1998 Oldsmobile Aurora Owner's Manuals

I RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OILS I
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
I SAE VISCOSITY GRADE OIL FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE. I
HOT
WEATHER
/OF OC' -
+loo- t38 -
+EO- t27 -
+60- - +16 -
+40--+4
+20---7
0---18 I
\WI
COLD
WEATHER
-1 -I
111. SAE 1d-30 PREFERRED above IPF (-l WC) SAE 5W-30
DO NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY
OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
As shown in the chart, SAE low-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can use
SAE 5W-30 if it's going
to be colder than
60°F ( 16 " C) before your next oil
change. When it's very cold, you should use
SAE
5W-30. 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.
6- 13

Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your retailer is ready
to advise if you think something should be added. 2. Press
RESET and
hold for five seconds. The word
RESET will appear, then OIL LIFE 100 % will
be displayed.
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has an Oil Life Indicator. The Oil Life
Indicator will let you know when to change your oil
and filter
-- usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km)
and
7,500 miles (12 500 km) since your last oil change.
Under severe conditions, the indicator may come on
before
3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle
more than
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months
(whichever occurs first) without an oil change.
The system won’t detect dust in the oil. So, if you drive in
a dusty area, be sure to change your oil every 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) or sooner. Remember to reset the Oil Life
Indicator when the oil has been changed. For more
information, see “Oil Life Indicator” in the Index.
How to Reset the Oil Life Indicator
Always reset the engine oil life to 100 percent after
every oil change.
It will not reset itself. To reset the
OIL LIFE reminder, do the following:
1. With the ignition on, press the
ENG button so the
OIL LIFE percentage
is displayed.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your
skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your retailer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-14

Air Cleaner
To check or replace the air filter:
1. Remove the radiator hose from the resonator channel.
2. Release the tension of the wing screw clamp on the
air intake hose where it attaches to the air cleaner
cover near the top of the engine. Just turn the wing
screw to the left, then detach the hose from the air
cleaner cover.
3. To remove the air cleaner cover, push the hose and
resonator assembly rearward and up, and hold them
out
of the way.

4. There’s a temperature sensor on the corner of the air
cleaner cover. Release the sensor’s electrical
connector retainer, and pull up. 5. Unsnap the two clamps by pushing down on the
top
of the air cleaner cover and pushing in on the
clamps toward the center
of the cover. Then
remove the cover.
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6. Remove the air filter.
7. Install the new air filter and reverse all steps to
reinstall the cover, electrical wires, hose and clamp.
Be sure the tabs of
the air cleaner cover fit into the
slots
of the air cleaner housing. Then make sure both
clamps are fully engaged.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
I
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause you
or others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops flame if the engine
backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine
backfires, you could be burned. Don’t drive with
it
off, and be careful working on the engine with
the air cleaner
off.
1 NOTICE: I
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
6-17

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
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
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 Aurora retail facility
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.
I
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

Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
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.
0 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
1 80°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
0 Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK
(P).
0 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. 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

3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the
lower level. The fluid level must be in the
cross-hatched area.
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 transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index. If
the fluid level is
low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area
on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one
pint
(0.5 L). Don’t overjill.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label is
made especially
for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under
“How to Check.”
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
6-20