Chevrolet CAMARO 1979 User manual

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IMPORTANT
SAFETY
NOTICE
Properserviceandrepairis nPortantto thesafe,
reliableoperation
of all
motor vehicles.
The seflice procedures
recommended
by Chevrolet
and
describedin this servicemânuâlare effective
methodsfor pedorming
service
operations.Someof thesesewice
opemtionsrequirethe useof
the toolsspeciallydesigned
lor the pùrpose.
The special
tools
should
be
usedwhen
andasrecommended.
It is important to note that this manualcontainsvarious
Noticesând
Cautions
which shouldbe carefullyreadin order to minimizethe risk
of personal injùry to seryice
personnel
or dre possibilitythat inproper
seflice methods will be followed which mây damagethe vehicleor render
it unsâfe.It also is important to unde$tand that t'heseNotices,and
Cautions
ârenot exhaustive.Chevrolet
couldnot possibly
know,evaluate
and advise the senice hade of âll conceivableways in which service
might be done or of the possible
hâzârdous
consequencesof eâchway.
Consequently,
Chevrolet
hasnot undertâkenany suchbroâdevâluation.
Accordingly,
anyonewho uses
â sefliceprocedurc or tool which is not
recommended
by Chevrolet
must firct satisfy himself thoroughlythat
neither his safety nor vehicle safety will be jeopardized by the service
methodheselects.

7

1979
CHASSIS
SERVICE
MANUAL
Covering
CHEVROLET.
MALIBU.
MONTE
CARLO,
NOVA,
ANDCAMARO
FOREWORD
This manual includes procedures
for diasnosis,maintenance
and adjust
ments, minor sêruice
operations,removatand insta ation of cornponenrs.
exc€pt
the body, of 1979Chevrolet,
lvlalibu,
À4onte
Carto,Nova,
aDdCâmaro.
Procedures
involving dhassembty
ônd assembty
of mêjor componentsfor
these
vehicles
areconrai.ed
inthe 1979Passenger
Cêrand
LightDuty
Truck
Chassis
Overhaullvanual.Service
information for 1979 Chevrotet_
lMatibu.
Vonlê Car,o,Novc
andCdnâro
bodyitems
;( colra: eo .n Lhe19/9 Boov
ServicelVanuà1.
W;rinq
diâgrdmstor 1979
Ch"vrorer
pr""nq", "." ur" .ounà
in aseparateWirinsDiêsrêm
Bookler
(ST-359
7S).
The Section lndex on this pageenabJes
rhe userto qlickty tocare
âny
desired
section.At the beginninsoi each
section
containins
morethên
one
majof
subject
isa Table
of Contents,
which
qives
the
pase
number
on which
eachmajor
subject
begins.An lndex isptaced
at the besinnins
of eachmajor
subjectwithin the section.
Summaries
of SpecialTook, whenrequked,arefound at the endof mêior
sections.
Specificêtionscoverinqvehictecomponentsare presented
at the
rear
of each
section.
Whenreference
is mâde
in thismanuat
to êbrand
name,.umber. or soecific
rool.
àr eqJivàlent
product
maybp ,sed
Inpt"ce
ot Lherecommended
irern.
Thismanual
shouldbe kept in a handy plêcê
for readyfêference.
tf prop-
erly used,
it will enable
the technician
to better serve
the owners
of Chev-
All information, illusrrations
andspeciTicationscontained
in this tirerature
ârebêsed
on the latest
productiôformationavaitabte
at the time of pubticâ
tron âpprovâ|.
The right h reserved
to make chansesêt anv time witholt
CAUTION
Thisvehiclecontainssome partsdimensionedin themetic svstem
aswell asin the customary system,
Some tasteners arc metric and
ate very closein dimension to tamiliat customatv fastenersin the
inch system-ltis importantto note that duing any vehictemajnte.
nance proceclurct replacement lastenerc must have the same
measuremenEand strcngth as thoseremoved, whether meùic or
customary. (Numbercon the headsol met c botts andon suiaces
ol meùic nuts indicate theit strength. Customatvbotts use rcdiat
lines lor this purpose, while most customary nuts do not have
sttength matkings.)Mismatched ot inêoftect lastênerscanrcsutt in
uehicleclamage
or malfttnction, o. possibly petsonatiniu.y. Therc-
tote fasteners
removedl.om the vehicleshould besavedtot rc-use
in the samelocations whenêvêtpossibte. Whe.ethe tasteneÆ
arc
not satidactory tor re-use, carc should be taken to setect a .e-
placement that matches the o.iginal. For infonation and assis-
tance, seevour Chevroletdealer.
Ad'ditional
informârion
concerningrhis
subiect
wi befound
atthe
end
CHEVROI.ET
MOTORDIVISION
Generdl Moto.s Corporotion
DETROIT,
MICHIGAN
SECTION
CENEBAI.
INfORMATTON
MAINTENANCE
AND
TUBBICATION
MANUAI.
AIR
CONDITIONING
AUTOMATIC
AIRCONOITIONING
FRAME
ANDBODY
MOUI{TS
rRONT
ALIGNMENT
STEERING
tR0NT
SUSPÊt{St0N
REAR
SUSPENSION
WHEEI.S
ANOTIRES
PROPSHAFI
AND
UNIVERSAL
JOINTS
ENGINEMECHANICAI-
ENGINE
COOI.ING
ENGINE
EI-ECTRICAI
ENGINE
EMlSSr0r{
c0NTB0rs
ENGINEÊXHAUST
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
MANUAI.
TRANSMISSION
BODYAIIIO
CHASSIS
ETECTRICAT
ACCESS0nTES
O 1979
GênerâMorôrsCôrpoÉtion

GENÊRALINEORMATION
OA.1
GE.NERAL
INFORMATION
CONTENTS
GeneraI,.,.,,.,.....,,.,.,.
...,,.,-,.
.,--,.-..,--.-,.,......,,,,.
0A,1
Body
Identification
plate."--.....-..._...--................
0A.t
Vehicle
Identificatior
NÙmber......,...................,......
0A.I
UnitIdeûtification
_.......-.-.......-..............................
oA,z
GENERAL
Information to identify rhe vehicle ad vehicle
components
appears
in rhis
sedion.
Detailed
specjticârions
onmajor
units
are
given
atthe
end
ofea€hrespeoûves€cuoû
in thismâ.uâl
BODY
IDENTIFICATION
PLATE
The
body
identificationplale
{fig.
0A-l), lslocâred
on
upper
horizonral
(urface
ofshroud
on
allseri€s
eÀcept
,X".
On "X" series
theplateis locatedon the vertical surfac€
of
shroud.
The body identificarion plareidenriffes:
. cardivision
. bodytype
. body
style
. assemblyplant
. body number
. tdm combinatior
a modular seatcode
. datebuildcode
/x ooo ,,aii ; 6--6-aj
o-
19F ll! t6r 56a
L
Fig.
0A-1-Body
tdentification
ptêre
SECTION
OA
VEHICLE
IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER(VIN)
This isthelegalideûrificationof rhev€hicl€.
Ir appears
onaplat€which isattached
to theleft top of mems.rument
pân€l,
and canbeeasilyseen
rhrough th€ windshieldfrom
oùtsid€the car (fig. 0A-2). The VIN alsoappears
on the
VehicleCertificatesof Tirle and Regisrrâtion.
Division
Codo
The
firstnumbe.
oftheVIN isthecode
forrhe
Division
designing
andproducing the car.
Sorios Code
Thesecond
number
in theVIN isthe
onel€tter
code
identifying
theseriesas
shownin Fig.OA-1.
Body Styl€ Code
The
thild ând
fourthnumbers
ofrhe VIN idenrify
rhe
body styleof the câr. SeeFig. 0A-3.
Engin€
Cod€
The fifth number
of rhe VIN is â onelettercode
identifying
theengineùsed
on rhecar.SeeFig.0A-3 for
engineidentification.
Model Y€ar Code
The number'9" in the sixth position
of the VIN
represenfs
the
model
year,
1979.
ENGINE
CODE
Fig.
0A-2,Vehicle
tdenriticârion
NumberLocatior

OA.2 GENERALINFORMATION
Assombly Plant Code UNIT IDENTIFICATIONNUMBERS
The GM assernbly plant at which the ca. was For theconvenienceof serviceDersonnel
whenwdtins
assembledis identified
by theone-letter
(or number)code up certâin
busin€ss
papers
suchai WarranryClaimsoi
in theseventh
position
in the
VIN shownin Fig.0À-3. pioduct InformationÀeports,the followingchân ând
Plant sêquential Numbor Figures0A-4 thtou8h0A-6 indicâtelocationof vâdous
The lâst six numbe$ of the vehicle identificâtion componentsunit identificâtion numbers
number
(VIN) servesasaserialnumber
toidentilyâ
sp€cific
1979
modelfrom othersimilarmodelsassembled
at the
same
plantduringthemod€l
production.

GENERALINFORMATION
OA.3
VEHICLE
IDENTIFICATION
NUMBERS
SAMPLE
NO. 1N19GgJ100001
Vehicle
Series
Caprice N4odel 4 Door
Sedan 305C{D
VB\,v/2Bbl.
Carburetor
,"lS:^*"'*,
Plant
JanesvilLe
9
\
1
IG
Division
ldentification
ChevroletI\lotor
Division
Position
5
EngineCode
ENGINE ENGINÊ
CODE DISPLACEIV'IENT
1979
Position1
Division
ldentilication
Always
1
for
Chevrolet
VehicleSeries
L lmpâla
N CapriceClassic
O Camaro
S CamaroEerlinettâ
X Nova
Y Nova Custom
Z l\,4onteCarlo
T Malibu
W N4alibuClassic
& El
Camino
17
19
27
37
47
69
80
a7
Positions
3 & 4
2 Dr.HatchbackCoupe,6'Passenger
4 Dr.
Sedan,6-Passenger
2 Dr. Coupeor NotchbackCoupe,4or o-Passenger
4 Dr. StationWagon
2 Dr.
SportCoupe,6-Passenqer
2 Dr.
Coupe,6 Passenqer
4 Dr.Sedan,6-Passenger
ElCamino
2 Dr. SporlCoupe,4-Passenger
Camaro
Position
6
l\4odel
Year
9
for
1979
Position7
Assembly
Plânt
A 3.8L
c 3.2L
D 4.1L
L 5.7L
tvl 3.3L
G s,OL
J 4,4L
2 3.AL
H s,OL
231cid
196cid
250cid
350
cid
200cid
305cid
267
cid
231cid
305cid
ENGINE
TYPE
v/6
v/6
v/8
v/6
v18
vla
v/6
vÆ
CARB.
TYPE
2A
23
4B
2B
28
28
28
4B
B GN4AD-Baltimore
C Gl\,4AD-Southgate
D G[,44D-Doraville
J GIMADJanesville
K Gl\4AD-Leeds
L G[,4AD-Van Nuys
N GIVAD-Norwoôd
R GIVIAD-Arlington
S GIVIAD-SI.Louis
T GN4AD-Iarrytown
W GIMAD-W|llow Fun
Z GIMAD-Fremont
1 GIMof Canadâ-Oshâwâ
Fig.
OA-3-.VehicleldentificâtionNumbêr

OA.4 GENERALINFORMATION
VEHICLE
COMPONENTIDENTIFICATIONNUMBER
LOCATION
Component Type Location
ïransmission 4'Speed
(83 rnm)
34 Speed
(76
mm)
Automatic350
Automatic
200
Drivers
side
adjacentto rearoJcover
Drivers
side,below
sidecover
Bightvertjcal
surfaceof oil pan
Tagon passenger sideof transmissionextension
RearAxleNumber All Onrightor leJtaxletubeadjacentto carrier
Generator All Ontop drive
endfrarne
Starter All Stampedonoutercase,towardrear
Battery All On cellcoversegmentrtop of battery
q
ENGINEV,I.N, bENGINEV-I.N. ENGINE
,"o'*,u,,.".
l-.-!Qo NGINEV.'.N.
(OPÏIONÀL) ,,roI
IvrEwlAl a.||.ENGTNE
- L6 tvrÉwtAl 3.3tENGTNE
-V6 ----r.;l
tvr€wi
p
I
4.41e 5.Ot& 5.7t aNCtNE
- Va
-n
L4!]!l!l
Fig OA
. Erg:re V.l.N Lo.âl on - 16.V8 & 3 3l V6

GENERALINFORMATION
OA.5
Fig 04.5-En9'.e V N.Locànon 3 8LVo

0A-6 GENERALINFORMATION
v.r.N.rocalloN
(OPTIONAL)
v.t.N.tocaTtoN
I$.ÂNU^l autotiaTtc - lHI$200
automa c- cBc350
v.t,N.LocaTtoN v.l.N.
tocaTroN
(oPTtoNAt)
F
s 04.6-TrênsmissionVLN.Location

MAINTENANCE AND LUôRICATION OA.1
SÊCTION
OB
MAINTENANCE
AN
DLUBR
ICATION I
CONTENTS
Specificâtions.............................................................
OB-10
Recommended
Fluids
andLubricants...................
0B-10
FluidCâpacities..............................................._.
0B-11
Yehicle
Lifting
Points....
................
.............
. . 08,12
0B-l
oB-2
0B-3
0È8
08"9
GENERAL
The maintenance
sch€duiefollowrwo basicformats,
Schedule
I ândIL Themâjordiffererce
berweenrherwo
schedulesisSection "C' or Emission
ControlMâintenance
(fig.
0B-l). ScheduleI or ScheduleII isri€dto rh€
ensine
fâmily
numberas
<hown
ontheemission
conrrouabetu;der
th€hood
area.Vehicles
shownrheSchedule
I or Schedul€
II d€signâtion
on thelabel.
Themainterance
scheduleisprovided
inthe glove
box

OB-2 MAINTENANCE
AND LUBRICATION
.aso asafetyseryce , atso
aôEmissioncôntrotsênico
MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULE
when
ToPêrtorm
Servtces
(Monlhs
orMtte3,
Whtchèler
Occu6Ftr30 S€rvlc.3
(For
D€ralb,
S.ê NumborôdPatrgrâph.)
SECTION
A- Lubdc.lion
andceneratMainlenance
Every
l2 Monrh3
or7,500lritês
t12oookn) ClulchPedâlFrêêTraver
ChecrJAdius(.
TneRotation
lRadra
Trcs
Êv€ry12Month.
ort5,000
M ê3
{24
000ktr coorinq
SyslemChec[- See Erolanalon
Every
30,000M ê3 (43
000km)
Every
100!000M es(160000
kn) Auto.Trâns.Fluida Filrefchân9ô
SECIION
B- Satety
Maintênance
Evefy12Mon$s
or7,500
M es(12ooo kû) Tne,whéêrèndDlsc
Brakecheck
'E\hausl SyrlêmChê.k
suspensionandsr.ârinocrrêck
Brârê
andPowerSkerinacheck
Evèry12Months
or15,000
Mtt€s
(24
ooo
lû)
SECTION
C- Emlssion
ControtMaintênance
SchoduteI
arllr.r 6lronfts or7,s00
Mitê.-(12000kn) Thon€t18-Monrh/
22,500-l,lllê(36000
kn) tntervât5.3Indtcgtêd
Infoq
ThârmoConùorred
ArrCteânerCheck
Caôu.eîor
Chokê&HosêsChêck
Engi.e ldle Speôd Adjùsrm€nt
FEsysr€mchêch
(ifsoequipped)
CârburclofMounlin9Torque
VâcuumAdvan.e
Syslen&HosesCheck
Ev€ry12
Monthsor 15,000
M 63e{ 000knl vslemCheôk- PCVVâve A Filer-See Exoânalion
Èvêryr5,ooo
Mr€. {24000
km) u(ygens€nsorchang€
('r
sô
€qu'ppêd)
Every22,s00
Mll6 (36000
kû)
spâfr Prua wrcs chèck
vacuumDirrêrênriar
valve,
Difterenlial
vacuumoelay&
Sêparator
Valve3.3Lihe
(231
CIO)V6E.sinewlhA.l.R.
lop Solenoidand/of DâshootChsck
G13 sparI PrugH€pracement
EnqineTiminq
Adlusl&Ost b Check
Every
30,000M es(4t000kr an cbanerElemenl
FeDlacemenr
Êvêry24
Monrheor30,000Mttês
(48
OOOkm) EcS
SvslemCheck&FiherReoa.eû€nl
fueruàp,rankândL^esuheck
SECTION
C- Emlssion
ConirotMainleîance
Sch€dLrt€
tl
Àtl|Br 6Monlhs
or7,500
M[es(12000 *m)
- Thên24-Montt
30,000-Mlle
{43
000km)
Inten.tr r. Indtcatéd
in Log,Etcept
C.2,
WhlchReqùirê8
S.rvtce
at45,000M[es
t72
OOOkm)
Thêrmo.
Conl.olledAir CleanerCheck
Carbureb.Chore&Bos€scheck
Enqinê
ldle SD€€dAdluslmênl
EFESyslemChêck
(ifsoâquipps
càrbur€lorMountinq
Torque
Ëvêry12
Month.or15,000
M .. (24OOO
kût
Every15,000
M ê3
(24000
kh) oxygenseôsofohâng€
{ir
so
êqu
ppêd)
Evèry
30,000M é. (43
000tm,
Vacuum
Diifer€nllàlVâv€,OitlerentialvacuumDeiay&
separâtorvarve
3.3Litre
(231
ctD)V6EnsinewirhA..8.
ark
PlugFeplacement
c.15 0arburêlor
vâôuumBreakcheck
AlfCleânârElêmenl
Âeolaceûenl
Every
24Monlhs
or30,000
Mlt.e
l430OOkmt ECS
SwlemChe(k&FrllerRêDlacenarn
Fis 0B-1-Vehicle
Mâinlenance
Schedule

MAINTENANCE
ANOLUBRICATION
O8-3
MAINTENANCE
SCHEDULE
.. ..Thi! is an erplanâùon
of rhe
service
l;red in rhe
venrcle
Marnrerance
schedule_
NORMAL VEHICLE USE_The mamtenânce
mstructions
contained
in the maintenance
schedule
âre
based
on the assumption
thât the car will be used
as
designed:
. . Tocarr) passengers
ând
cârgo
withinrheljmitârions
Indrcared
on rheTire Placârd
locâred
on lhe edgeof lhe
_. . on reasonable
roadsurfâces
within tegât
operating
limits,
. onadaily
basis,as
ageneral
rute,forâl least
several
miles/kilometres,
and
. on unleaded gasoline.
^ Unusuâl
operaring
condirions
$i require
more
frequent vehiclemaintenance
âsspecified
in rhercs.pective
SECTION
A
LUBE
& GENERAL
MAINTENANCE
A-1
Chassis
Any significanr
flurdlossin anyof fo owingsylrems
or un,ts
coutd
meanrhar
a matfuncrion
is
devetoping
ând
corr€ctive
action
should
betaken
immediately.
Lubricate
thefollowing
sysrem
or ùnits
Front Susp6nsion
Lub câre fiuitrgs with warer resjstant
Ep châssis
lubricanr
whichmeers
cM Specificaiion
6O3lM.
NOTICE: Ball
joinrs
shouldnorbelubdcateal
unless
therrtemperaru.e
is l0T Cl2'C), or higher.
During
coldweâther,
theyshouldbeallowed
to warm
up as
necessary
before
beinglùbdcated.
Ste€ring Linkage
(Also a Safety Sdrvice)
Lubricatefittings with water resistanr
Ep châssis
lubricant
which
meets
cM Specificâtion
6031M.
Transmission
Shift Linkag6
(Manual ano
Automatic)
(Also Safety Service)
Lubricate
shift linkage
andon manual
uansmrssron
{loor
controlslever
contâcting
faces*ith wâter.esistânt
Ep
chassis
lubricant
whichûeets
cM specification
6O3lM.
Hood Latchgs
Lubricate hood lârch assembly
and hood hinge
assembly
asfollows:
1.Wipe
o1Ianyâccumulation
ofdirt orconBmrnauon
onlâtchpârts.
2. Apply Lubriplat€
or eqùivâtent
to larchpilotbolrs
and
latchlocking
plare.
3.Àpply light engine
oil to all pivor
poims
m rereâse
mechanrsm,
as well as p.imary and secondary
lâtch
4. Lubricêre
hood
hinges.
5.Makehood
hingeândlatch
mechanism
functional
check
to assure
the
assembty
isworking
correctly.
Hing€s
Thefollowing
poinrs
should
bechecked
andiubricâted:
hinges
on all doors,
fuel filler door,rrunk lid, doorlock
stdker
and
doo.
jambswirches.
Psrking Brâke Pulley,
Cable
and Linkage
(Also a Safety Seruiêê)
Applywater
resistanr
EP
châssislubricant
which
meets
GM specification
6031M,
to parking
brake
câbleat cable
gùdes
andat all operâting
links
andleve.s.
AcceleratorLinkâgo
lAlso a Safaty Service)
Lubricate
carbùretor
srudand carburetor
lever
and
âccelerato.pedal
lever
at supponwith engine
oil.
gody Lubrication
SeeBodyServiceManual
for bodylubricatiotr.
A-2Fluid
Levels
Check
batteryand
thefollowing
fluid levels:
Ballory Carê
The original equipment
ba ery needs
no periodic
mâintenance.
Ils ropispermanenrty
sealed(eÀcepr
for r\ao
small
vent
holes)andhasno lillercaps warer wilt never
haveto beâdded
Checkfor danage
whichcouldâllow
elecrrolyte
leâk
suchascracked
or broken
caseor cover.Chêck
terminâls
ând terminâl areafor broken parts and inspect
for cracks.
The hydrometer(test indicator)
in rhe top of the
batteryprovid€s
irfo.mation
for tesring
purposes
only.See
Section
6D for bâttery
test
procedures.
CAUTION: Follow thg precautions
listod
below when jump starting or when
working on or near thg battôry_ The
instructions b€low must bê followed
oxaclly or personal
iniury (particularly
to
eyes)
or property
damagemay rosultfrom
battery sxplosion, battery acid, or
€lgctrical
(shortcircuit) burns.
MAJOR SAFETY
PRECAUTION
IS TO MAKE
lHE FINAL
CONNECTION
TO GROUNO
(A SOLID
STATIONARY
METALLIC
OBJECT)
ON
THE ENGINE AT SOME DISTANCE
FROM THE BATTERY.
THIS HELPS
R€DUCE THE CHANCE OF AN
EXPLOSION
DUETOSPARKS,
. To lossgn the chance of an
explosion,hgver expose the batterv to
openflamês
or electric
sparks.
Alsôoo
not smoke near thê batt6ry.Battories
giveott a gas which is flammâbte
and

OB.4 MAINTËNANCE
AND LUBRICATION
exPlosive.
. To lessen
the risk of injury in csso
an explosion does occur, wear eye
protoction or shield
your eyes
when
working
near
anybattery-Do not leanovera bâttery.
. Donotallowbattery
fluidto conract
eyes,
skin,fâbrics,
or painted
surfacesbecause
battery
fluidisâ corrosive
acid.Flush any contactod
âreâ with watgr immediatêly and
thoroughly.
Also get medicalh6lpif eyes
are aTTêcted.
. Tolessentherisk
ofa shortcircuit,remove
rings,metalwatch
bandsândother
metaljewelry.
Also do not âllowmetaltoolsto contâct
âi the
same
time the positive
bâtteryterminal
(or âny
metalconnected
to thisrerminal)and
anyother
metal
on thevehicle.
Makecerrâinwhen
a achingrhe
jumper
cabl€clampsto the positive
terminals
of the
batteriesthât neither
clampcontactsany other
metal.
Master Cylindsr
(Also a Safety Sêrvice)
Check
flLridlevelin eachreservoir
andmaintain1,/4"
belowlowest
edgeofeâchfiller
opening
with
D€lcoSupreme
No. 1l or DOT"3hydraulicbrakefluid,or equivalenr.
A low fluid levelin the brakemastercylinder
can
indicâîeworn disc brakepâds,
and shouldbe checked
accordingly.
Power St€sring System
(Also a Safoty Sêrvice)
Add GM PowerSteering
Fluid (cM 1050017)of
equivalent
âsnec€ssary
(fi9.
0B-2):
. If fluid is warmedup (about
150'F
or 66'C-horro
thetouch),it should
b€between
"Hot" ând "Cold" marks
on the filler capindcâtor.
. Ifcool (about
70'For zl'C), fluidshouldbeberween
"Add" ând"Co1d"
malks.
Ftuiddoesnorneedperiodic
changing.
SearAxle (Standard)
Lubricant
Checklubricant
level.Add lubricant,if necessary,
to
fill tolevelof fillerplug hole.
UseSAE80WGL-5or SAE
80W-90GL-5orGM 105227l
/ 1052212
geat
lrbricaîr.Fof
thosevehiclesdriven
in Canada,useSAE80W
cL-5 gear
lubricant.
R€arAxlê (Limitdd.Slip)
Lubricanl
Checklubricant
level.Add lubricânt,i1
necessary,ro
fill to levelof filler plug hole.UsegearlubdcântcM
1052211
/ 10522 72 ot eq]ji ^lent.
Automatic TransmissionFluid
Use only automâtic transmissionfiuid labeled
DEXRON@ II or equivalent.
Check
theautomâtictrânsmissionfluid levelât each
engine
oilchange
p€riod.
Overfilling
caDcausefoamingând
loss
of fluid. Traûsmission
damaeecanresult.Loiv fluid
levelcâncâus€slipping
or lossof drive.
Automatic
transmissionsâreoftenovedlled because
thefluidlevelis
checkedwhenthefluidis
cold.
When
cold,
thedipstick
showsthâtfluid
shouldbeadded.However,
the
"HOI"
"coLD"
"AÙÙ''
Fig.0B'2-PowèrSteeringFillerCêp
low rۉdingis no.mai,
theievelwill riseasthefluid g€ts
warm.The fluid levelwill increase
morethân 3/4 inch
(19mm)
asfluid wârmsup from 60'F to 180'F
(16'C
to
82'C).
Checkthe tra:rsmissionfluid levelwith the engine
running,theshiftleverin "Park",andthecarlevel.
NOTICE:Ifthe cârhâsjust
beenddven
for
a
long
time
athigh
speedorin citytraffic
in hotweather,or ifthe
carhasbeen
pullinga trailer,thecorrcct
fluid level
cannotberead.Wâituntil th€fluid hascooleddown
(about
30minutes).
Remove
thedipstick.Carefuuytouchthew€t€ndof
thedipsticktofindoutifth€fluidiscool,wârmorhot.wipe
it cleanandpush it backin until câpseats.Puil out the
dipstickandreadthefluid level
(fis.0B-l).
. If it felt cool,aboutroom temperâture,the l€vel
shôuldbe1,/8
to 3/8 inch(l to 10n1m) belowthe"Add"
mark.Thedipstickhastwodimplesbelowth€
"Add" mark
to showthisiânge,
. Ifit feltwarm,thelevel
should
be
closetothe"Add'
mark(either
aboveor below).
. If it was
toohotto hold,thelevelshouldbeat the
"Full" ûark.
NOTICE:DO NOTOVERFILLit takesonlyone
pint
(0.5
litre) to raiselevelfrom "Add" to "Full" with a
hot trarsmission,
Manual Transmission
Lubricant
Checklubricantlevel.Add lubricant,if necessary,
to
fil1to level
of filler plug
hole.
3 ând 4-Sp99dManual Transmission
UseSAE
80W
GL-5or SAE80W-90GL-5geâr lubricant.Forthose
vehiclesdriven in Canadâ,use SAE 80W GL-5 geâr
lubricant.

MAINTENANCE
AND LUBRICATION OB.5
Fig.
OB'3-Àutomaiie
Transmission
O
pstick
WindshiEld
Washer Fluid
(Also a Safêty Serviêê)
Fill rhewasher
jar only J,/4
fultdurinslhewinrer
10
allow for expansion
if rhe remperarure
shouldfall low
enough
to freezelhesolution,
, . Check
lhe $asherflujd levelregularly-do
ir oflen
wnenrne
weatherrsbad.
. Usea fluid suchas
cM Optikleen
or €quivalent
lo
help
prevent
freezing
dâmage,andfor bettercleâniry.
. Do not useradiator
ântift€eze
in the windshield
washer;
it could
cause
paint
damage.
. In coldwgsthor, warm ihe windshioldwith
tho dofrosters boforo using the washor-to h€lp
provent icing that may block ths drivor'svision.
Cooling
System Caro
Do not rcmoverâdiator
capto checkôoolant
level,
Instead,
checkby lookingat the "seethrough'coolânt
recoverytânk.
Levelshouldbe
atthe,'Full
cold" markon
ther€covery
tankwhen
thesystemiscold;and
âtthe"Full
Hot" mark
during€ngine
operation.Add â 50,/50mixture
ofa good
quality
ethyl€n€
glycol
antifreezeândwâter
tothe
recovery
tank whenmorecoolantis needed.If frequenr
additions
arcneeded,cooiing
system.
NOTICE:Ifthe properquaiity
ântifreeze
isused,therc
isnoneed
toâddexlrainhibilors
oradditivesthatclâim
to improv€ thesystem.Theymâybeharmfulto the
proper
operation
ofthesysiem,and
areanunnec€ssâry
expense,
4.3
ManualTransmission
ClutchAdjustment
Clutchadjùstment
shouldbecheckedand
adjustedâs
necessâry
to compensatefor clutch facingwear.To check,
depress
pedalby hand until resistânceis felt. Free travel
shouldbeâpproximately
onetooneandahâlfinches;
ifvery
little or no ftee travel is evident,clutch âdiustment
is
A-4
& 5Engine
oiland
Filtor
(Also an Eûission Service)
Engine
Oil and Filter Recommendations
. Useonly SEqualityengine
oils(see markings
on
contain€n).Do not useengin€oil mârked
SE/CD.
. Changeoil each7,500miles (12
000km) or onceâ
year,which€ver
occursfirst. Chângeoil filter ât thefiIst oil
change
andeâchs€condoil chang€âfter rhar,if rhecar is
drivenmore
thân7,500miles
(12
000km) peryeâr.
If oil
is changedonce a year, chang€the filter each rime you
chanee
oil.
. Changeoil and filter each3,000mites (4 800km) oi
3 months
if oftenl
. Driving in dusty areas
. Pulliry a trâiler
. Idlingfor long periods
o Drivirg 4 miles(6 kilometres)
or less
in freezing
. After
ddvinginadusr
srorm,chânge
rheoiland
filier
assoon
as
youcan,
. The oil ând filter change
i[tervals for the engineis
bâsed
ontheuse
of SE
quality
oih andhighqualiry
lilters
likeAC oil lilters
or equivalent.
Useof non-SE
oilsor oil
changeintervâls
longer
thanlisted,could
reduc€engine
life
ândmight affectwarranty.
. The enginewasfilled with an SEquatity engine
oil
when
it wasbuilt.
Youdonothave
tochangethis
oilbefore
th€sùggested
change
period.Checktheoil level
oftenwhen
Oil Viscosity
Use the chart (fig. 0B-4) to selecr rhe p.oper oil
thickness
(calledviscotity or SAE ViscosityGrâde)for the
t€mperaturcrange exp€cted
beforc next oil change.This
helps
coldandhot
starting.If will also
givegood
engin€life,
andfuelandoil mileâge.
ChockingOil Level
. Wârm Thebesttimeto checkrheengine
oil level
iswhen
theoil is $arm. First allowtheoil to drainback
totheoilpan. Then
pullthedipstiqkour,wipeit clean,ând
push
it back
downâll theway.Now pull thedipstick
orrt
andlook
attheoillevelo1rthe
dipstick.Somedipsticks
are
mârked
with "Add" and 'Full' lines.
othersarema*ed
'add I Qt." and"OperatingRaûge.In all casgs the oil
lsvolshouldbekepabovEtho "Add" line.
Pushthe
dipstickbackdown
allthewayaftertaking
thereading.Add
oil if needed.
. Cold Ifoil level
ischeckedwhenoil h cold,donot
run the enginefirst. The cold oil will not drain back fast
enough
to thepan to give â true
oil level.
EnginE
Oil Additiv€s
Therc are many extm engineoil helpe$ oi additives
for sale. The engineshouldnot n€ed
theseextraengine
oil
helpersif SE qualityengineoil is usedând changedas
suggested.If yor think your enginehas an oil related
problem,r€fer to Section64.
4.6TireRotation
To €quâlizewear,iotate tires asillùstrâted in Figure
0B-5andâdjusttirepressures
âsshownonthe
tircplacârd
which is located on the left ftont door edge.Râdiâl ti.es
shouldberotatedatfirst7,500rniles
(12
000km)and
rhen
at leastevery 15,000miles (24 000 km) thereafter.Bias-
belt€dtires
shouldberotatedevery7,500
miles
(12
000krn).
In addition to theserotation schedulesboth bias-belted
and
râdialtiresshoùld
be
rotated
wheneve.uneven
tirewearis
noticed.
Inflation Piessure
The
coldinflation
pressures
listed
ontheTirePlacârd
providefor thebestbalanceof tire life, riding comfort, and
vehiclehandlingundernormaldriving conditions.Incorrect
tire inflation pressures
canhaveadverse
affectson tire life

O8.6 MAINTENANCEAND LUBRICATION
RECOMIVENDEDSAEVISCOSIlYGRADES
TEVPÊRATUqERAI\CE
Â\TICIPATFO
SEFORF
'{EXT
OILCIIAI\CE
ll
n|ilililt
PROPERIYINFLATEO
IA4PiOPERLYINFLATED
NOTICE:0oiol usesAE5w-20oils
lor
continuous
high'speed
dfivins.
Fig.OB-4-.Engine
O
IViscosity
Charr
and
vehicleperformance(fig.08-o).
Toolowanair
pressure
causesincreased
tire flexing and heat build-up.This
weakensthe tire aûd increasesthe chanceof damage
or
failure.It cânresult
intircoverloading,abnormâltirewear,
adverse
vehicle
handling,ândreducedfuelmileage.
Tohigh
an
âirpresswe canrcsultin abnormalwear,hârshride,
and
alsoincreâsethechanceof damagefromroadhâzards.
Tire inflation pressures
should be checked(this
itcludesthe
sparetire,unlessit isastowawayspârc)
âtleast
monthlyandwhen
significantlychangingth€loâdin the
v€hicle.
Always
checktireinflation
pressures
wh€ntircs
are
'cold.'
1.The"cold' tireinflation prcssure
appliesto therire
pressure
when
avehicle hasnotbeendrivenmorethân
one
mile(1.6
kilometrg aftersittingfor three hours
or more.
2. It is normalfor lirc pressures
to increase4-8psi
(30-60
kPâ) or more wher the tires becomehot ftom
driving.Do not "bleed"or rcducetireinllâtion pressures
afte.dlivingcar.Bleedingserv€storeduce
"cold"inflâtion
pressure
ândincreâsetireflexingwhichcanresultir tir€
dâmageand failure.
3.Forsustaingd
driving at speedsof 75 mph
to 85 mph l12O km/h to 14O km/hl in countries
whete
permitt€d
by law,coldinflâtioûpressures
mustbe
increased4 psi (30 kPâ)aboverhe stated
cold inflarion
Fig08,6-PropeflyInllated
T
re
pressures
ontheTirc Plâcaldup tothemaximumfor each
load
rangestatedin thechartbelow.Sustain€d 5pe9d6
of 75 mph to 85 mph (120 km./hto 140 km/h) are
not âdvissd when
the 4 psi adjustmentwouldrequire
pressuresgrcâter than the maximum for eachload mnge
stâted
onthechart.Sustainsd driving at spgsds ovêr
85 mph (140 kmlh), whero pormilted by law, is
nol advis€d unless
yourvehicle
isequippedwith special
highspeedtires.
4.Whentowingtrailers,tiresshoùldbeinflatedtothe
"ColdTire Pressure"
for "Max. Load"shownontheTire
Piacardon thel€ft front door.The âllowable
pâssenger
ând
cargoload for the car, alsoshowson the same
placard,is
reduced
by anamounteqUalto thet.ailertongueloadon
thetrailerhitch.
5.Always usea tirc pressuregage(a pockettype gage
is advis€d)when ch€ckinginflâtion pressùrcs. Visuai
inspection
of tiresfor inflationpressures is not enough,
especiâlly
in thecaseof radiâltires.Underinflâtedradiâl
tires
mâylooksimilarto correcdy inflatedradiâl
tires.If
theinflation
pressùre
onaiirequite oftenisfoùndtobelow,
6. Besureto reinstallthetire inflation valve
caps,if
soequipped,to preventdirt andmoisturefrom gettinginto
thevalve corewhichcouidcauseâir leakage
7.If anâir loss
occurs
while
driving,donotdriveon
thedeflatedtiremorethanisneededtostopsafely.Driving
evena shortdistanc€ona deflatedtire candamasea hre
andwhe€l
beyond
repâir.
lnsDoctionand Rolation
To obtain maximum
tirc life,inspect and
rotate
tires
regularly-
Biasândbias-beltedtiresshouldberotatedat
leasteâch7,500miles
(12
000km).Râdialtires shouldbe
rotâtedatthefiftt 7,500miles
(12
000km)ândth€nâtleâst
every15,000miles
(2a000I(m),
or wheneve. uneventir€
Afterrotation
besuretocheck
wheelnut
tightnessand
adjustthe tire prcssures, front ândrear(See Tire Placârd).
CAUTION: Bofor€ installingwhools, any
build-uo of corrosion on the wh€ol
mountingsurfaco
and brakedrum or disc
mounting surface should b9 romovodby
scrapingsnd wifo brushing.Installation
of whesls without good m€tal-to-mEtal
contact at thô mounting surfâcos can
causo wheel nuls to looson,which can
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08.5-TreBorâr'on

-:
MAINTENANCE AND LUBRICATION OB-7
latgr
allowthEwh66l
to comêoff while
thecarisin
motioh,
possibly
causingloss
of control.
NOTICE:
Brakes
should
beinspected
forwearwhen
thetiresarerctated.
A-7Rear
Axleand
ManualTransmisston
RearAxlê
L Standard
-Drainândrefill
tol€velorfiller
plughole
every15,000miles
(24
000km) when
usingvehicleto pult
a trailer. Use SAE 80W or SAE 80W-90cL-5 gear
lubricant.
In Canadâ,
useSAE 80W-cL-5gear
lubricant.
2. LimitedSlip- Drainandthenfill to ievel
of filler
plus holewith g€ar
lubdcant
*GM t052271/1052272
or
equivalent
afterthefirst 7,500
miles
(12
000km).Change
lubricant
every15,000miles
(24
00okn) when
usinsvehicle
to pùll Â
trailer.
* alsoadd4 oz.of cM part no. 1052358lubricanr
âdditive
or equivalentto all models
except
"A" sedes.
Manual Transmission
Checklùbdcantlevelândaddif necessaty.
4.8Cooling
System
{Also an Emission Servica)
Thecoolântrecovery
systemisstandârd.Thecoolant
in the radiator
expands
with heât,and the overflowis
collectedinther€coverytank.Whenthesystemcoolsdown,
thecooiantisdrawnback into theradiator.
The
coolingsystemhasbeenfilledâtthefactory
with
a quality coolântthâtmeets
Generâl
Motors
Specificâtion
1899-M.
Servic€
Thecoolingsystemshouldbeservicedeach
year
or
15,000miles
(24
000kln) asfollows:
L washradiatorcapand fillerneckwithcleanwater.
2. Check
coolant
levelandtestfor freeze
protection.
3. Have systemand radiatorcap tested
for proper
pressure
holding
capacity,
15
psi
(105
kPa)..If replâcement
capisneeded,usea capdesigned
by Ac or €quivalentfor
coolantrecovelysystemsandspecified
for yourmodel.
4.Tightenhos€clâmpsand
inspectâilhoses.Replace
hosesif swollen,"checked',or otherwisedete orâted.
5. Clean frontal ârea of Édiator core and air
conditioningcondenser.
Flushand Refill
Every two yeârs or 10,000miles (48 00o km),
whichever
occurs
first,thecoolingsystemshouldbeflushed
ândrefilledasfollows:
1.Removeradiâtorcâpwhenengineiscool,
. Rotate
capdowlytotheleftuntilit reachesa"stop"
(Do not press
down
whileturningthecap).
. Wait
untilpressùre
isrelieved
(indicated
byahissing
sound)jthen
press
downoncapandcontinùeto rotâteto
theleft.
CAUTION: To h€lp avoid the danger of
being burhed, do nol remov€ tho radiator
capwhile the 6ngineandradialorarestill
hot. Scalding fluid and st€am can be
blown out under pr€ssure it th€ cap is
takên off too soon.
2. With radiatorcapremoved,
rrrnthe engineuntil
upper
radiatorhoseishot (this
shows
thatthethermostat
isopen
andthecoolantisflowing
through
thesystem).
3.Stopengineand
open
radiâtor
drainvalve
to drain
coolant.
(Drainage
maybe
speededbyremovingdrâin
plugs
in theblock.)
4. Closedrain vâlv€ (install block dÉin plugs,if
remov€d).
Add water until systemis filled.
5.Repeatsteps3,and4severaltimes
untilthedrained
liquidis nۉrlycolorless.
6. Drain systemandthencloseradiatordrâinvalve
tightly.
(Install
blockdrainplugs, if removed.)
7.Remove
recoverytankcap,l€avinghos€sin place.
Removecoolantrecoverytankand
emptyfluid.Scrubând
cl€âninsideof tânkwith soapand wâter.
Flushw€llwith
cleanwâter
ard drain.Reinstalltank.
8.Add €noughethylene
glycol
solution,meetingcM
Specification1899-M,andwaaerto provide therequired
cooling fùnction âs well as freezing ând corrosion
protection.
Usea 50
percent
solution,
-34'F
(-36'C),
butno
morethana 70percent solùtion.Fill râdiato.to th€base
of theradiâtoriiller neckandraiselevelof coolantin the
recoverytankto the 'Ful1Hot" mark.Reinstallrecovery
tânkcap.
9. Run engine,
with radiator cap removed,uniil
râdiatorupperhoseishot.
10.With engineidling,âddcoolân!to radiatoruntil
level
reaches
bottomoffiller neck.Instâllcap,mâkingsùre
arrowslineup with overflowtube.
It istheowner's responsibilityto:
. Maintaincoolingsystem
fr€eze
protection
at -34'F
C37'C)
to ensure
prot€ction
âgainstcorrosionand
loss
of
coolant
ftom boiling.Thisshouldbedoneeven
if freezing
temperaturesarenotexpected.
. Add ethylene
glycol
basecoolantthat meeisGM
Specification1899-M
whencoolanthastobeaddedbecause
of coolantlossor to provideadd€d
protection
against
Èeezingat temperatu.es
lowerthaû-34'F
G37'C).
NOTICE:Alcoholor methanolbâsecoolantsor plain
wateraloneshould
notb€usedinavehicleâtanytim€.
RadiatorPressursCap
Th€radiato.câp,a15
psi(105
kPâ)
plessure
type,
nust
be installedtightly, otherwise
coolantmay be lost and
damageto engine
mây resultfrom overheÂting.
Radiator
pressùrecapsshouldbe checked
periodically
for proper
operation.
Thermostat
The engine coolanttemperature
is controlledby â
thermostat.
It stopscoolântflowthrough
lheradiâtoruntil
a
pre-set
temperatureisreached.
This
thermostâtis
installed
ontheengineblock.Thesâmethermostât
isusedin both
winterandsummer.
A-9Wheel
Bearing
For normalappiication,clean
andrepackfrontwheel
beâringswith ahigh
meliing
pointwheelbearinglubricant
ateachfrontbrakeliningrepiaceûentor 30,000niles(48
000km),whicheveroccursfirst.Forheavydutyapplication

OB.8 MAINTENANCEAND LUBRICATION
suchas
police
cars
ândtaxi cabs,cleanandrepack
front
wheel
bearingsât each fion! brake liningreplaceûentor
15,000
miles
(24
00Okm) which
everocculsfirsr.
Use
Wheel
Bearing
LubricantcM PartNo. 1051344
or eqùivâlent. This is a premium high melting point
lubricant.
NOTICE: "Long fiber" or "viscous'type lubdcanr
should not be used. Do not mix wheel bearing
lubdcants.Besure
to thoroughlycleânbearings
and
hubsof all old lubricant beforerepackinS.
Tâperedrollerbeafings
used
in thisvehiclehave
aslightlyloosefeelwhen
properly
âdjusted.They
must
neverbeover tightened(preloaded)
or severebearing
dâmâgemayresult.
Refer to section 3C for proper detailed adjusrment
procedures
andspecifications,
A.10Manual
StsoringGoar
The steering
gear
is fâclory-filledwith steering
geâr
lubricant.Seasonalchangeof thislubricânt
shouldnot be
performed
and the housingshould not be drained-no
lubricationisrequiredfor rhelifeof lhesreering gear.
Inspectfor
sealleakage
(âctuâl
solid
grease-notjùst
oily
film).lfa sealisreplâcedorthe
gear
isoverhauled,
the
gear
housing
shouldberefilledonly with the proper
Steering
Gear
Lubricartâsnotedbelow.
NOTICE:
Useonly1052182
(13
oz.
(.38L)
container)
Steering Geâr Lubricant which meets GM
Specification4673M,
or itsequivalent.
Do not use EP chassislube, meetingcM
Specification
6031M,1olubicate the
geâr.
DO NOT
OVER-FILL the
gۉr
housins.
4.11ClutchCross.Shaft
R€movethe plug, install a lubricationfitting and
lublicatewith waterresistantEPChassisLubricantwhich
meeisOM Specification
6031M.
A-12AutomaticTransmission
Fluid
Referro A-2 for checlingâuromalic
lransmissron.
Changethe
transmissionfluidandservicescreenevery15,-
000rniles
(24
000km)ifthe vehiclehâsbeendriven
under
oneol rnoreof these hotconditions:
. In heavycity trafficwherc
theoutsidetempemtule
regularlyreâches90'F
(32'C).
. In hill or mouitain âreas.
a In hill or mountain
areas.
. Frequ€nttrail€r
pulling.
. Frequent
trailer
pulling.
. Usessuchastaxi,police
caror deiiveryservice.If
the vehiclewas not usedmâinly under any of these
conditions,chang€thefluidandservice
screeneach
100,000
miles
(160
000km).
NOTICE:DONOTOVERFILL it tak€sonly
one
pint
(0.5
litre)ro râise
levelfrom "Àdd" to "Full' with a
hoi trânsmission,
SECTIONB
SAFETYMAINTENANCE
8.1ownorSafstyCh6cks
-
The
maintenanceSchedulein the
glove
boxlistsitems
to be checked
by theowner.
8.2Tirss,Whools,
snd
Disc
Brakes
During tire roiation, checkdisc brakepadsfor weai,
and surfacecondition of rctors while wheeb are removed
(see
Item À-5). Checktiresfor excessiveor abnormâlweâr,
ordâmage,
Be
surewheelsarenotbentorcrackedandthat
wheelnuts havebeeniightened to the torque valueshorùn
in Section3E.
8.3Exhaust
Svstem
Check the complete exhaust system, including the
catalyticconverter.Checkbody areasneârthe exhaust
systemandalsothetrunklid,hatchback,ortailgate.Look
for broken, dâmaged,missing, or out-of-position pÂrts.
Also,inspectfor openseâms,holes,looseconnections,or
orherconditionswhichcoulilcausea heâtbuildùp in the
Iloor
pân,
or couldletexhaustfumesseepintothetrunko.
pâssenger
compartment.Dust or wat€Iin thetrunk may
indicate
aleakin thearea.Neededrepairsshouldbemade
at once.To help mâintainsystemintegrity,replacethe
exhaust pipes and resonators rearward of the mufller
whenever
a neivmumerisput on.
8.4
SuspensionandSteering
Ch€ckfront andrearsuspension, ândsteedngsystem.
Lookfor damaged,loose,or missing
parts;
alsofor parts
showingsignsof wear,or lâck of iubrication.Replace
questionâbiepa.ts
at once.
8.5Bfakes
and
Powor
Steering
Checklinesandhosesfor proper hook-up,binding,
leaks,
cmcks,châfing,etc.Any questionableparts should
bereplaced or repaired at once.
Whenrubbing
or wearis
notedon lines or hoses.the causemusi be corrected
Promptly.
8-6EngineDrivsBglls
(Also
anEmissionSêrvice)
Checkbeltsdriving the fan, AIR pump,genemtor,
power
steering
pump,
ândtheairconditioningcompressor,
Lookfor crâcks,fraying,weâr,ând
proper
tension.Adjust
or replaceasneed€d.
Frâyed or crackedbelts should be æplacedand
lensionedtospecificationsusingâstrandtension
gage,
such
astoolJ-23600
or equivalent.
Loosebellsmâyplace an€xtrem€lyhigh;mpâctload
ondriv€ncomponentbearingsdùeto thewhippingâction
of thebelt.
An overtightenedbelt places
unnecessary
loads
onthe
componenroeaflngs.
In the chart, the minimum readingis the low€st
allowables€ttingbeforethe belt must b€ res€t.when
readjusting,th€ adjustment
specificationshouldbe met.
When
adjùstingâdrivebelt,it isimportatrtthatthe
proper