engine PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Repair Manual

b. - A CAUTION:
I -
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.
5-19

I NOTICE: I
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater
core and other parts. So
use the recommended coolant.
/d CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it
will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine. -1
1
1. You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap
when the cooling system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly about
one-quarter
turn to the left and then stop.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there
is still some pressure left.
5-20

4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until you can
feel the upper
radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the engine
cooling
fan.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more
of the proper mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches
FULL COLD, or just above
the small cylinder
at the base of the opening.
5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure
cap is tight.
Check the level in the surge
tank when the cooling
system has cooled down.
If the coolant isn’t at the
proper level, repeat Steps
1 to 3 and reinstall the
pressure cap or see your dealer.
5-22

If a Tire Goes Flat Changing a Flat Tire
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly. warning fla\
shers.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to
a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely. Changing
a tire
can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transaxle shift lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual transaxle to
FIRST (1) or REVERSE (R).
3. lbrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
5-23

If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels
as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (5$ k@h) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too
fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth,
you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see
“Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels.
If your vehicle
has
the Enhanced Traction System, you should turn
the system off. (See “Enhanced Traction System”
in the Index.) Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward
gear (or with a manual
transaxle, between
mRST (1) or SECOND (2) and
REVERSE
(R)), spinning the wheels as little as
possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you
shift,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the
transaxle is in gear.
If that doesn’t get you out after a
few tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do
need to be towed out, see “Towing
Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
5-34

7 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.
6-2
6-3
6-5
6-5
6-8
6-8
6-13
6-19
6-20
6-23 6-24
6-25
6-29
6-29 6-30
6-31
Service
Fuel
Fuels
in Foreign Countries
Filling
Your Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Container Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Manual Transaxle Fluid
Hydraulic Clutch
Engine Coolant
Thermostat Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
6-36
6-36
6-42 6-50
6-5
1
6-53
6-54
6-56
6-57
6-58
6-59
6-64
6-65
6-65
6-66 6-66
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Finish Damage
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Vehicle Dimensions
6-1

A CAUTION: nl
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.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance
task.
0 Be sure 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.
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
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D4814 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.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. 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
87 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.
6-3

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 MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be aEected. The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized
Pontiac dealer
for service.
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.
I 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.
6-4

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
I A CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You
can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to
you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup
bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
‘ A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, 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.

2.4L (CODE T) Engine
When you open the hood, you'll see:
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
H.
Hydraulic Clutch Fluid
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
F. Brake Fluid Reservoir Reservoir (If Equipped)
C. Engine
Oil Dipstick G. Windshield Washer I. Air Cleaner
D. Automatic Transaxle Dipstick Fluid Reservoir
J. Battery
(If Equipped)
6-11