2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE oil

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6-1
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.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-9 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-19 Manual Transmission Fluid
6
-21 Hydraulic Clutch
6
-22 Rear Axle
6
-23 Engine Coolant
6
-26 Surge Tank Pressure Cap
6
-26 Power Steering Fluid
6
-27 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-29 Brakes
6
-32 Battery
6
-33 Bulb Replacement
6
-38 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement6
-40 Tires
6
-53 Lifting Your Corvette
6
-57 Appearance Care
6
-57 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-60 Cleaning a Removable Roof Panel
6
-60 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-62 Cleaning Your Convertible Top
6
-62 Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
6
-63 Cleaning Tires
6
-63 Finish Damage
6
-63 Underbody Maintenance
6
-65 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-66 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-66 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-67 Electrical System
6
-74 Replacement Bulbs
6
-75 Capacities and Specifications
6
-76 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-5
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.
Filling Your Tank
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.

6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
CAUTION:
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.

Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.

6-11 Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood, you'll see the following:
A. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap
B. Battery
C. Engine Oil DipstickD. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
G. Brake Fluid ReservoirH. Hydraulic Clutch Fluid
Reservoir (If Equipped)
I. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir

6-12
Engine Oil
If the LOW OIL LEVEL message on the Driver
Information Center comes on, it means you need to
check your engine oil level right away. For more
information, see ªDriver Information Centerº in the
Index. You should check your engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It's a good idea to check your engine oil level 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 a yellow
ring located near the
coolant surge tank.
See ªEngine
Compartment
Overviewº in
the Index for
more information
on location.
Do not check the engine oil level after the engine has
been sitting overnight. A higher than normal reading
might be obtained. Check oil level with the oil warm.
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.

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Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or a
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD mark, 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 ªCapacities and Specificationsº
in the Index.
See ªRacing or Other Competitive Drivingº in the index
for additional information on engine oil.
NOTICE:
Don't add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
The engine oil fill cap is
located on top of the valve
cover on the passenger's
side of the engine.
See ªEngine Compartment
Overviewº in the Index
for more information
on location.
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.

6-14 What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Look for two things:

GM4718M
Your vehicle's engine requires a special oil meeting
GM Standard GM4718M. Oils meeting this standard
may be identified as synthetic. However, not all
synthetic oils will meet this GM standard. You
should look for and use only an oil that meets
GM Standard GM4718M.
NOTICE:
If you use oils that don't have the GM4718M
Standard designation, you can cause engine
damage not covered by your warranty.

6-15

SAE 5W-30
As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W
-30 is best
for your vehicle. However, you can use SAE
10W
-30 if it's going to be 0F (-18C) or above.
These numbers on an oil container show its viscosity,
or thickness. Do not use other viscosity oils such
as SAE 20W
-50.
Oils meeting these
requirements should also
have the starburst symbol
on the container. This
symbol indicates that the
oil has been certified by
the American Petroleum
Institute (API).You should look for this on the oil container, and use
only those oils that are identified as meeting GM
Standard 4718M and have the starburst symbol on the
front of the oil container.
Your vehicle's engine is filled at the factory with a
Mobil 1
 synthetic oil, which meets all requirements for
your vehicle.
Substitute Engine Oil: When adding oil to maintain
engine oil level, oil meeting GM Standard GM4718M
may not be available. You can add substitute oil
designated SAE 5W
-30 with the starburst symbol at all
temperatures. If temperatures are above 0F (
-18C),
you may substitute SAE 10W
-30 with the starburst
symbol. Substitute oil not meeting GM Standard
GM4718M should not be used for an oil change.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for good
performance and engine protection.