engine oil CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER 2003 1.G User Guide

{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle
can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle won't move,
even when you're on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow.
Always put the shift lever fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake ®rmly set.
If the transfer case on four-wheel drive
vehicles is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle will be
free to roll, even if your shift lever is in
PARK (P). So, be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear Ð not in NEUTRAL.
See ªFour-Wheel Drive (Automatic Transfer
Case)º in the Index.
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,
·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 ¯uid (don't over®ll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt(s), cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you ®nd 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.
4-59

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Cooling System............................................5-29
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-35Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-36
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Rear Axle.......................................................5-47
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-48
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-50
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps...................5-50
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-54
In¯ation - Tire Pressure.................................5-54
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-55
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-57
Buying New Tires.........................................5-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-59
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-60
Wheel Replacement......................................5-61
Tire Chains..................................................5-62
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-63
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-64
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work
properly. You should not have to add anything to your
fuel. Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area to contribute to clean air.
General Motors recommends that you use these
gasolines, particularly if they comply with the
speci®cations described earlier.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.
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 ®nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
5-6

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a ®re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake ¯uid, windshield washer and
other ¯uids, 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.
Hood Release
1. To open the hood, ®rst
pull the handle located
inside the vehicle
on the lower driver's
side of the instrument
panel.
5-10

A. Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-24.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-37.
D. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See
Power Steering
Fluid on page 5-36.
E. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See
Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-22.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.G. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Radiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-26.
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
I. Remote Negative (-) Terminal Marked GND.
See
Jump Starting on page 5-42.
J. Brake Master Cylinder. See
Brakes on page 5-38.
K. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-41.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See ªEngine
Compartment Fuse Blockº under
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-89.
5-13

A. Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-24.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-37.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
E. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See
Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-22.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.G. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Radiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-26.
H. Remote Negative (-) Terminal Marked GND.
See
Jump Starting on page 5-42.
I. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See
Power Steering
Fluid on page 5-36.
J. Brake Master Cylinder. See
Brakes on page 5-38.
K. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See ªEngine
Compartment Fuse blockº under
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-89.
L. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-41.
5-15

Engine Oil
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
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
handle is a yellow ring
located in the engine
compartment toward the
passenger's side of
the vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don't, the oil
dipstick might not show the actual level.
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.
L6 Engine
V8 Engine
5-16

When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the L mark for the L6 engine or
the cross-hatched area at the tip of the dipstick for
the V8 engine, then you'll need to add at least one quart
of oil. But you must use the right kind. This part
explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see
Capacities and Speci®cations on
page 5-100.
Notice:Don't add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the F
mark that shows the proper operating range for the
L6 engine or above the cross-hatched area for
the V8 engine, your engine could be damaged.The engine oil ®ll cap is
located in the engine
compartment toward the
passenger's side of
the vehicle. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
for more
information on location.
Be sure to ®ll it enough to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you're through.
5-17

What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identi®ed by
looking for the starburst symbol.
This symbol indicates that the oil has been certi®ed by
the American Petroleum Institute (API). Do not use
any oil which does not carry this starburst symbol.
If you choose to perform
the engine oil change
service yourself, be sure
the oil you use has
the starburst symbol on
the front of the oil
container. If you have your
oil changed for you, be
sure the oil put into
your engine is American
Petroleum Institute certi®ed
for gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the viscosity chart.
5-18

As in the chart shown previously, SAE 5W-30 is the
only viscosity grade recommended for your vehicle. You
should look for and use only oils which have the API
Starburst symbol and which are also identi®ed as
SAE 5W-30. If you cannot ®nd such SAE 5W-30 oils,
you can use an SAE 10W-30 oil which has the API
Starburst symbol, if it's going to be 0ÉF (-18ÉC)
or above. Do not use other viscosity grade oils, such as
SAE 10W-40 or SAE 20W-50 under any conditions.
Notice:Use only engine oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certi®ed For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the recommended
oil can result in engine damage not covered by
your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
žoil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below-20ÉF (-29ÉC), it is
recommended that you use either an
SAE 5W-30 synthetic oil or an SAE 0W-30 oil.
Both will provide easier cold starting and better
protection for your engine at extremely low
temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for
good performance and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil
(GM Oil Life System)
Your vehicle has a computer system that lets you know
when to change the engine oil and ®lter. This is
based on engine revolutions and engine temperature,
and not on mileage. Based on driving conditions,
the mileage at which an oil change will be indicated can
vary considerably. For the oil life system to work
properly, you must reset the system every time the oil is
changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it will indicate that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENG OIL light will come on.
Change your oil as soon as possible within the
next two times you stop for fuel. It is possible that, if
you are driving under the best conditions, the oil
life system may not indicate that an oil change is
necessary for over a year. However, your engine oil and
®lter must be changed at least once a year and at
this time the system must be reset. It is also important
to check your oil regularly and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, you must
change your oil at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since your
last oil change. Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
5-19