service CHEVROLET CORVETTE 1998 5.G Owner's Guide

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.
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Service
Fuel
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid
Hydraulic Clutch
Rear Axle
Engine Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires 6-52
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6-70 Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Weatherstrips Cleaning a Removable Roof Panel
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Your Convertible Top
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
Cleaning Tires
Finish Damage
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service
Your 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:
n
benuine
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to use the proper Corvette 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.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle’’ in the Index.
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.
I
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CAUTION: (Continued)
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 rnight 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
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. At a
minimum, the gasoline you use 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 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
f
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Corvette 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
Corvette dealer for service.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You should look for this on the oil container, and use
only those oils that are identified as meeting GM
Standard 4718M and have the Starburst symbol on the
front of the oil container.
Your Corvette engine is filled at the factory with a
Mobil
l@ synthetic oil, which meets all requirements
for your vehicle.
Substitute Engine Oil: When adding oil to maintain
engine oil level, oil meeting GM Standard GM4718M
may not be available. You can add substitute oil
designated SAE 5W-30 with the “Starburst” symbol at
all temperatures. If temperatures are above
0 OF (- 18 O C),
you may substitute
SAE low-30 with the “Starburst”
symbol. Substitute oil not meeting GM Standard
GM4718M should not be used for an oil change.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready to
advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
Your Corvette has an Engine Oil Life Monitor. This
feature will let you know when to change your oil and
filter
-- usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and
10,000 miles (16
000 km) since your last oil change. Under severe conditions, the indicator may
come on
before
3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle
more than 10,000 miles (16
000 km) or 12 months
(whichever occurs first) without an oil change. Use
engine oil meeting the GM Standard GM47 18M.
The system won’t detect dust in the
oil. So, if you drive
in a dusty area, be sure to change your oil every
3,000 miles
(5 000 lun) or sooner if the CHANGE OIL
light comes on. Remember to reset the Engine Oil Life
Monitor when the oil has been changed. For more
.information, see “Engine Oil Life Monitor” in the Index.
When Changing the Engine Oil
There is a special procedure for changing engine oil,
contact your dealer for additional information or the
procedure can be found in a Corvette Service Manual.
To purchase a service manual, see “Service and Owner
Publications” in the Index.
How to Reset the Engine Oil Life Monitor
Press RESET to acknowledge the CHANGE OIL SOON
warning. The oil page will then show a message such as
OIL LIFE
0%. To reset the monitor, press and hold
RESET for two seconds. You will then receive a
message such as OIL LIFE
99%.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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.
Air Cleaner
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the
air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Pull the assembly out.
3. Replace the filter.
4. Push the assembly back into place.
5. Fasten the clips.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
How to Check
Because this operation is difficult, you may choose to
have this done at your dealer service department. It is
not necessary to check the transmission fluid level.
A
transmission fluid leak is the only reason for fluid loss.
If a leak occurs, take the vehicle to your dealer service
department and have it repaired as soon as possible.
There is a special procedure for checking and changing
the transmission fluid. Contact your dealer for additional
information or the procedure can be found in a Corvette
Service Manual. To purchase a service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications’’ in the Index.
I NOTICE: I
We recommend that only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111 be used, because fluid with that
label
is made specially for your automatic
transmission. Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON@-111
is not covered by your new
vehicle warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Change both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(80 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one of
these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90 OF (32 O C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
High performance operation.
If you do not use your vehicle under one of
these conditions. Change the fluid and filter every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index for
the proper service intervals for the transmission fluid
and filter.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
How to Check
Because this operation can be difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Chevrolet dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading.
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 exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be sure
to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil
is changed. However, the fluid in your manual
transmission doesn’t require changing. Check the fluid level
only when your engine is off, the
vehicle
is parked on a level place and the transmission is
cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transmission case.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Check and What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often you should check the fluid level in your clutch
master cylinder reservoir and for the proper fluid. See
“Owner Checks and Services” and “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
How To Check and Add Fluid
The clutch master cylinder is on the driver’s side of the
engine compartment, near the fender.
To check the fluid, remove the cap and rubber seal. Fluid should be
added
if the fluid level is below the step
on the inside of the reservoir. There are additional
instructions on the reservoir cap.
Replace the rubber seal and cap.
Rear Axle
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often
to check the lubricant. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn
and new pads are needed. The sound may come and
go or
be heard
all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something
is wrong with
your brakes.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section
7 of this
manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections.”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel.
This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
As you make brake stops, your disc brakes
automatically adjust for wear.
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