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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Oldsmobile. 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
6-6
6-9
6- 14
6-20
6- 24
6-25
6-29
6-29
6-30
6-34
6-37 Doing
Your Own Service Work
What Kind of Fuel to Use
Using Fuel
in Foreign Countries
Where to Put the Fuel and Filling
the Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Checking Your Engine Oil
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Engine Coolant
Where to Fill
the Windshield Washer Fluid
Important Brake Information
Information
on Your Vehicle’s Battery
Tips
on Vehicle Storage
Bulb Replacement Procedures
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement How and When
to Check Tire Inflation 6-39
6-42
6-44
6-47
6-48
6-50
6-5
1
6-52
6-53
6-54
6-55 6-59
6-60
6-60
6-6
I
When it is Time to Buy New Tires
Wheel Alignment
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Oldsmobile
Care
of the Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Oldsmobile
How to Clean Aluminum Wheels
Underbody Maintenance
Recommended Appearance Care Materials
Your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
The Electrical System
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Replacement Bulb Types for Your Vehicle
Capacities and Specifications
Normal Replacement Parts
Air Conditioning Specifications
6-1
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Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Oldsmobile
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 Oldsmobile retailer 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
(MA) 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.
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 Oldsmobile retailer 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.
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Be careful not to spill gasoline, Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as soon
as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside
of Your Oldsmobile” 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.
I I
I NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your retailer 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
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the vehicle
on the lower driver’s side
of
the instrument panel.
6-6
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationmire label, which is on the driver’s
door edge, above the door latch, shows the correct
inflation pressures for your tires when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting 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:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)
I I
NOTICE: (Continued)
i If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once
a month or more. Also, check the
tire pressure
of the spare tire.
If you have a compact spare tire, it should be at 60 psi
(420 kPa).
How
to Check
Use a
good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking
at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they‘re underinflated.
Be sure
to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
6-37
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Capacities and Specifications
Engine Description ............ “VORTEC” 4300
Type
.................................... V6
VINCode ................................. W
Horsepower
................... 190 at 4,400 rpm
Thermostat Specification
........... 195 “F (9 1 “C)
Spark Plug
Gap .......... 0.045 inches (0.1 I4 cm)
Firing Order
...................... 1-6-5-4-3-2
Wheels and Tires
Wheel Nut Torque ............ 95 lb-ft (130 N-m)
Tire Pressure ...................... Look at the
Certificationnire label. See
“Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Replacement part numbers listed in this section are
based
on the latest information available at the time of
printing, and are subject to change.
If a part listed in this
manual is not the same as the part used in your vehicle
when
it was built, or if you have any questions, please
contact your retailer.
Oil Filter.
.............................. PFS2
Air Cleaner Filter ...................... A1163C
PCV Valve
.......................... CV746C
Automatic Transmission Filter Kit
...... 24200796
Spark Plugs
.......................... ,41-932
Fuel Filter
............................. GF48 1
Windshield Wiper Blade . . Trico (20 inched50.8 cm)
Backglass Wiper Blade
... Trico (14 inched35.6 cm)
6-60
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