1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine /! CAUTION:
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 dealer before adding equipment to the outside of
your vehicle. Use regular unleaded
gasoline rated at
87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D48 14 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
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
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
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 GM 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 octane-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
GM dealer for service.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 not
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 Overseas Distribution Corporation
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Filling Your Tank
The fuel cap is behind a hinged door on the driver’s side
of your vehicle.
6-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
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.
While refueling, hang the cap
by the tether from the
hook on the filler door. To
remove the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The cap has a spring in it;
if you let
go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the right.
I
If you get gasoline 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 Vehicle”
in the Index.
6-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
NOTICE:
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 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.
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged
if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
inside of the
fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
6-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Things Under the Hood
' A CAUTION: I
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
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.
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the vehicle
on the lower driver's side
of
the instrument panel. Then
go to the front of the vehicle and release the
secondary
hood release.
Lift the hood, release the hood prop from its retainer and
put the hood prop into the slot in the hood.
You may
have a lamp that comes on when you lift the hood.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you lift the hood, you’ll see these items:
A. Battery E Power Steering Reservoir
8. Coolant Recovery Tank G. Brake Master Cylinder
C. Engine Oil Dipstick H. Air Cleaner
D. Engine Oil Fill I. Fuse Block
E. Transmission Dipstick J. Windshield Washer Fluid
6-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly. Then lift the hood to relieve pressure
on the
hood prop.
Remove the hood prop from the slot in the hood and
return the prop to
its retainer.
Then just pull the hood down firmly to close. It
will
latch when dropped from 10 to12 inches (25 to 30 cm)
without pressing
on the hood.
Engine Oil
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 oil dipstick is a
yellow ring.
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.
6-10