service PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1997 Service Manual

When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
uon’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may
look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
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
“Wheel 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.
If you don’t have P245/5OZR16 or P275/40ZR17
Goodyear Eagle GS-C tires, use the rotation pattern
shown above for your tires.
6-51

When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord
or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.

Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of dif€erent sizes or types
(radi,al
and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and
you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to
your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It's
all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use 0n your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance, (This
applies
only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded
on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some lirnited-pro'duction tires.
While the tires available
on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
performance Criteria
(TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the gov'esnrnent course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics
and climate.
6-54

Tires Sheet Metal Damage
To clean
your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the
paint finish.
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair
or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly
and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas
of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer's body and paint shop.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
I
ENGINE/1997 T ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Pontiac. It appears on
a plate in the front corner
of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side.
You can see it if you look through the
windshield
from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears
on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates
of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement
parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label located on the driver’s door side.
It’s very helpful if you ever need
to order parts. On this
label is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information and
a list of all producti’on options and special
Be sure that this label
is not removed from the vehicle.
equipment.
Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your Pontiac
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle and
the damage wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Some add-on electrical equipment can keep other
components from working as they should.
Your
vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your Pontiac, see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Pontiac” in the Index.
6-68

Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
This section covers the maintenance required for your Pontiac. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety,
dependability and emission control performance.
7-2
7-2
7-3
7-4
7-4
7-4
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
How This Section is Organized
Part
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
Selecting
the Right Schedule
7-44 Part B: Owner Checks and Services
7-48 Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections
7-49 Caliper/Knuckle Maintenance Inspection
7-50 Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
7-52 Part E: Maintenance Record

How This Section is Organized
The remainder of this section is divided into five parts:
“Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment, you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center
do these jobs.
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can
be dangerous.
In trying to do some jobs, you can
be seriously injured. Do your own maintenance
work only
if you have the required know-how
and the proper tools and equipment for the job.
If you have any doubt, have a qualified
technician
do the work.
If you are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want to get the service
information
GM publishes. See “Service and Owner
Publications” in the Index.
“Part B: Owner Checks and Services” tells
you what should be checked and when. It also explains
what you can easily
do to help keep your vehicle in
good condition.
“Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections”
explains important inspections that your Pondac dealer’s
service department or another qualified service center
should perform.
“Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products
GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether
you do the work
yourself
or have it done.
“Part E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed, be
sure to write it down in this part. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition, it is a
good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They
may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
7-3

Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we don’t know
exactly how you’ll drive
it. You may drive very short
distances only a few times a week.
Or you may drive
long distances all the time
in very hot, dusty weather.
You may use your vehicle in making deliveries. Or
you may drive it to work,
to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because
of all the different ways people use their GM
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may even need
more frequent checks and replacements than
you’ll find
in the schedules in this section. So please read this
section and note how
you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in
good
condition, see your Pontiac dealer.
This part tells
you the maintenance services you should
have done and
when you should schedule them. If you
go to your dealer for your service needs, you’ll know
that GM-trained and supported.service people will
perform the work using genuine
GM parts.
The proper fluids and lubricants to use are listed in
Part D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these. All parts should
be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you
or anyone else drives the vehicle.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
0 carry passengers and cargo within recornmended
limits.
You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label.
See “Loading Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
0 are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
0 use the recommended fuel. See “Fuel” in the Index.
Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules is
right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide which
schedule to follow:
7-4

Maintenance Schedule
I Short TriplCity Definition I
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).
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
or other commercial application.
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
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first). Tire Rotation.
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) of Trailering: Rear
Axle Fluid Change (Vehicles Towing Trailers).
At the First 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Rear Axle Fluid
Change (Limited-Slip Differential).
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving in dusty conditions. Automatic
Transmission
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete muintenance schedule on
the following pages.
I- 7-5

Maintenance Schedule
n
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from the Short Trip/City Maintenance
Schedule is true.
Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in
a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with n fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down sluwm
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change
(or every 12 months, whichever occurs first),
Chassis Lubrication (or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). Tire Rotation,
At the First 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Rear Axle Fluid
Change (Limited-Slip Differential),
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 109,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service
(or every 60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be
sure to follow the cornnlete maintenance schedule on
the following pages,
7-6