check transmission fluid CHEVROLET TRACKER 1998 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can
make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See “Off-Road Driving” in the Index for information
about driving off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing
to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down
a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope. Coasting downhill
in
NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will
have to do all the work of slowing down. They
could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well.
You would then have
poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always have
your engine running and your vehicle in gear
when
you go downhill.
L
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples
are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-38

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-56

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 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 i\
nformation about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
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6-34 Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Thermostat
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement 6-40
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6-63 Tires
Appearance Care Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning the Outside
of the Windshield,
Backglass and Wiper Blades
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Special Care for Canvas Top and
Plastic Windows
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
(If Equipped)
Cleaning Tires
Finish Damage
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6-1

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.
6-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Check
Because this operation can be 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 on
the dipstick.
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.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid 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 fluid should be at
normal operating temperature, which is
180°F to
200°F (82°C to 93°C).
See "Checking Transmission
Fluid Hot" in the Index.
Checking Transmission Fluid Hot
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above
50°F (10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO°C), drive
the vehicle in
DRIVE (D) until the engine temperature
gage moves and then remains steady
for 10 minutes.
Then follow
the hot check procedures.
Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with the engine
off and is used
only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for
five minutes
if outside temperatures are 50°F (10 "C)
or more. If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have
to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low during
a cold check, you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a more accurate
reading of the fluid level.
6-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
0 Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
engine running.
in PARK
(P).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
Then, without shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
1. The automatic
transmission dipstick
is a black ring handle
located in the rear of the
engine compartment
toward the passenger’s
side of the vehicle. Pull
out the dipstick and
wipe it with a clean rag
or paper towel.
!. Push it back in all the wiy,-slit three seconds and
then pull it back
out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be in the
COLD area for a
cold check or in the HOT area or cross-hatched area
for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
6-19

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 Capacities (Approximate)
The following approximate capacities are given in
English and metric conversions.
Air Conditioning
. . See the refrigerant information
label under the hood and
“Air Conditioning Refrigerants”
at the end of this section.
Automatic Transmission-Drain and Refill
3 Speed ................... 3.0 quarts (2.8 L)*
4 Speed .................... 2.6 quarts (2.5 L)
Automatic Transmission ....... 5.5 quarts (5.2 L)
Manual Transmission ......... 5.6 quarts (5.3 L)
Cooling System
Crankcase
With Filter Change
......... 4.5 quarts (4.2 L)**
Front Differential ............ 1.1 quarts ( 1 .O L)
Fuel Tank
Two-Door Convertible
....... 11 .O gallons (42 L)
Four-Door Hardtop .......... 14.5 gallons (55 L)
Manual Transmission Four-wheel Drive
........... 1.6 quarts (1.5 L)*
Two-Wheel Drive ........... 2.0 quarts (1.9 L)*
Rear Differential ............. 2.3 quarts (2.2 L)
Transfer Case ............... 1.8 quarts (1.7 L)
* Recheck fluid level after filling. See “Automatic
Transmission Fluid” or “Manual Transmission Fluid” in
the Index.
** When changing the oil filter, additional oil may be
needed. Recheck the oil level after filling. See “Engine
Oil” in the Index.
6-62

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance Schedule
I 1
I Short Trip/City Definition
Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if
any one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
of your vehicle. or other commercial application.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule
if you operate your vehicle under any of these
conditions is that these conditions cause engine
oil to break down soonex
I Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and
Filter Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Free-Wheeling
Hubs Inspection (if equipped)
(or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection,
if driving in dusty conditions. Front
Wheel Bearing Repack
(2WD only) (or at each
brake relining, whichever occurs first). Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Manual Transmission Fluid Change. Transfer Case
Fluid Change. Differential Fluid Change. Engine Idle
Speed Check. Valve Lash (Clearance) Adjustment.
Propeller Shafts and U-Joints Inspection (or every
15 months, whichever occurs fist).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Spark Plug Replacement. Engine
Accessory Drive Belt Inspection (or every
24 months,
whichever occurs first). Cooling System Service
(or every
30 months, whichever occurs first). Fuel
Filter Replacement (or every
30 months, whichever
occurs first).
(Continued)