Page 228 of 356
A. Engine Coolant  R&ervoir 
B. Radiator Fill Cap 
C. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir 
D, Engine Oil Fill Cap 
E. Engine Oil Dipstick 
E Automatic  Transaxle Dipstick 
G. Brake Fluid Reservoir 
H. Air Cleaner 
6-8 I  
     
        
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When  you  open the hood of the 3.4L LQ 1 engine,  you'll see: 
A.  Engine  Coolant  Reservoir 
B.  Radiator  Fill  Cap 
C.  Power  Steering  Fluid  Reservoir 
D.  Engine  Oil  Fill  Cap 
E. Engine Oil Dipstick 
F. Automatic  Transaxle  Dipstick 
G. Brake  Fluid  Reservoir 
H. Air  Cleaner 
I. Windshield  Washer  Fluid 
J. Battery  (located  under  Windshield  Reservoir 
Washer  Fluid  Reservoir) 
6-9  
     
        
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it Fiy. 
Engine Oil 
Before closing the hood, be sure all the  filler  caps are 
on properly. Then just  pull the hood down and close 
LOW OIL 
LEVEL 
,If the LOW  OIL  LEVEL 
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. 
i 
3.1L L82 Engine 3.4L LQ1 Engine 
The engine oil  dipstick  handle is- the yellow  loop near 
the  front 
of the engine. 
6-10  
     
        
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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. 
3.1 L L82  Engine 3.4L LQ 1 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 ist at  or  below  the  lower  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. 
1 
I 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. 
* 
6-11  
     
        
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What Kind of Oil to Use 
3.1L L82 Engine  3.4L LQ 1  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.  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. 
be  sure  you  use  oil that  has 
the Starburst  symbol  on  the 
front 
of the  oil  container.  If 
for  you,  be  sure the oil put 
into  your  engine  is 
I -5ii- mw I Institute  certified for 
You should  also  use  the  proper  viscosity  oil  for your 
vehicle,  as  shown  in  the  following  chart: 
6-12 
6  
     
        
        Page 240 of 356

How ,to Add Fluid Engine Coolant 
I 
Refer to the  Maintenance  Schedule to  determine  what 
Fluids  and Lubricants”  in the Index. 
If  the  fluid level  is low,  add  only  enough  of  the proper 
fluid  to  bring  the level into  the  cross-hatched  area on 
the dipstick. 
~ kind  of transaxle  fluid  to  use.  See “Recommended , 
1. Pull out  the  dipstick. 
.2. Using a long-neck  funnel, add  enough  fluid at the 
dipstick  hole to  bring  it  to the proper  level. 
It  doesn’t  take much  fluid, generally  less than  a pint 
(0.5 L). Don’t ove@ZZ. We  recommend  you  use  only 
fluid  labeled  DEXRON@-111,  ‘because fluid with  that 
label is  made  especially  for your  automatic  transaxle. 
Damage  caused  by fluid other  than  DEXRON-I11  is 
not  covered  by your  new  vehicle warranty. 
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. 
6-20 
The  cooling  system  in  your  vehicle  is filled  with  new 
DEX-COOL 
TM (orange-colored,  silicate-free) engine 
coolant.  This coolant  is designed  to  remain 
in your 
vehicle  for 
5 years  or  100,000 miles (166 000 km), 
whichever  occurs  first. 
The following explains your cooling  system  and  how  to 
add  coolant  when it is low.  If you  have  a problem  with 
engine  overheating  or if  you  need  to  add  coolant  to your 
radiator,  see “Engine Overheating”  in  the Index. 
A 
50/50 mixture  of water  and  the  proper.coolant for 
your  Oldsmobile  will: 
0 Give freezing  protection  down  to -34°F (-37°C). 
0 Give  boiling  protection  up  to 265 OF ( 129 O C). 
0 Protect  against rust  and  corrosion. 
0 Help  keep  the  proper  engine temperature. 
0 Let  the  warning  lights and  gages  work  as 
they  should.