oil BUICK REGAL 1993 User Guide

Part 6 Service And Appearance Care
vehicle, and a section devoted to its appearance care.
Part
6 includes:
ServiceTips
...................................................................... 214
Fuel ........................................................................\
.....
HoodRelease ..................................................................... 218
EngineOil ....................................................................... \
AirCleane r.. ..................................................................... 225
Automatic Transaxle Fluid ...........................................................
Enginecoolant .................................................................... 228
Power Steering Fluid .......................... % ....................................
Windshield Washer Fluid ............................................................ 232
Brakes ........................................................................\
...
Battery ........................................................................\
.. 235
BulbReplacement ................................................................. 236
LoadingYourVehicle ...............................................................
Tires ........................................................................\
....
Appearancecare ..................................................................
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ..................................................
FusesandCircuitBreakers ........................................................... 257
Capacities and Specifications ......................................................... 263
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gasolines with these blending materials, such as MTBE
and ethanol. By doing
so, you can help clean the air,
especially
in those parts of the country that have high
carbon monoxide levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that
you use reformulated gasoline. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators
if their
gasolines contain detergents and oxygenates, and
if they
have been reformulated
to reduce vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel may be hard to find. Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even one tankful,
your emission controls won’t work well or at all. With
continuous
use, spark plugs can get fouled, the exhaust
system can corrode, and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor will be damaged.
All of that means costly repairs that 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.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors of Canada Ltd.
International Export Sales
P.O. Box 828
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7N1, Canada
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,. ;, ., ,:,’:*< ,. j ;;.*g .;,;.a> -*:~:inh Then go to the front of the
vehicle and release the
secondary hood release.
Lift the hood.
4 CAUTION:
An electric fr ~- der the hood can start up and
. jure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric
fr-
I
c1
A CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start
a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You
or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill
1 things that will burn onto a hot engine.
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Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly.
Then just pull the hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
If the “LOW OIL” light on the instrument panel comes
on, it means you need to check your engine oil level
right away.
You should check your engine oil level
regularly, the light
is an added reminder. 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 dipstick is located near the front and center
of the
engine compartment.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
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L
A
A
A
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
r operating range, your engine could be damaged. I il
r
Just fill it enough to put the level somewhere in the
proper operating range. Push the dipstick all
the way
back
in when you’re through. L
L
To Check Engine Oil: 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 lower.
When to Add Oil: If the oil is at or below the ADD
line, then you’ll need to add some oil. But you must use
the right kind. This section explains what kind of
oil to
use. For crankcase capacity, see “Capacities and
Specifications”
in the Index.
I
I
22 1.
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What Kind of Oil to Use:
Look for three things:
SG
“SG”
must be on the oil container, either by itself or
combined with other quality designations, such as
“SG/CC,” “SG/CD,” “SF,SG,CC,” etc. These letters
show American Petroleum Institute (API) levels of
quality.
If you have the 3.8L engine use: SAE 1OW-30
As shown in the viscosity chart,
SAE 1OW-30 is best
for your vehicle. However, you can use
SAE 5W-30
if it’s going to be colder than 60°F (16 “C) before
your next oil change. When it’s very cold, below
O°F (-18OC), you should use SAE 5W-30.
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OllS
FOR BEST NE1 F””””7Y AND COW STARTING, SELECT RE LOWEST
SAE VlSCOSlTT
C ~. .- - JIL FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
-
HOT
WEATHER 7
“F
t 100
+ 80
t 60
+ 40
+ 20
0
COLD
WEATHER
IF NEITHER SAE 5W-30 NOR SAE 1OW-30
GRADE OILS ARE AVAILABLE, SAE 30 GRADE MAY BE USED AT TEMPERATURES
ABOVE 40 DEGREES F (4 DEGREES 6).
DO NOT USE SAE 1OW-40, SAE 2 ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT REO IR 3ED
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RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE OILS
FOR BEST FUEL ECONOMY AND COLD STARTING, SELECT THE LOWEST
SAE VISCOSITY GRADE
OIL FOR THE EXPECTED TEMPERATURE RANGE.
HOT
WEATHER I
"F r
k100 -
+80 -
+60 -
+40 -
+20 -
0-
- +38
- +27
. +16
- +4
- -7
- -18
1
COLD
WEATHER
-- I' -- SA SAE 5W-30 PREFERRED
IF NEITHER SAE 5W-30 NOR SAE 1OW-30 GRADE OILS ARE AVAILABLE, SAE 30 GRADE MAY BE USED AT TEMPERATURES
ABOVE 40 DEGREES F (4 DEGREES C).
ANY OTHER GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED
DO NOT USE SAE 1OW-40, SAE 2OW-50 OR
0 If you have the 3.1L engine use: SAE 5W-30
As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is best
for your vehicle. However, you can use
SAE 1OW-30
if it's going to be O°F (-18OC) or above.
These numbers on an oil container show its viscosity,
or
thickness. Do not use other viscosity oils such as SAE
low-40 or SAE 20W-50.
0 Energy Conserving I1
Oils with these words on the container will help you
save fuel.
This doughnut-shaped logo (symbol) is used
on most oil
containers to help you select the correct oil.
You should look for this on the oil container, and use
only those oils that display the logo.
GM Goodwrench@
oil (in Canada, GM Engine Oil)
meets all the requirements for your vehicle.
Engine Oil Additives: Don't add anything to your oil.
Your Buick dealer is ready to advise if you think
something should be added.
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When to Change Engine Oil: See if any one of these
is true for you:
Most trips are less than 4 miles (6 km).
9 It’s below freezing outside and most trips are less
9 The engi.ne is at low speed most of the time (as in
door-to-door delivery, or in stop-and-go traffic).
You tow a trailer often. .-
9 Most trips are through dusty places.
If
any one of thes,e is true for your vehicle, then you
need to change your oil and filter every
3,000 miles (5
000 km) or 3 months -- whichever comes first.
If none of them is true, change the oil every 7,500 miles
(12
500 km) or 12 months -- whichever comes first.
Change the filter at the first
oil change and at every
other
oil change after that.
Engine Block Heater: An engine block heater can be a
big help if you have to park outside in very cold
than
10 miles (16 km).
weather,
-20 F (-29 C)
or colder. If your vehicle has
this option, see ”Engine
Block Heater” in the Index.
What to Do with Used Oil:
Used engine oil contains things that ha\, zaused
skin cancer in laboratory animals. Don’t let use6 oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash
or properly throw away
4othing or rags containing used engine oil
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure
to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by pouring
it on the ground, into sewers, or into streams
or bodies of water. Instead, recycle
it by taking it to a
place that collects used oil.
If you have a problem
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properly disposing of your used oil, ask your dealer, a
service station or a local recycling center for help.
Air Cleaner
The air cleaner is in the right front area of the engine
compartment.
I A CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause you or others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air,
it stops flame if the
engine backfires. If it isn’t there, and
the engine
backfires, you could be burned. Don’t drive with
it
off, and be careful working on the engine with
the air cleaner off.
I
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the Index.
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when
the engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine when to change
your fluid. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in
the Index.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at a Buick dealership Service
Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on the
dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall
on hot engine parts,
starting a fire. Be sure to get an accurate reading
if you check your transaxle fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32 ” C).
At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180 F to 200 F (82 C
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above
50°F
(10°C). If it’s colder than 50°F (lO°C), you may have
to drive longer.
To check the fluid level:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
0 Place the shift lever in “F’ (Park) with the parking
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
to
93
O C).
brake applied.
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in “P” (Park).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
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