1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD service

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.

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 fan is running. If the engine
is
overheating, the fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD, 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.)
I A CAUTION:
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.
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9. Shut the engine off and replace the pressure cap. Be
sure the arrows on the cap line up like this.
10. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the proper
level.
For a complete
drain, flush and refill, see your Pontiac
dealer or a Pontiac Firebird Service Manual. To
purchase a service manual, see “Service and Owner
Publications”
in the Index.
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Section 6 I Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
Pontiac.
This section begins with service and fuel
infomation, 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.
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Pontiac Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your Pontiac than
this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
Service Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
Your Pontiac dealer knows your vehicle best and wants do
Your own service Work, see ‘‘Senicing YWr Air
you
to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your Bag-Equipped Pontiac” in the Index.
dealer for all Your service meds- you’ll get genuine GM
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
parts and GM-trained and supported service people. the mileage and the date of any service work you
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM. perform. See “Maintenance Record” in
the Index.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
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L
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.
0 Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt
any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be me 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.
Fuel
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the
VIN at the top left of your instrument panel.
(See “Vehicle Identification Number” in
the Index.)
If YQU don’t have the 5.7L Code P engine, use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87
octane or higher.
If you have the 5.7L Code P engine, use premium
unleaded gasoline rated at 9 1 octane or higher for best
performance.’
You may use middle grade or regular
unleaded gasolines, but your vehicle may not accelerate
as well.
At a minimum, the gasoline you use should meet spe’cifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and
CGSB 3.5-M93 in Canada. Improved gasoline
specifications have been develope’d
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 for premium is at least 91
(at least 89 for middle grade and
87 for regular). 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 the recommended 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 don’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.
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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 Pontiac dealer 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 Pontiac dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefme,
you should not have to add anything to
the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may
be
available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines
if they
comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE: I
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
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Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent driving in stop-and-go traffic).
0 Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
0 The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
your
car.
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
elements 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. zf
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
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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 15,000 miles
(25 000 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.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
con’ditions, change
the fluid and filter every 100,000 miles
(166 000 km).
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 Pontiac dealership
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).
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).
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Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the fluid in your manual
transmission doesn’t require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be difficult, you may choose
to have this done at your Pontiac dealership Service
Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading.
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.
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the transmission
is
cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure
it
is fully seated. If the fluid level is low, add more
fluid as described in the next steps.
How to Add Fluid
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine what kind of fluid to use. See
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Add fluid at the filler plug hole. Add only enough
fluid to bring the fluid level up to the bottom
of the
filler plug hole.
3. Install the filler plug. Be sure the plug is fully seated.
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