CHEVROLET CAMARO 1998 4.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can be injured and your vehicle couli e
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
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.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your dealer before adding equipment to the outside
of
your vehicle.
Fuel
The 8th digit of your vehicle identification number
(VIN) shows the code letter for your engine. You will
find the VIN at the top left
of your instrument panel.
(See “Vehicle Identification Number” in the Index.)
If you have the 3800 engine (VIN Code
K), use
regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher.
If you have the 5.7L engine (VIN Code
G), use
premium unleaded gasoline rated at
91 octane or
higher for best performance. You may use middle
grade or regular unleaded gasolines, but your vehicle
may not accelerate
as well.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine At a minimum, the gasoline you use should meet
specifications ASTM
D4814 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 for premium is at least
91 (at
least
89 for middle grade and 87 for regular). 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 the recommended octane or
higher and you 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 of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant
knock that means you have a problem.
If your vehicle
is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
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 Chevrolet dealer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure. 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.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions contain
an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines.
If fuels containing MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Chevrolet dealer for service.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
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.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel
may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by
use of improper fuel 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 Overseas Distribution Corporation
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
6-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling Your Tank
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke if you’re near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
The cap is behind a hinged door on the left side of
your vehicle.
While refueling,
hang the cap by the tether from the pin
on the fuel door.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To remove the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The cap has a spring in it;
if you let
go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the right.
BN:
If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites
it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you if you open the
fuel filler cap too quickly. This spray can happen
if your
tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the
way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces
as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside of Your Vehicle” in the Index. When you put
the cap
back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound.
Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left off
or
improperly installed. This would allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere. See “Malfunction
Indicator Lamp” in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for
you. If you get
the wrong type,
it may not fit properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and your fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in
the Index.
6-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling a Portable Fuel Container Checking Things Under the Hood
A CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged
if this
occurs.
To help avoid injury to you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
A CAUTION: I
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
U
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
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
6-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the lower
left
side of your vehicle.
n
I I
Then go to the front of the vehicle and pull up on the
hood release located at the center area
of the hood.
Lift the hood.
6-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you open the hood of the 3800 V6 Engine you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
€3. Battery
C. Radiator
Fill Cap
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick
(If Equipped)
E Windshield Washer Reservoir
G. Engine Cooling Fans
H. Air Cleaner
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Engine Oil Dipstick
K. Brake Fluid Reservoir
L. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you open the hood of the 5.7L V8 Engine you'll see:
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
B. Battery
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap E.
Automatic Transmission
Dipstick
(If Equipped)
E Engine Cooling Fans
G. Windshield Washer Reservoir
H. Air Cleaner
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir
K. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps
are on.
Then just pull the hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
LOW OIL
If the LOW OIL light on
the instrument panel comes
on, it means you need to
check your engine oil
level right
away. For more
information, see “Low Oil
Light”
in the Index.
You
should check your engine oil level regularly; this 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
engine oil dipstick is the yellow loop near the back
of the engine
Note: Do not check the 5.7L engine oil level after the
engine has been sitting overnight,
A higher than normal
reading might be obtained. Check oil level with the oil
warm. Shut off the engine, wait a few minutes, and then
check the oil.
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.
6-12