Chevrolet 1956 truck User manual

TRUCK

"OPERATORS

MANUAL

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

The

following

table

will

indicate

some

of

the

things

which

should

be

done

at

regular

mileage

intervals

to

assure

your

receiving

the

maximum

in

performance

and

economy.

I

Com·

Lubri·

Clean

plete

Pack

cate

Change

Air

Clean

Cross·

Tune

Inspec·

Front

Adjust

Mileage

Chassis

Oil

Cleaner

Spark

Change

Engine

tion

Wheel

Brakes

* t t

Plugs

Tires

By

Bearings

Dealer

----

---

------

---

------

---

500 0

_1-

----

---

------

---

1000 0

-1-1-

0

----

--

--- ---

---

2000 0 0

01==

----

3000 0

----

4000 0 0 0

o I 0

---

------

---

5000 0 0 0 0

----

------

6000 0 0 0

----

-1-

=1=

7000

0

----

------

8000 0 0 0

----

---

---------

9000 0

------

---

10000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

After

10000 miles,

repeat

above

schedule

starting

with

1000

mile

operations

at

11000, 21000, 31000 miles, etc.

Change

Powermatic

Transmission Oil

every

15000 miles.

Change

Hydra-Matic

Transmission Oil

every

25000 miles.

For

maintenance

instructions,

see

"Transmission,"

in

Chapter

II

and

"Automatic

Transmission"

in

Chapter

III

.

.'

*For

complete

instructions,

see

Charts

in

Chapter

III.

tFor

complete

recommendations

on

changing

oil

and

proper

grade

of

oil

to

use,

see

Chapter

m.

:j:Also

crankcase

ventilator

and

hydrovac

air

cleaners

when

used.

The

following

operations

should

be

done as indicated:

I

Flush

Period

Check

Air

Cooling

Add

Battery in Tires

System

Anti·Freeze

Weekly 0 0

Spring

0

Fall 0 0

OPERATOR'S

MANUAL

For

1956

Chevrolet Light, Medium

and

Heavy

Duty

Trucks

INTRODUCTION

This

operator's

and

owner's

manual

has

been

prepared

to

fur-

nish

information

pertaining

to

the

driving,

care

and

maintenance

of

Chevrolet

trucks

as

well

as

to

pro-

vide

technical

data

that

may

be

of

value

or

interest

to

truck

owners

.

The

subject

index

at

the

right

is a

ready

reference

to

the

key

subjects

and

will assist

in

finding

any

subject

covered

in

the

booklet

.

All

information,

illustrations

and

specifications

contained

in

this

literature

are

based

on

the

latest

product

information

avail-

able

at

the

time

of

publication

approval.

The

right

is

reserved

to

make

changes

at

any

time

wi

th-

out

notice.

Part

No. 3730791

Chevrolet Motor Division

General

Motors Corporation

Detroit

2,

Michigan

Repri

nted

with

Permissi

on

of

General

Motors

Corporation

SUB.JECT

INDEX

Driver

's

Operating

Information

Page

Breaking-in

Period

........... 3

I

nstruments

and

Controls

...

..

4

Prestarting

Inspection

........

14

Operating

Instructions

........

14

COld

Weather

Operation

.......

23

Hot

Weather

Operation

........

24

Description,

Care

and

Maintenance

Preventive

Maintenance

.... .

COver

Engine

.

...

..

....

.

.....

..

....

25

COoling

System

..

...

.. .......

36

Clutch

..

.

......

....

.........

41

Transmission

.... ..

....

......

42

Rear

Axle

.. ..

...............

45

Front

Axle

....

.. .. ......... ..

49

Steering

Gear

.......

....

..

...

SO

Brake

System..

..

.. .. .. ..... .

50

Springs

and

Shackles

.... .•...

58

Electrical

System

.............

58

Tires

.......

..

....

...

....

...

63

Tire

Inflation

........

..

......

71

Lubrication

Engine

..

....

..

......

........

72

Rear

Axle

and

Conventional

Transmission

..

...

..

....

77

Automatic

Transmission

.......

79

Universal

Joint.

.. .. .. .. .. .. ..

82

Propeller

Shaft

Slip

Joints

.... .

82

Front

Wheel

Bearings

.. .......

82

Rear

Wheel

Bearings

...

....

...

83

Chassis

.

...............

..

...

83

Technical

Data

Unit

Capacity

Chart

.......

.

...

96

Lamp

BulbChart

.. .......

....

96

Specifications

...... .......

96

Adjustment

Specifications

..

...

97

General

Information

Manufacturer's

Warranty

......

98

Tire

and

Battery

Warranties

...

98

Owner's

Service

Policy

....

.

Inside

Back

Cover

Fig. J

-Instruments

and

Controls

(Top)

'12

and

'14

Ton

(Bottom) J, J

'12,

2

and

2'12

Ton

CHAPTER I

DRIVER'S

OPERATING

INFORMATION

BREAKING-IN PERIOD

The

crankcase

of

the

engine

in

this

vehicle,

as

received,

is filled

with

a

light

body

"breaking-in"

oil.

Use

this

oil

only

during

the

breaking-in

schedule

shown

below.

It

should

not

be

used

after

completion

of

the

breaking-in

schedule.

Check

the

oil

frequently

during

the

first 500 miles

and

at

the

end

of 500 miles,

drain

the

crankcase-while

hot-and

refill

using

the

grade

of oil recommended

in

Lubrication

section.

To

properly

break-in

the

moving

parts

of

the

engine

do

not

drive

faster

than:

35

miles

per

hour

for

the

first 100 miles

45

miles

per

hour

for

the

50 miles

per

hour

for

the

miles

Continuous

driving

at

high

speeds

should

not

be

attempted

until

the

vehicle

has

been

driven

2000 miles..

Fig.

2-lnstruments

and

Controls-Tandem

Axle

• 3 •

INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS

The

type,

location

and

operation

of

instruments

and

con-

trols

vary

on

different

models

and

makes

of vehicles;

there-

fore,

regardless

of

the

experience

an

owner

or

driver

may

have

had,

it

is

advisable

to

familiarize

one's

self

with

the

instrument

and

controls

and

their

use

before

driving

this

new

truck.

The

locations of

various

instruments

and

controls

are

shown

in

Figures

1

and

2.

Instrument Group

The

instruments

are

grouped

in

a

single

triangular

cluster

on

the

instrument

panel

directly

in

front

of

the

steering

wheel

(fig.

3).

Gasoline

Gauge.

The

electrically

operated

gasoline

gauge

is

at

the

upper

right

side

of

the

instrument

cluster

(fig.

3).

It

is

wired

through

the

ignition

switch

and,

therefore,

only

indi-

cates

the

amount

of

fuel

in

the

tank

when

the

ignition

switch

is

turned

on.

Fig.

3-/nstrument

Group

Temperature

Gauge.

The

water

temperature

gauge

is

at

the

upper

left

side

of

the

instrument

cluster

(fig.

3),

with

the

sending

unit

located

in

the

water

jacket

at

the

left

rear

of

the

cylinder

head

on

6-cylinder

engines

and

at

the

front

of

the

intake

manifold

on

V-8 engines.

Normally,

when

the

engine

is

thoroughly

warmed

up,

the

needle

will

register

near

the

center

of

the

gauge

.

The

driver

should

watch

this

instrument

closely,

·4·

as

a

quick

rise

in

temperature

usually

indicates

trouble

.

Should

the

needle

move

all

the

way

to

the

right

the

engine

should

be

stopped

and

a

check

made

for

cause

of

overheating.

NOTE: Do

not

remove

the

radiator

cap

when

engine

is

exces-

sively hot, do

not

put

water

in

an

overheated

engine,

and

do

not

run

engine

when

indicator

is

above "H."

Ammeter

(Battery

Indicator).

The

Ammeter

is

to

the

left

of

center

near

the

top

of

the

cluster

(fig. 3)

and

indicates

the

flow

of

current

to

and

from

the

battery,

except

the

current

taken

by

the

starting

motor.

Should

the

ammeter

show

dis-

charge

when

the

truck

is

being

driven

at

medium

speed,

trou-

ble

is

indicated

in

the

charging

system

and

the

battery

will

soon

become

discharged.

Oil

Pressure

Gauge.

This

instrument

is

to

the

right

of

center

near

the

top

of

the

instrument

cluster

(fig.

3),

and

indicates

whether

or

not

the

oil

pump

is

working,

but

does

not

indicate

the

amount

of oil

in

the

crankcase.

A

low

reading

is

normal

at

idling

speeds

with

a

warm

en-

gine

and

light

oil;

however,

as

the

engine

speed

is

increased

the

hand

should

register

near

the

center

of

the

gauge.

In

cold

weather

(especially

with

heavy

oil)

the

hand

may

move

over

to

the

"60"

mark

at

comparatively

low

engine

speeds.

NOTE:

Do

not

accelerate

the

engine

excessively

until

the

oil is

sufficiently

warm

to

permit

a

lower

pressure.

If

the

gauge does

not

show

any

pressure, stop

the

engine

immediately

and

deter-

mine

the

cause

. .

~

Speedometer.

The

speedometer

is

located

in

the

instrument

cluster

and

the

hand

moves

across

the

dial

indicating

the

speed

of

the

vehicle

in

miles-per-hour.

Odometer.

The

group

of

figures visible

through

the

opening

just

above

the

Chevrolet

emblem

on

the

instrument

cluster

is

the

odometer

and

indicates

the

total

mileage

the

truck

has

been

driven.

Headlight

Beam

Indicator.

A

red

light

in

the

recessed

area

below

the

50

mark

on

the

speedometer

lights

when

the

head-

lights

are

on

the

upper

beam

.

• 5 •

Fig.

4 Ignition Switch

Switches

Ignition

Switch.

The

ignition

switch

is

located

near

the

bottom

of

the

instrument

panel

slightly

below

and

to

the

right

of

the

instrument

cluster

(fig.

4),

and

is

connected

in

the

low

tension

circuit

between

the

battery

and

the

coil.

This

switch

is

used

to

make

or

break

the

ignition

circuit

when

starting

or

stopping

the

engine.

The

key

is

turned

clockwise to

turn

the

switch

on

and

counterclock-

wise

to

turn

the

switch

off.

On

vehicles

with

ignition

key

starting

the

key

is

turned

clockwise

from

the

"ON"

position

to

engage

the

starter,

and

counterclockwise

to

lock.

Fig.

S-Ughtlng

Switch

Lighting

Switch.

The

lighting

switch,

located

to

the

left

of

the

instrument

group

(fig.

5),

controls

the

instru-

ment

lamps,

headlamps,

parking

lamps,

tail

lamp

and

interior

lamp.

When

this

switch

is

pulled

out

to

the

first

"on"

position

the

instru-

ment

lamps,

parking

lamps

and

tail

lamp

are

lighted.

When

the

switch

is

pulled

out

to

the

last

position

the

headlamps

replace

the

parking

lamps. A

dual

circuit

breaker

is

incorporated

in

the

main

light

switch

to

isolate

the

head-

light

circuit

for

gl'eater

safety.

If

a

short

should

develop

in

either

the

headlight

circuit

or

in

the

stop

and

dome

lamp

cir-

cuit,

one

or

the

other

of

the

two

circuit

breakers

will

relieve

the

load

on

the

electric~l

system,

and

at

the

same

time,

lights

on

the

unaffected

circuit

will

continue

to

function. A fuse

in

the

switch

protects

the

instrument

panel

and

tail

light

circuits.

Dimmer

Switch.

The

dimmer

switch

located

on

the

toe-board

to

the

left

of.

the

clutch

pedal

is

used

to

switch

the

head-

lamp

beam

from

"high"

to

"low"

or

"low"

to

"high."

Each

time

the

switch

is

depressed

the

light

beam

is

reversed.

A

headlamp

beam

indicator

is

located

below

the

50

mark

on

the

instrument

cluster.

When

the

lights

are

on

upper

beam

a

red

light

is visi-

• 6 •

ble

through

the

indicator

opening.

Avoid

use

of

upper

beam

when

meeting

other

vehicles

on

the

highway

or

in

city

traffic.

Fig.

6-Dome

Lamp

Dome

Lamp.

The

dome

lamp

located

directly

above

the

rear

window

of

the

cab

is

controlled

at

the

main

lighting

switch.

Pull

knob

out

to

first

position

and

turn

all

the

way

counter-

clockwise

beyond

the

point

where

a

slight

resistance

to

turning

is

encountered

.

Hom

Button.

The

horn

button

is

conveniently

located

at

the

center

of

the

steering

wheel.

Controls

Choke

Control.

The

carburetor

choke

control

knob

on

all

models

except

those

equipped

with

automatic

trans-

mission is

located

to

the

left

of

and

below

the

instrument

cluster

on

the

instrument

panel

(fig.

7).

The

purpose

of

this

control

is

to

close

or

partly

close

the

carburetor

choke

valve.

This

restricts

the

air

intake

and

produces

a

richer

fuel

mixture

for

starting,

while

at

the

same

time

Fig.

7-Choke

Control

opening

the

throttle

by

means

of a

fast

idle

link

on

the

car-

buretor

except

on

those

models

equipped

with

an

updraft

carburetor.

All

models

equipped

with

automatic

transmis-

sion

except

Forward

Control

are

provided

with

an

automatic

choke.

When

the

engine

is

warm

and

the

weather

is

warm,

it

should

not

be

necessary

to

use

the

choke

when

starting

the

engine.

When

it

is

necessary

to

use

the

choke

for

starting,

it

should

be

pushed

part

way

in

as

soon

as

the

engine

starts

and

all

the

way

in

as

soon

as

the

engine

will

run

smoothly

with-

out

its use.

CAUTION: Excessive

use

of

the

choke will provide a fuel

mixture

too

rich

to

burn.

Some of

this

unburned

fuel will

leak

past

the

pistons

and

dilute

the

engine oil

and

result

in

improper

lubrication, excessive engine

wear

and

poor

performance.

• 7 •

Fig.

8-Throttle

Control

Hand

Throttle

Control.

The

throttle

control

knob

on

all

models

except

those

equipped

with

automatic

transmission

is

located

to

the

right

of

center

of

the

instrument

panel

(fig.

8).

Pulling

out

on

the

control

knob

opens

the

carburetor

throttle

to

provide

a

uniform

engine

speed

above

the

idle

setting.

It

is

generally

advisable

to

pull

the

hand

throttle

control

out

slightly

when

starting

the

engine, especially

if

the

engine

has

a

tendency

to

stall

a

time

or

two

after

starting.

With

the

exception

of

Forward

Con-

trol

models, no

hand

throttle

is

provided

on

models

equipped

with

Hydra-Matic

transmission.

Cigarette

Lighter.

The

cigarette

lighter

on

Suburban

Pick-up

models

is

located

to

the

left

of

the

hand

throttle

control

and

is

operated

by

pushing

in.

When

heated

it

automatically

clicks

out

for

use.

Starter

Control.

A

starter

pedal

is

located

near

the

center

of

the

toe

board

to

the

right

of

the

accelerator

pedal

on

most

truck

models (fig.

9).

Ignition

key

starting

is

provided

on

Forward

Control,

L.C.F.

and

automatic

transmission

equipped

models.

Depressing

this

pedal

or

turning

the

ignition

key

to

"START"

engages

the

start-

ing

motor

pinion

with

the

teeth

in

the

engine

flywheel

and

closes

the

starter

switch

to

provide

an

el~ctrical

cir-

cuit

between

the

battery

and

starting

motor,

there

by

cranking

the

engine.

The

starting

motor

draws

consid-

erable

current

from

the

bat-

Fig.

9-Control

Ped.,Is

tery,

therefore,

it

should

not

be

operated

for

more

than

15

sec-

onds

at

a time.

If

the

engine

does

not

start,

locate

the

cause

and

correct

it

before

the

battery

is

run

down.

CAUTION: Tile

starter

pedal

or

key

must

be

released

as

soon

as

the

engine

starts

and

should

never

be

depressed

when

the

engine is

running

or

serious damage

may

result

.

• 8 •

Accelerator

Pedal.

The

accelerator

pedal,

located

to

the

left

of

the

starter

pedal

(fig.

9),

is

used

to

open

and

close

the

c~

buretor

throttle

valve.

Clutch

Pedal.

On

models

equipped

with

3-, 4-

and

5-speed

trans-

missions

the

clutch

pedal

is

conveniently

located

for

use

by

the

driver's

left

foot (fig.

9).

It

is

used

to

engage

and

disengage

the

clutch,

thereby

connecting

the

engine

to

or

disconnecting

it

from

the

transmission

and

drive

line

to

rear

wheels.

NOTE:

Never

drive

with

the

foot

resting

on

the

clutch

pedal

as

this

produces

undue

wear

on

the

throwout

bearing

and

other

parts.

Brake

Pedal.

The

brake

pedal

is

located

to

the

right

of

clutch

pedal

(fig.

9).

De-

pressing

this

pedal

applies

the

hydraulic

service

brakes

at

all

four

wheels

in

propor-

tion

to

the

pressure

applied

on

the

pedal.

Parking

Brake.

On

all

mod-

els

equipped

with

4-

or

Fig.

'O-Parking

Brake 5-speed

transmission,

the

parking

brake

is

applied

by

a

hand

type

lever

extending

up

through

the

floor.

With

all

other

transmissions

the

parking

brake

is

applied

by

a

trigger

type

lever

mounted

on

the

steer-

ing

column

support

under

the

instrument

panel.

The

parking

brake

lever

is

connected

by

rod

and

cables

to

the

rear

wheel

brakes

on

some

models

and

to a

propeller

shaft

brake

on

other

models.

The

propeller

shaft

brake

is

either

a

band-type

or

shoe-type

depending

on

the

model

and

trans-

mission

option. "

Gearshift

Lever

(4-

and

5-speed

Synchromesh

Transmission)

ex-

tends

to

the

left

and

back

from

transmission

cover

dome

at

center

of

floor (fig.

2).

This

lever

is

used

to

shift

the

transmission

gears

to

Fig.

"-Four

Speed

Transmission

the

desired

position.

Figure

11

Shifting

Diagram

shows

the

lever

knob

positions

when

the

4-speed

transmission

is

in

neutral,

reverse

and

the

four

forward

speeds.

The

shifting

diagram

for

the

5-speed

trans-

mission is

marked

on

the

gearshift

lever

knob

.

• 9 •

Gearshift

Lever

(3-speed

Synchro-

mesh

Transmission).

Gearshift

con-

trol

on

trucks

with

3-speed

transmis-

sion

is

located

on

the

steering

col-

umn

(fig.

1).

Figure

12

shows

the

gearshift

pattern

in

neutral,

reverse

and

three

forward

speeds.

Shift

Control

Lever

(Hydra-Matic

Transmission).

The

shift

control

Fig.

12-Three-Speed

lever,

located

on

the

steering

column,

Transmission Shifting

Diagram

is

used

to select

neutral,

one

of

three

forward

speed

rang~s,

or

reverse.

These

positions

are

plainly

marked

on

the

indicator

segment

and

are

described

in

further

detail

on

pages

17-22.

Shift

Control

Lever

(Powermatic

Transmission).

The

shift

con-

trol

lever

located

on

the

transmission

tower

(fig. 2) is

used

to

select

neutral,

one

of

three

forward

speed

ranges,

or

reverse.

These

positions

are

marked

on

the

top

of

the

tower

and

are

de-

scribed

in

further

detail

on

pages 17-22.

Cowl

Ventilator

Control

Knobs.

Two

knobs

located

below

the

Fig.

13-Ash

Tray

Fig.

14-Package

Compa,'.

menl

Lock

instrument

panel

to

the

right

of

the

steering

column

(figs. 1

and

2)

are

used

to

open

and

close

the

dampers

in

the

ventilating

system.

Pull

knob

out

to

admit

outside

air,

push

knob

in

to

shut

off air.

Ash

Tray.

A

convenient

tilt

type

ash

tray

is

located

in

the

instrument

panel

to

the

right

of

the

instrument

cluster

(fig. 13).

The

tray

is

opened

by

pushing

it

forward

at

the

bot-

tom.

To

remove

the

ash

tray

for

emptying,

depress

the

circular

snuf-

fer

at

top of

tray.

Instrument

Panel

Compartment

Lock.

The

door

to

the

convenient

package

compartment

at

the

right

end

of

instrument

panel

is

controlled

by

a lock

on

the

compartment

door

(fig. 14).

When

the

lock is

unlocked,

depressing

the

lock

cylinder

releases

• 10 •

the

latch

and

the

door

opens.

When

the

lock

is

locked

the

cyl-

inder

cannot

be

depressed.

The

key

used

for

the

door

lock

and

ignition

switch

is

used

to

lock

and

unlock

the

package

compartment.

Keys.

Two

identical

(octagonal

head)

keys

are

furnished

with

each

truck.

These

keys

are

used

for

locking

and

unlocking

the

right

door,

the

package

compartment

and

ignition.

The

key

num-

ber

is

stamped

on

a

"knockout"

plug

in

each

key

(fig. 15).

The

....-

________

-.

dealer

and

the

owner

should

make

KNOCKOUT

PLUG

a

record

of

this

number

so

that

the

key

can

be

easily

replaced

in

case

it

is lost,

and

then

the

"knockout"

plug

should

be

removed

so

that

un-

authorized

persons

cannot

obtain

L..-

________

-'

the

key

number

and

have

a

dupli-

Fig.

IS-Key

cate

made.

Door

Locks.

Chevrolet

trucks

are

equipped

with

push-button

theft-resisting

door

locks

which

provide

a

means

of locking

the

cab

when

the

truck

is

to

be

left

unattended

and

a

means

of locking

it

from

the

inside.

The

door

lock

cylinder

is

located

in

the

push

button

in

the

right

door

handle

(fig. 16).

In

the

unlocked

posi-

tion,

the

key

slot

is vertical, and,

Fig.

16-Door

Handle

and

when

the

push-button

is locked,

the

Push-button

Lock

slot

ishorizontal.

In

this

horizontal

position,

the

push-button

can-

not

be

depressed.

The

door

is

locked

from

outside

by

inserting

a

key

in

the

push-button

and

turning

it

90" so

that

key

is

hori-

zontal.

It

remains

Imrizontal

after

the

key

is removed.

To

lock

either

door

from

the

inside

it

is

only

neces-

sary

to

move

the

inside

re-

mote

control

handle

forward,

(fig. 17).

Pulling

the

inside

handle

to

the

rear

unlocks

the

door

even

when

it

has

been

locked

with

a

key.

fig.

17

-Door

Remote Control

and

Window Regulator

Window

Regulators.

The

door

windows

are

opened

and

closed

by

turning

the

window

regulator

handles

located

near

the

front

•

11

•

upper

corner

of

each

door

inner

panel

(fig. 17).

Door

Ventipane.

Operated

directly

by

a

turn

down

catch

handle.

Spring

loaded

friction

device

in

the

ventila-

tor

lower

pivot

holds

the

ventilator

open

to

any

position

selected.

Rain

de-

flectors

are

used

over

the

ventipane.

Windshield

Wiper.

The

windshield

wiper

motor

is

mounted

under

the

instrument

panel

and

is

vacuum

op- Fig.

IS-Windshield

Wiper

Control Knob

erated

from

the

engine.

The

control

knob

(fig. 18)

located

above

and

to

the

right

of

the

ash

tray

on

the

instrument

panel

is

used

to

regulate

the

wiper.

Rotating

the

knob

clockwise

turns

the

wiper

on

and

rotating

it

counter-

clockwise

decreases

wiper

speed

or

turns

it

off completely.

Rear

View

Mirror.

An

adjustable

rear

view

mirror

is

mounted

on

the

left

side

of

cowl

in

a

position

so

that

the

driver

can

get

a

clear

vision

along

the

left

side

of

truck

by

looking

at

the

mirror

through

the

left

door

window

Seat

Adjuster.

The

entire

seat

as-

sembly

can

be

moved

forward

or

back

to

obtain

the

most

comfortable

position

for

the

driver.

As

the

seat

is

moved

forward

it

raises

and

tips

for-

ward

and

as

it

is

moved

back

it

is

Fig.

19-5eat

Adjuster

lowered

to

accommodate

a

tall

person.

Press

down

on

the

lever

(fig. 19)

to

release

the

seat

ad-

juster

lock

so

that

the

seat

assembly

can

be

moved

forward

or

back

as

desir€d.

Two

coil

springs

assist

in

moving

the

seat

forward.

Hood

Lock

and

Safety

Catch.

The

hood

is

of

the

"alligator

jaw"

type

and

is

held

closed

by

a

lock

at

the

front.

This

lock

can

be

released

by

reaching

in

below

the

upper

grille

bar

in

line

with

the

left

end

of

name

plate

and

pull-

the

lever

forward

(fig. 20),

the

hood

may

then

be

lifted.

•

12

•

Fig.

20-Hood

lock

Release

Double

acting

hood

springs

assist

in

the

opening operation.

To close

the

hood,

lower

it

to

the

safety

latch

position

and

then

push

down

on

nose

of

hood

to

lock it.

When

the

truck

is

in

motion

the

cam-

type

lock

permits

only

down-

ward

movement

of

the

hood

with

a

wedging

action

that

provides

positive

locking

from

the

intermediate

to

the

completely closed positions.

Fig.

21-Hoocl

Loclclng

Plale

and

Pop-up Spring

Onlow

cab-forward

models, a

similar

cam-type

lock

mecha-

nism

is

located

at

each

front

corner,

with

only

one

having

a

safety

latch.

% TON FORWARD CONTROL UNITS

The

Forward

Control

model

shown

in

Figure

22

is

repre-

sentative

of

units

built

by

different

body

manufacturers.

Operation

of

all

instruments,

gauges

and

control

knobs

are

the

same

as

outlined

for

the

conventional

truck

models

with

ignition

key

starter

control.

Fig.

22-

3

/4

Ton

Forward Control

• 13 •

PRE-STARTING INSPECTION

Fig.

23-0il

Gauge

Rod-6

eyl.

Engine

The

following inspections

are

not

necessary

each

time

the

vehicle

is

started

provid-

ing

the

driver

has

recently

driven

the

vehicle

and

is

cer-

tain

that

attention

is

not

required.

1.

Raise

the

hood,

remove

the

oil

gauge

rod

(fig. 23),

wipe

oil

from

rod

with

clean

cloth

and

replace.

Remove

gauge

rod

and

note

level

of

oil.

If

down

to

the

"add

oil"

mark,

oil

should

be

added.

See

"Lubrication

Instruc-

tions."

Install

oil

gauge

rod.

2.

Remove

radiator

cap

and

check

the

level

of

cool-

ant.

If

coolant

is

down

a

quart

or

more,

water

or

anti-freeze

should

be

added.

3.

Check

to

make

sure

the

tires

are

properly

inflated.

Un-

derinflated

tires

wear

rapidly

and

are

subject

to

road

damage.

4.

Rear

window,

windshield,headlights,

tail

lamps

and

reflec-

tors

should

be

cleaned

to

provide

clear

vision

and

good lights.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODELS

EQUIPPED WITH 3-, 4- AND 5-SPEED

TRANSMISSIONS

Starting

the

Engine

1.

Place

ignition

key

in

switch

and

turn

key

to

vertical

position

to

turn

on

ignition.

2.

Pull

choke

knob

out

part

or

all

the

way

depending

on

climatic conditions

to

provide

an

engine

speed

just

above

idle.

If

the

engine

is

warm

or

in

summer

weather

it

is

not

generally

necessary

to

use

the

choke

at

all.

In

extremely

cold

weather

the

choke

should

be

pulled

all

the

way

out.

3.

Make

sure

the

transmission

shift

lever

is

in

neutral.

De-

press

the

clutch

pedal

to

relieve

the

load

in

the

transmission.

4.

Step

on

starter

pedal,

or

turn

key

clockwise,

to

crank

engine.

Release

starter

pedal

or

key

as

soon

as

engine

starts

.

•

14

•

If

engine

does

not

start

in

5

to

10 seconds,

release

pedal

or

key

and

check

to

see

that

the

above

operations

have

been

performed

correctly.

5.

As

soon

as

engine

starts,

push

choke

knob

in

part

way

and

adjust

throttle

for

smooth

idle.

6.

Note

oil

gauge

and

ammeter

readings.

Ammeter

should

show

some

charge

unless

engine

is idling slowly. Oil

gauge

should

show

some

pressure.

In

unusually

cold

weather

the

oil

gauge

needle

may

go

over

nearly

to 60.

If

so,

run

the

engine

just

above

idling

speed

until

the

indicator

hand

drops

to

around

the

center

of

the

gauge

before

.

driving

vehicle.

The

choke

knob

should

be

pushed

in

all

the

way

as

soon

as

the

engine

is sufficiently

warmed

up.

Shifting

Tandem

Axle

Power

Divider

and

Auxiliary

Transmission

Control

levers

for

the

Power

Divider

and

Auxiliary

Trans-

mission

are

located

to

the

right

of

the

brake

hand

lever

in

the

cab

(fig.

2).

The

lever

at

the

extreme

right

is

used

for

shifting

gears

into

direct,

underdrive

or

puller

drive

ratio.

The

other

lever

is

the

decIutching

lever

for

engaging

or

disengaging

the

rearmost

axle.

When

the

declutching

lever

is

moved

to

the

rear

the

gearshift

lever

will

be

moved

out

of

the

puller

ratio

position.

To

shift

from

single

axle

drive

to

dual

axle

drive,

move

the

de

clutching

lever

forward.

To

shift

from

dual

axle

drive

to

single

axle

(forward

axle)

drive,

move

the

declutching

lever

to

the

rear.

To

shift

auxiliary

transmission

gears

operate

the

shift

lever

and

clutch

pedal

the

same

as

in

shifting

any

auxiliary

trans-

mission.

Move

th'e

gearshift

lever

all

the

way

to

the

right

and

forward

for

puller

ratio,

move

lever

all

the

way

to

the

left

and

rear

for

underdrive

ratio,

or

move

lever

all

the

way

to

the

right

and

rear

for

direct

ratio.

When

this

lever

is

moved

to

puller

position,

the

rear

axle

engages

automatically

and

the

declutching

lever

will

be

moved

forward.

Shifting

Two-Speed

Rear

Axle

The

control

for

the

two-speed

axle

shift

is

located

on

the

gearshift

lever

(fig. 24).

Operating

this

control

also shifts

the

speedometer

adapter

to

maintain

reasonably

accurate

speedom-

eter

and

odometer

reading

regardless

of

the

axle

ratio

used

.

•

15

•

To

shift

from

low

speed

to

high

speed,

move

control

up

to

high

speed

position,

re-

lease

accelerator,

pause

a

second

to

allow

engine

speed

to

drop

down,

then

again

step

down

on

the

accelerator.

To

shift

from

high

speed

to

low

speed,

move

control

down

to

low

speed

position,

release

accelerator

and

again

step

down

on

accelerator.

Operating

instructions

are

shown

on

a

"Decal"

on

the

upper

surface

of

the

instru-

ment

panel.

Fig.

24-Two-Speed

Ax/.

Shift Control

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODELS

EQUIPPED

WIm

OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION

Overdrive

optional

equipment

used

with

Chevrolet

Synchro-

Mesh

transmission

provides

an

automatic

fourth

or

cruising

gear

in

which

engine

speed

is

reduced

more

than

22%

for

the

same

road

speed

with

the

conventional

transmission.

When

vehicle

is

in

motion

conventional

driving

with

over-

drive-equipped

vehicle

may

be

obtained

by

pressing

accelerator

pedal

to

the

floor

and,

at

the

same

time

pulling

overdrive

con-

trol

handle

all

the

way

out.

Handle

must

be

pushed

in

to

make

overdrive

operation

available,

and

this

can

be

done

at

any

time.

Starting

the

Engme

is

accomplished

in

the

same

manner

as

with

conventional

transmission

(see

page

14).

Use

of

Clutch

Pedal-When

starting

from

a

standstill,

or

when

bringing

the

vehicle

to

a

stop,

or

when

speeds

are

above

approximately

30

miles

per

hour

the

clutch

must

be

reieased

for

shifting

gears.

At

speeds

below

approximately

26

miles

per

hour

the

free-wheeling

action

of

the

overdrive

unit

makes

it

possible

to

do

all

gear

shifting

without

depressing

the

clutch

pedal.

At

any

speed

above

30

miles

per

hour

the

transmission

will

automatically

shift

into

overdrive

if

the

accelerator

pedal

is

momentarily

released.

When

speed

drops

below

26

miles

•

16

•

per

hour

the

overdrive

will

automatically

disengage.

When

overdrive

is

engaged

and

gear

shift

lever

is

in

either

second

or

third

position,

extra

power

for

rapid

acceleration

or

hill

climbing

is

supplied

by

depressing

the

accelerator

pedal

to

the

floor.

Parking-When

the

overdrive

control

handle

is

pushed

in,

engine

compression

for

"in

gear"

parking

will

be

effective

only

in

the

reverse

position.

To

park

in

any

other

gear

the

control

handle

should

be

pulled

out.

Always

apply

the

hand

brake

when

parking

a vehicle.

Push

Start-Should

it

ever

be

necessary

to

start

the

engine

by

pushing

or

towing

the

vehicle,

pull

overdrive

control

handle

all

the

way

out

and

place

shift

lever

in

neutral

until

vehicle

reaches

15

mph

.

Depress

clutch,

turn

key

starter

to

ON

and

place

shift

lever

in

THIRD

speed

.

Engage

clutch

gradually

to

start

engine.

After

the

engine

starts,

the

overdrive

control

handle

may

be

pushed

in

at

any

time.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODELS

EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Hydra-Matic

Shift

Control Lever

The

shift

lever

located

just

below

the

steering

wheel

can

be

moved

to

select

neutral,

one

of

three

forward

speed

ranges,

or

reverse.

These

positions,

which

are

plainly

marked

on

the

indicator

segment

(fig. 25),

are

utilized

as

follows:

Fig.

25-Hydra-Matic

Indicator-

Neutral

Position

N-Neutral

(and

starting)

1-4-Normal

forward

driving

1-3-For

faster

acceleration

and

in

congested

traffic

1-2-For

controlled

power

R-Reverse

(and

parking)

Powermatic

Selector

Control

Lever

The

control

lever

mounted

on

the

transmission

tower

can

be

moved

to

select

neutral,

one

of

three

forward

speed

ranges,

or

reverse.

These

positions,

which

are

plainly

marked

on

the

tower

(fig. 26)

are

utilized

as follows:

•

17

•

Chevrolet 1956 Truck User manual

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