1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU fuel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel
/r CAUTION:
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, 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 airflow 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. Use regular unleaded gasoline rated
at
87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 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
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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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
methylcyclopentadlenyl 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
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.
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 LlH 8P7
Filling Your Tank
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 The cap is behind a hinged door on the right side of your
vehicle.
To open the door, insert your finger into the
finger depression in the fuel door. 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.
While refueling, hang the tethered cap inside the fuel door.
A CAUTION:
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.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside of
Your Chevrolet” in the Index.
6-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
I 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 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.
I I
6-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil
CHECK
OIL
If your vehicle is equipped with the
3 100 engine, you
have a
CHECK
OIL light on the
instrument panel.
If
the CHECK OIL light on the instrument panel comes
on,
it means you need to check your engine oil level
right away. For
more information, see “Check Oil
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 reachng, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
2.4L Engine 3100 Engine
The engine oil dipstick handle is yellow.
The engine oil dipstick on the 2.4L engine is located on
the rear of the engine.
The engine oil dipstick
on the 3 100 engine is located on
the front
of the engine.
6-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What Kind of Oil to Use
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.
If you change your
own oil, be sure you
use oil that has the
Starburst symbol
on the front
of the
oil container.
If you have your oil changed for you, be sure the oil put
into your engine is American Petroleum Institute
certified for gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the following chart:
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
SAL VISCOSITY GRADE OIL FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER
+loo- - +38
+EO- - +27
t6O--t16
t40--+4
+20- --7
0---I8

COLD
WEATHER
LOOK
FOR THIS
SYMBOL
I SAL I 1OW-30
SAE 5W-30 PREFERRED
DO NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
6-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0
0
0
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked when your tires
are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut,
punctured or broken by
a sudden impact --
such as when you hit a pothole. Keep tires
at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If your
tread is badly worn,
or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
rear edge of the driver’s side rear passenger door, shows
the correct inflation pressures for your tires when
they’re cold. “Cold” means your vehicle has been sittin\
g for at least three hours
or driven no more than 1 mile
(1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right.
It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
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