1996 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO oil level

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment. This is normal.
Low Oil Level Light
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become
so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by your
warranty.
LOW
OIL
Your engine is equipped
with an oil level monitoring
system. When the ignition
key
is turned on, the LOW
OIL light will briefly flash.
If the light does not flash,
have
it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If the light stays on, stop the vehicle on a level surface
and turn
the engine off. Check the oil level using the
engine oil dipstick. (See “Engine Oil”
in the Index.)
If the light does not flash, have the low oil level sensor
system repaired
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key
on and engine
crank. It does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check
is
only performed if the engine has been turned off for a
considerable period of time, allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
0 Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
0 Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
0 Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving?
Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is
it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in
less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here
are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else
until it cools down. A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a leak.
If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
The coolant level should be at or above the COLD mark.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
1 NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rea
to the - lant
rank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
the COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in the
Index for
more information.)
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
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze.
1 NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
5-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly. Then just pull
the hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
LOW
OIL
If the LOW OIL light on the
instrument panel comes on,
it means
you need to check
your engine oil level right
away. For more
information, see “Low Oil
Level Light”
in the Index.
You should check your
engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine
oil after you get
fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must be
hot and the vehicle must be on level ground.
3.1 L L82 (Code M) Engine
The engine
oil dipstick handle is the yellow loop near
the front
of the engine.
6-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ,/ : t
I
I
3.4L LQ1 (Code X) Engine
Checking 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, and check the level.
When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the upper mark, 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.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil 20 minutes to drain
back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick might
not show the actual level. 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 proper
operating range, your engine could be damaged.
6-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine : Kind of Oil to
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by
looking for the “Starburst” symbol. This symbol
indicates that the oil has been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute
(API). Do not use any oil which
does not carry this Starburst symbol.
1 If you change your own oil,
i be sure you use oil that has
the Starburst symbol on the
front of the oil container.
3.1
L L82 (Code M) Engine 3.4L LQ 1 (Code X) Engine
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.
If you have your
oil changed for you, be sure the oil put
into your engine
is American Petroleum Institute
certified
for gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown
in the following chart:
6-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -
,A CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off
can cause you or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air, it stops flame if
the engine backfires. If it isn’t there, and the
engine backfires, you could be burned. Don’t
drive with
it off, and be careful working on the
engine with the
air cleaner off.
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 Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the Index.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
6-16 .