2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO recommended oil

iv
Fuel
Checking Fluids and Lubricants
GM Oil Life System™ (If Equipped)
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If Equipped)
Brakes
Bulb ReplacementWindshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires and Wheels
Appearance Care
Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Capacities and Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Maintenance Schedule Service and Appearance Care
Section
7
Section
6
Scheduled Maintenance
Owner Checks and Services
Periodic Maintenance InspectionsRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
Maintenance Records

4-38
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh
-- such as after a day's
work
-- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
GM dealerships all across North America.
They'll be ready and willing to help if you need it.Here are some things you can check before a trip:

Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?

Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?

Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?

Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble
-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?

Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?

Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?

4-59
Tow/haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75% of
the vehicle's Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
Tow/haul is most useful under the following
driving conditions:

When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
through rolling terrain.

When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in stop and go traffic.

When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy load
in busy parking lots where improved low speed
control of the vehicle is desired.
Operating the vehicle in tow/haul when lightly loaded
or with no trailer at all will not cause damage. However,
there is no benefit to the selection of tow/haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a selection when unloaded
may result in unpleasant engine and transmission
driving characteristics and reduced fuel economy.
Tow/haul is recommended only when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load.Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig.
For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to
pull a trailer are all important. And, it can also depend
on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
Use one of the following charts to determine how much
your vehicle can weigh, based upon your vehicle model
and options.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming the
driver and one passenger are in the tow vehicle and it
has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of
additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum
trailer weight.
Above the 5,000 lbs. (2 268 kg) trailer rating, the
handling/trailering suspension is required on C
-1500
models and the handling/trailering or off
-road
suspension is required on K
-1500 models. The engine
oil cooler is required on C/K
-2500 models with the
VORTEC 6000 engine. Refer to the Trailering Guide
for oil cooler recommendations.

5-15
CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle's coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn't
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX
-COOL
coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So use the recommended coolant.
CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.

6-5
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system, allowing your emission control system
to function properly. Therefore, you should not have
to add anything to the fuel. In addition, gasolines
containing oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that
you use these gasolines, particularly if they comply with
the specifications described earlier.
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.

6-16 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.
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 certified for
gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the following chart:

6-17
As in the chart shown previously, 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.
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
-20F (-29C), consider using either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W
-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. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for good
performance and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer that lets you know when
to change your engine oil. This is not based on mileage,
but on engine revolutions and engine operating
temperature. When the computer has calculated that
the oil needs changing, the GM Oil Life System will
indicate that a change is necessary. The mileage between
oil and filter changes will vary depending on how you
drive your vehicle
-- usually between 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) and 10,000 miles (16 000 km) since your
last oil and filter change. Under severe conditions, the
system may come on before 3,000 miles (5 000 km).
Never drive your vehicle more than 10,000 miles
(16 000 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 and filter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or sooner. Remember to
reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL light whenever the
oil is changed.

6-28 How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use. See ªRecommended
Fluids and Lubricantsº in the Index.
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid while
it is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.)
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot
check. It doesn't take much fluid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L). Don't overfill.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON-III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON
-III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.

After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under ªHow to Check.º

When the correct fluid level is obtained,
push the dipstick back in all the way.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil
is changed. See your maintenance schedule to find out
when to change your transmission fluid.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your GM dealership
service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission. 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 transmission fluid.