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1987 Chevrolet G-Series Van

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1987 G-Series Van.

The 1987 Chevrolet G‑Series Van is a full‑size, body‑on‑frame van that relies on a conventional gasoline engine requiring six quarts of oil, typically serviced with either 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 viscosity grades. Its modest maintenance envelope is reflected in the remarkably low owner‑complaint count of just six reports, with seat‑belt hardware emerging as the sole recurring issue. Notably, the model year recorded zero factory recalls, positioning it as one of the more dependable iterations in the G‑Series lineage, though prospective owners should remain attentive to the identified belt concern.

Model year1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1989 1988 1987

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 25160561. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	25160561 alt 12737090
Engine air filter	06419892
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19300382
Front wiper blades	15184702 alt 12363297
Serpentine belt	14102103 alt 9433728
Thermostat	10207373 alt 10105135

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	4.2 qt
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	27.0 qt
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	6 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 12,000 mi.

Every 5,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Linkage (inspect)
At 6,000 mi	Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Idle Speed Control Motor (inspect)
Every 6,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
At 7,500 mi	Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Transmission Assembly (inspect)
Every 10,000 mi	Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 12,000 mi	Air Cleaner Manifold Heat Control Actuator (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 15,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 24,000 mi	Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1987 Chevrolet G-Series Van dominate in one area — the seat belts, 3 of 6 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

1 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Seat Belts3

Engine & Engine Cooling1

Suspension1

Steering1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000604002	2000-01-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	SUBJECT REGARDING A HARD, NO START OR EXCESSIVE GRAY OR WHITE SMOKE CONDITION ON START UP…
461506	1995-01-01	Latches/Locks/Linkages	REAR AND SIDE CARGO DOOR LATCH RATTLES. *TW
376602A	1995-01-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	NEW CAST IRON EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND STAINLESS STEEL GASKET TO CORRECT ENGINE NOISE…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific G-Series Van. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 6 qt Engine oil filter 25160561 Engine air filter 06419892 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19300382

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1987 G-Series Van take?

6 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1987 G-Series Van have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.