GM Chevrolet Nova 1971 Manual

. .
1971 OWNER'S MANUAL
IMPORTANT OPERATING, SAFETY, AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
GM
CHEVROLET
NOVA
•
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A WORD TO NOVA OWNERS . ..
This manual has been prepared to acquaint you with the operation and maintenance of your Nova, and to provide im-
portant safety information. We urge you to read it carefully and follow the recommendations contained to help assure
the most enjoyable and trouble-free operation of your vehicle.
When it comes to service, remember that your Chevrolet dealer knows your vehicle best and is interested in your
complete satisfaction. Return to him for Guardian Maintenance Service and any other assistance you may require.
To assist dealers in handling your needs , Chevrolet maintains a number of Zone Offices throughout the country.
Should you have a problem that cannot be handled through normal channels, follow the procedure presented on page
77 of this manual under the heading, "Owner Relations".
Regarding warranty, your Nova, when purchased new is covered by the Chevrolet New Vehicle Warranty and the Policy
on Chevrolet Owner Service. Complete details will be found in the 1971 Chevrolet New Vehicle Warranty and Policy
on Owner Service folder which was given to you by your dealer at the time of new car delivery.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing a Chevrolet product-and assure you of our continuing
interest in your motoring pleasure and satisfaction.
Chevrolet Motor Division
,',\
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1971 NOVA
OWNER'S
MANUAL
CHEVROLET MOTOR
DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS
CORPORATION
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48202
All information, illustrations and specifications con-
tained in th is manual are based on the latest pr (Jd uct
information cvailable at the time of public at ;h e
right is re sorved to make changes at any tim" .. " , Ill . '
notice.
Part No. 3991 G30
ST 308-71 Second Edition
feb . 1971
© GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION 1971
Table of Contents Page
Before Driving your Car .......... ___ . _ .... _ ........ _. .. . . .. . . . . .. 3
Starting and Operating. . .. . .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . . . .. 11
Safety Checks ................................................... 34
In Case of Emergency ........................................... _ 39
Air Pollution Control Systems
.................. . .................. 42
Appearance Care .. _ .. , .......................................... 48
Service and Maintenance ......................................... 52
Maintenance Sc (,edule .......................... . ................. 66
Specif ications (llJ V, , ar Relations, Servi ce Manu al s, Index. .. . . . .. . . .. 72
---- - -- . .:.....------------~----------
1
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YOUR CAR'S FIRST
FEW HUNDRED MILES OF DRIVING
Sound design and precision manu-
facturing methods will permit you
to operate your new car from its
very first mile without adhering to
a formal "break-in" schedule. How-
ever, during the first few hundred
miles of driving you can, by ob-
serving 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 ex-
tended periods at
anyone constant
speed, either fast
or slow. Dur-
ing this period, avoid full throttle
starts and, if possible, abrupt stops.
Gentle braking during the first few
hundred miles of operation will re-
sult in longer brake life and better
future performance. Avoid hard
2
stops especially during the first 200
miles of operation since brake mis-
use during this period will destroy
much future brake efficiency.
Always drive at moderate speed
until the engine has completely
warmed up.
If you plan to use your new car
for trailer hauling see additional
information on page
9.
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BEFORE DRIVING YOUR CAR
Keys
Two separate keys are provided
for your car.
Each key has a differ-
ent cross section so that it can be
inserted only in certain locks.
• Key with square head
(stamped "A") -for ignition
switch, door locks.
• Key with oval head (stamped
"8") -for all other locks.
The code number of each key
is
stamped on the "knock out" plug
fIJjj
A"~
LOCKS
in the key head. Your Chevrolet
dealer removed these plugs and
placed them with the spare set of
keys in the special key envelope
that was given to you
at time of
delivery.
For your protection:
• Recordthenumbersonthekeyen-
velope and discard the key plugs.
• Keep the key envelope in a safe
place such as your wallet, Not
In The Car.
In the event the original keys are
lost, duplicates
can be made by
your dealer
or a locksmith using
the key code information.
Be sure to lock the glove box or
console compartments and remove
the key from the car whenever it is
necessary to leave the ignition key
with an attendant.
Door Locks
Front side doors can be locked
3
from the inside by depressing the
passenger guard door lock buttons
located on the upper door panel.
All doors
can be locked from the
outside by first depressing the door
lock button and closing the door.
The front doors can also be
locked by using the key.
All models have as a standard
safety feature overriding door
locks. When the doors are locked,
the door latch mechanism
is in-
operative, preventing inadvertent
opening of the door by movement
of the inside handle.
REMINDER: While the car is
being driven, avoid hanging objects
on the right hand coat hook in such
a way that you block the driver's
vision to the right rear quarter.
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REMINDER: Always lock the
doors when driving, for greater se-
curity in the event of
an accident
and for security against unauthor-
ized entries.
Seats
Folding seat backs are equipped
with self-latching mechanisms and
release controls designed for the
convenience of entering and exiting
passengers.
Back Locks
The release knob is located at the
lower rear of each backrest nearest
the door. Lift the knob upward,
then pull the seatback forward.
Manually Operated
Front Seats
Push the seat adjuster lever to
the right, located at the front of
each front seat, to unlock the seat
and allow adjustment to the front
or rear. As the seat slides forward,
it tilts slightly to provide best pos-
ture and increased driver ease. Re-
lease the lever to lock the seat in
the desired position.
4
Inside Rearview Mirrors
• Inside mirror (optional) has
day/night control to change re-
flectivity.
• Switch mirror to night position
to reduce glare from following
headlights.
To raise or lower, grasp mirror
and exert sufficient pressure by
pushing or pulling to move mirror
support rod toward or away from
windshield, and up or down. The
upper ball joint, where the support
rod meets the roof, and the knee
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MIRROR
SUPPORT -
joint at the lower end of the rod
work together to permit setting the
mirror at a variety of heights.
Head Restraints
• Head restraints are designed to
help reduce injuries due to
"whiplash."
• Select the position-up
or down-
which places the top of the head
restraintclosestto the top ofyour
ears.
• Do not use head restraint above
the up detent position.
• Head restraint can be raised by
pulling up until you feel the
spring latch seat in the detent
position.
• To lower, release latch at base of
supporting rod and push down
on restraint.
• Do not operate vehicle with head
restraints removed.
• Head restraint will help protect
rear seat passengers
by shielding
head restraint mounting hard-
ware on front seat back from im-
pact by rear seat passengers.
5
Occupant Restraint Belts
Lap and shoulder belts provide
added security and comfort for you
and your passengers. Proper use
and care of these belts will assure
continuance of this security.
Lap Belts -After the front seat
has been adjusted to the satisfac-
tion of the driver, sit erect and well
back in the seat, grasp the buckle
end and the flat metal "eye" end of
your individual belt assembly and
position the belt across the lap
as
LOW ON THE HIPS AS POS-
SIBLE. Insert the metal eye into
the open end of the buckle until an
audible snap
is heard. Make sure
the connection
is secure and, to re-
duce the risk of sliding under the
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belt, adjust it to a SNUG FIT by
pulling
on the end of the belt ex-
tending from the buckle.
The snug
and low positions are essential in
order that the force exerted by the
lap belt in a collision will be spread
over the strong hip bone structure
and not across the soft abdominal
area which could result in serious
injury. For retractor-equipped
belts, pull the retractor half of the
belt out to a solid stop to make sure
the belt webbing is completely un-
wound from the retractor;then con-
nect the belt and make the neces-
sary adjustments at the buckle for
proper
fit. To lengthen a lap belt,
place the buckle at right angles to
the belt webbing. The belt will then
slide easily through the buckle.
To
unfasten the lap belt, simply de-
press the push button located in the
center of the buckle.
Automatic locking lap belt re-
tractors are provided for the added
convenience of the driver and out-
board front seat passengers on all
Nova cars
as an extra cost option.
The automatic-locking retractors
adjust and lock the lap belts into
position automatically after fasten-
ing.
When not in use, shoulder belts
should be secured in the special
storage convenience provision, to
reduce the danger of the metal end
striking an occupant in a sudden
6
stop. When storage provisions are
not provided, the loose end
mounted on the upper structure
should be fastened to the fioor-
mounted end, and adjusted to re-
move excess slack.
To fasten a lap belt equipped
with an automatic-locking retrac-
tor, pull the webbing across the lap
far enough to permit inserting the
fiat metal "eye" end into the buckle.
If the webbing is notinitially pulled
out far enough to permit buckling,
release the webbing, allowing it to
rewind in the retractor and release
the locking mechanism, so the web-
bing can be pulled outto the proper
length. Once the buckle
is fastened,
pull the belt firmly across the lap in
the direction of the retractor to ob-
tain a snug
fit. The retractor will
automatically take up the excess
webbing.
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Shoulder Belts -When properly
worn with a Jap belt, a shoulder
belt can provide additional protec-
tion against impact with the
car in-
terior by restraining forward mo-
tion of the upper torso in a colli-
sion. This
is primarily true in case
of frontal impacts, which are the
most frequent type of accident.
Shoulder belts are fastened and
unfastened in the same manner as
lap belts. A shoulder belt should
have sufficient slack to insert a fist's
width between your chest and the
belt. This can be checked by insert-
ing a clenched
fist between the belt
and your chest with thumb against
chest and back of hand facing up-
ward.
7
Releasing Belts - To release the
belts, simply depress the release tab
or button located in the center of
the buckle.
Seat Belt Inspection
And Care
• Keep sharp edges and damaging
objects away from belts.
• Periodically inspect belts,
buckles, retractors, and anchors
for damage that could lessen the
effectiveness of the restraint
system.
• Havequestionablepartsreplaced.
• Replace belts if cut, weakened,
frayed, or subjected to collision
loads.
• Check that anchor mounting
bolts are tight to the floor.
• Keep seat belts clean and dry.
• Clean only with mild soap solu-
tion and lukewarm water.
• Do not bleach or dye belts since
this may severely weaken belts.
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Child Restraint
Children in automobiles should
be restrained to lessen the risk of
injury in accidents, sudden stops or
other driving conditions. General
Motors has designed an
"INFANT
SAFETY CARRIER" specifically
for infants and a "CHILDSAFETY
SEAT" specifically for small chil-
dren which are available from your
Che~rolet dealer. The Carrier and
Child Seat are designed to utilize
lap belts in your 1971 Nova.
The GeneralMotors InfantSafety
Carrier and the Child Safety Seat
must be used only in passenger ve-
hicle seats equipped with lap belts.
They must be used only on front
or
rear seats which do not fold or on
folding seats equipped with a latch
to hold the seat back upright (Stan-
dard on 1967 and later model GM
passenger vehicles) .
In using either
Carrier or Child Seat, read and
comply with all installation and
usage instructions.
Do not place
more than one child at a time in the
Carrier
or Child Seat. The Carrier
is designed for use only with infants
weighing up to 20 pounds. The
Child·
Seat is designed for use only
by children weighing up to 30
pounds and who are able to sit up
by themselves. All unused seat belts
near the Carrier
or Child Seat
should be stowed properly to help
prevent them from striking the
child in the event of a sudden stop
or collision; Shoulder belts should
be stowed in any special storage
convenience provision provided.
Lap belts and shoulder belts with-
but storage provisions should have
buckles latched and belts adjusted
to remove slack.
Cars Not Equipped With
Special Child Restraints
If a child is traveling in a vehicle
not equipped with a General
8
Motors Infant Safety Carrier or
Child Safety Seat, the following
precautions should be taken:
1. Children should be placed in
the rear seat. Never allow a
child to stand
or kneel on any
seat.
2. Infants unable to sit up by
themselves should be restrained
by placing them in a covered,
padded bassinet which
is placed
crossways in the vehicle (width-
wise) on the rear seat. The bas-
sinet should be securely re-
strained with the regular
ve-
hicle seat belts. An alternate
method
is to position the bas-
sinet so that it rests against the
back of the front seat, again
crossways in the vehicle.
3. When a child is old enough to
sit up by himself in a car, he
should sit on a firm cushion and
use the conventional lap belt to
restrain him at the hips. The
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cushion should be as firm as
practical and just high enough
to enable the child to look hori-
zontally out of the
car windows.
4. The use of the cushion should
be discontinued
as soon as the
child
is old enough to see out of
the car windows without it.
Trailer Hauling
Since passenger cars are de-
signed and intended to
be used
primarily as passenger convey-
ances, towing a trailer will affect
handling, durability and economy.
Maximum safety and satisfaction
depends upon proper use of cor-
rect equipment and avoiding over-
loads and other abusive operation.
The maximum loaded trailer
weight which you
can pull with
5.
Do not use shoulder belts on
children shorter than approxi-
mately 4 feet 7 inches in height.
6. General Motors recommends
that children be restrained
when riding. However, if con-
ditions require that a child must
stand, he should stand
on the
your Nova depends on what special
equipment has been installed on
your car. We do
not recommend
pulling any trailer unless the
car is
properly equipped. Information on
trailer hauling capabilities, special
equipment required, and optional
equipment offered by Chevrolet
is
available from your Chevrolet
Dealer or by writing Chevrolet
Motor Division, Detroit, Michigan
9
floor directly behind the front
seat. This will minimize the
possibility of his being thrown
from the rear compartment
during a sudden stop. This
method should
be used only if
more complete restraint can-
not be used.
48202.
Usage of bumper hitches
is not
recommended; however, rental in-
stallations may be made if in ac-
cord with proper installation and
usage instructions of a reputable
trailer rental agency. Axle mounted
hitches should not be used.
To assist in attaining good
handling of the car-trailer com-
bination, it
is important that the
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trailer tongue load be maintained
at approximately 10% of the
loaded trailer weight. Tongue
loads .can be adjusted by proper
distribution of the load in the
trailer, and can be checked by
weighing separately the loaded
trailer and then the tongue.
When towing trailers, tires
should be inflated to the standard
pressure shown on the placard,
affixed to left front door. The
allowable passenger and cargo
load also shown on the same
placard,
is reduced by an amount
equal to the trailer tongue load
on the trailer hitch.
Maintenance
More frequent vehicle main-
tenance
is required when using
your car to pull a trailer. Change
the:
1. Automatic transmission and
rear axle fiuid each 12,000
miles.
2. Engine oil each
60 days or
3000 miles whichever occurs
first.
3. Replace the positive crank-
case ventilation valve each
12 months
or 12,000 miles
whichever occurs first.
Break-in Schedule
In addition to the new carbreak-
in instructions in this Owner's
Manual, it
is recommended that
your new Nova be operated for
500 miles before trailer towing.
If it is necessary to tow during
this period, avoid speeds over 50
MPH and full throttle starts.
For cars already in use the
above precautions should be ob-
10
served whenever a new engine,
transmission or axle
is installed.
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STARTING AND OPERATING
Engine Exhaust Gas Caution (Carbon Monoxide)
Avoid inhaling exhaust gases because
they contain carbon monoxide, which
by
itself is colorless and odorless. Carbon
monoxide is a dangerous gas that can
cause unconsciousness and is potentially
lethal.
The best protection against carbon mon-
oxide entry into the car body is a properly
maintained engine exhaust system,
car
body and body ventilation system. If you
notice a change in the sound of the ex-
haust system, if exhaust fumes are smelled
or detected in any other way inside the
vehicle, or
if exhaust system or the under-
side or rear of the vehicle is damaged,
have a competent mechanic inspect the
complete exhaust system and nearby body
areas and trunk lid lor broken, damaged,
missing,
or mispositioned parts, open
seams, holes, or loose connections
or
other deterioration which could permit
exhaust lumes to
seep into the trunk or
passenger compartment. Dust or water in
the trunk may be an indication of a prob-
lem in one of these areas.
To allow proper operation of ventilation
system, remember
to keep front ventilation
inlet
grille clear of snow, leaves or other
obstruction at all times.
It is recommended that the vehicle be
inspected
as outlined above each time the
vehicle is raised for lubrication
or 011
change. If at any time you suspect that
exhaust fumes are entering the passenger
compartment, have the cause determined
and corrected
as soon as possible. If you
must drive under these conditions, drive
only with
all windows fully open. Use
genuine
GM parts recommended for your
vehicle, or equivalent. Also
see exhaust
system check in the Safety Checks sec-
tion of this manual.)
SITTING IN A PARKED CAR WITH
ENGINE RUNNING
FOR AN EXTENDED
PERIOD IS NOT RECOMMENDED.
Do not run engine in confined areas
such
as garages any more than needed to
move vehicle in or out of area. When ve-
11
hicle is stopped in an UNCONFINED area
with the engine running
for any more than
a short period, the following precaution
should
be observed:
• Adjust heating or cooling system to
force outside
air into car with blower
set at medium or high speeds, and con-
trols set in any position except "MAX."
The trunk lid should be closed while
driving to help preventInadvertently draw-
ing exhaust gases into the car. It is unwise
to drive at high speeds for long durations
with the trunk
lid open. However, if for
some reason the trunk must remain open
for a period while moving, or electrical
wiring or other cable connections to a
trailer must pass through the seal between
trunk
lid and body, the following precau-
tions should be observed:
• Close all windows.
• Adjust heating or cooling system to
force outside
air into car with blower
set
at high speed, and controls set in
any position except
"MAX."
• On cars equipped with outside air
vents in or under instrument panel,
open vents fully.
I
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STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS
Anti-Theft Steering
Column Lock
The anti-theft lock, located on
the right side of the steering col-
umn, has five positions:
• Accessory -Permits opera-
tion of electrical accessories
when engine
is not running. To
engage, push key in and turn
toward you (counterclockwise).
• Lock -Normal parking posi-
tion. Locks ignition and pro-
vides added theft protection by
preventing normal operation of
steering wheel
and shift con-
trols. Key cannot be returned
to "lock" position
and removed
until transmission
is placed in
"park" (automatic transmission
models)
or in reverse on manual
transmission models.
• Off -Permits turning engine
off without locking steering
wheel and shift controls.
• Run -Normal operating posi-
tion.
12
• Start -Permits engagement of
starter.
NOTE: The anti-theft steering
column lock
is not a substitute
for the parking brake. Always
set the paking brake when leaving
the car unattended.
When parking-
• Always let go of steering wheel before
turning ignition key to
lock position.
• When parking on a hill with wheels
turned toward curb, be sure
car has
come to complete stop before turn-
ing key to lock position.
Turning wheels after
car has stopped
"winds up" steering system, which can
result in a "spring back" ot the steering
wheel when the steering column
lock Is
released. As a further precaution, never
reach through the steering wheel for any
reason.
When leaving your car unattended,
• Set parking brake.
• Place automatictransmission selector
in Park (Reverse for manual trans-
mission).
• Turn key to LOCK position.
• Remove key (the buzzer will remind
you.)
• Lock a/l doors.
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Starting Engine
Automatic Transmission
Models
1. Apply the foot brake.
2. Place transmission selector
in "P" or uN"(UP" preferred).
A starter safety switch prevents
starter operation while the trans-
mission selector
is in any drive
position.
(If it is necessary to
re-start the engine with the car
moving, place the selector lever
in "N".)
3. Depress accelerator pedal and
activate starter
as outlined be-
low for different conditions.
• Cold Engine -Fully de-
press accelerator pedal and
slowly release.
With foot oD
the pedal, crank the engine
by turning the ignition key
to the Start position-release
when engine starts.
If engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat this procedure.
When engine is running
smoothly, the idle speed may
be reduced by slightly de-
pressing the accelerator pedal
and then slowly releasing.
• Warm Engine -Depress ac-
celerator pedal about halfway
and hold while cranking the
engine.
• Extremely Cold Weather
(Below 0° F.) Or After Car
Has Been Standing Idle
Several
Days-
Fully depress and release
accelerator pedal two or three
times before cranking the
engine. With foot oD the ac-
celerator pedal, crank the
engine by turning the key to
the Start position and release
when engine starts.
13
Manual Transmission
Models
1. Apply parking brake and shift
transmission to neutral.
2.
Hold clutch pedal to floor
throughout the starting proce-
dure to assure that car
is not
started "in gear."
3. Operate accelerator pedal and
starter
as outlined in step 3
(under Automatic Transmission
Models).
Engine Flooded
Depress accelerator pedal and
hold to floor while starting until
engine
is cleared of excess fuel
and
is running smoothly. Never
"pump" the accelerator pedal.
Warm-Up
Always let the engine idle for
20 to 30 seconds after starting
and drive at moderate speeds for
several miles, especially during
cold weather.
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Driving
with
Chevrolet
Automatic
Transmissions
The Powerglide and the Turbo
Hydra-Matic 350
and 400 are com-
pletely automatic transmissions.
The Torque Drive is a manually
operated
(1 st to Hi) automatic
transmission. All replace the stan-
dard clutch and transmission.
Powerglide, Turbo Hydra-
Matic 350 and Turbo Hydra-
Matic 400
After starting the engine with the
selector lever in N (Neutral) or P
(Park) position select the range de-
sired (see tables) and depress the
accelerator.
Torque Drive
On vehicles equipped with
Torque Drive transmissions, place
the selector in
"1 st" position for for-
ward drive. Gradually depress ac-
celerator .to obtain acceleration of
30 mph or over. Then placeselector
Powerglide
lever in "Hi". DO NOT SHIFT IN-
TO OR DRIVE IN "1ST" ABOVE
55 MPH. The selector lever may be
moved freely between "Hi"
and
"1 sf' but must be raised in order to
shift from "Hi" to Neutral
or Re-
verse. The lever must also be raised
in order to shift into or out of Park.
All Automatic Transmissions
A gradual start with a steady in-
crease in accelerator pressure will
P-PARK
Use only when car is stopped.
R-REVERSE
For backing car-from stop.
N-NEUTRAL
D-DRIVE
L-LOW
For standing (Brakes Applied).
For forward driving.
Depress accelerator to floor for extra acceleration at speeds
(depending on engine, axle and tire combination) as high
as 40 to
60 mph.
For hard pulling through sand, snow
or mud, and for
climbing or descending steep grades. Do not shift
to Labove 40 mph.
14
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result in best possible fuel economy.
Rapid acceleration for fast starts
will result in greater fuel con-
sumption.
Automatic
transmISSIon shift
quadrants of all GM cars continue
the uniform sequence of selector
positions. This particularly benefits
multicar families and those who oc-
casionally drive other cars. Shift in-
dicators are arranged with "Park"
position at one end, followed in se-
quence by "Reverse", "Neutral"
Torque Drive
Park-Use only when car is stopped.
R
-Reverse-For backing car from stop.
N -Neutral-For standing (brakes applied).
Hi -High-For forward driving above 30 mph.
1st -Low-For initial forward acceleration to 30 mph. Us .e "1 st" position for
additional performance during acceleration or for braking effect when
descending steep hills.
DO NOT SHIFT INTO "1ST" FROM "HI"
ABOVE
55 MPH.
NOTE: In stop and go driving below 30 mph, keep selector lever in "1ST" position to
prevent overheating of transmission oil. Continuous driving in
"Hi" range below 20 mph
is equivalent to severe service operation and will require more frequent maintenance
intervals (see page 57).
15
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and the forward driving ranges. All
automatic transmissions are
equipped with a starter safety
switch designed to permit starting
the engine only when the transmis-
sion
is in the "Park" or "Neutral"
position. For additional engine
braking effect, as sometimes
needed in mountainous driving,
place the transmission in an inter-
mediate or low range.
Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 and 400
Floor Console Shift Lever
The floor console shift lever may
be moved freely between Neutral
and Drive
and (on the Turbo Hy-
dra-Matic) between 1 and 2. Press
lightly on button
as you shift into
Reverse
or Low (2 on Turbo
Hydra-Matic). Depress the button
fully when shifting into
or out of
Park position. Exercise care in de-
pressing button to prevent uninten-
tional shifts to Park, Low
(2) or
Reverse.
P-PARK Use only when car is stopped.
R-REVERSE
Console N-NEUTRAL
3
O-DRIVE
2 L,
-LOW ,
1 L,
-LOW,
16
For backing car-from stop.
For standing (Brakes Applied).
For forward driving. Depress accelerator to floor for
extra acceleration below
65 mph; depress accelera-
tor half-way at speeds below 30 mph.
For driving in heavy traffic
or on hilly terrain. Shift
into L, or 2 at any vehicle speed.
For hard pulling through sand, snow or mud,
for
climbing or descending steep grades.
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Driving with Manual Transmissions
The 3-speed manual transmis-
sion shift positions follow the stan-
dard pattern shown on the illustra-
tion. The 4-speed transmission shift
lever, extending from the floor, has
its special shift pattern diagram lo-
cated on the knob or floor plate.
Depress the clutch pedal fully be-
fore attempting to shift to a differ-
ent gear, then release the pedal to,
move in that gear. Shifting into 2nd
and 3rd gear as soon as possible
will add appreciably to your fuel
economy.
Both transmissions, being fully
synchronized, may be downshifted
into 1st 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 pedal
fully when shifting.
On Four-Speed
transmission the shift linkage may
be adjusted to allow "short stroke"
shift lever operation. See your
Chevrolet Dealer.
Also, shift into "Reverse" before
shutting off engine. This will permit
the ignition key to be turned to the
"Lock" position.
REMINDER: Before descending a
steep
or long grade, down a moun-
tain
or hillside, reduce speed and
shift into a lower gear
(for either
automatic
or manual transmission
cars). Use the brakes sparingly to
prevent them from overheating and
thus reducing brake effectiveness.
17
Turn Signals and Lane
Change Feature
The turn signal lever is located
on the left side of the steering col-
umn immediately under the steer-
ing wheel. The lever is moved up-
ward to signal a right turn and
downward to signal a left turn.
Lamps on the front and rear of the
car transmit this signal to other
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motorists and pedestrians. The ig-
nition switch must be in the "ON"
position in order for the turn sig-
nals to be operational. This feature
prevents battery drain if
the lever
is left in
an "ON" position when
your car
is not in use.
In a normal turning situation
such
as turning a corner, the tum
signal is cancelled automatically
after the
tum is completed. How-
ever, in some driving maneuvers
such
as changing lanes on an ex-
pressway, the steering wheel
is not
turned back sufficiently after com-
pleting the turn to automatically
cancel the turn signal.
For con-
venience in such maneuvers, the
driver can flash the turn signals by
moving the turn signal lever
part
way (to the first stop) and holding
it there.
The lever returns to the
neutral
or cancelled position when
the driver releases his hold on the
lever.
A green light on the instrument
cluster flashes to indicate proper
operation of the front
and rear turn
signal lamps.
If the indicator lamp
remains on and does not flash,
check for a defective lamp bulb.
If
the indicator fails to light when the
18
lever is moved, check the fuse and
indicator bulb.
Power Steering
Power steering assist is provided
by a hydraulic pump driven by the
engine. When the engine
is not run-
ning
or if the power steering pump
drive belt breaks, the car can still
be steered,
but much greater steer-
ing effort will be required.
Holding Car on an Upgrade
When stopped on an upgrade,
maintain your position by applying
the brakes. Never hold the car in
place by accelerating engine with
transmission in gear. This could
cause damage by overheating the
transmission (automatic)
or clutch
(manual).
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