1997 BUICK REGAL fuel

Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is equipped with the
3800 L67 Supercharged engine.
Your vehicle
can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment.
To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many
of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced
to work harder
against the drag
of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to
do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during
the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Buick. 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
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vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
3800 Supercharged (Code 1) Engine
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Buick
Cleaning the Built-in Child Restraint
Care
of Safety Belts and Built-in Child
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Cleaning
the Outside of the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
Weatherstrips Cleaning the Outside of Your Buick
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
Cleaning Tires
Sheet Metal Damage
Finish Damage
Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Vehicle Dimensions
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
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Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your Buick dealer before adding equipment
to the
outside
of your vehicle.
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 you have the
3800 engine (VIN Code K), use
regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher.
If you’re using fuel rated at the recommended octane
or higher and you 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.
If you have the 3800 Supercharged engine (VIN
Code l), use premium unleaded gasoline rated at
91 octane or higher. With the 3800 Supercharged
engine, in an emergency,
you may be able to use a
lower octane -- as low as 87 -- if heavy knocking
does not occur.
If you are using 91 or higher octane
unleaded gasoline and you hear heavy knocking, your
engine needs service.
At
a minimum, the gasoline you use should meet
specifications ASTM D48
I4 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 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.
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If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
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 Buick 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.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated
for low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines.
If fuels containing MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp
on your instrument panel
may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Buick dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
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. Therefore, 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.
I NOTICE:
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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Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country ourside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use
of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice.
Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors International Product Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
LlH 8P7
Filling Your Tank
A CA ION:
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke
if you’re near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
The tethered cap is behind a hinged door on the left side
of your vehicle.
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If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you if you open the
fuel filler cap too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise
to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the
way.
While refueling, let the cap hang by the tether below the
fuel fill opening.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The cap has a spring
in it; if you let
go of the cap too soon,
it will spring back to the right. Be
careful
not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside of Your Buick” in the Index.
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When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until
you hear a clicking sound. Make
sure
you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system
can determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere. See “Malfunction
Indicator Lamp” in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one
for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not
fit properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and your
fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in
the Index.
Checking Things Under the Yood
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Things that burn can get
on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
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Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are
on properly. Then just pull the hood down and close
it firmly.
3800 Supercharged (Code 1) Engine
(If Equipped)
Your Buick may have a 3800 Supercharged engine.
The supercharger is a device which is designed to
pump more air into the engine than it would normally
use. This air is mixed with fuel, which creates increased
engine power. Since the supercharger is a pump and is
driven from an engine accessory drive belt, increased
pressure is available at all driving conditions.
The powertrain control module
(PCM), works with
a vacuum control to regulate the increased pressure
required during specific driving conditions. When
this
increased pressure or boost is not desired, such as during
idling and light throttle cruising, the excess air that the
supercharger
is pumping is routed through a bypass.
All of these controls working together provide high
performance character and fuel efficiency in the
3800 Supercharged L67 engine.
Engine
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LOW
OIL
If the LOW OIL 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 every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
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