1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX oil dipstick

A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your
oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems
can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
PERF
SHIFT
This light comes on when
you press the performance
shift button (located on the
console shift) to indicate
that your vehicle is in
performance shifting mode.
See “Performance Shifting” in
the Index.
Low Oil Level Light
LOW OIL
LEVEL
Your engine is equipped
with
an oil level monitoring
system. When the ignition
key is turned
to ON, the
LOW OIL LEVEL light
will briefly flash.
If the light does not flash, have it fixed so it will be
ready to
warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light stays on, stop the vehicle on a level surface
and turn the engine off. Check the oil level using the
engine oil dipstick. (See “Engine Oil” in the Index.)
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When you open the hood of the 3100 engine, you'll see:
n
A. Windshield Washer Fluid
B. Battery
C. Radiator Fill Cap
D. Power Steering
Fluid Reservoir
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E Engine Oil Dipstick G.
Automatic Transaxle Dipstick
H. Brake Fluid Reservoir
I. Engine Coolant Reservoir
J. Air Cleaner
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When you open the hood of the 3800 engine, you’ll see:
A. Windshield Washer Fluid
D. Power Steering G. Automatic Transaxle Dipstick
B. Battery Fluid Reservoir
H. Brake Fluid Reservoir
C.
Radiator Fill Cap E. Engine Oil Dipstick I. Engine Coolant Reservoir
E Engine Oil Fill
Cap J. Air Cleaner
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When you open the hood of the 3800 Supercharged engine, you'll see:
D. Power Steering
Fluid Reservoir
E. Engine Oil Dipstick
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap
G. Automatic Transaxle Dipstick
H. Brake Fluid Reservoir
I. Engine Coolant Reservoir
J. Air Cleaner
A. Windshield Washer Fluid
B. Battery
C. Radiator Fill Cap
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Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are
on properly. Then just pull the hood down and close
it fiiy.
3800 Supercharged Engine
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a 3800 Supercharged engine.
The supercharger is a device which is designed to pump
more air into the engine than it would normally use.
This air, mixed with fuel, creates increased engine
power. Since the supercharger is a pump and is driven
from an engine accessory drive belt, increased pressure
is available at all driving conditions.
The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) works with a
vacuum control to regulate the increased pressure
required during specific driving conditions. When this
increased pressure or boost is not desired, such as during
idling and light throttle cruising, the excess air that the supercharger is pumping is routed through a bypass.
All of these controls working together provide high
performance character and fuel efficiency
in the
3800 Supercharged engine.
Engine Oil
LOW OIL
LEVEL
If the LOW OIL LEVEL
light on the instrument
panel comes on, it means
you need to check
your
engine oil level right away.
For more information, see “Low
Oil Level 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
handle is the yellow loop
near the front of the engine.
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I
1
I
3 Checking Engine Oil
3800 or 3800 Supercharged Engine
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. 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.
3100 Engine
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3800 or 3800 Supercharged Engine
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.
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by
looking for the "Starburst" symbol. This symbol
indicates that the oil has been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
Do not use any oil which
does not carry this Starburst symbol.
;"vi
.f
If you change your own
oil, be sure you use oil
that has the Starburst
symbol
on the front of the
oil container. If
you have
your oil changed for you,
be sure the oil put into
your engine
is American
Petroleum Institute certifiel
for gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the following chart:
d
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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:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
regularly reaches
90” F (32 O C) or higher.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 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 Pontiac 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.
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