oil dipstick CHEVROLET ASTRO 2005 Owners Manual

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-37.
B. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-30.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
D. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See
“Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-23.
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-21.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
G. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-38.
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-36.
I. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-42.
Engine Oil
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 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 down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the MIN line, then you will need
to add at least one quart 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 Specications on page 5-101.
Notice:Do not add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
5-13

SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the
engine oil ll cap.
Be sure to add enough oil to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range. 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

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the uid and lter every 15,000 miles
(25,000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, change the uid and lter every
50,000 miles (83 000 km).
SeePart A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 6-4.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the 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 uid can damage
your transmission. Too much can mean that some
of the uid could come out and fall on hot engine
part or exhaust system parts, starting a re.
Too little uid could cause the transmission to
overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission uid level if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic — especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the uid should be at
normal operating temperature, which is 180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
5-23