maintenance CHEVROLET TRACKER 1998 1.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If none of them is true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 7.5 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving
a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
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 properly 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
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause you
or others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops flame if the engine
CAUTION: (Continued)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Automatic Transmission Fluid
3. Pull out the filter and replace it.
4. Replace the cover and the screws.
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter 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 OF (32 O C) or higher.
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 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 fluid and filter
every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid
while it is hot. (A cold check is used only as
a
reference.) If the fluid level is low, add only enough of
the proper fluid to bring the level up to the
HOT area for
a hot check. It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than one pint
(0.5 L). Don’t overfzll.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the described under
“How to
Check.”
dipstick back in all the way.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to have it checked is when the engine
oil is changed. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine when to change your transmission fluid. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can ue a little 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 engine
parts or exhaust system
parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
6-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the filler plug.
How to Add Fluid
Here’s how to add fluid. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule
to determine what kind of fluid to use. See
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
1. Remove the filler plug.
2. Add fluid at the filler plug hole. Add only enough
fluid to bring the fluid level up to the bottom of the
filler plug hole.
3. Install the filler plug. Be sure the plug is fully seated.
Clutch Adjustment
The clutch linkage in your vehicle should be checked as
recommended in your Maintenance Schedule. To check,
push the clutch pedal down with your hand until you feel some resistance to movement
of the pedal. If the
pedal moves freely up to
1 inch (2.5 cm) or so before
you feel resistance to the travel, adjustment isn’t needed.
If there is no free travel or very little (less than
5/8 of
an inch
(1.6 cm), see your dealer for adjustment.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
3. If the fluid level is good, install the plug and be sure
it is fully seated.
If the fluid level is low, add more
fluid as described in the next steps.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear Axle What to Use
When
to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often
to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Periodic Maintenance Inspections” and “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index.
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom of the filler plug hole. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants” in the Index.
Four-wheel Drive
Most lubricant checks in this section also apply to
four-wheel-drive vehicles. However, they have two additional systems that need lubrication.
Transfer Case
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change
it.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
6-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Check Lubricant Front Axle
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant to raise the level
to the bottom of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Periodic Maintenance Inspections’’ and “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
I
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you may need to add some lubricant.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the differential is cold, add enough lubricant
to raise the level to 1/2 inch (12
mm) below the filler
plug hole.
When the differential is at operating temperature
(warm), add enough lubricant to raise the level to
the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and
how to add coolant when it is low. If you have a
problem with engine overheating, see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -33°F (-36°C).
Give boiling protection up to 258 OF (1 25 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half coolant that meets GM
Specification 1825-M, which won’t damage aluminum
parts.
You can also use a recycled coolant conforming
to GM Specification 1825-M with a complete coolant
flush and refill.
If you use this mixture, you don’t need
to add anything else.
Adding only plain water
to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system
is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get
too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a
50/50 mixture of clean water and the
proper coolant.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If it is, you should have your brake system fixed, since a Checking Brake Fluid
leak means that sooner or later your brakes won’t work
well, or won’t work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings
are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary,
only when work
is done on the brake hydraulic system.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn
if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
check your brake fluid. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections” in the Index.
You can check the brake
fluid without taking
off
the cap.
Just look at the brake
fluid reservoir. The fluid level should be above MIN.
If it isn’t, have your brake
system checked to see
if
there is a leak.
After work is done
on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the MIN but not over
the
MAX mark or the top of the window on the side
of the reservoir.
6-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum 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.
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.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators,
but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the
rear brake linings inspected immediately. Also, the rear
brake drums should be removed and inspected each time
the tires are removed for rotation or changing. When
you have the front brake pads replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
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.
6-32

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~~
~~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ -. .~~~
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment.
Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires” and “Whe\
el
Replacement” later in this section for more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
I
1
J.
4
When rotating your tires, always use one of the correct
rotation patterns shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that
all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
! 6-42