1998 CHEVROLET EXPRESS Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If your vehicle’s GVWR is not over
8,600 and you
do not use your vehicle under any of these conditions,
change the fluid and filter every 100,000 miles
(166 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your GM 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.
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).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 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
in DRIVE (D) until the engine temperature
gage moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes.
Then follow the hot check procedures.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
0
0
0
0
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
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).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more. Then, without shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
,., I
1. The
transmission dipstick has a red handle and is
located near the center
of the engine compartment.
Flip
the handle up and then pull out the dipstick
and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick
in place.
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 It (0.5 L). Don’t overfill.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, 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.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down
to lock the dipstick in place.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear Axle What to Use
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. 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 kmg whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL extended life coolant.
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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:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (1 29” C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you
use only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the
use
of coolant other than DEX-COOL@ is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL@ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum parts. If you use this mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
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Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the
proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a
50/50 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
6-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can
freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
Checking Coolant
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful. When
your engine is cold, the coolant level shoi FULL COLD, or a little higher. Ad
be
at

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL'
coolant mixture at the coolant recovery tank.
I
Wrning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. With the coolant recovery tank, you will
almost never have
to add coolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiator pressure cap
-- even a
little
-- when the engine and radiator are hot.
Add coolant mixture at the recovery tank, but be careful
not to spill it.
A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on
a hot engine.
Radiator Pressure Cap
The radiator pressure cap must be tightly installed with
the arrows
on the cap lined up with the overflow tube on
the radiator filler neck.
NOTICE:
Your radiator cap is a pressure-type cap and
must be tightly installed to prevent coolant loss
and possible engine damage from overheating.
Be sure the arrows on the cap line up with the
overflow tube on the radiator filler neck.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine cooling system. The thermostat stops the
flow
of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches
a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC@ thermostat
is recommended.
Power :ring !
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
How To Check Power Steering Fluid
When the engine compartment is cool, wipe the cap
and the top of the reservoir clean, then unscrew the
cap and wipe the dipstick with
a clean rag. Replace
the cap and completely tighten it.
Then remove the
cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
The level should be at the
FULL COLD mark. If
necessary, add only enough fluid to bring the level up
to the mark.
To prevent contamination of brake fluid, never check or
fill the power steering reservoir with the brake master
cylinder cover
off.
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