1998 CHEVROLET CAMARO check transmission fluid

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain. If you
drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and
also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These
parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing
to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go
down a steep or long hill.
A CAUTION: I
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes
on a steep
downhill slope.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, belt, cooling
system and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered
in this manual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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6-37 Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Filling
a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery 6-37
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6-69 Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials
Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
Uses such as high performance operation.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change
the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles (83 000 km).
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Chevrolet dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on
the dipstick.
-- --
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your transmission fluid.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32" C).
At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180°F to 200°F (82°C
to 93°C). See "Checking Transmission Fluid Hot" in
the Index.
Checking Transmission Fluid Hot
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO°C), drive the
vehicle in DRIVE
(D) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for
10 minutes. Then
follow the hot check procedures.
Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with the engine off and is used
only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for five
minutes if outside temperatures are
50°F ( 10°C) or
more. If it's colder than 50°F
(lO"C), you may have to
idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check, you
must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a more accurate
reading
of the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
running.
in PARK
(P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK
(P).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 5.7L VS Transmission Dipstick
3800 V6 Engine Transmission Dipstick
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be in the
COLD area for a
cold check or in the HOT area or cross-hatched area
for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transmission fluid to use. See ''Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants'' in the Index.
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid
while it is hot.
(A cold check is used only as a
reference.) If the fluid level is low, add only enough of
the proper fluid to bring the level up to the
HOT area for
a hot check. It doesn't take much fluid, generally less
than one pint
(0.5 L). Don't overfill.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXR0N’-III, because fluid with that label
is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON-111
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
0 After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
described
under “How
to Check.”
dipstick back in
all the way.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine
oil is changed. However, the fluid in your manual
transmission doesn’t require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Chevrolet dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle
is parked on a level place and the transmission
is cool enough for you to rest your fingers
on the
transmission case.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure
it is fully seated. If the fluid level is
low, add more
fluid as described in the next steps.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Capacities (Approximate)
The following approximate capacities are given in
U.S. and metric conversions. ....... Please refer to
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants”
in the Index for more information.
information label under the hood.
Air Conditioning? ............ See the refrigerant
Automatic Transmission Drain and Refill
............... 5 quarts (4.7 L)*
VIN Engine Code K ...... 8.8 quarts (8.3 L)*
Overhaul
VIN Engine Code
G .... 10.8 quarts (10.2 L)*
Cooling System VIN Engine Code
K
With Manual Transmission . . 12.5 quarts (11.8 L)
With Automatic
Transmission
............ 12.3 quarts (1 1.6 L)
VIN Engine Code G
With Manual Transmission . 15.3 quarts (14.5 L)
With Automatic Transmission
........... 15.1 quarts. (14.3 L)
Crankcase
With Oil and Filter Change
3800 (VIN K) ........... 4.5 quarts (4.2 L)**
5.7L (VIN G) ............ 5.5 quarts (5.2 L)**
Fuel Tank .................. 15.5 gallons (58.7 L)
Manual Transmission
Five-Speed
................ 3.4 quarts (3.2 L)*
Six-Speed ................... 4 quarts (3.8 L)*
Rear Axle Lubricant ......... 1.75 quarts (1.7 L)
* Recheck fluid level after filling. See “Automatic
Transmission Fluid” or “Manual Transmission Fluid”
in the Index.
** Recheck the oil level after filling. See “Engine Oil”
in the Index.
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