2006 CHEVROLET EPICA engine

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems
(including some inside the vehicle), many fluids, and
some component wear by-products contain and/or emit
these chemicals.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work,
you will want to use the proper service manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your vehicle
than this manual can. To order the proper service
manual, seeService Publications Ordering Information
on page 7-14.
5-4

Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-62.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. SeePart E: Maintenance Record on page 6-27.
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle
can affect the airflow around it. This may cause
wind noise and affect windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer before adding equipment to
the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of
the proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87,
you may notice an audible knocking noise when you
drive, commonly referred to as spark knock. If this
occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. If you are using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking,
your engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet
ASTM specification D 4814 in the United States
or CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines
may contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
General Motors recommends against the use of
gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives on
page 5-6for additional information.
5-5

California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See the underhood
emission control label. If this fuel is not available
in states adopting California emissions standards,
your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp may turn on and your vehicle may fail
a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 3-40. If this occurs, return to your authorized
GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is determined that the
condition is caused by the type of fuel used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
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. In most cases, you should not have to add
anything to your fuel. However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of additive required to
meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean,
or if your vehicle experiences problems due to
dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Also,
your GM dealer has additives that will help correct
and prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available
in your area. General Motors recommends that you use
these gasolines if they comply with the specifications
described earlier. However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol must
not be used in vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
5-6

Filling the Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel re
can cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries
to you and others, read and follow all the
instructions on the pump island. Turn off
your engine when you are refueling. Do not
smoke if you are near fuel or refueling your
vehicle. Keep sparks, ames, and smoking
materials away from fuel. Do not leave the
fuel pump unattended when refueling your
vehicle — this is against the law in some
places. Keep children away from the fuel
pump; never let children pump fuel.To open the fuel filler door,
pull up on the release
lever located on the floor
on the outboard side of
the driver’s seat.
5-8

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.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the hood release
handle inside the
vehicle. It is located on
the lower left side of
the instrument panel.
2. Then go to the front
of the vehicle and
locate the secondary
hood release lever
under the front center
of the hood.
3. Push the lever to the left as you lift up the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are
on properly. Then pull the hood down and close it firmly.
5-11

Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood, here is what you will see:
5-12

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir.
See “Adding Washer Fluid” under
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-30.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir.
SeePower Steering Fluid on page 5-29.
C. Engine Coolant Surge Tank.
SeeCooling System on page 5-24.
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap.
See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
E. Engine Oil Dipstick.
See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
F. Brake Fluid Reservoir.
See “Brake Fluid” underBrakes on page 5-31.
G. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.
SeeEngine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.
H. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-34.
I. Engine Compartment Fuse Block.
SeeEngine Compartment Fuse Block
on page 5-79.Engine Oil
If the oil pressure light
appears on the instrument
cluster, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information, seeOil Pressure Light on
page 3-43.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is 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 loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several 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 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.
5-13

When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the lower hole at the tip of the
dipstick (B), you will need to add at least one quart/liter
of oil. But you must use the right kind. This section
explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil
crankcase capacity, seeCapacities and Specifications
on page 5-83.
Notice:Do not add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
hole (A) that shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the engine oil fill cap.
Be sure to add enough oil to put the level somewhere
in the proper operating range, between the holes on
the dipstick. Push the dipstick all the way back in
when you are through.
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Look for two things:
•GM6094M
Your vehicle’s engine requires oil meeting GM
Standard GM6094M. You should look for and use
only an oil that meets GM Standard GM6094M.
5-14