1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE service

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 Chevrolet Warranty booklet for details.
A C WTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and
a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle’’ in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued
~~
CAUTION: (Continued)
0
0
0
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by
a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If your
tread is badly worn, or
if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
6-40
! i
ProCarManuals.com

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 Ism). 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. Don’t include the compact spare tire
in your
tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear inflation pressures as shown on the
Certificatioflire label. Make certain that all wheel
nuts are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the Index.
I
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
1 any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
When rotating your tires, always use
the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
I 6-42
ProCarManuals.com

When It’s Time for New Tires
11 One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certificatioflire label.
You need a new tire if any
of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough
to show cord or fabric. 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.
ProCarManuals.com

Treadwear Temperature -- A, B, C
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. The temperature
grades are
A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No.
109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately
or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
6-45
ProCarManuals.com

Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas
of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody.
If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan and exhaust system even though they have corrosion protection.
At least
every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or
an underbody car washing system can do
this for
you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create
a chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This
damage can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched
into the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this,
Chevrolet will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces
of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within 12 months or
12,000 miles (20 000 km)
of purchase, whichever occurs first.
6-54
ProCarManuals.com

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll
find this label on the inside of the access panel
located on the driver’s side
of the rear of the vehicle.
It’s very helpful if you ever need to order
parts. On
0 your VIN,
rn Am A this label is:
ENGINEAk + 1 ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT 0 the model designation,
0 paint information and
This is the legal identifier for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side.
You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The
VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service
Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement
parts.
a list of all production options and
special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
6-56
ProCarManuals.com

0 Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
This section covers the maintenance required for your vehicle. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety,
dependability and emission control performance.
7-2 7-2
7-3
7-4
7-4
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
How This Section is Organized
Part
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
Using
Your Maintenance Schedule 7-4
7-29
7-33
7-34
7-36 Selecting
the Right Schedule
Part
B: Owner Checks and Services
Part
C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections
Part
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Part
E: Maintenance Record
7-1
ProCarManuals.com

How This Section is Organized
The remainder of this section is divided into five parts:
“Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ shows
what to have done and how often. Some
of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment, you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center do these
jobs.
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can
be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs, you can
be seriously injured.
Do your own maintenance
work only if you have the required know-how
and the proper tools and equipment for the job.
If you have any doubt, have a qualified
technician
do the work.
If you are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want to get the service
information. See “Service and Owner Publications”
in
the Index.
“Part B: Owner Checks and Services” tells
you what should be checked and when. It also explains
what you can easily do to help keep your vehicle in
good condition.
“Part
C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections”
explains important inspections that your dealer’s
service department or another qualified service center
should perform.
“Part
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some recommended products to help keep your vehicle
properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether you do the work
yourself or have it done.
“Part
E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed, be
sure to write it down in this part. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition, it
is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
7-3
ProCarManuals.com