2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Engine

When you open the hood on the 3800 V6 (Code K) engine, you'll see the following:
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A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-43.
B. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-47.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See
Jump Starting on
page 5-48.
D. Upper Underhood Fuse Block. See ªUpperhood
Fuse Block (Upper)º under
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-91.
E. Lower Underhood Fuse Block. See ªUnderhood
Fuse Block (Lower)º under
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-91.
F. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Radiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-29.
G. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. See
Cooling System
on page 5-32
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (low in engine
compartment). SeePower Steering Fluid on
page 5-42.I. Electric Cooling Fan. See
Cooling System on
page 5-32.
J. Engine Oil Dipstick. See ªChecking Engine Oilº
under
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
K. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See ªChecking Engine Oilº
under
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
L. Bleed Valves (underneath engine shield). See ªHow
to Add Coolant to the Radiatorº under
Cooling
System on page 5-32.
M. Transaxle Fluid Dipstick. See
Automatic Transaxle
Fluid on page 5-24.
N. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See
Brakes on
page 5-44.
O. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22.
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Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
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 located
near the front of the engine. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12for more information on location.
Turn off the engine and give the oil several 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.
3400 (Code E)
V6 Engine
3800 (Code K) Engine
3400 (Code E) V6 Engine
3800 (Code K) V6 Engine
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When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the cross-hatched area at the tip
of the dipstick, 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 engine oil crankcase
capacity, see
Capacities and Speci®cations on
page 5-98.
Notice: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 ®ll cap is located toward the front of the
engine near the yellow-looped engine oil dipstick
handle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for more information on location.
Be sure to ®ll it enough to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range in the cross-hatched
area. Push the dipstick all the way back in when
you're through.3400 (Code E) V6
Engine
3800 (Code K) V6
Engine
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What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identi®ed by
looking for the starburst symbol.
This symbol indicates that the oil has been certi®ed by
the American Petroleum Institute (API). Do not use
any oil which does not carry this starburst symbol.
If you choose to perform
the engine oil change
service yourself, be sure
the oil you use 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 certi®ed
for gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the viscosity chart.
3400 (Code E) V6 Engine
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As in the chart shown previously, if you have the
3400 V6 engine, SAE 5W-30 is the only viscosity grade
recommended for your vehicle. You should look for
and use only oils which have the API Starburst symbol
and which are also identi®ed as SAE 5W-30. If you
cannot ®nd such SAE 5W-30 oils, you can use an
SAE 10W-30 oil which has the API Starburst symbol, if
it's going to be 0ÉF (-18ÉC) or above. Do not use
other viscosity grade oils, such as SAE 10W-40 or
SAE 20W-50 under any conditions.
As shown in the following chart, if you have the
3800 V6 engine, SAE 10W-30 is the viscosity grade
recommended for your vehicle. However, you can use
SAE 5W-30 if it's going to be colder than 60ÉF
(16ÉC) before your next oil change. When it's very cold,
colder than 0ÉF (-18ÉC), you should use an SAE 5W-30
oil. These numbers on an oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity grade
oils, such as SAE 10W-40 or SAE 20W-50 under any
conditions.
3800 (Code K) V6 Engine
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Notice:Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certi®ed For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
žoil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below-20ÉF (-29ÉC), it is
recommended that you use 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
(GM Oil Life System)
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you
know when to change the engine oil and ®lter. This is
based on engine revolutions and engine temperature,and not on mileage. Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change will be indicated can vary
considerably. For the oil life system to work properly,
you must reset the system every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE OIL message will
come on. Change your oil as soon as possible within
the next two times you stop for fuel. It is possible that, if
you are driving under the best conditions, the oil life
system may not indicate that an oil change is necessary
for over a year. However, your engine oil and ®lter
must be changed at least once a year and at this time
the system must be reset. Your dealer has GM-trained
service people who will perform this work using
genuine GM parts and reset the system. It is also
important to check your oil regularly and keep it at the
proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
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How to Reset the Change Engine Oil
Message
The GM Oil Life System calculates when to change
your engine oil and ®lter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system so it can
calculate when the next oil change is required. If a
situation occurs where you change your oil prior to a
CHANGE ENGINE OIL message being turned on, reset
the system.
After changing the engine oil, the system must be reset.
To reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL message use
one of the following procedures:
Using the Radio
1. Turn the ignition to ACC or ON, with the radio off.
2. Press and hold the TUNE DISP button on the radio
for at least ®ve seconds until SETTINGS is
displayed.
3. Press the SEEK PSCAN up or down arrow to scroll
through the main menu.
4. Scroll until OIL LIFE appears on the display.
5. Press the 1 PREV or 2 NEXT buttons to enter the
submenu. RESET will be displayed.
6. Press the TUNE DISP button to reset. A chime will
be heard to verify the new setting and DONE will
be displayed for one second.
7. Once the indicator has been reset, scroll until EXIT
appears on the display.
8. Press the TUNE DISP button to exit programming.
A chime will be heard to verify the exit.
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