1997 CHEVROLET CORVETTE check engine

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark.
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.
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.
1 NOTICE:
Engine damage if you keep running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in the Index.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fans
are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running.
If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
5-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Corvette. 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 Service 6-3 Fuel
6-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6-5 Filling Your Tank
6- 8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6-1 1 Engine Oil
6-16 Air Cleaner
6-18 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6- 19 Manual Transmission Fluid
6-20 Hydraulic Clutch
6-22 Engine Coolant
6-26 Surge Tank Pressure Cap
6-26 Power Steering Fluid
6-22 Rear Axle
6-26
Thermostat
6-27 Windshield Washer Fluid
6-
29 Brakes
6-32 Battery 6-33
6-33
6-37
6-40
6-5
1
6-5 1
6-54
6-55
6-56
6-57
6-57 6-59
6- 60
6- 60
6-6 1
6-69
6-69 6-7
1
Bulb Replacement
Halogen Bulbs
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your Corvette
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside of Your Corvette
Aluminum Wheels
Tires Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c
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 “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the aifflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your Chevrolet dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use premium unleaded gasoline rated at 91 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
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 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.
6-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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 Chevrolet 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
Chevrolet 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.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
I contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
~ metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
I plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
1 be covered under your warranty.
6-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside 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
L 1 H 8P7
Filling Your Tank
The fuel fill door is on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The
fuel cap
is attached by a tether for your convenience.
I
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.
6-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Things Under the Hood
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.
Hood Release
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.
NOTICE:
In order to avoid possible contact of the hood to
the headlamp doors, care should be taken in
raising the hood with the headlamps up,
or shut
off the lamps prior to opening the hood.
6-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps
are on properly. Then, just pull the hood down and close
it firmly.
Engine Oil
If the LOW OIL LEVEL message on the Driver
Information Center comes on, it means you need to
check your engine oil level right away. For more
information, see “Driver Information Center” 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 level 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. The
engine oil dipstick is
next to the coolant surge
tank. The dipstick handle is
a round, yellow loop.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t,
the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
6-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or a
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down.
When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD mark, you’ll need to
add at least one quart
of 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.
NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that
shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
6-12