1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme oil level

-. In . .,>
Low'Oil Level Eight
LOW OIL
LEVEL
Your engine is equipped
with an oil, level monitoring
system. When the i,gnition
key is turned on, the
LOW
OIL LEVEL 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.
.' 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.
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Security Light
SEC.URITY
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This light will come on
when
you turn the key to i
START and st.ay on until the '. i
vehicle starts. .It will also I
come on and stay on if your i
key is too dirty or wet,.for
the PASS-Key
11 system to ~
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read the resistor pellet.
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If the resistor pellet is damaged or missing, the light
will 'flash.
If' you're driving and the security light comes on and
remains on; your PASS-Key
11 system is not working
properly. Your vehicle is not protected. by PASS-Key
11, ..
and you should see your retailer.
..

Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you
are going
slower than you actually are.
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Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in. Is
your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to
go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in Oldsmobile retail facilities all across North America.
They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before
a trip:
0 Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
0 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?
0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-20

j If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything
else until it cools down.
.. - ”r -+
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.
’
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.
5-16

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
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
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery
tad. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index ’for
more information.)
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A CAUTION:
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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 antifreeze.
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.
5-17

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.
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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

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.
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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.
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6-11

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
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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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