Oldsmobile 1955 User manual

1955
OLDSMOBILE
OWNER
MANUAL
and
SERVICE POLICY

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1000 MILE
ADJUSTMENT SERVICES
1. Adjust Distributor Point Gap .016/1.
2. Adjust Ignition Timing.
3. Adjust Carburetor Idle Mixture
and Idle Speed. (HMT - 400
R. P. M. in Drive Range; SMT-
425 R. P. M.).
1&1 4. Adjust Throttle Linkage.
CIt 5. Adjust Fan and Generator Belt,
without Air Conditioning (16 ft.
Ibs.), with Air Conditioning (20 ft.
Ibs.); Power Steering Belt (30 ft.lbs.).
6. Adjust Hydra-Matic Bands.
7. Adjust Brakes. (Includes Pedal Lash
and Fill Master Cylinder.)
8. Adjust Clutch Pedal Lash (SMT).
9. Adjust Body Bolts 'l'16/1 on all ex-
cept Convertible (15-20 ft. lb.);
Convertible (25-30 ft. lb.).
10. Camber, Caster and Toe-In-
Check and Adjust to Specifications.
11. Road Test for Performance and
Handling. Make Any Necessary
Adjustments and Remove Squeaks
and Rattles.
12. * Lubricate Car.
* Lubrication service to be paid for by owner.

5ERYICE POLICY
1. DELIVERY
Your Oldsmobile car has been conditioned for delivery in accordance
with standard factory instructions.
2. WARRANTY
Parts supplied under the "Manufacturer's Warranty" will be installed
by any authorized Oldsmobile dealer in the United States or Canada
without added charge for parts or labor. The "Manufacturer's War-
ranty" is set forth in the Owner's Manual. The Delco Battery in your
car is warranted by a special policy, the benefits of which are explained
in the Delco Battery service certificate which is supplied with every car.
3. ADJUSTMENTS
You are entitled to the inspection and adjustments listed on the back of
the attached 1,000 mile coupon when it is signed by the dealer issuing
this Policy.
These services will be rendered without additional charge
by any
Authorized Oldsmobile Dealer in the United States or Canada
upon presentation and surrender of the coupon.
4. INSPECTIONS
Throughout the life of the car, you are invited to have your car in-
spected periodically by any Authorized Oldsmobile Service Station.
A charge will
be made for diagnosis requiring certain test operations
or the disassembly of parts.
S. TOURIST PRIVILEGES
When touring, you are entitled to all of the benefits of this Policy upon
its presentation to any Authorized Oldsmobile Dealer in the United
States or Canada.
6. CHANGE OF RESIDENCE
In the event you change your residence before the warranty period has
expired, you may obtain any service to which you are entitled, by pre-
senting this Policy to the
Authorized Oldsmobile Dealer serving the
locality into which you move.
7. OWNER SERVICE POLICY
This Owner Service Policy introduces you to all Authorized Oldsmobile
Dealers in the United States and Canada and entitles you to receive
service in
accordance with Policy provisions. You should carry this
Policy in
your car at all times.

1955
0WN ERMAN UAL
I ~SERVICE POLICY

litho in U.S. A.
2
Copyright-October, 1954
OLDSMOBILE DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
LANSING, MICH.
Port No . 567125
B-1364 7-55; 75M

OPERATIONAL HINTS
Ignition Switch.
Starting the
Car.
Parking Brake.
Shift Lever & Selector Lever. .
Operating Speeds .
INSTRUMENTS
4
4
5
5
6
Ammeter ... 7
Fuel Gauge . . 7
Temperature Gauge. 7
Oil Pressure Gauge. . 7
Hydra-Matic Indicator . . 8
Hydra-Matic Drive. .8-9-10
Parking. . . . . . ... . . . . . 11
Power Brake. . . . . . . . . . 11
CONTROLS
Directional Signal. . . . 12
Headlight Control. . . . . . . 12
Windshield Wiper. ...... . .. . 13
Air Vent & Heater Controls .. 13 - 14
Front Seat Adjustment. 15
Convertible Top . . . . . 15
Locks and Keys . . 16
Trunk Compartment Lock. 16
Hood Latch. . . . . . . . .. 17
Fuel
MAINTENANCE
RECOMMENDATIONS
19
Engine Oil. . . . . . . . 19
Types of Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Oil Viscosity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Oil Change Interval. . . . . . . . . . 21
Crankcase Capacity. . 22
Oil Level. . . . . . 22
Oil Filter .. . . . .
........ . . 22
Transmission Lubrication. . 23
Lubrication Chart. . . .24-25
Cooli..n.g System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Anti-Freeze . . ....
.. ... 26
Tire Care and Repair . .. . . ... 27-28
Chrome Plated
Parts. . . . . . . 29
Lacquer Finish .... .. . . . .. . . .
29
TECHNICAL DATA
Capacities . . . . . . . . . .. 36
Light Specifications. . . . . . . . . . 36
Fuse Specifications. . . . . . . . . . .. 36
Anti-Freeze Specifications. . ... . 36
Tire Sizes and Inflation Pressures 36
ACCESSORIES
Super Deluxe Radio.
Deluxe Radio
..
30
31
Rear Seat Speaker. 32
Seat Covers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Courtesy Light. . . . . . . . . . . . .
.. 33
Hand Brake Signal. . . . . 33
Autronic-Eye .. . . . .. ... ..... 33-34
Windshield
Washer .. . . . .. . ... 34
Electric Clock. . . . . . . . . .
.. 35
Rear View Mirrors. . . . . . . . . . . 35
Car Finish Care. 35
Safety Maintenance Schedule. 37
3

.4
IGNITION SWITCH
The ignition switch is a combined ignition switch, starter switch and acces-
sory switch.
It is " off' with the key in the vertical positon . Turning the key
to the right turns
on the ignition and closes the circuit to the radio and heater.
To start the engine , continue turning key to the right and , when the engine
starts, release the pressure
on the key.
As a safety measure , the engine will not start unless the shift lever is in the
neutral position.
To operate the radio and heater when the engine is off , turn key to left from
" off ' position. Key can be removed only in the "off' position.
STARTING THE CAR
1. Position gear shift or selector lever in neutral position.
2. Engine
Cold- Depress accelerator pedal to floor once , then release (this
presets
automatic choke and throttle).
Engine
Warm-Hold accelerator approximately one-third open.
3.
Turn ignition key clockwise to crank engine . Release pressure on key
when engine starts.
4.
If engine does not start in reasonable time, hold accelerator pedal to floor
(without pumping) while continuing to crank the engine.

The parking brake is u· lUC ' f.I<OllU<Olll 'l Ul
by pulling out on the handle at
ment panel, and is released by turning ha dle brake
should be applied when
parked on an incline and released only after the en-
gine
is started . As a safety precaution, the parking brake should always be
applied
if car is left standing.
SHIFT LEVER-SELECTOR LEVER
A shift lever is located under
the steering wheel on the right
hand side. The Syncro-Mesh
transmission shift lever
is oper-
ated in an "H" type shifting
pattern as illustrated. (Hydra-
Matic transmission selector
lever positions are described on
pages 8 and 9.)
5

6
OPERATING
SPEEDS
It is advisable that driving speeds be limited
to 50 m. p.h. for the first 500 miles and 65
m. p.h. for the next 500 miles. It should
also be remembered throughout the life of the car that when starting out with
a cold engine a great deal
of wear can be eliminated by driving at a moder-
ate speed until the engine
is thoroughly warm.
All instruments are conveniently located directly in front
of the driver where
they
can be seen with only a glance. The instruments included in the panel
tell the driver
important things about the performance of the car and should
be frequently observed.

ard your storage
ammeterindicates whether
fl.etet1'tt!iIT current is being supplied to
~::;.;U~ ~~~ awn from the battery. A
+) reading shows that the gen-
erator is charging the battery, while a
negative ( -) reading indicates that
energ y is being withdrawn from the --
battery. If the battery is fully charged, the ammeter should show a relatively
low plus reading
under ordinary driving conditions. If the needle fluctuates
in an unusual manner to either side of the center mark or shows a minus
reading with switch and all lights and accessories off , the electrical system
should be checked by your Oldsmobile dealer.
TEMPERATURE GAUGE
Normal operating temperature is in-
dicated
when the needle reads below
the red danger area. In extremely hot
weather the operating temperature
will be in the higher ranges of the
instrument. However , if the needle
should reach the red danger
area , the engine should be stopped and the cause
determined.
FUEL GAUGE
The fuel gauge, which operates elec-
trically, shows the
amount of fuel in
the gasoline tank . As a safety factor,
the gauge is so designed that some
fuel
remains in the tank when the
needle indicates empty.
'- \ I .I
o 30 60
!
OIL PRESSURE GAUGE
This is a pressure gauge, not an oil1evel
indicator.
Normal operating pressure is
between 30 and 60 pounds while driv-
ing,
but will vary with speed, engine
temperature and oil viscosity. When
engine is idling, pressure will drop be- .
low 30
pounds but is safe with as little
as 5 pounds.
7

8
::Tr
This instrument, which is incorporated in the instrument cluster, indicates
the range in which the Hydra-Matic transmission
is being operated. It oper-
ates whenever the ignition switch
is turned on.
HYDRA-MATIC DRIVE
After starting the engine with lever in "N" position, simply select the
range suited for the type
of driving encountered, and start the car in motion
by depressing
the foot accelerator. It is not necessary to move the selector
lever to the neutral
"N" position when the car is not in motion such as wait-
ing at stop signs or traffic lights. Simply remove your foot from the acceler-
ator and if necessary apply pressure to the brake pedal.
NEUTRAL "N"
This is the out-of-gear position for the
transmission.
It is provided for starting
and offers a safe means of allowing the
engine to idle with the
car stopped. See
caution note.

Caution
DRIVE RANGE 'lDR"
Placing the selector lever in the "DR"
position provides a driving range for
most
normal city and highway driving.
It is unnecessary to shift the lever to
any other position when starting the
car from a standstill.
·DRIVE RANGE "5"
" S" position is for use when super per-
formance is needed for hill c\imbing or
increased acceleration in traffic, and for
"engine braking" down hill. The selector
lever
can be moved between "DR" and
"S " position at will under all operating
conditions.
LOW RANGE "La"
When it is desirable to keep the car in a
lower gear for descending very steep
hills or for exceptionally heavy pulling
through
mud or sand, the "Lo" position
should be used.
REVERSE "R"
Always be sure to bring the car to a
complete stop before moving the selector
lever
into the reverse "R" F)sition.
When leaving the car unattended with en-
gine running, always place the selector lever
in neutral "N" and set the hand brake.

10
DRIVE RANGE PASSING
For driving situations where a sudden burst of power is desired, an accelera-
tion gear has been provided.
At speeds below 65 m.p.h. depressing the acceler-
ator pedal completely to the floor automatically changes the transmission to
the next lower gear ratio.
PUSHING TO START
To start the engine by pushing your car , move the selector lever to the Neu-
tral
"N" position and turn on the ignition switch. When the vehicle reaches
a speed
of 25 m.p.h., move the selector lever to the "DR" range.
TOWING
If for any reason it becomes necessary to tow the car, it should always be
towed with the rear wheels
off the ground or with the propeller shaft removed.
"ROCKING" YOUR CAR IN SNOW OR
The car can be safely rocked in snow or mud by alternating t ~~ le <*
between "Lo" and "R" positions with throttle open slil~ht l.)!..- Ji:>~~o.!IoG~j

car to a smooth, sure stop.
is provided by engine
Jrial applications are recom-
p;essure required to bring the
Power assist
is available at all times while the engine is running or when the
car is moving in gear. A vacuum reserve tank is provided to give three to
five stops
when the engine is not running and the car is not in gear. When
the vacuum in the tank has been depleted, the brakes are applied manually
by using greater pedal effort.
11

-\2
DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS
The directional signal control lever is lo-
cated directly under the steering wheel on
the left side . Pushing the lever up indi-
cate s a right turn and pulling lever down signals a left turn as may be ob-
served by the flashing arrows located at right
and left sides at top of instru-
ment cluster. After the turn is completed, the lever returns automatically to
the
"off ' position.
HEADLIGHT CONTROL
The headlight switch is a two-position switch. The first position provides
parking lights (front
and rear) and the second position provides driving lights
and taillights. To dim the dash lights, turn the light switch knob clockwise.
To dim the headlights push the foot dimmer switch located on the floorboard
of the car. The red lamp on the upper side of the instrument cluster is illu-
minated when you
a ~ 'e driving on the upper beam. (Headlight operation for
cars equipped with Autronic-Eye
is described on page 33 .)

The speed be regulated by turning the wind-
shield wiper control clockwise. A push
button provided in the center of this
knob controls the windshield washer operation if the car is so equipped.
Refer to Accessories section for windshield washer operation.
AIR VENT AND HEATER CONTROLS
On cars not equipped with heater, there is
one control knob at right of steering column
which pulls
out to bring fresh air into the
driver's
compartment through the new full
width cowl ventilator.
For cars equipped with
heater-defroster, the following information
applies:
Knob "E" must be out; knob "D" in. Tem-
perature is controlled by moving knob "S"
in or out. For car heating at low speeds or
city driving,
turn fan control switch "A" to
left for low speed blower operation or to the
right for high speed blower operation. See
note at bottom of page 14 .
HEATER
DOOR
POSITIONS
Door "F" open or
closed as desired;
door "G" closed.

14
CONTROLS-FOR DEFROSTING
With other knobs set as for heating,
mild defrosting
can be obtained by
pulling knob "e" not over half way
out.
For maximum defrosting, pull
knob "e" all the way out which auto-
matically starts defroster blower.
~or Summer Ventilation
Knobs "B" and "e" in. Knob "D" out
to bring outside air directly into driver's
compartment. By pulling knob "E",
outsIde air will also flow through the
heater unit.
HEATER
DOOR
POSITIONS
Door "F" open or
closed as desired;
door "0" closed.
HEATER
DOOR
POSITIONS
Both doors open.
NOTE: At normal operating speeds, the forced air circulation is adequate
without use
of fan.

FRONT SEAT
ADJUSTMENT
The front seat is adjustable for
driver comfort. As the seat moves
forward
it rises to provide better
posture
and driving ease. To ad-
just the seat , push the release
control located on the left edge
of the seat , and move seat fore-
ward
or backward as desired.
CONVERTIBLE
POWER-OPERATED
TOP
The power top operating switch is located under the center portion of the
instrument panel. For complete instructions refer to the booklet entitled
"How to Operate the Folding Top."
15

16
As shown, two keys required to operate all the locks on your new Olds-
mobile. The doors can be locked from the inside by depressing the small lock
button in the window garnish molding. They may also be locked from the
outside by depressing this
same lock button while the door is open and then
depressing the push
button in the outside door handle, while closing the door.
As a safety
feature for children , the rear doors are adjusted at the time of
delivery so that the door cannot be opened with the inside door handle when
the lock
button is in the depressed position. If desired, your local Oldsmobile
Dealer
can very simply reset the rear lock so that the rear doors can be opened
from the inside with the
push button depressed.
To open the trunk, insert the key in the lock underneath the trunk emblem
a'ld turn key clockwise. To lock, remove the key and fumly shut the lid.