1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM fuel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 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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Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Filling a Portable
Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Manual Transaxle Fluid
Hydraulic Clutch
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Thermostat Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
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Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning the Built-in Child Restraint
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in Child
Restraint Harness
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Equipn- -~- -1 the Out le 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.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane
or higher. At
a minimum, it 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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 Chevrolet 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
Chevrolet dealer for service.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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
LlH 8P7
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling Your Tank Remote Fuel Door Release Lever
The fuel door release lever
is near the floor to the left
of
the driver's seat.
I /11 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The cap is behind a hinged door on the driver’s side of
your vehicle.
While refueling, hang the cap inside the fuel door.
To remove the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).
A ,CAUTION
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.
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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.
0 Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil
If the engine oil pressure
light
on the instrument
panel comes on, it means
you need to check your
engine oil level right away. 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.
Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
For more information,
see “Engine Oil Pressure Light”
in the Index.
You should check your engine oil level
regularly; this
is an added reminder.
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 engine oil dipstick
is located in the center of
the engine compartment.
The dipstick handle
is a
yellow loop.
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