1997 GMC SIERRA oil level

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 Gage
The oil pressure gage shows
the engine oil pressure in
psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate
pressure in kPa
(kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary
with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above
the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by
a dangerously low oil level or some other problem
causing low oil pressure. Check your oil as soon
as possible.
2-75
ProCarManuals.com

When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances,
stop and back up. Drive on
to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds,
you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must
start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip?
If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have
it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
GM
dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready
and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
0
0
0
0
a
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid
a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
ProCarManuals.com

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs
on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down,
you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed
to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating. If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow
in
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a). You
may want to
shift the transmission to THIRD
(3) or, if necessary, a
lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
If you have a manual transmission and you are towing a
trailer, it’s better not to use
FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in
FOURTH
(4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If
you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in
PARK (P) (or the
manual transmission out of gear and the parking brake
applied) for a few minutes before turning the engine
off.
If you do get the overheat warning, see “Engine
Overheating”
in the Index.
4-56
ProCarManuals.com

I A CAUTION:
If your vehicle has air conditioning, the auxiliary
electric fan under the hood can start
up even
when the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it
cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above
the 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.
I
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.
5-14
ProCarManuals.com

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 -- Gasoline Engines
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at or above the COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@
(silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant’’
in the Index for more information.)
I
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.
CAUTION: (Continued) 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.
I NOTICE:
r
~~
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mix.
5-15
ProCarManuals.com

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
6-8
6- 14
6- 15
6- 19
6-2 1
6-25
6-26
6-26 6-27
6-29
6-32
6-32 Service
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
Fuels
in Foreign Countries - - Gasoline
Engines
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Noise Control System
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)
Air Cleaner Filter (Gasoline Engines)
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid
Hydraulic Clutch
Rear Axle
Four-wheel Drive
Engine Coolant Radiator Pressure Cap (Gasoline Engine)
Thermostat 6-33
6-33 6-35
6-39
6-39
6-49 6-50
6-59
6-60
6-64
6-68
6-69
6-70 6-75
6-76
6-78 Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade
R
Tires
Appearance Care .eplacement
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning
the Outside of Your Vehicle
Appearance Care Materials
Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Specifications
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Engine Oil (Diesel Engine)” in the Diesel Engine Supplement.
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.
The engine oil dipstick has
a yellow ring handle and is
located on the passenger’s side
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.
Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD mark, then 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.
6-15
ProCarManuals.com

I 1 What Kind of Oil to Use
I NOTICE: I Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by
looking
for the “Starbuk” symbol. This symbol
.I
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so indicates that the oil has been certified by the American
much oil that the oil level gets above the upper Petroleum Institute (API). Do not use any oil which
mark that shows the proper operating range, does not carry this Starburst symbol.
The engine oil fill cap
for the “VORTEC”
4300,
5000 and 5700 engines are
located on the driver’s side
engine valve cover.
your engine could be damaged.
I
The engine oil fill cap for the “VORTEC” 7400 engine
is located at the front of the engine.
Be sure to fill it enough to put the level somewhere
in
the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back
in when you’re through. 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:
ProCarManuals.com