octane PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1996 Owners Manual

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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.
0 Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt
any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be me 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.
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 YQU don’t have the 5.7L Code P engine, use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87
octane or higher.
If you have the 5.7L Code P engine, use premium
unleaded gasoline rated at 9 1 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 spe’cifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and
CGSB 3.5-M93 in Canada. Improved gasoline
specifications have been develope’d
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 still 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.
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If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up 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 Pontiac 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.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called
MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may
turn on. If this happens, return to your
authorized Pontiac dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines 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. Therefme,
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: I
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.
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