service BUICK SKYLARK 1993 Owner's Manual

0 It’s below freezing outside and most trips are less
than
10 miles (16 km).
0 The engine is at low speed most of the time (as in
door-to-door delivery, or in stop-and-go traffic).
0 You tow a trailer often.
0 Most trips are through dusty places.
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 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 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:
I sed engine oil contains things that have caused
skin cancer in laboratory animals. 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
c-othing
or rags containing used engine oil.
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. Don’t
ever dispose of it 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 propeily disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center for help.
227

Air Cleaner
The air cleaner is located on the driver’s side of the
engine compartment. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.

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 Pa).
How tco 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. 1
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. 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.
243

The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires, get ones with that same
TPC Spec number. That way,
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by a
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or
types (radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not handle properly, and you could have a
crash. Be sure to use the same size and type
tires on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for limited use on your
vehicle.
I
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
245

(1 112) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices.and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
’Ikaction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They represent the tire’s.ability to stop on wet
pavement
as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a- specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Those grades are molded on the sidewalls of passenger
car tires.
While the tires available as standard or optional
equipment on General Motors vehicles may vary with
respect to these grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have been approved
for use on General Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
. which all passenger car tires must meet under the
246

.-1
White Sidewail Tires
your Buick dealer has a GM White Sidewall Tire
Cleaner. You can use a stiff brush with it.
Weatherstrips
These are places where glass or metal meets rubber.
Silicone grease there will make them last longer, seal
better, and not stick or squeak. Apply silicone grease
with
a clean cloth at least every six months.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Foreign Material
Calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents,
road oil and
tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, and other foreign matter can
damage your vehicle’s finish
if they remain on painted
surfaces. Use cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces for these stains.
Finish Damage
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.
254

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
1111 11111 11. II I I 111 I II 11111 111 I11111 111 IIIIIIIIII II 1111 Ill II
ENGIME A3 t AQEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR. PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Buick. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The
VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code for
your
GM engine. This code will help you identify your
engine, specifications, and replacement parts in this
section.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on the deck lid. It’s very helpful if
you ever .need to order parts. On this label is:
0 Your VIN.
0 Its model designation.
0 Paint information.
0 A list of all production options and special
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle. equipment.
Add-on
Electrical Equipment
257

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
...................................................................... 266
A Word About Maintenance
.....................................................
Your Vehicle and the Environment ................................................ 267
How This Part is Organized
..................................................... 267
Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
.............................................
Using Your Maintenance Schedules ............................................... 268
Selecting the Right Schedule
....................................................
Schedule1 ................................................................... 270
Schedule11
.................................................................. 272
Explanation
of Scheduled Maintenance Services ..................................... 274
AtEachFuelFill
.............................................................. 276
At Least Once a Month .......................................................... 277
AtLeastOnceaYear
..........................................................
Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections ............................................ 279
Section
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ......................................... 280
Section E: Maintenance Record
....................................................... 282
Section
B: Owner Checks and Services .................................................

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.
A CAUTION:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can
be dangerous. In trying to
do some jobs, you can
be seriously injured.
Do your own maintenance
work only
if you have the required know-how and
the proper tools and equipment for the job.
If you
have any doubt, have a qualified technician
do
the work.
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.
“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 Section A: Scheduled Maintenance
some products GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products,
or their Services
equivalents, should be used whether you do the work
yourself
or have it done. Using Your Maintenance Schedules
“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. 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.
268