Pontiac 1953 User manual

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·Poiltiac'.s engineers

~tr

~

v

e

,

continuall

y

to give you .

greater

.

v

al~e

~

each new model

Poi-ltiac

;

Thi

~

y

e

ar

~~

.•

ai:e~spCci@:U

y

'

proud

of ,

th

E;

advance,d design and

pr

~

cis

~

oI).

:'

~~

~stn

J:~

ti~i-l

:_

~

~i

;;

hcOJnbin,

~

s

comfort,~con

bniy

,

~tfo

i:

manc

~

,

;

ild

'

eridim;n

ce

to make your

new

pontia

CllJl

.eveil:greater,

qtr

than

ever before.

In

,

or.der

,

-th

a,

t

'y~

u

'

in?ybe

iible'to take full 'advantage of

th~

manf

new

'

£e

-

~

t

dres

'

~

hicha

r

e

in

this

~ew

Pontiac,

weha

"

ead

a~

d

,?

thls

\

~~

e

~'

~Guide

;

to

gi~e

you the

"l<y~

w:

h.

~W,

;

,

f

Qr:

\,,

~t

e

,~

~i;l

eco~omical

.

~

peration

.

...

':';~

.

<,

,

"C

',

'Y:

"

'~>:"

"

,'1

'.':

.!.

.

-,~.

".'

oYbur knowledgf

ind

~

ca:

fe

"

of

tne operating paris of

:

:~:i;;3~~

~

:

tt

,

~j~

,.

~

ater

enjoyment

iIf

'

dr~v

.

ing

.

1:

-

:'

,P

:W

iler's Service;

Depaitment

;

P@NTIACMOTOR

,DIVISION

P

q

!-lt

i~&

Mi

~h,

ig

~

ri

?,;

F~M

'.

S·po

.l

LITHO

U,S'.A.

'

I

~SI

CONtCNtS

'

MANUFACTURER'S

WARRANTY

...

.

..

. . . . . .

..

'?(,.

/.1

.

....,.,

.q. 2

tJ

..

,/ f

OWNER

SERVICE

POLICY.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

CAR

BREAK-IN

AND

SERIAL

NUMBERS.

. . . . . . . • . . . . . . .

..

4

CAR

DATA......

. .

.....

..

...

.

...

..

. .

...

.....

.. ..

. .

..

5

INSTRUMENTS

ANP

CONTROLS

. . .

..

.. ..

.•..

. .

..

. •

....

. . 6

DUAL

RANGE

HYPRA-MATIC

DRIVE

...

. . . . .

..

. . .

..

. . . . .

11

SYNCHRO-MESHDRIVE

..

.

...............

..•

.

.•

....•..

15

ALL

WEATHER

COMFORT

CONTROL

..

. .

.....

. .

...

..

. .

...

17

GENERAL

SERVICE

. .

...........

. . . .

... ...

.

CHASSIS

AND

BODY

LUBRICATION

.

.....

.

ENGINE

LUBRICATION

............

.

..

"

TUNE-UP

DIAGNOSIS

..

. .

..

........

'

PONTIAC

ApPROVED

ACCESSORIES.

HOUSEKEEPING

YOUR

CAR

....

.

WIRING

DIAGRAMS

. .

...

.

..

.

....

.

SERVICE

NEEDS

OF

YOUR

MAINTENANCE

INDEX

..

21

MIlJtIl/llctllrers

WllrrllJttll

It

is

expressly

agreed

that

there

are

no

warranties,

expressed

or

implied,

made

by

either

the

dealer

or

the

manufacturer

on

the

Pontiac

Motor

vehicles,

chassis

or

parts

furnished

hereunder,

except

the

Manufacturer

's

warranty

against

defective

materials

or

workman-

ship

as

follows:

"The

Manufacturer

warrants each

new

motor

vehicle,

including

all

equip-

ment

or accessories (except tires)

supplied

by

the

Manufacturer,

chassis

or

part

manufactured

by

it

to be free

from

defects

in

material

and

work-

manship

under

nornwl

use

and

service,

its

obligation

under

this

warranty

being

limite4

to

making

good

at

its

factory

any

part

or

parts

thereof

which

shall,

within

ninety

(90)

days

after

delivery

of

such

vehicle

to

the

original

purchaser

or

before

such

vehicle has been driven

4000

miles,

whichever

event

shall

first

occur, be

returned

to

it

with

transportation

charges pre-

paid

and

which

its

examination

shall disclose

to

its

satisfaction

to

have

been

thus

defective;

this

warranty being expressly

in

lieu

of

all

other

war-

ranties, expressed

or

implied,

and

all

other

obligations

or

liabilities

on

its

part,

and

it

neither

assumes

nor

authorizes

any

other

person

to

assume

for

it

any

other

liability

in

connection

with

the

sale

of

its

vehicles."

"This

warranty

shall

not

apply

to

any

vehicle

which

shall have

been

repaired

or

alttired

outside

of

an

authorized

Pontiac Service

Station

in

any

way

so as

in

the

judgment

of

the

Manufacturer

to

affect

its

stability

and

re-

liability,

nor

which

has been

subject

to

misuse,

negligence

or

accident.

The

Manufacturer

has

reserved

the

right

to

make

changes

in

design

or

add

any

improvements

on

motor

vehicles

at

any

time

without

incurring

any

obligations

to

install

same

on

motor

vehicles

and

chassis

previously

purchased.

TIRE WARRANTY

.Tires are warra'

nted

by

the

tire manufacturer against

def

ects

in material

and

work-

man

ship.

If

,

during

the

life

of

the

tir

e,

tire

failure s

hould

occur

due

to

thi

s cause,

the

tire manufacturers will

either

repa

ir

the

tire or

make

a reasonable

allowance

on

it

towards

the

purchase

of

a

new

tir

e.

BA

HERY

WARRANTY

Your

Pontiac

Del

co

battery

is

guaranteed

for 90

da

ys.

Be

sure

yo

ur

Ponti

ac

dealer

has

filled

in

the

Delco

Battery

Service Policy which gives

you

protection

for

18

months

or

18,000 miles

in

accordance

with

the

t

er

ms

of

the

polic

y.

12l

Owner

Service

Policg

Along

with

this

Owner's

Guide,

you

have

received

an

Owner

Service

Policy,

which

your

dealer

filled

in

for

you

when

he

delivered

the

car.

Read

this

policy

carefull

y.

Most

owners

keep

the

Service

Policy

in

the

glove

com-

partment.

There

are

two

coupons

attached

to

your

Owner

Serv,ice

Policy

which

entitle

you

to

have

inspections

performed

on

your

car.

These

inspec-

tions

are

performed

to

correct

any

changes

in

the

initial

settings

which

may

occur

during

the

break-in

period.

One

entitles

you

to

certain

adjustments,

as

specified

on

the

back

of

the

coupon,

at

the

end

of

1,000 miles provided

the

coupon

is

presented

within

1,500

miles

of

car operation.

The

other

provides

for

additional

services

at

the

end

of

2,000 miles, provided

the

coupon

is

presented

within

2,500

miles

of

car operation.

These

services will

be

performed

for

you

without

charge

(except

for chassis

lubrication

,

engine

oil

and

other

lubricants

)

by

the

dealer

from

whom

you

purchased

your

car.

In

case

you

are

touring

or

have

changed

your

residence,

any

authorized

Pontiac

dealer

in

the

United

States

or

Canada

will

perform

them

for

you

upon

presentation

of

the

Owner

Service

Policy

and

Coupons

.*

By

making

an

appointment

for

your

inspections

you

can

avoid

rush

periods

and

get

the

inspection

the

day

you

want

it. .

Pontiac

dealers

everywhere

stand

ready

'to

provide

you

with

the

best

possible service

at

all

times.

It

is

their

responsibility

to

assure

your

continued

satisfaction

with

your

car.

But

you,

too,

have

a responsi-

bility

to

yourself

as

an

owner-the

responsibility

of

giving

your

Pontiac

car

the

reasonable

care

and

attention

that

any

mechanical

device

deserves.

•Be

.rure

your

dealer

ha.r

signed the

poli

cy

aJ'

we

ll

a.t the coupons .fO thai you can gel

!Jour 1,000

and

2,000 mi

le

iMpeclionJ w

hil

t

Ira

"ding.

[

31

~eor16reok-JHoHd

.

~

Serio/Numbers

New

Car

Break-In~

When

starting

out

with

your

new

car,

you

should

drive

moderately

for 10

to

15

minutes

to

allow

time

for

the

engine,

transmission,

and

rear

axle

to

warm

up.

Speeds

can

then

be

increased

as

shown

below:

CAR

SPEED-First

200

miles

not

to

exceed

50

miles

per

hour.

Second

200

miles

not

to

exceed

60

miles

per

hour.

Third

200

miles

not

to

exceed

70

miles

per

hour.

After

your

car

has

warmed

up,

speed

should

be

increased

gradually

to

the

maximums

in

the

above

schedule,

held

there

for a

short

dis-

tance,

then

gradually

decreased

to

a slower

speed

fora

short

distance.

Driving

at

speeds

up

to

50 miles

per

hour,

even

for

distances

greater

than

the

200-mile

period,

will

not

"break-in"

your

car

for

sustained

high

speed

driving.

Sustained

high

speed

driving

should

not

be

under-

taken

until

the

above

schedule

of

maximum

speeds

(or

its

equivalent)

is

completed.

Note:

·

Brakes

too

need

"breaking-in".

Avoid

fast

stops

during

the

first

few

hundred

miles.

ENGINE

AND

CAR

SERIAL

NUMBER-The

car

serial number is located on a

plate which is

attached

tQ

the

left front pillar post. .The engine serial number is

stamped on a machined

pad

at

the

top left-hand frGnt corner

of

the

cylinder block

and

is

the

same as

the

car

serial number. (number

...

..

.

...

.

....

.

...

. .)

STYLE,

PAINT,

AND

TRIM

NUMBERS-The

style,

paint

and

trim

numbers

are stamped

on

the

plate

attached

to

the

right front side

of

the

dash.

Style

number.

Paint

number.

Trim number .

KEY

NUMBERS-The

octagonal handled keys fit

the

front door

and

ignition

locks

on

all

m~dels,

and

the

rear

door

on

station

wagon

and

sedan

delivery

models.

The

oval handled keys fit

the

glove

compartment

lock on all models,

and

the

rear

deck

compartment

lock

on

passenger

car

models

.

Octagonal

key

number

:

Oval key number ..

..

. . ..

....

.Refer

to

page 8 for removal

of

key number from key.

STARTING

THE

ENGINE-Hydra-Matic

equipped cars, see page

ll.

Synchro-

Mesh

equipped

cars,

,

see

page

15.

WHERE

TO

PUT

YOUR

OWNER'S

GUIDE-Slip

this Owner's Guide into

the

dip

in

the

roof

of

the

glove

compartment

for

ready

reference

.

This

clip

is

a,lso

handy

for holding maps

and

other

papers.

If

it

becomes

necessary

for

you

to

order

any

parts

or

correspond

with

your

dealer

or

the

factory

about

your

car,

you

can

avoid

any

possible

misunder-

standing

by

giving

the

SERIAL,

STYLE

and

PAINT

numbers

of

your

car.

[4

J

ear

Data

GENERAL

Wheelbase.

OVER-ALL

LENGTH

Passenger

Car

..

Station

Wagon.

Sedan Delivery

..

122"

202.7'

205.3"

202.6'

GAS

TANK

CAPACITY

Passenger Car.

St

ation Wagon

and

Sedan

Delivery.

ENGINE

AND

COOLING

SYSTEM

Developed

Hor

sepow

er

(6.8 to I Compression) .

Developed Horsepower (7.0

to

I Compression)

..

Developed

Horsep

ow

er

(7.7 to I Compression)

..

S.A.E. Horsepower

........................

.

Bore

..

. ,

..

.

...............

.

Stroke .

Pist

on

Displacement

.

.............

"

...

....

. . . .

Tappet

Clearance (

Hot

and

Running)

.

Spark

Plug

Gap

.................

.

Breaker

Po

int

Gap

.

Crankcase Refill . .

......

.

Cooling

System

Capacity

....

..

......

........

.

Cooling

System

Capacity with

Underseat

He

ater.

COMPRESSION

RATIO

AND

FUEL

SIX

(

not

used)

115.0

118.0

30.4

3U6'

4"

239.2 cu. in.

.011"·.013"

.025'

.022"

5 qts.

187.l

qts.

20

qts

.

20 gal.

16

gal.

EIGHT

118.0

(not

used)

122.0

36.4

3

%'

3W

268.4 cu.

in

.

011'-.013'

.025'

.016'

5

qts.

18%

qts.

20)1

qts.

Hydra-M

at

ic equipped cars

have

a

standard

compression ratio

of

7.7 to

1,

which

requires

the

u

se

of

premium

fuels.

Synchro-Mesh equipped ca

rs

with

eight

cy

linder engines

hav

e a standard

compl'cssion

ratio

of

6.8 to 1,

and

with

six

cylinder

engines

a

standard

compression

ratio

of

7.0

to

1.

The

se compression ratios

do

not require

the

u

se

of

premium

fuels.

An

optional compression ratio

of

7.7 to I is available with either engine. This high

ratio

r

eq

uires

the

use

of

premium

fuel.

FUSES-R

efer to

page

10.

LAMP

SPECIFICATIONS

Bulb Candle

Bulb

Candle

Number

Power

Number

P

ower

Standard

Equipment

Compas

s

...

.

51

Briglit Lig

hts

Indicator

.

51

Direction

Signal-

Catalina

and

Convertible

Front

.......

11

54 3-21

C

ourtesy

and

Dome.

82 6

Indi

cator

.

...

51

I

Dome-Standard.

210 15 Fog

..

...

.Scaled 35W

Headlamp

Unit

..

. Sealed 35W

Beam

45W Glove

Comp

a

rtment

..

55 2

In

strument

and

Ignition.

55 2

Hand

Brake W

arn

ing

..

55 2

License

. 6.. 3

Heater

Panel. 55 2

Parking

..

63 3

Hood

Ornament

...

51

I

Tail

and

St

op

.

..

. .

11

54 3-21

Hydra-Matic

Indicator

..

51

1

Special

Equipment

Radio-

Dial.

..

. . 55 2

Ash

Tray

. 81 6

"ON"

In

dicator.

44 1

Back-Up-

Rear

De

ck

Compartment

87

15

Passeng

er

Car

.

..

.

...

11

29 21

Safety

Lamp

(Spotla

mp

).

Scaled 32

S. W. a

nd

Sed. Del.

..

1133 32

Beam

Clock

Di

al . 55 2

Underhood.

87

15

[5]

Jllstrumellts

Olltl

COlltrols

DI~

0

CH[j

E

Y%

f'

0

40

80

COLO

IiCT

DiDaD

__

BATTERY FUEL

OIL

WATER

The

location

of

the

controls

and

instruments

on

your

Pontiac

has

been

planned

with

the

idea

of

comfort

and

convenience for

the

driver, which

also contributes to

greater

safety.

BATTERY

INDICATOR-The

battery

indicator shows

the

current

flow

to

and

from

the

batt

ery. Electrical

current

going from

the

gen-

erator

to

the

battery

registers

on

the

"eHG"

(charge) side.

The

indicator will show a

"DIS"

(discharge) when more electrical energy

is being consumed

than

is being received from

the

generator.

FUEL

GAUGE-The

fuel gauge indicates

the

quantity

of

gasoline in

the

tank

only

when

the

ignition is

turned

on.

When

the

ignition is

turned

off,

the

pointer

drops

back

beyond

the

"E"

(empty

)

mark.

OIL

PRESSURE

GAUGE-The

oil pressure gauge indicates

the

pressure in

the

engine's full pressure lubrication

system

. This shows

that

the

oil

pump

is working,

but

does

not

indicate how

much

oil

there is in

the

crankcase.

At

average driving speeds

the

gauge should

read

approximately

"40."

If

indicator does

not

move

above zero

or

fluctuates greatly,

you

should check

the

oil level

immediately;

and, if

low,

add

oil

to

bring

to

the

proper

level.

If

the

oil level is

not

low

and

fluctuations continue,

you

should

contact

a

Pontiac

dealer immediately.

WATER

TEMPERATURE

INDICATOR-The

temperature

of

the

cooling

water

in

your

engine is shown

by

the

water

temperature

indi-

cator

.

When

the

engine first

warms

up

the

temperature

will register

slightly higher

than

when engine reaches

operating

temperature.

If

the

temperature

indicator needle goes to

the

"HOT"

mark,

you

should

have

the

cause located immediately. (For complete details

on

the

care

of

the

Pontiac

cooling

system

see page 24.)

[61

COMBINATION

HEADLAMP

AND

INSTRUMENT

PANEL

LIGHT

SWITCH-The

combination

headlamp

and

instrument

panel

light switch is located

at

the

extreme

left

hand

side

of

the

instru-

ment

panel.

When

the

light switch

knob

is pulled

out

to

the

first position,

the

park-

ing l

amps

are

turned

on.

When

pulled

to

the

second position

the

sealed

beam headlamps

are

turned

on

and

the

parking

lamps

off.

The

instru-

ment

panel lights,

tail

lamps

and

license

plate

lamp

are

turned

on

in

both

positions.

In

conjunction

with

the

headlamp

switch there is a convenient foot

switch located

to

the

left

of

the

brake

peda

l

near

the

edge

of

the

floor

mat.

This

switch enables

you

to

lower

the

headlamp

beams

when

driving

in

the

city

or meeting approaching traffic in

the

country.

The

"BRIGHT

LIGHTS

" red

indicator

li

ght

located in

the

center

of

the

speedometer face will be

on

when

th

e

upper

beams

are

on,

and

off

when

the

lower

beams

are

on.

Instructions

for the

operation

of

the

Autronic

Eye

are

given

on

page 43.

/ I I

~

'I

~

IDECREAsE

LIG

.

HTIN

.G

'"

ts!':!-

§

I!~.

~

I

~

\ A

~

NCREASES

L~TlN;IPE~

((

II

INSTRUMENT

PANEL

LIGHTS-

As explained above,

the

instrument

panel

lights

come on when

the

light

switch control knob is pulled out.

For

your

convenience,

turning

the

knob

clockwise decreases

the

brightness

of

the

instrument

panel

lights

and

counterclockwise increases

the

brightness.

When

turned

as

far

as

possible in a clockwise direction

the

lights will

go

off.

WINDSHIELD

WIPER

CONTROL

KNOB-The

windshield wiper

control

knob

is located

to

the

right

of

the

headlamp

switch.

Turning

the

knob

clockwise

starts

wiper;

the

amount

that

knob

is

turned

determines wiper speed.

To

operate

windshield washer (ACCESSORY)

depress

button

in

center

of

wiper control knob, hold

button

depressed

for a second

or

two

then

release it.

IGNITION

AND

STARTER

SWITCH-As

a convenience

to

you

the

ignition switch is illuminated when

the

combination

headlamp

and

instrument

panel light switch

control

knob

is

pulled

out

.

The

ignition

switch

has

three positions,

OFF

when

key

is vertical,

ON

when

key

is

turned

to

right

to

first position,

and

START

when

key

is

turned

to

full right position against

stop

.

For

instructions on

starting

Hydra-

Matic

transmission equipped cars refer

to

page 11, for

starting

Synchro-Mesh transmission equipped

cars

refer

to

page

15.

[7]

CANE

HANDLE

HAND

BRAKE-The

hand

brake

lever,

generally

referred

to

as

"Cane

Handle,"

is

located

on

the

left

hand

side

of

the

steering

column

below

the

instrument

panel.

Pull

handle

to

apply

the

brake;

release

with

a

counterclockwise

twist.

Additional

braking

effort

may

be

obtained

by

applying

the

foot

brakes

at

the

same

time

the

"Cane

Handle"

is pulled.

KEYS

AND

KEY

NUMBERS-

Two

sets

of

keys

are

furnished

with

your

car.

Each

set

contains

a

key

with

an

octagonal

handle

and

a

key

with

an

oval

handle~

The

octagonal

key

operates

the

front

door

and

ignition locks

on

all

models

and

the

rear

door

on

station

wagon

and

sedan

deliv-

ery

models.

The

oval

key

operates

the

glove

compartment

lock

on

all

models

and

the

rear

deck

compartment

lock

on

passenger

car

models.

To

prevent

unauthorized

persons

from

securing

duplications

of

your

keys,

the

key

numbers

do

not

appear

either

on

the

keys

or

the

face

of

the

locks,

but

on

small

metal

slugs

fastened

in

the

keys

.

Mark

these

key

numbers

in

the

space

provided

on

the

inside

front

cover

of

this

manual

and

your

Owner

Service

Policy

as

soon

as

you

take

delivery

of

the

car,

then

have

your

dealer

knock

out

the

slugs

and

destroy

them.

You

will lose

part

of

your

protection

if

you

do

not

do

this.

If

you

ever

require

duplicate

keys,

they

shou

ld

be

ordered

from

your

local

Pontiac

dealer,

rather

than

from

the

factory.

The

key

numbers

for

your

car

are

on

record

at

the

factory,

and

in

the

event

you

lose

your

keys,

the

proper

numbers

may

be secured

by

wiring

or

writing

the

Owners

Service

Department

at

Pontiac,

Michigan,

giving

the

serial

number

of

your

car.

DOOR

LOCKS-If

you

want

to

lock

,..".

•••

the

doors

from

the

inside,

push

down

the

small

button

on

the

window

mould-

ing

of

each

door.

Both

front

doors

can

be

locked from

the

outside

.

with

a

key

in

the

usual

way,

but

you

don't

have

to

use

the

key

to

lock

your

car.

Simply

open

the

door,

press

the

button

down

and

then

close

the

door

while

pushing

the

outside

door

handle

plunge!.'

in.

When

the

door

is closed, release

the

plunger,

and

the

door

is locked.

(

8]

IMPORTANT:

ALWAYS

LOCK

YOUR

CAR

WHENEVER

YOU

LEAVE

IT

UNATTENDED

If

you

have

a

4-door

sedan

and

have

children,

you

might

want

the

rear

door

locks

fixed

so

that

the

inside

door

handle

is

inoperative

as

long

as

the

door

locking

button

is

pushed

down,

thereby

eliminating

the

chance

of

the

children

opening

the

doors

and

falling

ou

t While

they

are

in

the

car.

It

will

take

your

Pontiac

dealer

just

a

few

minutes

to

fix

the

locks.

VENTILATOR

CONTROLS-Two

control

knobs

located

on

the

instrument

panel

below

the

instrument

cluster

are

used

to

control

the

amount

of

outside air

entering

the

car

through

the

two

duct

type

ventilators

in

the

dash panel.

The

amount

that

either

the

left

or

right

knob

is pulled

out

will regulate

the

amount

of

air

entering

the

car

from

that

particular

duct

.

SEAT

ADJUSTMENT-The

seat

adjust-

ment

is

made

by

pushing down

the

small

lever on

the

left side

of

the

front

seat

and

sliding

the

seat

back

or

forward

to

the

position

that

suits

you

best.

On

long trips,

changing

the

adjustment

occasionally will

be found helpful

in

avoiding fatigue.

SUN

VISORS-Folded

up

against

the

top

directly in

front

of

the

driver

and

passenger

are

two

sun

visors.

The

visors

may

be

slid

toward

the

center

of

the

car, as well as swung

around

to

either

the

right

or

left

to

protect

your

eyes when

the

sun

is

at

either

side.

RATTLE

PROOF

TOOL

STORAGE-The

annoying

rattles

often

caused

by

loose

car

tools

in

the

trunk,

are

eliminated

by

proper

use

of

the

tool

anti-rattle

spring.

When

removing tools

it

is

only

necessary

to

remove

the

connecting

hook on

the

right

side from

the

hook

on

the

floor.

HOOD

LATCH-For

your

convenience

the

hood

latch

and

safety

hook

are

com-

pletely released from

the

front

of

the

hood.

To

open

the

hood

it

is

only

necessary

to

pull

the

release rod towards

you

to

the

end

of

its travel.

The

releaserod will

automatically

disengage

the

safety

hook, which

prevents

opening

of

the

hood should

the

latch

become

accidentally

unlatched.

[

9J

FUSES-

The

headlight

wiring

system

on

your

Pontiac

is

protected

from

damage

in

case

of

short

circuits

by

a

thermostatic

circuit

breaker

mounted

on

the

light

control

switch

.

During

short

circuits

the

circuit

breaker

opens

and

closes

intermittently

,

thereby

reducing

the

current

load sufficiently

to

protect

the

wiring

from

damage.

This

action

will

continue

until

the

cause

is

eliminated

and

is

usually

noticed

due

to

a

snapping

sound

at

approximately

3

to

5

second

intervals.

If

you

are

driving

at

night,

the

action

of

the

Thermo

Circuit

Breaker

will

be

noticed

by

the

headlamps

burning

intermittently.

When

this

happens,

it

is

an

indication

of

trouble

which

should

be

corrected

immediately.

MAIN

FUSES-

Th

e 14

ampere

fuses

that

protect

the

main

..

wiring

are

mounted

in

a fuse

block

on

the

engine

side

of

the

dash

panel.

A

spare

fuse

that

can

also be

used

for

the

radio

circuit

is

mounted

in

a clip

above

the

fuse holders.

The

fuse

in

the

gold colored

holder

is

for

the

tail la

mps,

parking

lamps,

license

lamp,

instrument

panel

lamps

,

and

Hydra-Matic

indicator

lamp.

The

fuse

in

the

gray

colored

holder

is for

the

stop

lamps

,

trunk

lamp,

dome

lamp

on

the

sedan

and

convertible,

courtesy

lamps

on

the

catalina

and

convertible,

and

rear

corner

la

mps

on

the

catalina.

If

more

details

on

the

wiring cir-

cuits

are

desired

refer

to

the

schematic

wiring

diagrams

on

page

56.

ACCESSORY

FUSES-The

fuses

that

protect

your

accessories

are

carried

on

a

fuse

block

on

the

passenger

side

of

the

dash.

The

fuse

identification

is

printed

on

the

inside

of

the

cover

.

This

makes

it

easy

to

locate

a

blown

fuse

and

replace

it

with

a

spare

fuse

which

is

conveniently

clipped

to

the

bottom

of

the

fuse block.

All accessories use 20

ampere

fuses

with

the

exception

of

the

radio

and

the

autronic

eye

which

use a 14

ampere

fuse,

and

the

electric

antenna

which

uses a 30

ampere

fuse.

The

antenna

fuse is

in

a line

holder

above

the

accessory fuse

block

and

the

autronic

eye

fuse is

in

the

amplifier

unit

on

the

engine

side

of

the

dash

.

The

'

spare

14

ampere

fuse

on

the

main

wiring

fuse

block

on

the

engine

side

of

the

dash

can

be

used

as

a

spare

fuse for

the

radio

or

autronic

eye

.

The

cigar

lighter

has

a special

replaceable

fuse

attached

to

the

rear

of

the

lighter

socket.

[10

I

:Dua/

KaHlle

Jlvdra-vtiatie

:Drive

The

Hydra-Matic

drive

consists

of

a fluid coupling,

which

replaces

the

conventional

clutch

and

is

combined

with

a

hydraulically

con-

trolled

automatic

transmission

having

four

speeds

forward

and

one

reverse.

Gear

changing

is

accomplished

automatically

by

the

trans-

mission

in

accordance

with

the

performance

demands

of

the

road

conditions

encountered

and

the

wishes

of

the

driver.

HOW

TO

OPERATE

THE

HYDRA-MATIe

DRIVE-The

Hydra-

Matic

drive

is

convenient

to

operate

in

that

the

driver

only

selects,

by

use

of

the

control

lever

and

indicator

segment,

the

speed

range

in

which

he

wishes

the

car

to

operate.

The

speed

ranges

are

clearly

shown

on

the

indicator

segment,

and

are

illuminated

when

the

instru-

ment

panel

lights

are

turned

on.

The

speed

ranges

are

designated

as

follows:

N

-Neutral

and

starting

.

•

DR-For

all

normal

forward

driving

and

improved

fuel

economy

.

DR.

-For

faster

acceleration

and

driving

in

congested

traffic.

LO-For

controlled

power.

R-Reverse

and

parking.

TO

START

ENGINE-Place

Hydra-

Matic

control

lever

in

N

(neutral

)position.

The

starting

circuit

is wired so

that

the

starter

will

not

operate

unless

the

lever is

in

neutral;

press

accelerator

pedal

to

toeboard

once

and

release (

in

order

to

set

the

Automatic

Choke);

turn

the

ignition

switch

key

to

right

to

full

stop

position, release

as

soon

as

engine

starts.

Should

the

engine

fail

to

start

in

five

to

ten

seconds,

it

is possible

that

it

is flooded.

In

that

case,

press

the

acce

lerator

pedal

slowly

to

the

floor

and

hold

it

there

when

starting.

This

renders

the

choke

inoperative

and

relieves

the

flooded

condition.

NOTE:

When

starting

a

warm

or

hot

engine,

hold

accelerator

pedal

down

half

way.

CAUTION:

Do

not

"pump"

the

accelerator

pedal

at

any

time.

Avoid

racing

the

engine

during

warm-up

period.

[

11)

Cold

Weather-In

cold

weather

(0° F.

and

colder)

the

engine

must

idle

with

the

co

ntrol

lever

in

the

N position

until

engine

and

trans-

mission

are

warmed

up

.

When

engine is cold

and

running

at

fast idle,

th

e

car

will

tend

to

creep

when

the

control

le

ver

is

mov

ed

to

a

driving

position. A slig

ht

application

of

the

foot

brake

or

hand

brake

will

hold

the

car

until

motion

is desired.

OPERATING

IN

DR

RANGE-DR

range

has

two

driving

posi-

tions, each

marked

by

an

arrow.

The

control lever

can

be

moved

at

will from one

arrow

position

to

the

other

when

traveling

at

any

car

speed

on

dry

roads where

traction

is good.

The

left

hand

arr

ow position

in

DR

range

is provided for all

normal

fo

rward

driving;

it

reduces engine speed, provides

better

driving

comfort

and

improves fuel economy.

When

driving in this

rang

e

at

a

car

speed

of

less

than

60

MPH

an

extra

burst

of

speed

can

be

obtained

for passing

by

completely depressing

the

accelerator pedal.

This

will cause

the

transmission

to

shift

down

to

third

speed.

The

transmission will

autom

at

ically

return

to

fourth

speed as

car

speed increases

or

pedal

is

released.

The

right

hand

arrow position in

DR

range

is provided for

better

acceleration and is

very

useful

when

driving in congested traf-

fic.

It is also effective when ascending

or

descending long

mountain

grades.

When

driving in

either

DR

range

at

a

car

speed

of

less

than

20

MPH

an

extra

burst

of

speed

can

be

obtained

by

com-

pletely depressing

the

accelerator pedal.

This

will cause

the

trans-

mission

to

shift

down

to

second speed.

Th

e transmission will

auto-

matically

return

to

third

or

fourth

speed, depe

nding

on

the

DR

range

being used, as

car

speed increases

or

pedal is released.

Acceleration

in

DR

Range-The

shift

events

from first speed

to

second, second speed

to

third

,

and

third

speed

ico

fourth

(di

rect

drive

)

will occur

at

progressively higher

car

speeds

depending

on

the

amount

th

e accelerator

pedal

is

depr

essed.

Caution

Against

Coasting

in

Neutral-Do

not

coast

with

the

control

lever

in

the

N (neutral) position.

It

is unlawful in some

states

and

sometimes is

harmful

to

the

transmission.

Stopping

the

Caf

::"':Leave

theconlrol

lever in

the

driving position

selected

and

release

the

accelerat:ot pedal.

The

engine is

then

left

"in

[

121

gear

"

and

helps

to

slow

down

the

car

.

For

further

stopping

effort

apply

the

brakes

in

the

conventional

manner

.

CAUTION:

When

the

driver

leaves

the

car,

with

the

engine

running,

the

control

lever

should

always

be

in

the

N

(neutral)

position

.

This

precaution

prevents

movement

of

the

car,

should

the

accelerator

pedal

be

aCcidentally

depressed

by

a

passenger.

For

additional

safety,

apply

parking

brake

when

opening

garage

doors,

etc.

OPERATING

IN

LO

RANGE-The

control

lever

must

be

raised

to

move

from

DR

range

to

LO

range

.

The

LO

range

(second

speed)

is

provided

for

pulling

through

deep

sand

or

snow

and

ascending

or

descending

steep

grades

where

traffic

signs call for

placing

the

transmission

in

first

or

second

gears.

It

is

also

best

for

getting

the

car

in

motion

on

icy

roads

When

driving

in

LO

or

either

DR

range

at

a

car

speed

of

less

than

10

MPH

an

extra

burst

of

speed

can

be

obtained

by

completely

depress-

ing

the

accelerator

pedal.

This

will

cause

the

transmission

to

shift

down

to

first speed.

The

transmission

will

automatically

return

to

second,

third

or

fourth

speed

,

depending

on

the

range

being

used

,

as

car

speed

increases

or

pedal

is released.

The

control

lever

can

be

moved

from

either

DR

position

to

LO

at

any

car

speed

below

50

MPH

on

dry

roads

where

traction

is

good.

CAUTION:

Do

not

shift

into

LO

range

on

slippery

roads

as

a

skid

may

be

induced.

Slippery

roads

demand

judicious

use

of

the

brakes

to

reduce

car

speed.

REVERSE-

To

engage

reverse

,

simply

raise

the

control

lever

and

move

it

to

the

R

position

.

Moving

lever

between

LO

and

R

with

light

accelerator

pedal

pressure

per-

mits

rocking

the

car

when

required

to

get

out

of

deep

snow,

mud

or

sand.

Avoid

engaging

reverse

at

speeds

above

5

MPH.

NOTE:

Control

lever

will

stop

at

left

DR

position

when

moved

from

reverse

towards

neutral

with

lever

raised.

This

prevents

unwanted

"over-select-

ing"

into

neutral.

PARKING-For

additional

safety

when

parking,

turn

off

ignition

key

and

move

selector

lever

to

R

position

.

When

parking

on

an

incline, hold

car

with

foot

brake

a few

seconds

to

permit

engagement

of

transmission

parts.

[13

J

TO

START

ENGINE

BY

PUSHING

CAR-If

it

is necessary

to

start

the

engine

by

pushing

the

car

for a short distance due

to

a low

battery,

move control lever

to

N position.

When

a speed

of

approxi-

mately

25

MPH

is

attained,

turn

ignition switch

on

and

move control

lever to either

DR

position.

TOWING

THE

CAR

For

Transmission

Not

Functioning

Properly-Disonnect

the

propeller

shaft

at

the

rear

universal

joint

and

remove from

the

car

by

sliding

the

front universal

joint

and

shaft

assembly backwards

or

raise

the

rear

wheels off

the

ground to

prevent

possible damage

to

the

transmission.

For

Mechanical

Failures

Other

Than

Transmission-On

cars in

which

the

transmission

has

been operating satisfactorily for more

than

25

miles

but

less

than

1,000 miles, back off

the

rear

band

adjusting

screw

4711

turns

and

tighten

rear

band

adjusting screw lock

nut.

When

towing, place selector lever in

the

N position

and

do

not

exceed

towing speed

of

25

MPH

.

After

towing

has

been completed, loosen

rear

band

adjusting screw lock

nut,

tighten

rear

band

adjusting screw

4711

turns

and

tighten lock

nut

.

Where

a

car

has

been operated for more

than

1,000

mil~s,

it

may

be

towed

without

loosening

the

band

adjusting screw

by

placing

the

selector lever in neutral, provided

the

towing speed is

maintained

between

15

and

25

MPH.

NOTE:

Check

the

oil

level

in

the

Hydra-Matic

transmission

after

three

miles

of

towing

If

the

vehicle

is

to

be

towed

more

than

three

miles.

The

oil

level

should

not

be

lower

thari

~

Inch

below

the

"L"

mark

on

the

oil

level

Indicator.

HYDRA-MATIC

FLUID-Refer

to

page

31

for information on fluid

recommendations, change intervals,

and

level checking.

[

14)

SIIHcltro-

);leslt

:Drive

STARTING THE ENGINE

Depress

clutch

pedal

to

floor;

this

relieves

the

starter

of

the

task

of

turning

the

transmission

gears

(an

important

advantage

in

cold

weather

starting)

.

(If

clutch

p~dal

is

not

depressed,

gearshift

control

lever

must

be

placed

in

neutral

position

to

prevent

accidental

move-

ment

of

car

while

starting

.)

Press

accelerator

pedal

to

toehoard

once

and

release (in

order

to

set

the

Automatic

Choke)

;

turn

the

ignition

switch

key

to

right

to

full

stop

position

,

release

as

soon

as

engine

starts.

Should

the

engine

fail

to

start

in

five

to

ten

seconds,

it

is possible

that

it

is flooded.

In

that

case,

press

the

accelerator

pedal

slowly

to

the

floor

and

hold

it

there

when

starting

.

This

renders

the

choke

inoper-

ative

and

relieves

the

flooded

condition

.

CAUTION:

Do

not

"pump"

the

accelerator

pedal

at

any

time

. Avoid

racing

the

engine

during

warm-up

period.

NOTE:

When

starting

a

warm

or

hot

engine,

hold

accelerator

pedal

down

half

way.

!15 ]

Cold

Weather-In

cold

weather

(O°F

.

and

colder)

the

engine

must

idle

with

the

gearshift lever in

neutral

and

parking brakes pulled

on

or

foot brakes applied

until

engine

and

transmission

are

warmed up.

CLUTCH

PROLONGING

CLUTCH

LIFE-The

clutch

in

your

Pontiac

will

not

require

much

attention

due

to

the

use

of

a clutch

throwout

ball

bearing which is lubricated for life

at

the

factory. However,

normal

wear in

the

clutch

facings will result in a

gradual

change in

the

"pedal

lash".

Excessive wear

may

be caused

by

"riding

"

the

clutch,

the

habit

some

drivers

have

of

resting

the

left foot

on

the

clutch,

thus

keeping

the

releasing

parts

in

contact

but

not

disengaging. Excessive wear

can

also be caused

by

rough usage.

Letting

the

clutch

up

"

with

a

bang

"

is

not

only

hard

on

the

clutch

itself

but

also on tires

and

the

entire

car

.

Another

practice which

puts

needless wear

on

the

clutch

is

"holding

"

your

car

on

a hill

by

partially

engaging

the

clutch

instead

of

using

the

brake.

CLUTCH

PEDAL

ADJUSTMENT

-The

clutch

pedal should be

adjusted

from

time

to

time

so

that

it

has some free

travel

before

the

clutch actually begins

to

disengage.

The

pressure

of

one finger should be enough

to

push

the

pedal in

about

an

inch before

the

resistance

of

the

clutch spring

is

felt.

If

there

is little

or

no

"pedal

lash"

the

clutch

may

be slipping which will cause

it

to

wear

out

faster.

If

there

is too

much

"pedal

lash",

the

clutch

may

not

disengage completely

and

cause gear

shifting trouble.

When

"pedal

lash" is less

than

% inch

or

more

than

lVa inches,

an

adjustment

should be made.

(

16]

All

WClltkcr

8uHI/urt

8UHtrU/

C!1"'"

Pontiac

engineers

have

developed

certain

features

that

make

your

car

usable

and

comfortable

at

all times,

be

the

weather

clear

or

cloudy,

rainy

or

snowy,

hot

or

cold.

For

example,

the

Pontiac

Unisteel

Body

with

Turret

Top

is co"mpletely

insulated

with

a

layer

of

insulating

material

that

serves

to

keep

out

heat

in

summer

and

cold

in

winter.

VENTILATION

SYSTEM-The

ventilating

panes

in

the

door

win-

dows,

the

duct

type

ventilators

and

the

underseat

heater

are

all

part

of

a controlled

ventilation

system.

Vent

Panes-The

ventilating

panes

can

be

adjusted,

by

means

of

a

crank

control,

to

any

position to

suit

weather

conditions

and

provide

circulation

of

outside

air

in

the

car

.

They

are

also

useful

in

preventing

fogging

of

the

win-

dows, especially

the

windshield, in cold

weather.

Vent

Ducts-Two

"VENT

" control

knobs,

located

on

the

instrument

panel

below

the

instrument

cluster

are

used

to

control

the

amount

of

outside

air

entering

the

car

through

the

duct

type

ventilators

in

the

dash

panel.

The

amount

that

either

the

right

or

left

knob

is pulled

out

will

regulate

the

amount

of

air

entering

the

car

from

th

at

particular

duct

.

The

ducts

are

equipped

with

screens

to

prevent

insects from

entering

the

car.

VENTI-HEAT

SYSTEM-Even

distribution

of

heated

air

is accom-

plished

through

the

use

of

a

heater

distribution

manifold

running

crosswise

of

the

body

under

the

front

seat.

Heated

air

entering

the

manifold is discharged

toward

the

front

and

rear

of

the

car

for

equal-

ized

distribution

by

openings

in

the

manifold

under

the

driver

and

front

seat

passenger.

[17

)

Pontiac 1953 User manual

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