Chevrolet 1962 Corvair User manual

OWNERS GUIDE
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Your 1962 Chevrolet Corvair is a completely new automobile, both in
concept and in design. It will fit into your plans as a second car, an only car,
an "errand" car, a "transportationO car or a car for vacation and travel. It
combines "small" car size and economy with "big" American car performance
and comfort. We at Chevrolet know you will enjoy owning and operating your
Corvair for years to come.
Your Chevrolet dealer is well trained and equipped to inspect and service
your Corvair
and keep it ready to provide new car service and performance.
Have
him inspect and service your car at regular intervals.
The information
and suggestions found in this owners guide can help you
enjoy to the fullest, all of the
advantages and features built into your Corvair.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing
Chevrolet-and to assure you of our continuing interest in your motoring pleasure
and satisfaction.
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Operating Instructions ....................................... .
Page
2
8
10
22
24
26
40
42
43
44
47
Instruments ................................................ .
Controls .................................................. .
Station
Wagon . . ............. . . . .... . ................. . ... .
Cleaning Hints ............................................. .
Maintenance and Lubrication ................................. .
Specifications
............................................. .
Service Accessories
.................................... . ..... .
Minor Trouble Shooting
Guide .. ... .... . ..... . .... . .......... . .
Trouble ShooHng Procedures ................................. .
Index
... , ........ ' ........... . ........................... .
Owner Protection Plan ............................ Inside Back Cover
All information contained in this booklet is based on the latest product information available at the
time of printing. The right is r.served to make changes at any time without notice.
PART NO. 3798324 • SECOND EDITION
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OPE~ATING INSTRUCTIONS
Sound design and precIsion manufacturing methods
will permit you to operate your new Corvair in a normal
manner from its very first mile without adhering to a
formal "break-in" schedule. However, during the first
few hundred miles of driving you can, by observing a
few simple precautions, add to the future performance
and economy of your car.
It is recommended that your speed during the first
500 miles be confined to a maximum of 60 M.P.H., but
do not drive for extended periods at anyone constant
Proper maintenance and wise operation will com-
bine to help you achieve maximum fuel economy with
your Corvair. Your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer can
properly tune and maintain your car but wise operation
is your responsibility . Give the car sufficient warm-up
2
speed, either fast or slow . Duri ng this period, avoid full
throttle "jack-rabbit" starts and quick, abrupt stops.
Gentle braking during the first few hundred miles of
operation will result in longer brake life and better
future performance. Avoid hard stops especially during
the first 200 miles of operation since brake misuse during
this period will destroy much future brake efficiency.
Always drive at a moderate speed until the eng . ine
has completely warmed up.
time, do not make "jack rabbit" starts or skidding stops,
and drive at reasonable speeds and as steady as traffic
permits to gain the benefits of all the economy built into
your Corvair.
·i
I
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IGNITION SWITCH
LOCk OFF ON START
".i(
START-Used only when starting engine. When released,
switch returns to ON.
ON-For normal operation after engine has been started.
OFF-Turns off engine and accessories.
LOCK-Same as "OFF" except that switch cannot be
moved into or out of this position without ignition
key. Always switch to LOCK and remove the key
when leaving your car unattended.
NOTE: Key cannot be removed from switch when in OFF
position, thus guarding against accidentally leaving
switch
OFF but not locked. The key may be removed
when the switch is in LOCK or ON position and the
switch
may be moved between OFF and ON posi-
tions without the use
of the key.
3
STARTING
1. POWERGLIDE-Place control lever in N position.
The engine will not start in any other position.
THREE-SPEED-Place gearshift control lever in Neu-
tral.
2. Depress accelerator part way and release. In ex-
treme cold weather (0
0
F. and below) or when
engine is hot, accelerator pedal should be held
part way down during starting.
3. Turn ignition switch to START and release as soon
as engine starts.
4. "FLOODED" ENGINE-Depress accelerator to floor
and hold while cranking engine. Never "pump"
accelerator.
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WARM-UP
Never race the engine or drive at high speeds until
the
engine has had a chance to warm up. Always drive
at moderate speeds fo'r several miles, especially in cold
weather. Failure to allow sufficient warm-up time causes
much unnecessary wear to the engine . Also, excessive
speeds hefore axle and transmission lubricant becomes
warmed up can cause harm to these parts.
The
Three-Speed and optional Four-SpeeCl Trans-
missions
are operated in basically the same manner. Shift
patterns differ, of course, as illustrated in the two
illustrations on
page 5.
1st GEAR (lOW)-Depress clutch pedal, shift into 1st
gear, slowly release clutch pedal while pressing on
accelerator. As car gains speed, depress clutch pedal,
release accelerator and move gearshift into 2nd gear .
2nd GEAR-Release clutch pedal and depress accelerator
as above as car gains speed, then, in same manner
4
as before, move gearshift lever into 3rd gear.
3rd GEAR (HIGH)-Slowly release clutch pedal and de -
press
accelerator pedal. This is the cruising gear for
all normal driving with
the 3-speed transmission.
With the
4-speed transmission 3rd gear will provide
more
response and higher performance for driving
in heavy traffic.
4th GEAR (HIGH-4-speed Transmission Only)
Shift into fourth
gear in the same manner for normal
cruising with
the 4-speed transmission.
NOTE: Whenever the vehicle begins to labor in
any gear, depress the clutch pedal and shift to
the next lower gear.
TO STOP-Release the accelerator and depress the
brake pedal. As car slows down, depress the clutch
pedal and move the gearshift lever into Neutral.
NEUTRAL-For use when starting
or idling engine.
REVERSE-Operate as for 1st Gear but always at a
slow
speed.
TOWING-Attaching points for lifting and towing are
located in the front and rear bumper brackets.
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Three Sp . eed Shift Pattern
PUSHING TO START
• Turn on key and depress clutch pedal.
• Place gearshift lever in Neutral position until car
speed reaches 15 MPH.
The
optional Powerglide transmission is a completely
automatic transmission which replaces the standard clutch
and transmission. After starting the engine with the se-
lector lever in "N" (Neutral) position, merely select the
range desired and depress the accelerator. The Power-
glid~ transmission will do the rest.
5
Four Speed Shift Pattern
• Move shift lever to 3rd position and slowly release
clutch pedal.
• Never attempt to start the car by towing.
With lever in "D" the transmission starts in auto-
matic low gear and will shift to cruising gear at some
point between approximately 12 and 50 mph, de-
pending on the accelerator position. Thus, a gradual start
with a steady, gradual increase of pressure on the accel-
erator pedal will enable the transmission to shift into the
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more economical cruising gear in the shortest possible
time. Hard acceleration for fast starts will cause the trans-
mission
to remain in low gear for a considerably longer
period.
When driving at speeds below 45 mph, the transmis-
sion
may be shifted back into low range for extra acceler-
ation for passing by depressing the accelerator pedal
fully. The transmission wi" automatically shift back into
cruising gear when the accelerator pedal is momentarily
released.
PUSHING TO START
• Turn on key and move selector lever to Neutral. At
20 to 25 MPH move lever to "L".
• When engine starts, move selector lever to "D".
NOTE: Never tow to start.
OPERATING YOUR POWERGLIDE TRANSMISSION
POSITION
OPERATION USES
R-REVERSE
For Backing Car (From Stopped Position)
N-NEUTRAL
For Starting Engine (Brakes Applied)
NORMAL
DRIVING
D-DRIVE
For all Forward Driving. Step hard on
RANGE
accelerator for extra acceleration below
45 MPH.
L-LOW
For Hard Pulling at Low Speeds, Climb-
SAND, SNOW,
ing, or Descending Steep Grades and for
MUD OR ON
additional engine braking below 40 MPH.
STEEP GRADES
6
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TOWING
• Place selector lever in Neutral.
• If transmission or axle are malfunctioning , tow with
rear wheels raised .
• When towing any vehicle on its front wheels, the
steering wheel should be secured to maintain a
straight forward position.
• Never tow faster than 50 MPH.
• Attaching points for lifting and towing are located in
the front and rear bumper brackets.
ROCKING CAR
When stuck in mud, sand or snow, you may rock
the car forward and back by depressing the accelerato r
slightly and shifting the selector lever between " R" and
" D." Avoid excessive engine speed while performing
this operation .
WHEN PARKING CAR
It is important that when your Corvair is parked the
parking brake be fully engaged . Do not count on the
The Positr action Rear Axle gives you constant driv-
ing fo rce on both rear wheels; especially helpful in the
winter and during ot her slippery driving conditions .
In normal use, light throttle application will supply
7
transmission in "L" or " R" to hold the car. Always en-
gage the parking brake when parked.
maximum traction . When starting with one rear wheel
on an excessively slippe ry surf ace, slight application of
the parking brake may be necessary to gain maximum
traction .
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...
INSTRUMENTS
All driving instruments are grouped in the instrument
cluster which is located immediately in front of the driver
to provide quick reading and a maximum of convenience
and accessibility. The "Temp-Press" and "GEN-FAN" in-
dicator lights provide important information concerning
the condition of the engine and should be checked regu-
larly during operation of the car. The information on
these pages will help you understand the operation of
these instruments and the illustrations here and on page
10 will acquaint you with the instrument cluster and the
instrument panel as a whole.
FUEL GAUGE
This electrically operated
gauge accurately indicates
the amount of fuel in the 14
gallon fuel tank only when
the ignition switch is in the
"ON" position. When the ig-
nition is "OFF," the indicator
pointer will not necessarily re-
turn to the EMPTY mark, but
8
moy stop at any point on the gauge. Therefore, always
be sure that the ignition switch is "ON" before checking
the fuel gauge.
SPEEDOMETER
Conveniently located in the instrument cluster direct-
ly ahead of the driver, the speedometer shows at a
glance the speed of the car in miles per hour. The
odometer, centered directly below the speedometer dial
registers accumulated vehicle mileage.
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"TEMP-PRESS" AND "GEN-FAN" INDICATORS
These indicators are extremely important since they
provide a constant check on the operating condition of
the air cooled engine and the generator of your Corvair.
Both indicator lights should light with the ignition switch
"ON" and before starting the engine. Indicator lights
will go out shortly after engine is started and during
normal operation of the car . Flickering of the "Gen-Fan"
light while engine is idling is a normal condition.
Engine cooling depends on operation of the fan
driven by the Gen-Fan belt. A broken or slipping fan
belt will cause the Gen-Fan indicator to remain lighted
during normal operation and continued engine opera-
tion can result in serious damage.
INDICATOR REMAINING
LIGHTED DURING
NORMAL OPERATION
PROBABLE
CAUSE
ITEMS
TO BE
CHECKED
Low Oil Pressure
TEMP-PRESS Indicator
Excessive Engine Temp.
Generator Not Charging
GEN-FAN Indicator
Fan Not Operating
9
Engine Oil
Level
Oil Level
and Fan Belt
Generator
Fan Belt
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LEFT TURN
INDICATOR
FUEL
GAUGE
BRIGHT BEAM
INDICATOR RIGHT TURN INDICATOR
RADIO
SPEAKER ASH
TRAY
l.I:I::J::Io--- H EATER
CONTROLS
GLOVE
BOX GLOVE BOX LOCK
VENT~
CONTROL
LIGHT CONTROL KNOB The three-position light switch is operated as shown.
OFF
FULLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE
FOR DOME LIGHTS TURN
TO VARY
BRIGHTNESS OF
INSTRUMENT
PANEL
LIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS
10
Turn the knob to vary the brightness of the instrument
lights. Turn fully counter-clockwise past the "detent" to
turn on the dome light. The headlamp and parking lamp
circuits are protected by a circuit breaker. An overload
condition wi" cause the headlights to "flicker" on and
off. If this flickering condition is experienced, the head
lamp circuit should be checked by your Authorized
Chevrolet Dealer.
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DIMMER SWITCH
The foot button switches the headlights between
" high" and "low" beam . The red "high " beam indicator
will be lighted when the headlights are on "high" beam.
Alw~ys dim the lights when approaching oncoming cars .
11
TURN SIGNAL
The turn signal lever should be moved UP to signal
a right turn or DOWN to signal a l eft turn. The green
indicator lights in the instrument panel will signal the
direction as will the front turn signal lamp and rear turn
signal lamp. When the turn is completed, the lever will
automatically return to neutral position.
LEFT ..
Get into the habit of turning
on the signal well in ad -
vance of where you plan to
tvrn. Drivers who are follow-
ing will appr.eciate your con-
sideration.
1
.~
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FOOT CONTROLS
Foot controls consist of the dimmer switch (the op-
eration of which is covered on page 11), the cI,utch pedal
(manual transmissions only), the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal.
CLUTCH PEDAL
The operation of the clutch pedal has been fully
covered under "Driving with the Manual Transmissions"
on page 4. Its operation is the same whether your car
is equipped with the 3-speed or the 4-speed transmission.
Excessive clutch wear can be caused by letting up the
clutch abruptly rather than smoothly, and by "riding" the
clutch-that is, letting your foot rest on the clutch while
driving.
~::7iilfo
SWITCH BRAKE PEDAL
ACCElERA TOR
12
BRAKES
The brake pedal should have a hard firm feel when
applied . If the pedal feel becomes soft or spongy the
brakes are in need of service. Your Chevrolet Dealer can
return your brakes to safe operating condition.
Vehicles equipped with optional metallic brake lin-
ing will require somewhat more pedal pressure to
stop the car when the linings are cold than will conven-
tional brakes. This condition will exist only until the
driver makes several stops and the linings warm up.
PARKING BRAKE
APPLYING HANDLE
Pull the parking brake lever to engage the brake.
The lever will remain in the applied position until released
by means of the "trigger" on the handle. To release,
pull the handle toward the steering wheel, depress the
unlocking trigger and allow the handle to return to the
released position. AI' ways engage the parking brake
when parked.
The accessory brake alarm light is very useful in warn-
ing you that your parking brakes are applied.
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS
OFF~ON
WASHER BUTTON
The single speed (or optional two-speed) parallel
acting wipers are operated by means of the wiper con-
trol knob on the dash. Turning this knob clockwise turns
on the
wiper motor. The optional two speed wipers have
three switch positions, "Off," "Low" and "High." A
fully counter-clockwise turn of the knob turns off either
single or two speed wiper .
Exposure
to the elements tends to "wear out" the
rubber in the wiper blades. Check the blades periodically
and replace them whenever they show signs of streaky
or otherwise poor wiping action.
Pressing once on the accessory windshield washer
button will cause the washer to squirt a measured amount
of water or other cleaning agent onto the glass and will
at the same time turn on the wiper motor. The wiper musl
then be
manually turned off, when the washing process
13
is completed, , by means of the wiper control knob.
Water or cleaning agent needed for operation of
the accessory windshield washers is carried in a plastic
water jar attached to the dash panel within the luggage
compartment. Keep the washer jar fliled to a level
2 inches below the top of the jar with a suitable solvent.
Windshield Washer Anti-Freeze and Solvent, G. M. Part
No. 988299, is recommended for use in the Corvair
windshield washer jar. NEVER USE ANY SOLVENT OR
ANTIFREEZE SOLUTION
WHICH CONTAINS METHANOL.
In the winter, flll the washer jar only 3,4 full for expansion
if the solution freezes. In freezing weather, pre-warm the
windshield using the heater defrosters before using the
washers.
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DIRECT AIR HEATER
The Direct Air Heater
makes use of engine cooling
air to heat the interior of the
car. The controls are:
FAN-Controls blower speed.
Blower must not be op-
erated IJnless HEAT or
AIR lever is depressed.
AIR-Controls the amount of moderately heated air pre-
sented to the heater system.
HEAT
-Controls the amount of hot air to the system.
DEF-Diverts heated air to the defroster outlets.
OPERATION FOR MAXIMUM COMFORT
• MINIMUM HEAT REQUIREMENTS-During spring and
fall in areas where climatic conditions are less severe,
depress the AIR lever only as required for your comfort.
• MEDIUM HEAT REQUIREMENTS-Depress the AIR lever
all the way down, then depress the HEAT lever as
required. This will control the flow of mixed air (mod-
erately heated and hot air) necessary for temperature
control and provide definite variation of air tempera-
ture.
• MAXIMUM HEAT REQUIREMENTS-Depress HEAT and
AI R levers to extreme down position. If heat becomes
excessive, pull up HEAT knob to desired position.
GASOLINE HEATER
The optional Corvair
gasoline heater provides an
ample volume of heated air
within two minutes after be-
ing turned on; controls are:
FAN-This lever provides "LOW" blower speed at its
first
stop and "HI" blower speed when in the full
down position; it must be pushed down before
heater will operate.
DEF-Diverts heated air to the defroster ducts for de-
fogging or deicing windows; depress to increase
flow.
HEAT -Depress lever to select degree of heat desired .
NOTE: It is a normal condition for combustion
blower to operate 30 or 40 seconds after heater
is turned off.
NOTE: Since water vapor and odors may collect when vehicle stands for long periods, keep the HEAT and AI R levers in OFF position for
first f~w minutes of engine operation. This will reduce the tendency for moisture to condense on windshield and will reduce odors
ef'!ter'!19 pas~enge~ compart~ent. Windshield fogging at start of defroster operation may be corrected by opening vent windows.
011 spilled on engine shrouding may cause odor in passenger compartment. To avoid discomfort, the cause of any odor should
be traced and any defect promptly corrected.
14
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AIR CONDITIONING
Optional air conditioning provides all-weather com-
fort while driving your Corvair. This re-circulating type
unit has two knobs to provide control of cool air flow.
The air flow can be directed through the two front ball
outlets and the center out-
let bezel.
Always operate the
Air Conditioning System
with all windows and vents
closed to eliminate drafts, wind and road noise. Cover
plates furnished should remain installed over the two
engine air recirculating slots during the season when
cooling is required. These plates should be removed
and stowed on top of the rear sill for the winter .
The
"High" blower circuit is protected by an SFE-20
in-line fuse located on top of the instrument panel lower
flange; at the left of the radio panel. The compressor
circuit utilizes the 10 ampere fuse at the "HEATER"
location in the iunction block.
The air conditioning controls function as follows:
FAN-Rotate knob to provide the desired blower speed,
low, medium or high. The fan will operate no higher
than MED speed when headlights are on.
COOL-Pull knob fully out to provide maximum cooling.
Intermediate positions provide moderate cooling.
15
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CHEVROLET RADIOS
Each of the optional Chevrolet Radios will give you
the same powerful, undistorted reception. The radios
differ mainly in their operating controls which are re-
viewed here.
Manually Tuned Radio
RIGHT HAND KNOB-The outer knob manually selects
radio stations.
LEFT HAND KNOB-The outer knob turns the set on and
off and controls the volume.
The
inner "wing knob" may be moved to change
the tone from treble (extreme clockwise) to bass
(extreme counterclockwise).
This
control is designed to give highest tone
fidelity when positioned at the midpoint between the
treble and bass settings.
16
Push Button Radio
The push button radio has the manual tuning con-
trol knobs plus push buttons which automatically select
preset stations when pushed in.
To preset the push buttons:
1. Warm up the radio for 10 minutes (20 minutes in
freezing temperatures!.
2. Pull the push button straight out as far as it will go.
3. Tune the desired station manually.
4. Push the button all the way in.
5. Check operation of push button and repeat Steps
1
through 4 if tuning is not accurate.
6. Repeat this procedure for each push button.
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17
CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND ASH TRAY
Press in on the optional cigarette lighter to heat.
When ready for use, it will "pop" out. The ash tray
cover slides toward the front of the car to open. The
ash
receptacle lifts out for cleaning.
AIR VENTS
Additional summer ventila-
tion is provided through vent
inlets in each side of the front
passenger compartment. The
vents
may be opened or
closed by means of the con-
trol knobs beneath each end
of the instrument panel.
INTO CAR
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A single key operates all the locks on your Corvair;
doors, ignition switch, glove box and luggage com-
partment.
Each key has a serial number stamped on a remov-
able plug. This number will enable you to have another
key made in the event that the original is lost.
To
avoid the possibility that unauthorized persons
might duplicate your key, it is strongly recommended that
you record the serial number and then, with a hammer
and punch, remove the knockout plug.
18
DOORS AND LOCKS
• Each front door may be locked from the outside by
means of the ignition key inserted into the key lock
just below the door opening handle.
• Lock the front doors from the inside by pushing fully
forward on the inside release handles. Unlock and
open the front doors from the inside by pulling fully
rearward on the release handle.
• Open the venti pane windows by lifting up and forward
on the friction locks. Pushed out, the window will re-
main in the desired position.
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