service CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1996 1.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I A CAUTION:
I I To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
Always use separate safety chains on each
being
towed.
fully secured.
been lifted by the tow truck.
side when towing
a vehicle.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with
a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transmission should
be in NEUTRAL
(N) and the parking brake should
be released.
A CAUTION:
I
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before
it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle.
5-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” in the Index.
If
you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a
minute or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift
to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked,
to push
the accelerator until the engine speed is about twice as
fast as normal idle speed. Bring
the engine speed back to
normal idle speed after two or three minutes. Now see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone out qf the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do,
you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is
a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose
all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See
if the fan speed increases when idle speed is doubled by
pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn’t, your
vehicle needs service. Turn
off the engine.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the FULL COLD mark, add a 5060 mixture of
clean water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL’”
(orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze at the coolant
recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index for
more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling sy,,,m
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and DEX=COOL
TM antifreeze.
c 11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how to check important
fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical
information about your vehicle, and a part devoted to its
appearance care.
Service
Your GM dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you
to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your dealer for
all your service needs. You’ll get genuine
GM parts and
GM-trained and supported service people. We
hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have
one of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want
to get the proper GM Service Manual. It tells you
much more about how to service your vehicle than this
manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications’’ in the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle may have an air bag system. If it does, see
“Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle”
in the
Index before attempting to do your own service work.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work
you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
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, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any vehicle maintenance task.
0 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.
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Diesel Fuel
Requirements and Fuel System”
in the Diesel Engine
Supplement. For vehicles with gasoline engines, please
read this.
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or
higher.
At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D48 14 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive.
If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving
up a hill. That’s normal,
and
you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
ofpinging.
It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
6-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label),
it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications.
If such fuels are 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
on
your instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized GM dealer for diagnosis to determine the
cause
of hilure. In the event it is determined that the
cause
of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may
not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called
MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp
on your instrument
panel
may turn on. If this happens, return to your
authorized GM dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming
in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should
not have to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available
in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that
you use these gasolines if they
comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it.
It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
6-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0 Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these 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
occurs first. or
other commercial application.
If done of them is true, change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did YOU know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used 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 clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
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 putting it in the trash, 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 properly disposing
of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Cleaner Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter and crankcase ventilation filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
I
70 remove the air cleaner nlter:
loosen screw bolt to air induct hose
0 remove the three bolts
remove the full air cleaner housing
unsnap the three clips
Then
tilt the top cover up and back to expose the filter
element. Install a new filter element with
the folds in the
down position.
See “Normal Replacement Parts” for the proper filter
to use.
- CAUTAN:
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 NOTICE: I
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
6-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle’s GVWR is over 8,600 or
if
the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If your vehicle’s
GVWR is not over 8,600 and you do
not use your vehicle under any
of these conditions, the
fluid and filter do
not require changing.
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 your GM dealer
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
transmission. Too much can mean that some of
the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission
fluid.
6-16
-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Fluid Rear Axle
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid
HOT. (A COLD check is used only as a reference.) If
the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper
fluid to bring the
level up to the HOT area for a hot
check.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than a
pint (0.5 L). Don ’t overjX. We recommend you use only
fluid labeled DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that
label is made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-I11 is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under
“How to Check.”
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check
the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in
the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the
bottom
of the filler plug
hole, you’ll need to add
some lubricant. Add
enough lubricant
to raise
the level to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
0 When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
6-19