 
Optional  (Rear Tank) 
3500 HD Models 
Standard  (Side Tank) 
Optional  (Rear Tank) 
QUANTITY 
26 Gallons  (98  Liters) 
34 Gallons 
(1 28  Liters) 
34 Gallons 
(1 28 Liters) 
23  Gallons  (87  Liters) 
3 
1 Gallons (1 17 Liters) 
23 Gallons  (87  Liters) 
3 1 Gallons ( 117 Liters) 
All  quantities  are 
for a completely dry tank  and are approximate. 
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Scheduled Maintenance Services 
KEEP ENGINE OIL 
AT THE  PROPER 
LEVEL AND  CHANGE 
AS  RECOMMENDED 
Section 
This  section  covers the maintenance  required for your vehicle.  Your vehicle 
needs these  services to retain its safety, dependability  and emission  control 
performance. 
I protection 
Plan 
I 
Introduction 
Your Vehicle  and  the  Environment 
Proper  vehicle  maintenance  not only helps to keep  your  vehicle in good 
working  condition,  but also helps the environment.  All recommended 
maintenance  procedures  are important.  Improper vehicle  maintenance  or the 
removal 
of important  components  can  significantly  affect the quality  of  the 
air  we  breathe.  Improper 
fluid levels or even  the wrong tire  inflation can 
increase the  level of emissions  from  your  vehicle. 
To help protect our 
environment,  and 
to help keep  your vehicle  in good condition,  please 
maintain  your vehicle properly. 
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Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km) 
Automatic Transmission Service 
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km) 
Crankcase Depression Regulator  Valve (CDRV)  System Inspection 
Engine  Accessory  Drive Belt Inspection 
Exhaust  Gas Recirculation  (EGR) System Inspection 
(if equipped) 
Exhaust Pressure Regulator  Valve Inspection 
Maintenance  Schedule I - Gasoline  Engines  With 
Light 
Duty Emissions 
The services  shown in this  schedule up to 60,000 miles (1 00 000 km)  should 
be  performed  after 
60,000 miles (100 000 km) at the  same  intervals. 
Footnotes 
3 The  California  Air Resources  Board has determined that the  failure  to 
perform  this maintenance  item  will not nullify  the emission warranty  or 
limit  recall  liability prior  to the completion  of vehicle useful life.  We, 
however,  urge that all recommended  maintenance services  be performed at 
the indicated  intervals and the maintenance  be recorded. 
:$* Drive  axle  service: 
Locking Differential - Drain fluid and refill at  first  engine oil change. 
At  subsequent oil  changes, check fluid  level and add fluid 
as needed. If 
driving in dusty areas  or towing a trailer, drain fluid and  refill every 
15,000 miles (25 000 km). 
0 Standard  Differential - Check fluid  level and add fluid as needed  at 
every  oil change. 
If driving in dusty  areas  or towing  a trailer, drain 
fluid and refill every 15,000 miles (25 000 km). 
More  frequent  lubrication  may  be required  for heavy-duty  or off-road 
use. 
3500 HD  Models  with applications requiring  extreme overload/trailer 
towing  conditions  and high  speed (above 
45 mph or 72 kmh) 
conditions  for extended  periods of time must have the  drive  axle fluid 
changed  every 
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months, whichever  occurs 
first,  or must  use 
75W-140 synthetic fluid meeting GM specifications. 
See  “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” 
in this  section. 
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