Page 294 of 442

Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work
properly. You should not have to add anything to your
fuel. 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
speci®cations described earlier.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don't use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage wouldn't be covered under your
warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.
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Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a ®re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake ¯uid, windshield washer and
other ¯uids, 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.
Hood Release
1. To open the hood, ®rst
pull the handle located
inside the vehicle
on the lower driver's
side of the instrument
panel.
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Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood on the L6 engine, you'll see the following:
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A. Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-24.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-37.
D. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See
Power Steering
Fluid on page 5-36.
E. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See
Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-21.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil on page 5-15.G. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Radiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-26.
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil on page 5-15.
I. Remote Negative (-) Terminal Marked GND.
See
Jump Starting on page 5-42.
J. Brake Master Cylinder. See
Brakes on page 5-38.
K. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-41.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See ªEngine
Compartment Fuse Blockº under
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-90.
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When you open the hood on the V8 engine, you'll see the following:
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Page 303 of 442

A. Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-24.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-37.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil on page 5-15.
E. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See
Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-21.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil on page 5-15.
G. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Radiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-26.
H. Remote Negative (-) Terminal Marked GND. See
Jump Starting on page 5-42.
I. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See
Power Steering
Fluid on page 5-36.
J. Brake Master Cylinder. See
Brakes on page 5-38.
K. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See ªEngine
Compartment Fuse blockº under
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-90.
L. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-41.
Engine Oil
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 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 in the engine
compartment toward the
passenger's side of
the vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for 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.
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When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the L mark for the L6 engine or
the cross-hatched area at the tip of the dipstick for
the V8 engine, 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 5-102.
Notice:Don't add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the F
mark that shows the proper operating range for the
L6 engine or above the cross-hatched area for
the V8 engine, your engine could be damaged.
The engine oil ®ll cap is
located in the engine
compartment toward the
passenger's side of
the vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.
Be sure to ®ll it enough to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you're through. L6 Engine
V8 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.
5-17