1995 PONTIAC FIREBIRD engine

Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a
hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could
start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to
do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes, Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P), or REVERSE (R)
for a manual transmission.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more on this. Things that
are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered
in this manual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part. Don’t connect (+) to (-) or
you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts,
too.
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7. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8. Don’t let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the
positive
(+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive
(+) terrnind if the vehicle has one.
But don’t use the junction block on your Pontiac.
9. Now connect the black negative (-) cable to the good
battery’s negative (-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything until the next
step. The other end
of the negative cable doesn’t go
to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted
metal
part on the engine of the vehicle with the dead
battery.
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10.
11.
12.
Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as good there,
but the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is
much less.
Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for a while.
Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Pontiac’s instrument panel. You may also find
a low
coolant warning light on your Pontiac instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
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~ ~. ~~~ .
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.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1.
2.
3.
If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (03)
or DRIVE (D) for automatic transmissions.
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, you can idle the engine
for
two or three minutes while you're parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn oflthe engine and get everyone out of the
vehide
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get 'service
help right away.
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Cooling System
V8 Engine
I.
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
1. Coolant recovery tank
2. Radiator pressure cap
3. Electric engine fan
V6 Engines
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
1. Coolant recovery tank
2. Radiator pressure cap
3. Electric engine fan
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NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, check to see if the electric
engine fans are running.
If the engine is overheating,
both fans should be running.
If they aren’t, your vehicle
needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FWLL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper antifreeze at the
coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the
Index for more information about the proper coolant
mix.)
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