1998 CHEVROLET ASTRO service

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Check Lubricant 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
“Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the Index.
If the level is below the bottom
of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom of 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.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the
bottom of the filler plug
hole, you’ll need to add
some lubricant. Add enough
lubricant to raise the level to
the bottom
of 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear 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
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom
of 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 cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant
is designed
to remain in your vehicle for
5 years or 150,000 miles
(240
000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life 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.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 “F ( 129°C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
B
they should.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If
you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn
and new pads are needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
A CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
may ca---e a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied
or llgntly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence
to GM specifications.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from
r nin Sown.
A CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around
a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how
to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature’’ in the Index.
Bulb Replacement
For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this
section, contact your
GM dealer service department.
Before replacing any bulbs, make sure all lamps are off
and the vehicle
is not running. See “Replacement Bulbs”
in the Index.
Halogen Bulbs
---
A CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst
if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
6-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 5. Reverse Steps 1 through 4 to reinstall the taillamp.
Pinch the two tabs on the wiper arm and slide the insert
out
of the blade, Slide the new one in place. Make sure
the tabs are locked into position. See “Normal
Maintenance Replacement Parts”
in the Index for the
proper type
of replacement blade.
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where
to obtain service, see
your
GM Warranty booklet for details.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too
much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your 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.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
( 10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels.
See “When It’s Time for New Tires” and
“Wheel Replacement’’ later in this section for
more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is
the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in
the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
3
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the CertificationRire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same
TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue
to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure
they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
I A CAUTION:
---
Mixing tires could cause you to lose contrc while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use
on your vehicle.
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehil , the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply
tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Uniform Tire Quality Grading Treadwe:
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded
on the sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to
12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or
to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect
to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions
on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A
tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based
on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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