instrument panel CHEVROLET CAMARO 1973 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1973 CAMARO
OWNER'S
MANUAL
CHEVROLET MOTOR
DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48202
All information. illu$trations 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 .
For vehicles
sold in Canada. substitute the name
General Motors of Canada. wherever the name
Chevrolet Motor Division appears in this manual.
ST 309-73
©GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION 1972
Table of Contents
Section
1 Before Driving Your Camaro ...
Page
3
2 Starting and Operating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12
Steering Column Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 13
Starting Engine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 13
Floor Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 20
Instrument Panel.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22
Other Controls and Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 35
3 In Case of Emergency ........................................ 36
4 Appearance Care ............................................. 41
5 Service and Maintenance ........................ " . . . . . . . . .. 45
6 Minor Trouble Shooting ...................................... 62
7
Specifications, Owner Assistance, Service Manuals, Index, Gas Station Information ........................................ " 66
1

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 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
On cars with power brakes if
power assist to the brakes
is inter­
rupted due to a stalled engine
or
some malfunction, two or more
brake applications can be made
using reserve power.
• If the brake pedal is held down.
the system
is designed to bring
the
car to a full stop on reserve
power. However, the reserve
power
is partially depleted each
time the brake pedal
is applied
and released.
• When reserve power is exhausted,
vehicle
can still be stopped by ap­
plying 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.
• As a reminder, the brake system
warning light
is designed to glow
whenever the parking brake con­
trol ·
is not fully released , and the
ignition
is on.
• Never drive car with parking
20
brake set as this may overheat or
otherwise damage rear brakes.
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.

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
weather is bad.
27
• Use fluid such as GM
OPTIKLEEN to prevent freez­
ing damage, and to provide bet­
ter 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
fig that may seriously obscure
vision.
Ventilation System
Your Camaro incorporates a
ventilation system that provides
improved ventilation comfort,
made possible by the addition of
air vent provisions in the rear body
lock pillar. Another feature of the
system
is continuous low-speed
operation of the air conditioner
blower, resulting
in an uninter­
rupted supply of outside air
flow

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Keep all windows and vents
closed to reduce dust, road and
wind noise and uncomfortable
drafts.
• For most satisfactory heater op­
eration and air circulation , oper­
ate fan
on low or medium speeds
for normal operation and high
speed for quick warm-up and
during extremely low tempera­
tures.
• For adequate rear seat heating,
the area beneath the front seat
must not be blocked by carpet­
ing, rags, paper or other mate­
rial and fan should operate on
high blower.
• For additional summer ventila­
tion move the
AIR lever to mid­
position and the
DEFROSTER
lever to DEF. If greater air­
flow is desired, move the FAN
lever down to operate the three­
speed blower .
Rear Window Defroster
To insure clear vision through
the rear window during inclement
weather, the Rear Window De­
froster has become established as a
popular accessory . This unit draws in
air from the passenger compart­
ment and directs it against the back
window to remove frost or mois­
ture . Its blower has a two-speed
control switch on the instrument
panel.
Four Season Air Conditioning System
Operating instructions for your
Four Season Air Conditioner are
as follows:
Fan
The fan lever has four (4) posi-
30
tions from Lo at the bottom to Hi
at the top. When the air condition­
ing system
is off, low blower will
be maintained (after engine cool­
ant temperature has reached
85°P.)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine HEATER-Outside air is delivered
through the heater outlet and with
some air through defroster outlets.
Temperature may be adjusted
as
required. This position is recom­
mended for most winter driving.
BI-LEVEL-Outside air is delivered
from the heater lower outlet and
the defroster duct and upper out­
lets to provide comfort and keep
the windshield and side glass clear
under low fogging conditions.
DEF -Outside air is delivered
through the defroster outlets only,
Temperature and blower speeds
may be adjusted
as required. This
position
is recommended for con­
ditions of severe fogging and icing
only.
Operating tip: When driving
in
snow, if defog or deice is not re­
quired to keep the windshield from fogging,
it
is recommended that the
"Heater" position be used. This
keeps the windshield cold
so that
snow will not stick and melt and
will provide a cleaner view.
Four Season System
Air Outlets
The twin barrel type center out­
lets may be rotated
or vanes turned
to direct air flow ( or regulate
volume of air)
in direction desired.
32
The outlets at each end of the
instrument panel may be rotated
or vanes adjusted
as desired.
For additional air flow lap cool­
ers (2) are provided under the steer­
ing column and glove box. They
have vertical air control vane out­
lets and are aimed at the driver and
passenger.
To direct cool air to the floor,
open the outlet (by pulling tab to­
ward you) beneath the lap cooler
shown on the illustration.
FLOOR OUTLET

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine IE) If the car will start but stalls when hot or has a rough idle,
you can suspect a faulty IDLE ADJUSTMENT, a malfunctioning AUTOMATIC CHOKE or an extremely dirty and blocked AIR CLEANER ELEMENT. Replace paper element air cleaner if neces­sary. Idle adjustment or automatic choke service (other than that outlined in paragraph 0 above) should be performed by your
Chevrolet Dealer.
If the above Fuel System checks and the checks suggested under the Electrical System following do not correct the malfunction, it is recommended that you return to your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer
for further checks, adjustments or repairs.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM If, when the ignition key is turned to "Start", the engine will not
turn over, you have good reason to suspect electrical trouble. NOTE: Never remove Delcotron bat lead without first disconnecting
battery ground cable.
IF) When there is no response at all to attempts to start the car, check the obvious-your AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER must be in Neutral or Park position (manual transmission
must have clutch depressed all the way to floor) before the engine can be started. Turning the IGNITION SWITCH rapidly back and forth several times will sometimes correct a poor internal switch
contact.
IG) The BATIERY may be discharged. If so, lights will be dim and the horn will have a poor tone if it will blow at all.
Usually a garage recharge will be necessary to return the battery to operation. Occasionally, however, a long drive will recharge the battery. NOTE: If the battery is determined to be dead, and for no apparent reason, have your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer check the
battery, the GENERATOR and the VOLTAGE REGULATOR.
GENERATOR trouble should already have been indicated by the generator indicator light on the instrument panel.
64
POOR BATIERY CONNECTIONS may be suspected if the car has operated properly a short time before and now not even the horn
will operate. Check both ends of both battery cables. If the con­nections are corroded, a car may sometimes be restored to opera­tion by removing all cable ends, scraping all contacting surfaces
clean with a pen knife, and reassembling. If the cables are broken,
they must be replaced. The power supply should now be restored
unless the battery is dead.
IH) If, however, the lights and horn work properly but the starter will still not turn over, check the STARTER connections. A "click" from the starter solenoid indicates that the wiring to the starter is properly installed. If the wiring seems to be clean and tightly in­
stalled, the trouble is probably in the starter itself and should be referred to your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer.
When the engine will
"turn over" but will not start, the foilowing
items may be checked along with the Fuel Systems Checks listed
previously.
II) With a clean dry cloth, wipe the ceramic portions of the spark plugs dry. In particularly damp or rainy weather dampness may be
the cause of not sta rting, especi­
ally when the engine is cold.
IJ) Check the cables at the top of the distributor and coil as well as each spark plug cable for
tightness.
IK) If the co r will still not sta rt,
check for spark at the spark plugs in the following manner:
Pull one of the spark plug
wires off its spark plug. Insert a
short piece of bare wire (such as Di.,ribu'or and Coil Cab I ••

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine a bobby pin) between the rubber
cup at the end of the spark plug
wire and the tubular metal con­
nector inside of it. If the spark
plug wire is wet or oily, wipe it
dry. Wrap a dry handkerchief or facial tissue, folded several thick.
nesses, around the wire at least three inches back from the end
and grasp the wire at this point.
Hold the bare wire about 1f4 inch
from the
bare tip of the spark
plug from which you removed the Checking Spark
wire. When the engine is "turned over" a spark should jump across
the V" inch space, indicating ample current supply. If no spark
jumps, the difficulty is probably caused by a defective ignition port
and should be corrected by your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer.
COOLING SYSTEM
When the cor will run but evidences serious overheating on the temperature gauge in the instrument panel, there are several items
which may be checked .
(L) Engine overheating will occur when the OIL lEVEL falls danger­ously low. Check the oil level as a matter of course.
(M) Low COOLANT LEVEL will , of course, couse engine over­heating. Determine . the cause of the low coolant level and have
it corrected if necessary.
(N) Check the RADIATOR CORE. Clean it if it is plugged with
bugs, leaves or other foreign material.
65
(0) Condition of the FAN BELT is very important, not only for en­gine cooling but also for proper generator operation. Check the
condition of the belt. Replace it if it is worn or frayed. Loosen the generator toward the engine to remove and replace the belt. Tighten the belt, whether new or old, by loosening the generator bolts, prying with a bar on the generator until the belt is ten­sioned properly, then retighten
the generator bolts.
(PI Another couse of engine ove rheating may be on inopera­
tive COOLING SYSTEM THERMO­STAT. If the thermostat should foil in the closed position, it will not
perm it coolant to circulate through
the system . In such on emergency the thermostat may be removed
but should be replaced with a properly functioning thermostat as soon as possible.
Fan 8.11 Tension
Thermoslal Inslollo/ion

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
Car-Stamped on Vehicle Identification Plate attached to left
of instrument panel.
Engine-Stamped on boss on block.
6-Cylinder-On right side of block to rear of distributor.
S-Cylinder-On right side of block at front.
Body-Stamped
on plate attached to cowl panel.
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length (Coupe) ....................... 1 SS.5"
Height ..................................... 49.1"
Width .............•............•......... 74.4"
Wheelbase ................................ 10S.0"
66
BATTERY RATING
L6 and 307-VS engine equipped vehicles-I 2 volt, 54 plate, 2300 watts'
350 VS engine equipped vehicles-12 volt, 66 plate, 2900 watts'
Heavy Duty-I 2 volt, 90 plate, 3750 watts'
'Cranking power at O°F.
CAPACITIES
Gasoline Tank
(Approx.)
Crankcase
(Refill)
6 and S Cylinder
U.S. Measure
IS.O gal.
Oil
change only . . . . . . . . . . .. 4 qt.
Oil and Filter change . . . . . . .. 5 qt.
Imperial Measure
15.0 gal.
3% qt.
4% qt.