1998 Chevrolet Lumina Service and Repair Manual

This factory service and repair manual for the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina lists a 3.8-liter overhead-valve V6 of 231 cubic inches beside the 189-cubic-inch 3.1, both naturally aspirated and running on gasoline. The car remains a four-door sedan in Base, LS and LTZ trim. Two pushrod V6s of different displacement mean two sets of engine specifications, and reading the right set is the difference between a torque figure that holds and one that quietly does not.

Engines covered

• 3.1L V6 (189 cu in) — OHV, naturally aspirated, gasoline
• 3.8L V6 (231 cu in) — OHV, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door sedan

Trims covered

• Base
• LS
• LTZ

Known issues on the 1998 Lumina. Four entries stand against this year in the federal record. Two address the same mechanism from different angles: engine oil can be deposited on a hot exhaust manifold, and if it runs below the heat shield it can ignite and spread into the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond, setting the engine compartment alight. A third is a steering rack fault, where uncrimped retainer tabs let the lower pinion bearing's balls escape and steering effort climbs. The fourth covers leaking replacement fuel pressure regulators. Complaints run to 251, led by steering at 60, brakes at 36 and engine and cooling at 32.