1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO service

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
-----
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.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See
if the fan speed increases when idle speed is doubled by
pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn’t, your
vehicle needs service. Turn off the engine.
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
ADD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean water
(prefembly distilled) and DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free)
antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine
Coolant”
in the Index for more information.)
,/!
CAU [ON:
---
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@ coolant.
5-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. 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.
6- 2
6-3
6-4
6-5
6-7
6-1 1
6- 15
6- 19
6-20
6-23
6-25
6-25
6-29
6-30
6-30
6-3
1
6-32
6-36
6-36
6-36 Service
Fuel Fuels
in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Engine Cover
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
All-Wheel Drive Rear Axle
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Thermostat Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes Battery
Bulb Replacement Halogen Bulbs 6-42
6-43
6-50
6-5
1
6-54
6-55
6-55
6-57
6-5
8
6-5 8
6-5
8
6-59
6-60
6-60
6-60
6-66
6-66
6-67
6-68 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires Appearance Care
Cleaning
the Inside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside
of the Windshield,
Backglass and Wiper Blades
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Tires 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
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service
Your GM dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you
to be happy with
it. We hope you’ll go to your dealer for
all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts and
GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all
GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
n
w
Delco
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper GM Service Manual. It tells you
much more about how to service your vehicle 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 Vehicle” 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.
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.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, 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 “metrid’
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
6-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 GM dealer before adding equipment
to the outside
of your vehicle.
J
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher.
At a minimum, it should meet specifications ASTM
D48 14
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
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 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 GM 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
GM dealer for service.
6-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your GM dealer is ready
to advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
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, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. 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. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
regularly reaches
90 OF (32 ” C) or
higher.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
30,000 miles
(50 000 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
GM 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:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
0 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).
6-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Check Lubricant Front Axle
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the
bottom of the filler plug
hole, you’ll need to add
some lubricant. Add enough
lubricant to raise the level
to the bottom of the filler
plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
6-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear Axle What to Use .
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often
to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need
to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise
the level to the bottom of the filler plug hole. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL
J engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when
it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating”
in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@ coolant for
your vehicle
will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as they should.
6-25