oil change PONTIAC GRAND AM 1998 Owners Manual

3100 Engine
The 3100 engine oil fill cap is on the front of the engine,
behind
the radiator.
Be sure to fill it enough to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in
when you’re through.
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by
looking for the “Starburst” symbol.
This symbol
indicates that the oil has been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute
(API). Do not use any oil which
does not
carry this Starburst symbol.
A
If you change your own oil,
be sure you use oil that has
the Starburst symbol on the
front of the
oil container. If
you have your oil changed
for you, be sure the oil put
into your engine is
American Petroleum
Institute certified for
gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the following chart:
6-16

Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready to
advise
if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short triplcity
maintenance schedule:
0
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier
on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police,
taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break
down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then
you need to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them is true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change the
oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your
skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil
can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose
of oil
by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-18

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter
every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more
of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any
of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose
to have this done at your Pontiac dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on
the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and
fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting
a fire. Be sure to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.
6-20

Manual Transaxle Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the fluid
in your manual transaxle
doesn’t require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Pontiac dealership Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure
to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading Check the fluid level only when your engine is
off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the manual
transaxle is cool enough for you to rest your fingers on
the transaxle case.
Then, follow these steps:
I
manual transaxle. Too much can mean that some
of the fluid could come out and fall
on hot engine
parts or exhaust system
parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.
1. The manual transaxle dipstick is white and is located
on the driver’s side rear
of the engine. Flip the
handle up and then pull out the dipstick and clean it
with a rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way and remove it.
6-23

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.
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 50BO mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
6-26

Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe
vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your dealer has two cleaners, Multi-Purpose Interior
Cleaner and Capture Non-Solvent Dry Spot and Soil
Remover. They will clean normal spots and stains very
well. You can get GM-approved cleaning products from
your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials” in
the Index.)
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
Carefully scrape off any excess stain.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean
area often.
A soft brush may be used if stains
are stubborn.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will set.
Using Multi-Purpose Interior Cleaner
on Fabric
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
surrounding
trim along stitch or welt lines.
Mix powdered cleaner following the directions on
the container label to form thick suds.
Use suds
only and apply with a clean sponge. Don’t
saturate the material and don’t rub it roughly.
As soon
as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
to remove the suds.
Wipe cleaned area with
a clean, damp towel or cloth.
Wipe with a clean cloth and let
dry.

IMPORTANT:
K€EP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE AS
RECOMMENDED
- -
Protection
Plan
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements
your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet, or your
Pontiac dealer for details.
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in
good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality
of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels
or the wrong tire inflation can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in
good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
7-2

Maintenance Schedule
I Short TripKity Definition I
Follow the Short TripKity 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.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffk).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle. (With some models, you should never
tow a trailer.
See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.)
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 sooner.
or other commercial application.
Short TripKity 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 15,000 Miles (25 OOO km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving in dusty conditions.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 0oO km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
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.
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 maintenance schedule
on
the following pages.
7-5

Maintenance Schedule
Long Tripmighway Definition
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from the Short TripKity 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 TripKity schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down slower:
Long Tripmighway Intervals
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.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 OOO km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and
Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 OOO km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,OOO Miles (166 0oO km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
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 maintenance schedule
on
the following pages.

I Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule I
3,000 Miles (5 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
6,000 Miles (10 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 6 months, whichever occurs fist).
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation” in the I\
ndex for proper
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnote #.)
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote +.)
9,000 Miles (15 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
12,000 Miles (20 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnote #.)
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