Pontiac 1993 Sunbird Owner's Manual page 159

Service Appearance Care
As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is
best for your vehicle. However, you can
use SAE 1OW-30 if it's going to be 0°F
(-18°C) or above. These numbers on an
oil container show its viscosity, or
thickness. Do not use other viscosity oils,
such as SAE 1OW-40 or SAE 20W-50.
If you cannot find oils with the new
"starburst" symbol on the front of the
container, you should look for and use
oils containing the following three things:
SH or SG
"SH" or "SG" must be on the oil
container, either by itself or combined
with other quality designations, such
as "SH/CD," "SH,SG,CD," "SG/CD"
etc. These letters show American
Petroleum Institute (API) levels of
quality.
S A E
5W-30
Energy Conserving I1
Oils with these words on the
container will help you save fuel.
These three things are usually included
in a doughnut shaped logo (symbol) on
most containers. If you cannot find oils
with the "starburst" symbol, you should
look for oils with the doughnut shaped
symbol, containing the three things
noted above.
I
NOTICE:
If you use oils that do not have
~
either the "starburst" symbol or an
1
API SH or SG designation, you can
cause engine damage not covered
by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil (in Canada, GM
Engine Oil) meets all the requirements
F o r your vehicle.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. Your
Pontiac dealer is ready to advise i f you
think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
Most trips are less than 4 miles (6 km) .
It's below freezing outside and most
trips are less than 10 miles (16 km).
The engine is at low speed most of the
time (as in door-to-door delivery, or in
stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty places.
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 comes first. (See
Check Oil Light in the Index.)
If none of them is true, change the oil
every 7,500 miles (12 500
km)
or 12
months - whichever comes first.
Change the filter at the first oil change
and at every other oil change after that.
(See
Check Oil Light in the Index.)
Engine Coolant Heater (Engine
Block Heater)
An engine coolant heater can be a big
help if you have to park outside in very
cold weather, 0°F (-18°C) or colder. If
your vehicle has this option, see
Engine
Coolant Heater in the Index.