adding oil PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1998 Owners Manual

If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fans
are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running.
If
they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD add a 50150 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@ engine coolant
at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index for more information.)
a CAUTION:
-1
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water,
or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch
fire and you or others could be burned.
Use
a 50/50 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
5-19

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.
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 ove@ZZ.
I 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
described under “How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the
way.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine
oil is changed. However, the fluid in your manual
transmission doesn’t require changing.
6-24

A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (1 29°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you
use only DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result.
In addition, the
engine coolant
will require change sooner -- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the
use of coolant other than DEX-COOL@
is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL@ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum parts. If you use this mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
I A CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can
be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set
for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and
you or others could be burned.
Use a
50/50 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
6-28

Driver Position ................................. 1-14
Driver’s Door
Alarm Delay and Shock Sensor Enable . . 2-22
Driving City
........................................ 4-20
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-3
Freeway
.................................... 4-2 1
In a Blizzard ................................. 4-28
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-5
IntheRain
.................................. 4-17
Night
...................................... 4-15
On Curves
.................................. 4-10
On Grades While Towing a Trailer
............... 4-37
On
Hill and Mountain Roads .................... 4-23
On Snow and Ice ............................. 4-26
Throughwater
............................... 4-19
WetRoads
.................................. 4-17
Winter
...................................... 4-25
With a Trailer
................................ 4-36
DrunkenDriving
................................ 4-3
Electrical Equipment. Adding
..... 2-27.2.28.3-20. 6-62
Electrical System
............................... 6-62
Engine
.................................. 6-10. 6-11
Coolant
..................................... 6-27
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-29
Coolant Level Check .......................... 7-32
Coolant Temperature Gage
..................... 2-84
Exhaust ..................................... 2-42
FuseBlocks
................................. 6-67 Identification
................................ 6-62
OilLevelCheck .............................. 7-32
Overheating
................................. 5-15
Running
While Parked ......................... 2-43
Specifications ................................ 6-68
StartingYour ................................ 2-26
Engineoil
.................................... 6-12
Additives
................................... 6-17
Checking
................................... 6-13
Used
....................................... 6-17
What Kind
Of Oil to Use ....................... 6-14
WhentoAdd
................................ 6-14
When to Change
.............................. 6-17
Ethanol
........................................ 6-5
Exit Lighting
............................. 2-19, 2-55
Exit Lighting and Delayed Illumination
............. 2-19
Fabric Cleaning
............................... 6-54
FanControlKnob
............................... 3-2
FeatureCustomization
........................... 2-18
Driver’s
Door Alarm Delay and
Shock Sensor Enable ....................... 2-22
Exit Lighting
and Delayed Illumination ........... 2-19
Last
Door Closed Locking and Lockout Prevention . . 2-20
Remote Keyless Entry Lock Verification
........... 2-20
Theft-Deterrent Arming Method ................. 2-21
Filling A Portable Fuel Container ................... 6-8
FillingYourTank ................................ 6-6
Theft-Deterrent Arming Verification
.............. 2-22