service CHEVROLET CAMARO 1971 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A WORD TO CAMARO OWNERS ...
This manual has been prepared to acquaint you with the operation and maintenance of your Camaro, and to provide
important 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
71 of this manual under the heading, "Owner Relations".
Regarding warranty, your Camara, 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
FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY I OM I " I G I KEEP YOUR GMCAR ALL GM. SPECIFY GENERAL _ Uui~~De ~Jco MOTORS PARTS IDENTIFIED BY ONE OF THESE ~ TRADE-MARKS:

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1971 CAMARO
OWNER'S
MANUAL
CHEVROLET MOTOR
DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS
CORPORATION DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48202
All information, illustrations and specifications
con­tained in this manual are based on the latest product
information available at the time of publication. The right is reserved to make changes at any time without
notice.
Part No. 3991061
ST 309-71
©GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION 1970
Table of Contents Page
Before Driving your Car. _ ...... _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Starting and Operating
............................................ 11
Safety Checks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 33
In Case of Emergency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 38
Air
Pollution Control Systems.. .. . ....... . . . . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . ... 41
Appearance Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 47
Service and Maintenance ......................................... 51
Maintenance Schedule ........................................... 66
Specifications,
Owner Relations, Service Manuals, Index ........... 72
1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Generator Indicator Light
This light provides a quick check
on the generating system of your
car. The red light will go on when
the ignition key
is in the "on" posi­
tion, but before the engine is
started. After the engine starts, the
light should go out and remain out.
If the light remains on when engine
is running, have your Authorized
Chevrolet Dealer locate and correct
the trouble
as soon as possible.
Engine Temperature
Indicator Light
This indicator light is provided
in the instrument cluster to quickly
warn of an overheated engine. With
the ignition
switGh in the START
position, the red TEMP indicator
will light to let you know that it
is
operating properly.
When the engine
is started, the
red light will go out immediately.
It will light up at no other time
unless for some reason the engine
reaches a dangerously high
oper­
ating temperature. If the red light
should come on, the engine must be
stopped until the cause of the
over­
heating is corrected. Glance at in­
strument cluster frequently as you
drive to see if this light
is on.
Brake System Warning
Light
The service brake system is de­
signed so that half of the brake sys­
tem will provide some braking ac­
tion in the event of a hydraulic leak
in the other half of the system.
When the brake apply system
is not
operating properly, a warning light
located at lower left of instrument
cluster (speedometer face) will
glow continuously when the
igni­
tion is on after the brakes have been
firmly applied.
On cars equipped
with drum brakes, the light will go
21
out when foot is removed from
brake pedal.
• As a check on bulb condition the
light should glow with the
park­
ing brake applied and the igni­
tion on. (Light is also a reminder
to release parking brake.)
• Have system repaired if light
does not come on during check.
• This warning light is nota sub­
stitute for the visual check of
brake fluid level required
as part
of normal maintenance.
If the light glows red:
• The parking brake is not fully re­
leased or,
• The service brake system is par­
tially inoperative.
What to do:
1. Check that the parking brake is
released.
2. Pull off the road and stop, care­
fully-remembering that:

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Clock
Reset the clock, if your car is so
equipped, by pulling out the knob
and turning the hands clockwise
if
slow, counterclockwise if fast. This
will, if the clock error
is five min­
utes
or more, automatically com­
pensate for time gain or lag.
Sev­
eral resettings, several days apart,
may be needed to properly adjust
the clock mechanism. Have your
clock cleaned and oiled by a com­
petent clock serviceman at least
every two years.
Cigarette Lighter
The accessory cigarette lighter is
located on the instrument panel
face. To operate, push it in. When
it becomes heated, it automatically
pops out ready for
use.
Windshield Wiper
and Washer
The windshield wiping system
operates at two speeds and
is de­
signed to wipe clear designated areas
of the windshield under most
inclement weather conditions. The
windshield wipers work electrically
and are not affected by engine op­
eration.
Push the control lever to the
right
to start the electric windshield
wiper. The two-speed electric wiper
has both a
"low" and a "high" speed
position.
Pressing the control will send a
measured amount of water or other
cleaning agent onto the windshield
and will also cause the wiper lever
to move, thus starting the wiper
motor. The wiper will then con­
tinue to operate until manually
turned off at the wiper lever.
Fill the washer jar only
% full
during the winter to allow for ex­
pansion if the temperature should
fall low enough to freeze the
so­
lution.
• Check washer fluid level regu­
larly-do it frequently when the
24
weather is bad.
• Use GM OPTIKLEEN to pre­
vent freezing damage, and to
provide better cleaning.
• Do not use radiator anti-freeze in
windshield washer; it could
cause paint damage.
• In cold weather, warm the wind­
shield with defrosters before
us­
ing washer-to help prevent ic­
ing that may seriously obscure
vision.
Air Vents
The air vents in each kick panel
admit air from the vent grille just
ahead of the windshield. Control
knobs open and close the vents .
The amount of air entering the
car through this system
is depend­
ent upon vehicle speed.
Four Season Air Conditioning
equipped cars have no kick panel
vents since the vents are a part of
the air conditioning system. The
lever beside each instrument panel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine FLOOR CONTROLS
Braking System
The service brake system is de­
signed for braking performance
under a wide range of driving con­
ditions even when the vehicle
is
loaded to its full rated vehicle load.
Power Brakes
• Cars with power brakes can
make two or more brake stops
using reserve power assist after
the engine
is off.
• When reserve power is ex­
hausted, the vehicle can still be
stopped by applying greater
force to the pedal.
Parking Brake
• To set parking brake, fully de­
press foot pedal at far left side.
• For maximum holding power,
depress regular brake pedal with
the other foot at the same time.
• To release parking brake, pull
"BRAKE RELEASE" lever on
lower left instrument panel.
• Never drive car with parking
brake set
as this may overheat or
otherwise damage rear brakes.
REMINDER: Brake pedal travel
should not be obstructed by im­
proper floor mats or other interfer­
ing material under the pedal.
NOTE: "Riding the brake" by rest­
ing your foot on the brake pedal
when not intending to brake can
cause abnormally high brake tem­
peratures, excessive lining wear
and possible damage to the brakes.
31
REMINDER: Brake linings should
be inspected for wear by a qualified
mechanic at least once a year
or
every 12,000 miles, whichever oc­
curs first. More frequent inspec­
tions should be made if driving con­
ditions in your area, such
as traffic
or terrain, or techniques of indi­
vidual drivers result in frequent
brake applications. Your Chevrolet
dealer
is best qualified to advise you
as to how often this inspection
should be performed. When brakes
require relining, use those Genuine
General Motors
Parts specifically
recommended for your car, and
Delco, brake fluid as required.
Automatic Brake Adjusters
• Brakes on this car are self-adjust­
ing, designed to eliminate peri­
odic brake adjustments.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SAFETY CHECKS
Your Camaro not only conforms to all U.S. Fed­
eral Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards applicable at
time of manufacture, but also incorporates other im­
portant General Motors safety features. Even with
these safety features, however, continued safe and
dependable operation depends greatly upon regular
vehicle maintenance.
This section discusses the various components and
systems of your vehicle that should be checked regu-
CHECK OFF EACH ITEM UNDER MIlEAGE AS SERVICE IS PERFORMED. Brakes and Power Steering -Check all lines and hoses. Check condition of brake linings and parking brake adjustment. Chassis lube and check all fluid levels,· Check condition of front and rear suspension and steerine system. Exhaust System -Check condition of system and underbody. Tires and Wheels-Check condition. (Check tire pressure at least monthly.) Engine -Change oil.· Check condition 01 all belts. -Replace oil filter (at 1st oil change and tllen every 2nd chanie). -Check air cleaner every 12,000 miles; replace every 24,000 miles. .-Replace PCV valve. -Service exhaust emission control systems (see Owner's Manual). -Change toolanl every Iwo years. Throttle linkage -Check operation and condition . Headlights -Aim. Transmission (Automatic)-Change fluid and service filter. 0 ,', III · 0
33
larly to help maintain continued safe and dependable
vehicle operation.
Some checks should be made by
your dealer or service station, and can be done con­
veniently while your vehicle
is in the shop for other
regular maintenance services.
Other checks can be
made easily by owners.
CHECKS TO BE PERFORMED BY YOUR
DEALER OR SERVICE STATION
As a service reminder to owners, all 1971 General
Motors passenger cars are equipped with a
"Vehicle
6000 12000 18000 24000 30000 36000 41000 48000 )4000
• •
• •
• • • •
• • •
• •
• • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • •
• • • •
• • •
• •
• • • •
• • • • • • •
• • • • •
• •
• •
• • •
• •
• • • • •
• • • • • •
•
• • •
· • · •
• • • • •
• 0 o· 00 0 ·
0

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Maintenance Schedule" on the inside of the
glove box door
as illustrated.
The schedule lists the various safety checks to be
performed at regularly scheduled intervals,
as well
as some of the other important vehicle maintenance
requirements. You are urged to check
off each item
on the schedule after the operation has been per­
formed. Following are further details on the safety
check items:
Checks To Be Made At Oil Change Intervals
(4 months or 6,000 miles, whichever comes
first)
• Brake Lines and Hoses -Check for proper at­
tachments, leaks, cracks, chafing, deterioration,
etc. Any questionable parts noted should be re­
placed or repaired immediately.
• Fluid Levels-Check level of fluid in brake master
cylinder, power steering pump, radiator, engine,
axle and transmission. Any significant
loss could
mean that a malfunction
is developing in the sys­
tem and corrective action should be taken imme­
diately.
On cars with disc brakes, a low fluid level
in the front brake master cylinder reservoir could
34
also be an indicator that disc brake pads need
replacing.
• Front and Rear Suspension and Steering Sys­
tem-Check for damaged or missing parts, or parts
showing visible signs of excessive wear or lack of
lubrication. Questionable parts should be replaced
by a qualified mechanic without delay.
• Exhaust System -Check complete exhaust sys­
tem and nearby body areas and trunk lid for
broken, damaged, missing or mispositioned parts,
open seams, holes, loose connections
or other de­
terioration which could permit exhaust fumes to
seep into the trunk or passenger compartment. Any
defects should be corrected immediately. To help
insure continued integrity, exhaust system pipes
rearward of the
muffler must be replaced whenever
a new
muffler is installed.
• Tires and Wheels -Check tires for excessive
wear, nails, cuts or other damage. Make certain
wheels are not bent
~nd wheel nuts are tight. Un­
even or abnormal tire wear may indicate the need
for alignment service. Check tire inflation pressure
at least monthly, or more often
if daily visual
inspection indicates the need.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine For further details on the engine and transmission
items listed on the
"Vehicle Safety Maintenance
Schedule," and for other recommended maintenance,
refer
to the "Service and Maintenance" and "Air
Pollution. Control" Sections of this manual.
CHECKS lOBE PERFORMED
BY OWNER
Listed below are the safety checks that should be
made by the owner . These checks should be made at
least every 4 months or
6,000 miles, whichever occurs
first , or more often when so indicated . Any
deficien­
cies should be brought to the attention of your dealer
or service station, so the advice of a qualified mech­
anic is available regarding the need for repairs or
replacements.
• Anti-Theft Lock-Check for proper operation by
attempting to turn key to
LOCK position in the
various transmission gears with
car stationary. Key
should
tum to LOCK position only when trans­
mission control is in PARK on automatic trans­
mission models or in REVERSE on manual trans­
mission models.
• Seat Belts-Check lap and shoulder belts as well
as buckles, retractors and anchors for loose con-
36
nections, damage and positive latching action.
• Windshield Wipers and Washers-Check con­
dition and alignment of wiper blades. Check
amount and direction of fluid sprayed by washers
during use.
• Defrosters-Check performance by turning con­
trols to "de-ice" and "Hi" fan speed and noting
amount of air directed against the windshield.
• Wheel Alignment and Balance-In addition to
abnormal tire wear the need for wheel alignment
service may be indicated by a pull to the right or
left when driving on a straight level road. The need
for wheel balancing may be indicated by a
vibra­
tion at the steering wheel while driving.
• Parking Brake and "Park" Mechanism-Check
parking brake holding ability by parking on a fairly
steep hill and restraining the vehicle with the
parking brake only.
On cars with automatic trans­
missions, check the holding ability of the "Park"
mechanism by releasing all brakes after the trans­
mission selector lever has been placed in the "P"
position.
• Lights -Check license plate lights, side marker
lights , headlamps, parking lamps, tail lamps , brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEMS
AND THE SERVICE THEY REQUIRE
Source of Emissions
During the combustion process in an automotive
engine, some of the fuel (hydrocarbons) fails to
bum
completely and is discharged into the engine crank­
case or exhaust system. Additional hydrocarbons are
emitted into the atmosphere through evaporation of
gasoline vapors from the fuel tank and carburetor.
Of the total hydrocarbons coming from uncontrolled
automobiles, about
20% are emitted from the crank­
case,
20% from the fuel system and 60% from the
engine exhaust.
In addition to hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide
and oxides of nitrogen are also formed during the
41
combustion process. These are also discharged into
the exhaust system.
What General Motors Has Done
Since research on the control of vehicle emissions
first began some
20 years ago, General Motors has
developed a number of control systems which are
highly effective in reducing undesirable emissions.
(These systems are discussed in some detail in the
following pages of this section). The progress made
is evidenced by a reduction in hydrocarbon emissions
of
80% since 1960. Control of hydrocarbon emis­
sions
is important since, when subjected to sunlight

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine under the proper conditions, they react with other
gases to form photochemical smog, which
is so prev­
alent in Los Angeles.
In addition, carbon monoxide emissions have been
reduced by about 65 percent compared with 1960
model cars without controls. Although carbon mon­
oxide does not enter into the complex photochemical
smog reaction, it
is toxic at high concentrations and
thus, has been controlled to prevent high atmospheric
concentrations.
Recent Developments
Another important advancement in air pollution
control has been the removal of lead from gasoline.
(Certain lead compounds have been used for many
years
as additives to increase octane ratings.) All
1971 General Motors cars including your Camaro
are designed
to operate on unleaded or low-lead
(zero to
0.5 grams per gallon) gasolines. However,
any gasoline with
91 Research Octane Number or
42
higher will satisfy your engine's octane requirements.
Use of unleaded or low-lead gasoline will keep your
engine running efficiently and play an important part
in reducing exhaust emissions of hydrocarbons and
particulates.
Your Role In Controlling Air Pollution
1. Use Unleaded or Low-Lead Fuels-To obtain
maximum results
In the reduction of automotive
emissions, use an unleaded gasoline.
If such gaso­
line
is not available, you may use a leaded regu­
lar grade gasoline.
2. Have The Air Pollution Control Systems on Your
Car Serviced Regularly -
The following pages of
this section describe the emission control systems
on Chevrolet vehicles and provide information
on their proper maintenance. By following these
recommended maintenance services you will help
assure cleaner air and provide a better running,
longer lasting engine and greater all around satis­
faction, economy and performance.