Pontiac 1953 User manual

OWNER'S SERVICE , G
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BREAKING-IN
AND LICENSE
D AlA
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 SO miles per h'our.
Second 200 miles Dot 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
distance, then gradually decreased to a slower speed for a 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. 5ustained high speed driving should
not
be undertaken 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 serial number is located on a
plate which is attached to the left front pillar post on all models . The engine serial
number of your car is . (The enqine serial number is
stamped on a machined pad at the top left hand front corner of the cylinder black-
all models-and is the same as the car serial number.)
STYLE, PAINT, AND TRIM NUMBERS. The style, p oi nt and trim numbers
are stomped on the plate attached to the right front side of the dash. Style number
____ ___ __ __ • Faint number _____ ________ _
Trim number ___________________ _
KEY NUMBERS. There are two leeys to your car, The one with on octagonal
shaped handle fits the ignition and front door locks. The other key is ova l in shape
and fits the Qlove and rear luggage compartments, IQn ition key number ___ __
Trunk key
number _____ _
STARTING HINTS. If you live in on area where cold weather is experienced, it
might
be a good idea to read "Starting the Engine" on page 21.
WHERE TO PUT YOUR SERVICE GUIDE. Slip th;, Se,. ;ce Gu;de ;.to the clip
in the roof of the glove compartment for ready reference. This clip is al so 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"Ovoid any possible misunderstanding by giving
Ihe Seriul, Style, and Paint numbers of your car.
FORM S - 52.0l -1.I TH O U.S...... 1-52.

OWN E R
SERVICE POLICY
Along with this Service Guide, you
have received an "Owner Service
Policy," which your dea l er filled
in for you when
he delivered t he
car. Read this policy carefully.
Most owners
keep the Service
Policy in the glove comportment.
There are t wo coupons attached to your "Owner Serv1ce Policy"
which entitle you to have inspections performed on your car . These
inspections
are performed to correct any changes in the initial set-
tings which may occur during the break-in period. One entitles you
to certain adjustinent s, as speCified on the back of the coupon, at
the end of 1,000miles provided the coupon is presented within
1, 500 miles of car operation. The other provides for addi ti onal
services at the end of 2,000 miles, provided the coupon is pre-
sented within 2 , 500 miles of car operation. T hese services will
be performed for you without charge (except for chassis lubrication,
engine oil and other lubricants) by the deale r from whom you pur -
chased your car. In case you are touring or have changed your
residence,
any autho rized Pontiac dealer in the United Sta t es or
Canada will perform them for you upon presentation of the Owner
Service Policy and Coupons' By making an appointinent for your
inspections,
much the same as you would reserve a hotel room, you
can avoid rush periods and get the inspection the day you want i t.
Pontiac dealers everywhere stand ready to provide you with the
best possible service at all times. It is the ir responsibility to assure
your continued satisfaction with your car. But you. too, have a
responsibility to yourself
as an owner - the responsibility of giving
your Pontiac car the reasonable care and attention that any mechan - .
iccl device deserves.
"Be sure yOU l d ea ler ho s si gned t he po li cy os we ll as th e co upons 80 thai you can
qet your 1,000 and 2,000 mile in spec ti ons willie trov el ing.

MANUFACTURER'S
WARRANTY
It is expressly agreed that there are no warranties, expressed or
implied, made by either the dealer or the manufacturer on the
Pontiac Mot or vehicles, chassis or parts furnished hereunder, except
the
Manufacturer's warranty against defective materials or work-
manship 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 normal use and service, its obligation under this warranty
being limited 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 shnll lirst occur, be returned to it with transportation charges
prepaid and which its examination shall disclose to its satisfaction to have
been thus defective; this warranty being expressly in lieu of aJI other
warranties, expressed or implied, and aJI 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 shaJI not apply to any vehicle which shall have been
repaired or altered outside of an authorized Pontiac Service Station in any
. way so as in the judgment of the Manufacturer to affect its stability and
reliability, nor which has been subject to misuse, negligence or accident. II
The Manufacturer has reserved the right to make changes in
design
or add any improvements on motor vehicles at any time with-
out incurring
any obligations to install same on motor vehicles and
chassis previously purchased.
TIRE WARRANTY
Tires are warranted by the tire manufacturer again st defects in material and work·
manship. If, during the life of the tire, tire failure should occur due to this cause, the
tire
manufacturers will either repair the tire or make a reasonable allowance on it ·
towards the purchase of a new tire.
BATTERY WARRANTY
Your Pontiac Delco battery is guaranteed for 90 days. Be sure your Pontiac dealer
has filled in the Delco Battery Service Policy which gives you protection for 18 months
or
18,000 miles in accordance with the terms of the policy.
2

LICENSE
AND
CAR
DATA
NAME
CHIEFTAIN
SEDAN DEUVERY
STATION WAGON
NUMBER
'Cyl. 8 Cyl.
51-25 51 - 27
51-25 51-27
51-25 51-27
WHEEL-
BASE
120 '"
120-
120 '"
Developed Horsepower (6.8 to 1 Compression) , ,
~A . ~~\i~~s~;~~ . ~~~ . (~ : ~ . I~ ,I , ~~~:.r~~~~~~ : .
Bore .. ....... ... ... . . ........ .
Stroke ....... .
Piston Displacement. . . .. .. .
Tappet
Clearance-Hot and Running.
Spark Plug Gap . . . . . ........... .
Breaker Point Gap .
Cooling System Capacity ........ ... .
Cooling System Capacity with Underseat Heater.
Crankcase, Refill .
OVERALL
LENGTH
202.5-
203.0-
203.9-
SIX
100.0
102.0
30.4
3~ ·
4-
239.2 cu. in.
.0ll"-.013-
.025-
.022-
18 qls.
19'A qls .
5 qt •.
FUSES
See page 11 .
OASTANK
CAPACITY
17Y2 gal.
16 gal.
16 gal .
EIGHT
118 .0
122.0
36.4
3~ -
3~ "
268.4 cu. in.
.0ll"-.013-
.025-
.0 16 -
19~ qts.
21'A qts .
5 qt •.
GASOLINE
Synchro-Mesh equipped cars are fur.
nished with a standard compression
ratio of 6.8 to 1 for use with r eg ular
type fuels. An optional compression
ratio of 7.7 to 1 is available (or use with
premium fuels.
LAMP SPECIFICATIONS '
Hydra·Malic equipped cars are fur.
nished with a standard compression
ratio of 7.7 to 1 which requires the use
of premium fuels. The optional compres -
sion ratio for Hydra -Matic equipped
cars is 6.8 to 1for use wi th reqular fuels_
CHOKE
No choke button to bother with-chok -
ing is automatic. See page 22.
OIL
Use 10-W oil in your engine for the
nrst 1000 miles. You will find the whole
story about engine oil on page 30 .
ANTI-FREEZE SOLUTIONS
Winter driving recommendations as re-
gards to the coolinq system are care-
fully explained on page 51.
TIRES
It is a qood idea to check the pressure
every month. Se e page 45 for furiher
details.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Headligbt Unit - Upper . . . .
Lower ... .
Parking Lamps ...
Instrument Lamp.
Beam Indicator Lamp.
Dome Lamp .. .
License Lamp ...... .. .
T
ail and Stop Lamps.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Hydra-MaUc Indicator.
Clock Dial .
Glove Box .. ......... .
Direction Signal-Front.
Ind . .... .
Foq Lamp-Dual .
Safety Lamp ............ .
L.uggage Compartment.
Radio Dial. ..... .
Back-up Lamp .. . .
Underbood. Lamp ........ .
Hood Ornament .. ....... .
Compass Light . . ........ .
Load Comp. Lamp -
Sed. Del. Only .... .
Heater Panel Lamp ..... .
Catalina and Convertible
Courtesy Liqht . .
Lamp No. C.P.
Sealed 45 W
Be
am
Sealed 35 W
Beam
sa 3
55 1
51 1
88 15
sa 3
11 54 3·21
51 I
55 2
55 2
1154 21·3
51 1
Sealed 35 W
Beam
Sealed 32
Beam
81 6
44 25 Ie
1133 32
88 15
51 I
51 I
1133
32
55 2
.2 6
3

FOREWORD
4
Pontiac's engineers strive continually to give you
greater value in each new model Pontiac. This year
we are especially proud of the advanced design and
precision construction which combines comfort, econ-
omy, performance, and endurance to make your new
Pontiac an even greater car than ever before. How-
ever, in order that you may be able to take full
advantage of the many new features which you have
in your new car, we have added this Manual , to give
you the "know-how" for safe
and economical
operation.
Your knowledge and care of the operating parts
of the car will give you greater enjoyment in driving
your 1952 Pontiac Silver
Streak .
Owner's Service Department
PONTIAC MOTOR DIVISION
Pontiac, Michigan

•
Instruments and Controls .......... ... ............. . 6
Hydra-Matic Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
All Weather Comfort Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17
Starting the Engine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 I
Taking
Core of Your Pontiac ......... . .........•.... 23
Factors Governing Service Needs. . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . .. 24
What Service to Buy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 26
Direction Signal Wiring Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 28
Wiring Diagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 29
Engine Lubrication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Chassis and Body Lubrication ...... . . .. .. .... . . .. . . . 34
Tune-Up Diagnosis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 38
General Service ... . ..... _ ....... ... . . _. . . . . . . . . . .. 45
Tir es .. ... ......... .... . _. . . .. ... . . . .. .... ...... . . 45
Cooling System. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 48
Anti-Freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 51
Clutch. .......... . ..... .. .. . . .... . . . . .. . ..... . ... 52
Brakes. . ...................... . .... . .. • ....... 52
Steering Gear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . .. 54
Accessories. . . . . . . . . . .... . ... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Regulating Your Clock .............. . ........ . ..... 58
The Chieftain Radio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 59
Housekeeping Your Cor. . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 60
Maintenance Index. .. . .. .. . .. . ... ... .... ..... . . . 74

INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLS
•
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. This arrangement is the
result
of the latestdevelopments in automotive engineering, research,
and styling. Mayb e you helped in this design and arrangement of the
instrument
panel and controls;' and if you have owned Pontiacs
previously, you will probably be familiar with most of them. If you
are a lirst-time Pontiac owner, however, it will be a good idea to
read this section carefully.
SEAT ADJUSTMENT- The seat adjust-
ment is easily made by pushing down the
small
lever on the left end of the front seat
and sliding yourself back and forth until
the
seat is in a position that seems to suit
you
the best. On l ong trips, changing the
adjustment occasionally will be found help -
ful in avoiding fatigue.
IGNITION AND LIGHT SWITCHES-
CIGAR LIGHTER- The ignition SWitch,
cigar lighter and light switch are conven-
iently located on the instrument panel, and
the instrument dials are grouped for best
visibility. The
cigar lighter, located by the
.ignition switch, is
operated by pushing in-
ward on the lighter, which automatically starts the
element heating . When the proper temperature is
reached, the li'ghter clicks back into position for use.
It is unnecessary to hold the lighter in by hand.
As a further convenience to the owner the ignition.
switch is illuminated when
the light switch is pulled out.
·Each year General Motors, through its Proving Ground of Public Opinion, invites
well over Q million motorists-owners of all ma kes of COls-to expreSS their preference
on various features of design- "to pool their practical exper ience with the t ech n ical
skill of Gener al Motors En gin ee rs,"
6

BATTERY CHARGE INDICATOR-GASOLINE GAUGE~ The
battery "charge" and "discharge" indicator located at the le ft end
of the instrument group indicates the current flow to and from the
battery. Electrical
current going from the
generator to the ba ttery registers on the
"charge" side. The indicator will show a "dis-
charge" reading when more electrical energy
is being consumed than is received from the
generator.
The gasoline gauge is electrically operated.
It indicates the quantity of gasoline in t he tank
only when the ignition is turned on . When the
ignition is
turned off, the pOinier drops back beyond the "empty"
mark.
OIL PRESSURE GAUGE-WATER TEMPERATURE INDI-
CATOR- The oil gauge on the panel indicates the pressure in the
engine lubrication system. This shows whether
the oil
pump is working. It does not show how
much oil
there is in the crankcase . At normal
driving sp
eeds the gauge should read approxi -
mately 40. If the indicatordoes not come above
zero or fluctuates greatly, you should check
your 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.
T
he temperature of the water in your engi(le is shown by the water
temperature indicator. When the engine is thoroughly warmed up
the indicator will indicate between 160· and 200· . If the tempera -
ture indicator needle goes to the 230· mark, you should look into
the
cause immediately.
LOCKS AND KEYS- Maximum protection
is provided
by the Pontiac system of locks and
.keys. Two sets of two keys each are furnished
with your
car. The octagona l handl ed key
operates the front door and ignition lock. The
oval handled key operates the glove and rear
deck compartments.
CAUTION: Never lea ve keys in yo ur car. In s ur an ce records show ove r 75% of
cars stol en have be en le ft with t he ignition k ey in t he lock.
7