1996 CHEVROLET S10 oil temperature

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to
store the cord as it was before
to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t,
it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends
on the outside temperature, the
kind
of oil you have, and so.me other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that
you contact
your
GM dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
. --
P RNDD 21
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transmission, it features an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument cluster. This display
must be powered anytime
the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of the PARK (P) position. This means
that
if your key is in the OFF position, but not locked,
there will be a small current drain on your battery which
could discharge your battery over a period
of time. If
you need to leave your key in the ignition in the OFF
position for an extended period, it is recommended that
you disconnect the battery cable from the battery to
prevent discharging your battery.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position
to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
2-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage shows
the engine oil pressure
in
psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate
oil pressure in
kPa (kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature
and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a
dangerously low oil level or other problems causing low
oil pressure.
A CA"T1ON:
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.
1 NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by
your warranty.
2-60

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check Gages Light
The CHECK GAGES light
will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
CHECK
GAGES
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your coolant temperature and engine oil pressure
gages to see if they are
in the warning zones.
Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on, the
fuel gage tells
you about
how much fuel
you
have remaining.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage reads
FULL (F).
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to fill
the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
The gage doesn’t go back to EMPTY (E) when you
turn off the ignition.
2-62

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included
in
the optional trailering package).
The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down,
you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well, On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 kdh) to reduce the
possibility of engine
and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission, you should use
DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle in DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life of your
transmission. Or, if you have a manual transmission, it’s
better not to use FIFTH
(5), just drive in FOURTH (4)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil
at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep
uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK
(P) (or the
manual transmission out of gear and the parking brake
applied) for
a few minutes before turning the engine off.
If you do get the overheat warning, see “Engine
Overheating’’
in the Index.
4-54

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What Kind of Oil to Use
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.
If you change your own oil, be sure you use oil that has
the Starburst symbol on the front of the oil container. 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:
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY 6RADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FULL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
SAE VISCOSITY GRADE OIL FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER ,
“F
t. 100 -
+ sa
+ 60 .
+40.
+ 20
0.
“C
e 38
t 27
t 16
t4
-7
- 18
WOK
FOR MIS
SYMBOL
SA€ 3w-30 PREFERRED
COLD
WEATHER
DO NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
6-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can use
SAE 1OW-30 if it’s going
to be
0°F (- 18°C) or above. These numbers on an oil
container show its viscosity, or thickness.
Do not use
other viscosity oils, such as
SAE 20W-50. 7
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certified For Gasoline
Engines “Starburst” symbol. Failure to use
the recommended oil can result in engine
damage not covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench’ 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.
When te Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
e
e
e
8
e
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
You operate your vehicle in dusty areas or off-road
frequently.
You frequently tow a trailer.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application. I
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner.
If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them is true, change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
6-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search 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.
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
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
0 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.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your
GM dealer’s 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.
0 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).
6-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your vehicle will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 “F ( 129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
~~ ~~~~ ~ ~~
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting GM Specification 6277M.
If silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant
will require change sooner -- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. What to
Use
Use a mixture of one-half
clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets GM Specification
6277M’ which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture, you don’t need to add anything else.
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 (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
6-25