1997 PONTIAC FIREBIRD fuel

Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer
is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
Ask your Pontiac dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Pontiac
dealer
for important information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
3800 and 5.7L engines and proper trailer towing
equipment.
To identify what the vehicle trailering capacity
is for your vehicle,
you should read the inforrnation in
“Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in
this section.
But trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering
takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and
that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before
you pull a trailer.
4-32

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Pontiac. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check imDortant fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your I
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2 Service
6-3 Fuel
6-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6-6 Filling Your Tank
6- 8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6- 12 Engine Oil
6-18 Air Cleaner
6-22 Automatic Transmission Fluid 6-27 Manual Transmission Fluid
6-29 Engine Coolant
6-3
3 Power Steering Fluid
6-35 Windshield Washer Fluid
6-36 Brakes
6-40 Battery
6-4
1 Bulb Replacement 6-49
6-58
6-5
8
6-6 1
6-63
6- 64
4-65
6-66
6- 67
6-68
6-68
6-68
6-73
6-73
Tires
Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside
of Your Pontiac
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Pontiac
Aluminum
or Chrome Wheels
Tires
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement
Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
6-1

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.
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 Pontiac dealer before adding equipment
to the
outside
of your vehicle.
Fuel
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the
VIN at the. top left of your instrument panel.
(See “Vehicle Identification Number” in the Index.)
If you have the 3800 engine (VIN Code K), use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher.
If you have the 5.7L engine (VIN Code I?), use premium
unleaded gasoline rated at
91 octane or higher for best
performance. You may use middle grade or regular
unleaded gasolines, but your vehicle may not accelerate
as well.

At a minimum, the gasoline you use 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 for premium is at least
91 (at least 89 for middle grade and 87 for regular).
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 the recommended octane
or higher and you still hear heavy knocking, your
engine needs service.
But dm9t 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, b’ut 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 Pontiac 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 sctane-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
may turn
on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Pontiac dealer for service.
6-4

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 n’ot
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
6-5

Filling . - - r Tank
L
The cap is behind a hinged door on the left side of
your vehicle.
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.
6-6

While refueling, hang the cap inside the fuel door.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
If you get gas0 le 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 Pontiac” in the Index.
6-7

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.
1~ NOTICE: I
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 or have proper
venting, and your fuel tank and emissions
system
might be damaged.
Checkinr Things Under the Hood
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure
you even when the engine is not running, i
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Things that burn can get on hot
engine parts a:
start
a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil,
coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber.
You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to
drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.