1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme service

j If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything
else until it cools down.
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Heater and radiator hoses, and otherengine
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 fiie,
and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
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I NOTICE:
The coolant level should be at or above the COLD mark
on a cold engine. The coolant level should be at or
above the HOT mark on a hot engine. 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.
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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 fan(s) are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fan@) should be running; If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
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1 Section 6 Service-and Appearance Care
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Here you will find information about the care of your
Oldsmobile. 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 Oldsmobile retailer knows your vehicle best and
wants you to be happy with
it. We hope you’ll go to
your retailer for all your service needs. You’ll get
genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported
service people.
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We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
Delco
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Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
,want to get the proper Oldsmabile Service Manual.
It tells you much more about how to service your
Oldsmobile than this manual can.
To order the proper
service manual, see “Service and Owner Publications”
in the Index.
,Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Oldsmobile” in the Index.
You.should keep a record
with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
‘perform. See “Maintenance Record? in’the Index.
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iY.,;..;.2 , .
A CAUTION:
You can be injured and your ,vehicle could be
damaged
if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
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Be sure you have suffkient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task. Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.

Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
-specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive.
If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service. But
don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when you’re
accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal, and you d\
on’t
have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid of pinging. It’\
s the
heavy, constant knock that means you have a problem. If your vehicle
is certified to meet California Emission
Standards .(indicated on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to .operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are not available in states
adopting .California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return
to your authorized Oldsmobile retailer for diagnosis
to determine the cause of failure. In the event it is
determined that the cause of the condition is the type of
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this happens, return to your authorized Oldsmobile dealer for service.

Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anytkng to your oil. Your Oldsmobile retailer is
ready ‘to advise if you
think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
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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).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
,’
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
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.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
e€ements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your ’skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to
drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your retailer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
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1. Air Cleaner
To check or replace the air filter, remove the four screws
and pull
off the cover. Pull
out the filter. Be sure to install the air filter and
install the cover tightly when you are finished.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
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Operating the.engine wi4.h the air cleaner oi’fcan
cause you or .others to be burned. The
air cleaner
not only cleans the
air, it stops flame if the engine
backfires. Hit 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 backfii 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.
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Automatk Transaxle’ Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automaticdransaxle fiui,d
level is when the engine
oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and. filter ,every
30,000 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 OF (32 O C) or higher;.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in :taxi, polide 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.
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How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Oldsmobile retail
facility 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
transaxle.
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
transaxle fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures, are above 90°F (32°C).
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
..I 80°F to 200°F 1
(82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
. (24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10OC). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may
have to drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
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Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
With the pqking 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 to five minutes.
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