1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE tow

A CAUTION:
8. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it
is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after
a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the 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.
'
A CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing
a serious accident. -1
~~
9. Install the spare tire and replace the wheel nuts with
the rounded end of the nuts toward the wheel.
Tighten each nut by hand until the wheel is held
against the hub.
5-31
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put a wheel cover
on the compact spare tire.
It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover securely in the rear
of
the vehicle until you have the flat tire repaired or
replaced.
I NOTICE:
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
Storing a Flat or 5are Tire and Tools
A CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury.
In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
Lay
the tire near the rear of the vehicle with the valve
stem down. Slide the cable retainer through the center
of
the wheel and start to raise the tire. When the tire is
almost in the stored position, turn the tire so the valve is
towards the rear
of the vehicle. This will help when you
check and maintain tire pressure in the spare.
Keep raising the wheel until you hear the hoist
mechanism click twice. This means the wheel
is firmly
stored against the underside
of the vehicle. Push
against the wheel to be sure
it does not move and is
stored securely.
5-33
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
~
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains”
in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn your traction
control system off. (See “Traction Control System” in
the Index.) Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle is in gear. If that doesn’t get you out\

after a few tries, you may need to be towed out. If you
do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your Vehicle’’ in
the Index.
5-36
ProCarManuals.com

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.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD mark, then you’ll need
to add at least one quart of oil. But you must use the
right kind. This part explains what kind
of oil to use. For
crankcase capacity, see “Capacities and Specifications” in the Index.
NOTICE: I
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating
range, your engine could be damaged.
The engine oil fill cap is
located just behind the
engine oil dipstick.
Be sure to fill it enough to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you’re through.
6-12
ProCarManuals.com

As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can use
SAE 1OW-30 if it's going
to be
0" F (- 18 " C) or above. These numbers on an oil
container show its viscosity, or thickness. Do not use
other viscosity oils, such as
SAE 20W-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
"Starburst" symbol. Failure to use the
recommended oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls below
-20°F (-29"C), consider using either an
SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an
SAE OW-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready to
advise
if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
0
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow
a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner.
If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs fust
.
6-14
ProCarManuals.com

1. Pull the tab up and out on the outer access panel. 2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Then squeeze the tab on the left of the inner
access panel.
The first air filter will pull straight out.
To remove
the second, reach in and slide it toward the opening.
Pull the second filter out.
Replace the filters by reversing Step
3. Make sure
the filters are inserted
so that the sealing foam is
angled in
the same direction on both filters. For the
type
of filter to use, see “Normal Maintenance
Replacement Parts”
in the Index.
Close the inner access door, while saueezing the tab,
to be sure it is tightly closed.
Snap the outer access panel into the back of
the
glove box.
6-17
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
regularly reaches
90°F (32 O C) or higher.
If you do
not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
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 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
transaxle.
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
transaxle fluid.
6-18
ProCarManuals.com

Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
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).
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), you
may have to drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
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 to five minutes.
Then, without shutting
off the engine, follow
these steps:
1. The dipstick is located toward the back of the engine
compartment, next to the brake master cylinder. The
dipstick handle has a bright, red loop design for easy
identification. 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.
6-19
ProCarManuals.com