maintenance BUICK PARK AVENUE 1994 User Guide

When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60
psi (420 Wa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. Simply looking at the tires will not tell you the
pressure, especially
if you have radial tires -- which
may look properly inflated even if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back
on. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
To make your tires last longer, have them inspected and
rotated at the mileages recommended
in the
Maintenance Schedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
Services”
in the Index.
FRONT
Use this rotation pattern.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressure
as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the
Index.
262
ProCarManuals.com

Foreign Material
Calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents,
road oil and tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemica
industrial chimneys, and other foreign matter can
damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain on
pa
surfaces. Use cleaners that are marked safe for pa
surfaces to remove foreign matter.
~~
Finish Damage
.Is from
.inted inted
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches
in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan, and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody
with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed
in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect
in the paint job causes this, Buick
will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever comes first.
274
ProCarManuals.com

Appearance Care and Maintenance Materials
* Not recommended for pigskin suede leather.
275
ProCarManuals.com

Capacities and Specifications
~~~ ~ ~~~~~
Engine Code L (L27) 3.8L V-6 SF1
Engine Code 1 (L67) 3.8L V-6 SF1
Belt Tensions -
Automatically controlled by a Self-Tension idler
pulley. Tension adjustment should never be
necessary.
Cooling System Capacity -
Crankcase Capacity -
With air conditioning: 13 quarts/l2.5 liters
4 quarts/3.8 liters (oilchange without filter) 5 quarts/4.75 liters (oilchange with filter change)
R134a
- 2.2 lbs. (.99 kilograms)
Air Conditioning Capacity -
Fuel Tank Capacity -
18.0 gallons/68 liters
Transaxle -
Drain & Refill - 6 quarts/5.6 liters
Maintenance Item Part Numbers -
Air Filter - A 1096C
Fuel Filter - GF580
Oil Filter
- PF47
PCV Valve
- CV892C
Radiator Cap
- RC27
Spark Plug
- 41-601, GAP 0.060”
Air Conditioning Refrigerants Not all air conditioning refrigerants are the same. If the air conditioning system
in your vehicle needs refrigerant, be sure the proper refrigerant is used. If you’re not sure ask your Buick dealer.
For additional information, see your “Warranty and Owner Assistance Information” booklet.
ProCarManuals.com

@) Part 7 Maintenance Schedule
This part covers the maintenance required for your Buick . Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety.
dependability and emission control performance
.
Part 7 includes:
Introduction ......................................................................
A Word About Maintenance .....................................................
Your Vehicle and the Environment ................................................
How This Part is Organized .....................................................
Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services .............................................
Using Your Maintenance Schedules ...............................................
Selecting the Right Schedule ....................................................
Schedule1 ...................................................................
Schedule11 ..................................................................
Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services .....................................
Section B: Owner Checks and Services .................................................
AtEachFuelFill ..............................................................
AtLeastOnceaMonth .........................................................
AtLeastOnceaYear ..........................................................
Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections ............................................
Section D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants .........................................
Section E: Maintenance Record .......................................................
284
284
285
285
287 287
287
288
290
292
294
294
295 295
298
299
301
283
ProCarManuals.com

I IMPORTANT: I
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE AS
RECOMMENDED
11
protection I
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The
Plan supplements your new vehicle warranties. See
your Buick dealer for details.
Introduction
A Word About Maintenance
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we don’t know
exactly how you’ll drive
it. You may drive very short
distances only a few times a week. Or you may drive
long distances all the time
in very hot, dusty weather.
You
may use your vehicle in making deliveries. Or you
may drive
it to work, to do errands or in many other
ways.
Because
of all the different ways people use their GM
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may even need
more frequent checks and replacements than you
will
find in the schedules in this part. So please read this part
and note how you drive.
If you have any questions on
how to keep your vehicle in good condition, see your
Buick dealer,
the place many GM owners choose to
have their maintenance work done. Your dealer can be
relied upon to use proper parts and practices.
284
ProCarManuals.com

Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance
or the
removal of important components can significantly
affect the quality of_the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or even the wrong tire inflation can increase the
level of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect
our environment, and to help keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
How This Part is Organized
The remainder of this part is divided into five sections:
“Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what
to have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment, you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center do these
jobs.
If you are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want to get the service
information GM publishes. You will find a list of
publications and how to get them in this manual. See
“Service Publications” in the Index.
ProCarManuals.com

“Section B: Owner Checks and Services” tells you what
should be checked whenever
you stop for fuel. It also
explains what
you can easily do to help keep your
vehicle in good condition.
“Section
C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains
important inspections that your Buick dealer’s service
department or another qualified service center should
perform. “Section
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether
you do the work
yourself or have
it done.
“Section
E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed, be
sure to write
it down in this section. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition,
it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
286
ProCarManuals.com

Section A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedules
This section tells you the maintenance services you
should have done and when you should schedule them.
Your Buick dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you
to be happy with it. If you go to your dealer for your
service needs, you’ll know that GM-trained and
supported service people
will perform the work using
genuine GM parts.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
0
0
0
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits.
You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See “Loading Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
are driven on reasonable road surfaces
within legal
driving limits.
use the recommended unleaded fuel. See “Fuel”
in
the Index.
Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules is
right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide which
schedule to follow:
Schedule I
Is any one of these true for your vehicle?
Most trips are less than 4 miles (6 km).
0 Most trips are less than 10 miles ( 16 km) when
outside temperatures are below freezing.
door-to-door delivery, or
in stop-and-go traffic).
0 The engine is at low speed most of the time (as in
You operate your vehicle in dusty areas.
You tow a trailer. (With some models, you should
never tow a trailer. See “Towing
a Trailer” in the
Index.)
If any one (or more) of these is true for your driving,
follow Schedule
I.
Schedule I1
Follow Schedule I1 only if none of the above conditions
is true.
287
ProCarManuals.com

Scheduled Maintenance Services Schedule I - - ~~~~
Follow Schedule I if your car is MAINLY driven under one or more of the following conditions:
When most trips are less than 4 miles (6 kilometers).
When most trips are less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) and outside temperatures remain below freezing.
When most trips include extended idling and/or frequent low-speed operation as in stop-and-go traffic.
Towing a trailer.*?
When operating in dusty areas.
Schedule I should also be followed if the car is used for delivery service, police, taxi or other commercial applications.
288
ProCarManuals.com