Chevrolet CHEVY II 1966 User manual

66 CHE
OWNER'S
---- GUIDE
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A WORD FROM CHEVROLET . ...
Th is Owners Guide contains important information regarding the operation and
maintenance of your Chevy II.
In order to obtain maximum enjoyment and usage from your car, we suggest that
you familiarize yourself with the contents of this booklet
and follow the recommen-
dations outlined.
Your Chevrolet dealer has the trained personnel and specialized equipment to
properly service your Chevy II. Have
him inspect your car and perform any main-
tenance adjustments required.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing a Chevrolet
product-and assure you af our continuing interest in your motoring pleasure and
satisfaction.
CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION
•
© General MD t ors CDrpor a tion 1965
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
DETROIT , MICHIGAN 41202
SECO ND EDITlON
OC T08fR , 19 65
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Operating Instructions ....••...• : ..
Instruments .. _ ....... ...•. _ ... . . . .
Controls .
.... . .- .. .......... •.. .
Page
3 thru 7
8
and 9
10thru 17
Other Features .................. 18 thru 21
Station Wagon ..... . •........... 22 and 23
Cleaning Your Chevrolet. ................. 24
Ma _ in ,tena'nce and Lubrication .. . . . . . . 25 thru 36
Minor Trouble Shoating .. . . ....•. .. 37 thru 40
Specifications ...... ... . . ...... .. 41 thru 43
Index ............................... 44
All in 'f ormation contained in this booklet is the latest prod-
uct 'information available at th. lime of printing. The right
is reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
2
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Sound design and precIsion manufa - during methods
' will permit you to operate your new Chevy IT from its
very first mile without
adhering -' to -0 formal "breok~jn"
schedule. However, during .he first few hundred miles of
driving you can, by- observing a few simple ,precautions,
add to the future performarice and economy of your car .
It is recommended that your speed during the flrst
500 miles be confined to a maximum of 60 M.P.H., but
do not drive for e' xtended periods at anyone constant
Proper
maintenance and wise operation will combine
to help you
achieve maximum fuel economy with your
Chevy II. Your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer can prop-
erly tune
and maintain your car but wise operation is
your responsibility. Give the car sufficient warm~up
3
speed, either fast or slow. During this period, avoid full
throttle starts and, if possible, 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 futur'e brake efficiency.
Always drive at a moderate spe , ed until the engine
has completely warmed up.
time, do not moke full throttle starts or needless sudden
stops, and drive - at reasonable speeds and as steadily as
traffic permits to gain the benefits of all the economy
built into your Chevy II.
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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
SWITCH OFF
AND LOCKED
ACCESSORY
ACCESSORIES
ONLY
DRIVING
POSmON
/
ON START
STARTING
ENGINE
IGNITION SWITCH
The ignition switch has four
positions
as shown. The key
may be removed only when the
switch is in the OFF position.
The 'key must be pushed in as
you lurn to ACCESSORY position
for operating the accessories
when the engine is not running.
STARTING THE ENGINE
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION -Place selector lever in N or P position. The
engine will not sta rt when lever is in any other position.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION -Place gearshift conlrol lever in Neutral and de-
press dutch pedal to the floor.
ENGINE COLD -Depress accelerator pedal to floor and release. This presets
the automatic choke. With manual choke, pull control knob fully out while
holding pedal down.
ENGINE HOT -Depress the accelerator pedal part way down and hold
while starting.
DURING EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER (0 ' F. and belowl- Depress the accel-
erator pedal part way down and hold while starting.
Turn ignition switch to START and release as soon as engine starts . With
manual choke, set control knob for smooth engine operation.
"FLOODED" ENGINE -Depress accelerator pedal to floor and hold while
cranking engine. Never "pump" the accelerator pedal.
WARM-UP
Always let the engine idle for a moment or two after starting and drive at
moderate speeds for several miles, especially during cold weather. As soon
as the engine will run smoothly without the choke, push the choke control
fully in.
4
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MANUAL CHOKE
The Chevy II with the Super-Thrift 4-cylinder engine
is equipped with a manual choke. Since the choke oper-
ates to enrich the fuel mixture delivered to the corbu.
retor, its improper use can result in excessive fuel
consumption. Use the choke,
as outlined under "Start-
in9," only until the engine warms-up. Then if the choke
is still necessary to provide smooth engine operation
your Chevrolet dealer should be called upon to perform
such engine adiustments as may be necessary.
DRIVING WITH THE CHEVY II MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS
The 3-speed manual transmission shift positions follow the standard
pattern shown at the left. The 4-speed transmission shift lever, extend-
ing from the floor, has its special shift pattern diagram located on the
floor plate . Depress the clutch pedal fully before attempting to shift
to a different gear, then release the pedal to move in that gear. Shift-
ing into 2nd and 3rd gear as soon as possible will add appreciably
to your fuel economy. Always shift into a lower gear, when slowing
down,
before the car begins to "lug" or labor and also when descend-
ing steep hills. Both transmissions, being fully synchronized, may be
downshifted into lst gear at any speed below 20 m.p.h. Shift into
Reverse
gear only after the car has stopped. Always depress and
release the clutch pedol fully when shifting.
When a push start is necessary turn off all electrical loads such as
heater, radio, and, if possible, lights, turn on the key, depress the
clutch,
and place the shift lever in 3rd gear. Release the clutch when
your
speed reaches 10 to 15 miles per hour. Extra effort will be re-
quired to operate power steering and power brakes until the engine
starts.
FOUR SPEED TRANSMISSION REVERSE SHIFT - Lift up on the re-
verse release cable handle just below the shift lever knob when shifting
into reverse
gear . The shift linkage may be adjusted to allow "short
stroke" shift lever operation. See your Chevrolet Dealer.
5
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The Powerglide is a completely automatic transmis-
sion which
replaces the standard clutch and transmission.
After starting the
engine with the selector lever in N
(Neutral)
or P (Park) position, select the range desired
(see tables below)
and depress the accelerator. A grad-
ual start with a steady increase in accelerator pressure
will result in greatest fuel economy. Rapid acceleration
for fast starts will result in greater fuel consumption.
COLUMN SHIFT LEVER
The heavy line in the illustration below indicates
P-PARK
R-REVERSE
N-NEUTRAL
D-ORIVE
L-LOW
the movement of the shift lever as it is lifted to shift into
Reverse
or Low and into or out of Park position.
FLOOR CONSOLE SHIFT LEVER
The floor console shift lever may be moved freely
between Neutral and Drive. Press lightly on the shift
lever button as you shift into Reverse or Low. Depress
the button fully
when shifting into or out of Park position.
Exercise
care in depressing the button to prevent unin-
tentional shifts to Park
or Reverse.
Use only when car is stopped.
For backing car-from stop.
For standing (Brakes Applied).
For forward driving. Depress accelerator to floor for extra
acceleration below 45 mph-:V-8, 40 mph-L-6.
For hard pulling through sand, snow or mud, and for climbing
or descending steep grades. Do not shift to Labove 40 mph.
6
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HOLDING CAR ON AN UPGRADE
When stopped on an upgrade, maintain your posi-
tion by applying the brakes . Never :hold 'he car in place
by acceleraling - engine . This coold-cause damage -by
overheating the -transmission.
"ROCKING" CAR
"Rock" the car to free it from mud, sand or snow by
accelerating the engine ' as - required and moving the
transmission selector lever between 0 and R positions.
PUSHING TO START -POWERGLIDE
Turn off all eJectrical loads such as radio, heater
and, ' if possible, lights ,until the engine starts.
With the ignition key turned ON and ' the transmis-
sion in N (neutral). allow the car speed to reach 25 - to
30 miles per hour. Then shift the transmission to L (low)
position. After the
engine starts, the transmission may
pe operated in - the normal manner. Never tow the caJ
to ,start. Extra effort will be required to operote the
power brakes and power steering until the engine starts.
TOWING
The car may be towed safely on its rear wheels with
the selector lever in " N" (Neutral) position at speeds
7
of 3S miles per hour or less un ' der most conditi'ons.
However, the drive shaft must be disconnected or
the car towed on its front wheels if 1) Tow speeds in
excess of 35 · mph · are necessary, 2) Car must be towed
for extended distances (over 50 milesl or, 3) Trans-
mission
is not operating properly. If car is towed on
its front wheels, the steering wheel should be secured
to maintain a straight ahead position.
PARKING YOUR CAR
Always engage the parking bra .ke and place the
tran smission selector lever in " Park" position when
leaving your car unattended.
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INSTRUMENTS
The instruments, gauges and indicator lights con·
veniently grouped in the instrument cluster are designed
to tell you at a glance many important things about the
performance of your car. The information on this and
the
following page will enable you to more quickly under.
HEADLIGHT BEAM INDICATOR LIGHT
The headlights of your Chevy II have high and low
beams to provide you with proper night-time visibility
dur ing all driving conditions. The "'ow" beams are used
during most city driving. The "high " beams are especially
useful when driving on dark roads since they provide
excellent long range illumination. The headlight beam
indicator will be on whenever the high beams or "brights"
8
stand and properly interpret these instruments. Familiar-
ize yourself with their location and purpose and make it
a practice to scan the instrument cluster as you start the
engine, after it starts, and periodically as you drive.
are in use. The Headlight Beam Switch controls the head-
light beams (see Page 11).
FUEL GAUGE
This electrically operated gauge registers cor rectly
when the ignition switch is in the " on " position. When
the ignition switch is turned "off," the needle will not
necessarily return to
the empty mark but may stop at any
point on the dial.
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ENGINE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR LIGHT
An indicator light is provided in the instrument cluster
to indicate a normal operating engine temperature and
also quickly warn afan over·heated engine. As you
start the car, the red indicator light will go on to let
you know that it is operating properly.
After the engine starts, the red light will go out
immediately, It will light up at no other time unless for
OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT
This light will be on when the ignition,. switch is
turned on and should go out after the engine is started.
Occasionally the light may be seen to flicker momen-
tarily, but this will do no harm. However, if the light
GENERATOR INDICATOR LIGHT
This light provides a quick check on the generating
system of your Chevy II. The red light will be on when
the ignition key is in the "on" position, but before the
engine is started. After the engine starts, the light should
9
some reason the engine reaches a dangerously high
operating temperature. If the red light should come on,
the engine must be stopped until the cause of the over-
heating is corrected.
Check this light frequently as you drive. Engine
temperature is normal as long as the red light is off.
remains
on during normal driving speeds the engine
should be stopped until the cause of the trouble can be
located and corrected. Driving the car with low oil
pressure can cause serious engine damage.
go out and remain out. If the light remains on when
engine is running, have your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer
locate and correct the trouble as soon as possible.
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CONTROLS
MANUAL
CHOKE
(4 CYLINDER ENGINE)
LIGHTER RADIO GLOVE BOX LOCK
HEATER
GLOVE BOX
10
LIGHT SWITCH
The three position light control switch con ,trols the
headlights, taillights, parking lights. instrument lights
and dome lights os shown. The headlight and porkin~
light circuits are protected by a circuit breaker. in -the
light switch. An overload wnt cause the lights to "flicker"
on and off'. If this _condition exists, have your Chevrolet
Dealer check your -headlight and parking light wid - ng
immediately.
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HEADLIGHT BEAM SWITCH
"High" and "low" headlight beams are controlled
by the floor button at your left foot. The Headlight Qeom
Indicator, located in the instrument cluster, will show
"BRIGHT" when the high beams are in use. Always use
"low beam" when approaching or following other cars.
11
TURN SIGNAL
Move the lever up for a right tvrn and down to
indicate a left turn. The instrument panel indicators will
flash to indicate the direction
of the turn being signaled.
When the turn is completed,
the lever will return to neu-
tral. In the event of a very
wide turn, it may. be neces~
sary to turn off the signal
manually.
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BRAKES
All Chevy II models are equipped with self-adjusting
brakes which eliminates periodic brake adjustments. The
self·adjusting mechan i sm is actuated, as needed, ev ery
time the caf is moved in reverse . and the brakes applied .
It is possible, however , far excessive broke pedal travel
to develop if the required reverse movement with a
brake applicat ion does n- ot toke place during a pro·
longed period of stop and gO' forwcird driving. Should
this occur, the car 'should be driven backward and for-
ward with , the brakes applied at the end of each direc -
tional movement, until the brake pedal travel is bock
to normal. If ·this procedure fails to restore normal pedal
Ira,vel, ar if any abnormally rapidincrea , se in ' ped ' a)
travel is experi'enced, immediate inspection should be
made by your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer. Cdre ,should
be exercis ed to as sure that full broke pedal -travel cannot
be obstructed by improper floo-r mats or other interfering
material under the pedal.
Power Brakes
Ca rs equipped with power brakes utilize engine
vacuum to re duce the brak ing effort to' much less t han
12
is required with r~gular brakes. A built-in vacuum reserve
will supply two or more power assisted brake applica~
tions after the engine has stopped. After ,this, additional
foot pressure will be needed for brake respa:,ise.
Parking Brake
The hand operated parking brake is conveniently
located iust to the right of the steering column.
• Pull the cane type handle toward you to apply the
parking brake. This mechanically sets the rear wheel
brakes. The handle will ,remain in the extended posi-
tion while the parking brakes are appHed.
• To release the parking brake, turn the handle clock-
wise
and allow it to return to its original position.
METALLIC BRAKE LININGS
Vehicles equipped with optiona l metallic brake lin-
ings, whether with standard or power brakes , will require
somewhat more relative pedal pressure when cold than
conventional brake -linings. This condition will exist only
until the unifs warm -up, several stops
at most.
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CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT
Clutch adjustment should be checked and adjusted
periodically as necessary to compensate for clutch facing
wear . To check, depress pedal by hand until resistance
is felt. Free travel of pedal should be approximately %.
inch; if very Httleor no free travel is evident, clutch ad-
iustment is required.
WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER
Turn the control knob clockwi'se to start electric
windshield wiper. The two~speed electric,wiper has both
a "low" and a "high" speed position.
The washer operating button is located in the center
of the wiper control knob. Pressing the button will send a
measured amount'of water or other cleaning agent onto
the windshield and will also cause the wiper knob to
turn, thus starting the wiper motor. The wiper will then
continue to operate until manually turned off at the
wiper knob.
Keep the
water container under the hood filled at
all times. Avoid operating the washer when jar is empty.
13
G. M. Windshield Washer Solvent and Anti-freeze added
to the water aids in cutting road fUm and grease from
the windshield,
and prevents freezing in the winter.
Solvent should be used according to the directions
on the bottle.
Be certain to use the correct concentration
during freezing weather.
Fill the washer jar only % full during the winter to
allow for expansion if the temperature shoold fall low
enough to
freeze the solution.
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KEYS, DOORS AND LOCKS
IGNITION,
DOOR LOCK
AND TAIL GATE
ALL
LOCKS
The octagonal-end key operates the ignition switch,
front
door locks and (on station wagons) the tailgate
lock.
The round-end key operates the locks for the glove
box and the trunk.
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 ham-
mer and punch; remove the knockout plug.
14
Door Locks
Chevy II door locks
are
designed both for passenger
safety and for the security of
your car and possessions. Al-
ways keep the doors locked
when driving as well as when
leaving the car unattended.
Locking the Door.
FRONT DOORS, Inside-push inside release handles
fully forward. Outside-use ignition key.
REAR DOORS, Inside-push down on locking button.
(Rear doors can
be locked from the inside only.)
Unlocking the Doors
FRONT DOORS, Inside-pull inside release handles
fully rearward. Outside-use ignition key.
REAR DOORS, Inside-lift up on locking button. (Rear
doors must be unlocked from inside.)
The
rear door release handles are inoperative when-
ever the locking button is depressed. This feature is of
particular value if young children ride in the back seat.
Before the
rear door can be opened from either inside
or outside, the locking button must be raised.
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CHEVY n "ALL TRANSISTOR" RADIOS
15
To operate the radios, the ignition switch must be
in "ON" or "ACe" position.
• • • MANUAL AM RADIO
The Jeft hand radio control knob is the. "on~ofl"
switch and volume control knob. At its base is the tone
control knob with which the radio. tone may be varied
from bass to treble.
The right
hand knob is the manual selector. When
the optional rear seat speaker is installed, a knob at the
base of the station seledor knob allows use of either
front or rear speaker, or both speakers simultaneously.
• • • PUSH BUTTON AM RADIO
In addition to the manual controls, the Push Button
Radio provides five push buttons with which
to auto~
maticallyselect preset stations. To preset, allow the radio
several minutes to become thoroughly warmed up, pull
the push button "out" as far as it will go/tune in the
desired station manually and then push the button fully
"in." Repeat this operation for each push button.
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HEATER
16
Push the AIR-FAN lever to the right to "AIR" to
allow outside air to pass through ~he heater. Further
movement
of the lever operates the low, medium and
high speeds of the fan_
Adjust TEMPERATURE lever as required to give the
desired degree of heat. Full right position provides
maximum heat.
Move the DEFROSTER lever to the right when wind-
shield defrosting is needed. Full rig~t position diverts
the entire air flow to the defroster. Vary TEMPERATURE
lever as required.
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ALL-WEATHER AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
The Chevy II All Weather Air Conditioning System
operates in conjunction with the heater to provide con-
ditioned air for passenger comfort during every season
of the year. Air flow may be directed through two side
louver outlets
and four ball outlets.
Operation
For maximum cooling capacity when first turning on
the system and during periods of extreme heat and
humidity, set the AIR lever to INSIDE, the TEMPERATURE
lever to COLD, and the DEFROSTER lever to OFF. Push
the three speed FAN switch fully down, pull the "AIR
(OND" knob on the under dash unit fully out, and
rotate the TEMP-COOL knob fully clockwise. Cooled,
recirculated air will flow from the adiustable outlets.
17
During periods of less severe heat and humidity the
AIR lever may be set to the right to blend in a portion
of outside air. Vary the TEMP-COOL knob and the FAN
switch (which must be turned "ON" during cooling opera-
tions) as necessary to satisfy your comfort requirements.
CUSTOM AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
The Custom Air Conditioning System will provide you
with warm weather driving comfort.
Operation
• Turn the FAN knob to control the three-speed blower
as desired.
• The TEMP-COOL knob may be regulated to provide
the degree of cooling desired. Fully clockwise pro-
vides maximum cooling.
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OTHER FEATURES
AIR VENTS
The air -vents ineQch kick panel admit air from the
vent ' grille,iust. anead of .the windshield. Control knobs
shown below Qp en and close the _ventS.
CLOCK
Re s et the clock, if your caf is so equipped, by pulling
out the knob and turning the hands clockwise if slow,
counterclo-ckwise
jf fast . This will, if the clock error is
three minutes or more, automatically compensate for
time gain or lag . Several'resettings, several days apart,
may be needed to properly adjust the clock mechanism.
Have y our clock cleaned_ and oiled by a competent clock
serviceman at least every · two years.
18
ASH TRAY
Pull on the lower edge of the ashtray to open . To
remove th .e tray, pull fully out, dep.ress, and then fernOV,e.
To install, insert tray in opening arid push back into place .
FRONT. SEAT ADJUSTMENT
The front seat may be quickly and easily adiusted
forward or rearward to provide maximum driving com·
fort. (Your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer can makeaddi-
tional adjustments to further tailor the seat to your
particular comfort requirements.
When the additional ad -
iustment is made rearward on a station wagon, the front
seat back maybe damaged if ·the second s eat is folded
with the front seat in its rear position.)
Pull back the seat adiuster lever, located on outboard
side of the front seat, to unlock the seat and allow ad-
iustment to the front o~ rear . As the seat slides for-
ward, it tilts slightly to provide best posture and increased
driving ease. Release the lever to lock the seat in the
desired position.
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POSITRACTION REAR AXLE
The optional Positraction rear axle will give you
constant driving force on both rear wheels, especially
helpful in the winter and during other slippery driving
conditions which might stop a conventionally equipped
vehicle. During turns, the positractionaxle applies the
maior driving force to the inside rear wheel thus im-
proving stability and cornering. Normal light throttle
application will supply maximum traction. When starting
with one rear wheelan an excessively slippery surface,
slight application of the parking brake may be neces-
sary momentarily to gain maximum traction.
SUPERLIFT AIR ADJUSTABLE SHOCK ABSORBERS
Optional Superlift air adjustable shock abso'r~ers
allow you to ride with the trunk or load space of your
car or station wagon fully loaded but with no annoying
19
sag or bumps. Air is added to the rear shocks as needed
through the air valve located along side the gas filler
neck.
A minimum pressure
of 10-15 psi. should be main-
tained at all times. After the car is loaded, pressure may
be increased until the rear of the vehicle reaches the
desired riding height or to 0 maximum of 90 psi.
GLOVE BOX
The glove box is locked and unlocked with the round
key.
POWER STEERING
The optional Chevy II Power Steering system sup-
plies about 80 % of the effort needed to turn the front
wheels. Should the engine stop, your Chevy II may still
be steered safely, but with somewhat greater effort.
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