2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE checking oil

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling the Tank..............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-23
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-25
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-28
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-28
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-28
Engine Coolant.............................................5-29
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-32
Engine Overheating.......................................5-32Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-34
Cooling System............................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-40
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-41
Brakes........................................................5-42
Battery........................................................5-45
Jump Starting...............................................5-46
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-52
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-52
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-52
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-52
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps............5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-54
Windshield Replacement.................................5-54
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-55
Tires..............................................................5-57
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-58
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-60
Extended Mobility Tires..................................5-62
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-64
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-67
Tire Rotation................................................5-69
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never ll 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 ll 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 ll nozzle in contact with the
inside of the ll opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the lling is complete.
Do not 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 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.
5-10

A. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped).
SeeHydraulic Clutch on page 5-28.
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-41.
C. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-42.
D. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-29.
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filters. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.F. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-40.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
I. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-98.
J. Passenger Compartment Air Filter (Out of View).
SeePassenger Compartment Air Filter on page 3-31.
K. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-45.
5-13

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-40.
C. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-98.
D. Remote Positive Terminal (Out of View). SeeBattery
on page 5-45.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
F. Dry Sump Engine Oil Tank. See “Changing Engine
Oil and Filter (Z06 Only)”Engine Oil on page 5-16.G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
H. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-29.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-41.
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-42.
K. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir. SeeHydraulic
Clutch on page 5-28.
5-15

Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil (Except Z06)
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) comes on, it means you need
to check your engine oil level right away. For more
information, seeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-48. You should check your engine oil level
regularly; this is an added reminder.
It is 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 loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a lint-free
paper towel or a cloth, then push it back in all
the way. Remove it again, keeping the tip down.
Checking Engine Oil (Z06 Only)
A. Engine Oil Dipstick
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
It is 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.
5-16

The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
The dipstick is located on the dry sump engine oil tank.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the dry sump engine oil tank.
Z06 models have a racetrack-ready dry sump engine
lubrication system. This high-performance system
operates differently than a standard engine lubrication
system and requires a special procedure when checking
the engine oil level. Follow this procedure closely when
checking the engine oil level.
The engine oil level must be checked when the engine is
warm. Cold oil level in the dry sump tank may not indicate
the actual amount of oil in the system. With this system,
engine oil is contained in an external tank, separate from
the engine. Under normal operating conditions, the oil
pan under the engine does not store any oil. If the vehicle
has been parked for an extended period without the
engine being started, some oil will seep back into the oil
pan, reducing the amount of oil held in the dry sump tank
and there could be no engine oil at all showing on the
dipstick. This is normal since the dipstick is designed to
read engine oil level only after the engine has run long
enough to reach normal operating temperature.Do not add engine oil based on cold engine dipstick
readings. The engine oil level on the dipstick will also be
inaccurate if checked while the engine is running.
1. To obtain an accurate engine oil level reading,
warm up the engine to at least 175°F (80°C).
Cold oil will not give a correct oil level reading.
2. Once the engine is warm, turn off the engine.
Checking the oil while the engine is running
will result in an incorrect oil level reading.
3. Wait at least ve minutes (but not more than
20 minutes) to allow oil to drain and settle in
the engine.
4. Remove the dipstick from the external engine oil
tank and clean it with a lint-free paper towel or a
cloth. Re-insert the dipstick into the external oil tank,
pushing it all the way in until it stops.
5. Remove the dipstick from the oil tank and read the
level on the cross-hatched area. Oil levels that fall
in the cross-hatched area are normal.
5-17

2. Once the oil has been drained from the engine,
remove the engine oil lter and allow the oil
to drain.
3. Re-install both drain plugs and tighten them to
18 lb ft (25Y).
4. Replace the oil lter and tighten it to 18 lb ft
(25Y). SeeNormal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 6-14for the correct lter.
5. Oil is lled through the opening in the top of the
external engine oil tank. Remove the oil ll cap.6. Add eight quarts (7.6 L) of oil to the oil tank.
SeeCapacities and Specications on page 5-101.
7. Install the oil ll cap and insert the dipstick, if
removed.
8. Start the engine and let it run at idle for at least
15 seconds. This will circulate the fresh engine
oil through the lubrication system.
9. Shut off the engine and check the oil level as
described under “Checking Engine Oil (Z06 Only).”
5-21

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake uid without taking off the cap.
Look at the brake uid reservoir. The uid level should
be above the MIN mark on the reservoir. If it is not, have
your brake system checked to see if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make
sure the level is between the MIN and MAX marks.
What to Add
When you do need brake uid, use only DOT-3 brake
uid. Refer toRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12. Use new brake uid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake uid.
Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system parts so
badly that they will have to be replaced. Do not
let someone put in the wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake uid on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off immediately. SeeWashing
Your Vehicle on page 5-86.
5-43