CHEVROLET CAMARO 1973 2.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine hole on the lap belt latch plate.
(The latch is designed so that
this attachment
can only be com­
pleted before fastening the lap
belt.) Tilt the knob
as neces­
sary, to pass it through the slot.
Pull the knob firmly upward to
seat it at the narrow end of the
keyhole, then fasten the lap
belt.
• Shoulder belts are lengthened
and shortened
in the same man­
ner
as center seat lap belts.
• Shoulder belt should have suffi­
cient slack to insert a fist's
width between your chest and
the belt. This can be checked
by inserting a clenched
fist be­
tween the belt and your chest
with thumb against chest and
back of hand facing upward.
• When not in use, the shoulder
belt may be stowed by leaving
it attached to the lap belt and
allowing the lap belt to rewind into
its retractor. Take up re­
maining slack using the shoul­
der belt adjustment feature.
• To completely restow the shoul­
der belt, .remove the belt knob
from the keyhole (tilting knob
as necessary). Then restow belt
along roof rail in accord with
illustration. .
When not in use, all loose lap
and shoulder belts should be se­
cured to reduce the danger of
the
metal ends striking an occupant in
an accident. When special stowage
provisions are not provided, the
8 loose
ends should be attached to
each other and adjustment
made
to remove the slack in the belt sys­
tem. Be sure that belts are not left
in a position where the webbing
or
hardware can be pinched in the
seat structure
or door, and thus
become damaged.
Seat Belt Inspection
• Periodically inspect belts, buc­
kles, retractors, and anchors for
damage that could lessen the ef­
fectiveness
of the restraint sys­
tem.
SHOULDER BELT
STOWAGE

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Keep sharp edges and damaging
objects away from belts.
• Replace belts if cut, weakened,
frayed, or subjected to collision
loads.
• Check that anchor mounting
bolts are tight.
• Have questionable parts re­
placed.
• 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.
Child Restraint
Children in automobiles · should
be restrained to lessen the risk of
injury in accidents, sudden stops
or other hazardous situations.
General Motors dealers offer re­
straint systems designed specific­
ally for use with infants. In using
any infant or child restraint
sys­
tem, read and comply with all in- stallation
and usage instructions.
All unused seat belts near the
child should be stowed properly to
help prevent them from striking
him in the event of an accident.
Lap belts and shoulder belts with­
out 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 vehi­
cle not equipped with a General
Motors
inf~mt restraint or other
safe infant or child restraint
sys­
tem, . the following precautions
should be taken:
1. 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 vehi-
9
cle seat belts. An alternate me­
thod
is to position the bassinet
so that it rests against the back
of the front seat, again cross­
ways in the vehicle.
2. Children able to sit up by them­
selves should be placed on a
seat and lap belted, preferably
in the rear seat. Never allow a
child to stand or kneel on any
seat.
If the child cannot see out
the car windows he should sit
on a firm cushion with the reg­
ular lap belt restraining him at
the hips. The cushion should be
as firm as practical and just
high enough to enable the child
to look horizontally out of the
car windows. 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.
3. General Motors recommends
that children be restrained

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine properly when riding. However,
if unusual conditions prohibit
use of restraints and require
Trailer Hauling
Since passenger cars are designed
and intended to be used primarily
as passenger conveyances, towing
a trailer will affect handling, dura­
bility and economy. Maximum
safety and satisfaction depends
upon proper use of correct equip­
ment and· avoiding overloads and
other abusive operation.
The maximum loaded trailer
weight which you can pull with your
Camaro depends on what special
equipment has been installed on
your car. Chevrolet does not rec­
ommend towing any trailer unless
the car
is properly equipped. Infor­
mation
ori trailer hauling capabili­
ties, special equipment required,
and optional equipment offered
by
Chevrolet is available from your that
a child must stand,
he
should stand on the floor direct­
ly behind the front seat. This will
Chevrolet Dealer or by wntmg:
Chevrolet Motor Division, Detroit,
Michigan 48202
(or in Canada
by writing to General Motors of
Canada Limited,
Owner Relations
Department,
Oshawa, Ontario).
To assist
in attaining good han­
dling of the car-trailer combina­
tion, it
is important that the trailer
tongue load be maintained at ap­
proximately 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 highest infla­
tion pressures shown on the placard
10
help minimize the possibility of
injury from frontal impacts in
the event of an accident.
affixed to the left front door. The
allowable passenger and cargo
load, also shown on the same plac­
ard,
is reduced by an amount equal
to the trailer tongue load on the
trailer hitch.
Maintenance
More frequent vehicle mainte­
nance
is required when using your
car to pull a trailer. Change the:
• Automatic transmission fluid
each
12,000 miles,
• Rear axle fluid each 12,000
miles,
• Engine oil each 60 days or 3,000
miles, whichever occurs first,
• Positive crankcase ventilation
valve each 12 months or
12,000
miles, whichever occurs first.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Break-in Schedule
In addition to the new car
break-in instructions in this man­
ual, it
is recommended that your
new Camaro 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. The same precau­
tions should be observed whenever
a new engine, transmission
or axle
is installed in your car.
Operation in Foreign Countries
Your Camaro is designed to op­
erate on fuel of approximately
91
research octane number or higher,
sold in the United
States and Can­
ada.
If you plan to operate your
Camaro outside the continental
limits of the United
States or Can­
ada, there
is a possibility that the
best fuels available in some coun­
tries are
so low in anti-knock
quality that excessive knocking
and serious engine damage may
result from their
use. To minimize
this possibility, write to Chevrolet
Motor Division, Service Depart- ment,
Detroit, Michigan 48202
(or in Canada write to General
Motors of Canada Limited,
Owner
Relations Department, Oshawa,
Ontario),
giving:
• The vehicle identification num­
ber ( on plate on instrument
panel ahead of the steering
wheel and visible through the
windshield, or from registration
slip or title).
• The country or countries in
which you plan to travel.
You
will be furnished informa-
11
tion on the quality of fuels avail­
able in the countries in which you
plan to travel.
It is recommended
that you not operate your Camaro
in any country not having fuels
meeting the requirements
of your
Camaro engine. Engine modifica­
tions are not available to compen­
sate for low anti-knock quality
fuels. Operation of your car under
conditions of continuous
or exces­
sive knocking constitutes misuse
of the engine for which the Chev­
rolet Division
is not responsible
under the terms of the Chevrolet
New Vehicle Warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine STARTING AND OPERATING
Engine Exhaust Gas Caution (Carbon Monoxide)
Avoid inhaling exhaust gases because
they contain carbon monoxide, which by
itsel# is colorless and odorless. Carbon
monoxide
Is a dangerous gas that can
cause unconsciousness and is potentially
lethal.
1# at any time you suspect that exhaust
fumes
are entering the passenger com­
partment, have the cause determined and
corrected
as soon as possible. 1# you
must drive under these conditions, drive
only with
all windows fully open.
The best protection against carbon
monoxide entry Into the
car body Is a
properly maintained engine exhaust sys­
tem, car body and body ventilation system.
It is recommended that the exhaust sys­
tem and body Is Inspected by a competent
mechanic:
• Each time the vehicle Is raised for 011
change.
• Whenever a change Is noticed In the
sound
of the exhaust system.
• Whenever the exhaust system, under­
body or rear of the vehicle Is damaged.
See your Maintenance Schedule folder
for Inspection procedure.
To allow proper operation of the car's
ventilation system, keep front ventilation
Inlet grille clear
of snow, leaves or other
obstruction
at all times.
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
vehicle Is stopped In an UNCONFINED
area with the engine running for any more
than
a short period, adjust heating or cooling system to force outside air Into
car as follows:
12
1. On cars not equipped with air condi­
tioning, set fan to medium or high
speed and upper control lever to any
position except OFF.
2. On cars equipped with air condition­Ing, set tan to medium or high speed
and upper control lever
to any position except OFF or MAX.
The trunk lid should be closed while
driving
to help prevent inadvertently
drawing exhaust gases into the
car. It Is
unwise to drive at high speeds tor long
durations with the trunk
lid open. How­
ever, if for some reason the trunk must
remain open
tor a period while moving,
or electrical wiring or other cable con­
nections to a trailer must pass through
the seal between trunk
lid and body, the
tollowing precautions should be observed:
• Close all windows.
• Adjust heating or cooling system to
force outside air into car as described
in items 1 and 2 above
but with tan set
at high speed.
• On cars equipped with outside air vents
in or under Instrument panel, open
vents tUlly.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS
Anti-Theft Steering
Column Lock
The anti-theft lock, located on the
right side of the steering column,
has
five positions:
• Accessory -Permits operation
of electrical accessories when en­
gine
is not running. To engage,
push key in and turn toward you
( counterclockwise) .
• Lock-Normal parking position.
Locks ignition and provides
added theft protection by pre­
venting normal operation of
steering wheel and shift controls.
Key cannot be returned to
"lock"
position and removed until trans­
mission is placed in "park"
(automatic transmission models)
or in reverse on manual trans­
mission models.
• Off-Permits turning engine off
without locking steering wheel
and shift controls.
13
• Run -Normal operating posi­
tion.
• Start -Permits engagement of
starter.
NOTE: The anti-theft steering column lock Is not a substitute lor the parking brake.
Always set the parking brake when leav­ing the car unattended.
PARKING
When leaving your car unattended,
• Place automatic transmission se­
lector in Park (Reverse for man­
ual transmission).
• Turn key to LOCK position.
• Set Parking brake.
• Remove key (the buzzer will re­
mind you).
• Lock all doors.
Starting Engine
Automatic Transmission
Models
1. Apply the foot brake.
2. Place transmission selector
in "P" or "N" (UP" preferred).

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 depress
accelerator pedal and slowly
release.
With foot off 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 (approximately 30
seconds), the idle speed may
be reduced by slightly depress­
ing 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
ODF.) Or After Car
14
Has Been Standing Idle
Several Days-
Fully depress and release ac­
celerator pedal two
or three
times before cranking the en­
gine.
With foot off the accel­
erator pedal,
crank the engine
by turning the key to the
Start position and release
when engine starts .
Manual Transmission Models
1. Apply parking brake and shift
transmission to neutral.
2.
Hold clutch pedal to floor
throughout the starting proce­
dure. A starter interlock prevents
starter operation when clutch
is
not fully depressed. (Select the

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine proper gear position before re­
leasing the clutch pedal.)
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.
Driving with the Chevrolet Automatic Transmissions
The Turbo Hydra-Matic 350
and 400 are completely automatic
transmISSIons. All replace the
standard clutch and transmission.
Turbo Hydra-Malic 350
and 400
After starting the engine with the
selector lever in N (Neutral) or P
(Park) position select the range de­
sired (see table) and depress the accelerator.
A gradual start with a
steady increase in accelerator pres­
sure will result in best possible fuel
economy. Rapid acceleration for
fast starts will result in greater
fuel consumption.
Automatic transmission shift
quadrants of all GM cars continue
the uniform sequence of selector
positions. This particularly benefits
multicar families and those who
occasionally drive other cars. Shift
15
indicators are arranged with "Park"
position at one end, followed in se­
quence by "Reverse", "Neutral"
and the forward driving ranges.
All automatic transmissions are
equipped with a starter safety
switch designed to permit starting
the engine only when the trans­
mission
is in the "Park" or "Neu­
tral"
position. For additional
engine braking effect,
as sometimes
needed in mountainous driving,

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine place the transmission in an inter­
mediate or low range.
Column Shift Lever
The heavy line in the illustrations
indicates the movement of the shift
lever
as it is lifted to shift into Re­
verse or L2 and into or out of
Park position.
Floor Console Shift Lever
The floor console shift lever may
be moved freely between Neutral
and Drive and between
Ll and L2.
Depress shift lever button (located
on top of shift lever)
as you shift
into Reverse or
L2• Depress
the
button on top of the handle fully
when shifting into or out of the
Park position. Exercise care when
depressing button to prevent
un­
intentional shifts to Park, L2 or
Reverse.
NOTE: Shift quadrant for all
Automatic Transmissions
is located
on the instrument cluster.
Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 and 400
P-PARK
R-REVERSE
N-NEUTRAl
D-DRIVE
L.--lOW.
Use only when car is stopped.
For backing
car-from stop.
For
standing (Brakes Applied)
For forward dri ving. Depress accelerator to floor for extra accelerator below 65 mph; depress accelerator
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.
16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
For normal
accelerations shift into second gear
at 20 mph; into third gear at 30
mph; and on 4-speed models into
fourth gear at
40 mph.
Both transmissions , being fully
synchronized, may be downshifted
into 1 st 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. Also,
shift into
"Reverse" before
shutting off engine. This will permit
the ignition key to be turned to the
"Lock" position.
Good Driving Practice: On cars
equipped with manual transmis­
sions, use second gear at slow
speeds (less than
30 m.p.h.) when
driving in stop-and-go traffic; for
improved vehicle performance dur­
ing acceleration; and when de­
scending steep hills.
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-