1997 CHEVROLET TRACKER oil change

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none
of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle.
Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to
fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that there is not enough pressure to keep
your engine properly lubricated and cool. The engine
could be low on
oil, or have some other oil related
problem. Have
it fixed right away.
The
oil light could also come on in three
other situations.
0 When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to show you it
is
working, but the light will go out when you turn the
engine to START. If it doesn’t come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.
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A CAUTION:
- -
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after
a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change
a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or
a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if
you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
/!1 CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
6. Replace the wheel nuts with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand
until the wheel is held against the hub.
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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.
I:
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
I J
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
SAE VISCOSITY GRADE OIL
FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE. -
HOT
WEATHER
“F
t 100
+ ao
+ 60
+ 40.
+ 20.
0-
t3a ~
+ 27
+ 16
t4
-7
- 18
SAE 5W-30
LOOK
FOR MIS
SYMBOL
above 0°F (’1 WC)
WEATHER
00 NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
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As shown in the chart, 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.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your Geo 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:
0
0
0
0
0
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).
You operate your vehicle in dusty areas or
off-road frequently.
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 oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 7.5 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a
fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
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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. Wdsh 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.
Air Cleaner
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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
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
3. Pull out the filter.
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
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3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be
in the COLD area for a
cold check or
in the HOT area or cross-hatched area
for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index. Add
fluid only after checking the transmission fluid
HOT. (A COLD check
is used only as a reference.) If
the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot
check.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than
one pint
(0.5 L). Don ’I ove$iZZ.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
0 After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
described under
“How to Check.”
dipstick back
in all the way.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine when to change your transmission fluid. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
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Front Axle
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
“Periodic Maintenance Inspections” and “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the differential is at operating temperature (warm),
add enough lubricant to raise the level to the bottom of
the filler plug
hole.
If the differential is cold, add enough lubricant to raise
the level to 1/2 inch
(I 2 mm) below 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.
Engine 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.
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -33°F (-36°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 258°F (125°C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
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