Air PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Workshop Manual

Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be 60 psi
(420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop
as soon as possible and make sure your spare
tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is made to
perfom well at speeds up
to 65 mph (105 km/h) for
distances
up to 3,000 miles (5 OOO km), so you can finish
your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or replaced
where you want. (When the compact spare is used on the
rear axle, see Notice following.) Of course, it’s best to
replace
your spare with a full-size tire as soon as you can.
Your spare will last longer and be in good shape in case
you need it again.
NOTICE:
If the compact spare is used as a rear tire, do not
drive faster than
50 mph (80 M). Damage to
the rear axle may occur if the compact spare is
driven faster than
50 mph (80 km/h).
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through
an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts of your vehicle.
5-40

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 information about
your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
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6-3
6-5
6-6
6-8
6-8
6-12
6-18
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6-24
6-26
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6-3 1
6-32
6-33
Service
Fuel
Fuels
in Foreign Countries
Filling
Your Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Container Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Air Filter Replacement
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid Hydraulic Clutch
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid Brakes 6-37
6-38
6-44
6-53
6-56
6-56
6-57
6-59
6-60
6-6
1
6-62
6-62
6-68
6-68
6-70 Battery
Bulb
Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum
or Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your dealer for
all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts and
GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want
to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine
GM parts have one of these marks:
Genuine
GM
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to use
the proper Pontiac Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle” in the Index.
You should keep a record with
all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
6-2 I

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
0
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and ‘5netric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the
airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your dealer before adding equipment to the outside
of
your vehicle.
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 you have the 3800 engine (VIN Code K), use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher.
If you have the
5.7L engine (VIN Code G), use
premium unleaded gasoline rated at
91 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 specifications ASTM
D48 14 in the United States
and CGSB
3.5-M93 in Canada. Improved gasoline
specifications have been developed 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.
6-3

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 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.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
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.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for
low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains
MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines.
If fuels containing "'I' are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may
turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Pontiac dealer for service.
6-4

To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
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. Therefore, 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.
1 NOTICE:
~ ~~~
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.
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
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
6-5

When you open the hood of the 3800 V6 engine you’ll see:
F a
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
B. Battery
C. Radiator Cap
D. Oil Fill Cap
E. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick (If Equipped)
E Windshield Washer Reservoir
G. Engine Cooling Fan
H. Air Filter
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Engine Oil Dipstick
IS. Brake Fluid Reservoir
L. Clutch fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)
6-10

When you open the hood of the 5.7L V8 engine you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Reservoir
B. Battery
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E. Windshield Washer Reservoir F.
Engine Cooling Fan
G. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick
(If Equipped)
H. Air Filter
I. Power Steering Reservoir
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir
K. Clutch Fluid Reservoir
(If Equipped)

Air Cleaner
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the
air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
/! CAUTION:
-
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
backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine
backfires, you could be burned. Don’t drive with
it
off, and be careful working on the engine with
the
air cleaner off.
I NOTICE: I
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
6-18

Air Filter Replacement
To remove the air filter:
1. Unlatch the two clamps located on the front of
the filter.
2. Lift the cover and remove the air filter.
3. Replace the filter, close the cover and latch
the clamps.
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