1997 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO fuel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Chevrolet. 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- 10
6-16
6- 17
6-20
, 6-24 6-25
6-27
6-30
6-3
1
6-3 1
6-37 6-37 6-45
Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes Battery
Bulb Replacement
Halogen Bulbs
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care 6-46
6-50
6-50
6-50
6-50 6-5 1
6-52 6-52
6-5
2
6-5 3 6-5 3
6-53 6-54
6-55
6-55
6-56
6-65
Cleaning the Inside of Your Chevrolet
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside of
the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
Weatherstrips
Cleaning the Outside of Your Chevrolet
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels (If Equipped)
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
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6-1

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 Chevrolet dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
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
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 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

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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
L1H 8P7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling Your Tank The tethered cap is behind a hinged door on the left side
of your vehicle.
I
/r CAULON:
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.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
I I Checking Things Under the Hood
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.
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.
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.
1
6-6

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
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.
3100 (Code M) Engine 3.4L DOHC (Code X)
Engine
The engine oil dipstick handle is the yellow loop near
the front of the engine.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine RECOMMENDEO SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
SAE VISCOSITY GRADE
011 FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER
I
"F
+ 100-
+Eo-
+60-
t40-
t20-
0-
C
+ 38
+ 21
+ 16
+4
-7
- 18
LO
LOOK
FOR THIS
SYMBOL
II SAE 1UW-30
WEATHER
DO NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
As shown in the chart, if you have the 3100 engine,
SAE 5W-30 is best for your vehicle. However, you can
use
SAE low-30 if it's going to be 0°F (-18°C) or
above. These numbers on
an oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity oils,
such as
SAE 20W-50.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
SA€ VISCOSITY GRADE
011 FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER
+loo- - +38
+00- - +27
+60--+16
+40- -+4
t20---7
O---l8
WOK
FOR THIS
SYMBOL
COLD
WEATHER
DO NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
As shown in the chart, if you have the 3.4L DOHC
engine, SAE 1OW-30 is best for your vehicle. However,
you can use
SAE 5W-30 if it’s going to be colder than
60°F ( 16°C) before your next oil change. When it’s
very cold, you should use
SAE 5W-30. These numbers
on an oil container show its viscosity, or thickness.
Do
not use other viscosity oils, such as SAE 20W-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
“Starburst” symbol. Failure
to use the
recommended oil can result
in engine damage not
covered
by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls below
-20°F (-29”C), consider using either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an
SAE OW-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.