check engine CHEVROLET CAMARO 1974 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine BEFORE DRIVING YOUR CAMAR 0
DRIVER CHECKLIST
Before Entering Car
1. See that windows, mirrors and
lights are clean.
2. Visually note inflation condition
of tires.
3. Check that area to rear is clear
if about to back up.
Before Driving Off
1. Lock all doors.
2. Position seat.
3 . Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
4. Fasten seat belts.
5. Check that warning bulbs light
when key
is turned to start
position.
6. Release parking brake (and see
that brake warning light turns
off) .
7. Be sure you understand your car
and how to operate it safely.
Keys
Two separate keys are provided
for your car. Each key has a differ­
ent" cross section so that it can be
inserted only in certain locks.
• Key with square head
(stamped "J") -for ignition
switch only.
• Key with oval head (stamped
"K")-for all other locks.
fIiJJ
~===(iD
ALlOTHER~ LOCKS
3
The code number of each key is
stamped on the "knock out" plug
in the key head. Your Chevrolet
dealer removed these plugs and
placed them with the spare set of
keys in the special key envelope
that was given to 'you at time of
delivery.
For your protection:
• Record the numbers on the key
envelope and discard the key
plugs.
• Keep the key envelope in a safe
place such
as your wallet, Not
In The Car.
In the event the original keys are
lost, duplicates can be made by
your dealer
or a locksmith using
the key code information.
Be sure to lock the glove box or
console compartments and remove
the key from the car whenever it
is
necessary to leave the ignition key
with
an attendant.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Seat Belt Buzzer/Light
Reminder
• The front seat belts are linked to
a buzzer and light which remind
occupants to fasten their belts.
• The buzzer and light are de­
signed to come on when any
outboard front seat occupant's
belt
is not fastened, while at­
tempting to start the engine; or
if any front seat belt
is un­
fastened while driving in any
forward gear.
• The reminders do not come on
when the engine
is running and
a front belt
is unbuckled if the
transmission
is in Park or neu­
tral (automatic and column­
shift transmission cars), or if the
parking brake
is engaged (floor
shift transmission cars).
If seat belt system , ignition in­
terlock system, or reminder system
does not work
as described , see
your dealer for information and assistance.
Lap Belts (For
Rear Seat
Passengers)
• Seating positions next to side
windows have retractors which
are designed to automatically
take up excess webbing and
maintain tension on the lap belt.
These belts should be positioned
and secured
as described above
under
"Lap-Shoulder Belt Com­
bination.
"
Seat Belt Inspection
• Periodically inspect belts,
buckles, adjustable latch plates,
retractors, interlock and re­
minder systems, guide loops,
clips, and anchors for damage
that could lessen the effective­
ness of the restraint system.
• Keep sharp edges and damaging
objects away from belts, and
other parts of restraint system.
• Replace belts if cut, weakened,
9
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. Gen­
eral Motors dealers offer restraint
systems designed specifically for
use with infants and with small
children. The GM
"Infant Love
Seat" is designed for babies up to
20 pounds. The GM "Child Love
Seat" is designed for children
weighing 20 to 40 pounds, up to 3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine erly when riding. However, if
unusual conditions prohibit use
of restraints
and require that a
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 on trailer hauling capabili­
ties, special equipment required,
and optional equipment offered by child
must stand,
he should
stand
on the floor directly be­
hind the front seat. This will
Chevrolet
is available from your
Chevrolet Dealer
or by writing:
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
affixed to the left front door. The
11
help minimize the possibility of
injury from frontal impacts in
the event of an accident.
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.
• See index for important informa­
tion on belts, cooling system care
and automatic brake adjustment.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In a normal turning situation
such
as turning a corner, the turn
signal
is cancelled automatically
after the turn
is completed. How­
ever, in some driving maneuvers
such
as changing lanes on an ex­
pressway, the steering wheel
is not
turned back sufficiently after com­
pleting the turn to automatically
cancel the turn signal. For con­
venience in such maneuvers, the
driver can flash the turn signals by
moving the turn signal lever part
way (to the first stop) and holding
it there. The lever returns to the
neutral or cancelled position when
the driver releases his hold on the
lever.
A green light on the instrument
cluster flashes to indicate proper
operation of the
front and rear tum
> signal lamps. If the indicator lamp
remains on and does not flash, check
for a defective lamp bulb.
If
the indicator fails to light when the
lever
is moved, check the fuse and
indicator bulb.
Powe'r Steering
If
the'-~[~~ring system power as­
sist fails due to some malfunction,
or because the engine has stalled,
19
the car can still be steered. How­
ever, much greater effort
is re­
quired, particularly in sharp turns.
Holding Car on an Upgrade
When stopped on an upgrade,
maintain your position by applying
the brakes. Never hold the car in
place by accelerating engine with
transmission in gear. This could
cause damage by overheating the
transmission (automatic) or clutch
(manual).
Parking Your Car
Always engage the parking brake
and place the automatic transmis­
sion selector lever in
"Park" posi­
tion when leaving your car unat­
tended. Also with automatic trans­
missions, never park for prolonged
periods with engine idling and

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine REMINDER: Cars equipped with
front disc brakes have a built-in
wear indicator that
is designed to
make a high frequency, squealing,
or cricket-like warning sound when
the linings are worn to where re­
placement
is required. The sound
will occur intermittently or con­
tinuously when wheels are rolling,
but will change or cease completely
when the brake pedal
is applied
firmly.
See also the various brake
checks listed in the Chevrolet main­
tenance schedule folder.
Automatic Brake Adjusters
• Brakes on this car (except for
the parking brake) are self­
adjusting, designed to eliminate
periodic brake adjustments .
• Drum brake adjustment is made
automatically
as the brakes are
applied while car
is moving
backwards .
• Disc brake adjustment is made
automatically with each brake
application.
• If excess brake pedal travel de­
velops, drive alternately back­
ward and forward several times
and apply brakes firmly in each
direction.
• See your dealer if normal pedal
travel
is not restored, or if there
is a rapid increase in pedal travel,
which could be a sign of other
brake
trOUble.
Clutch Adjustment
Clutch adjustment should be
checked and adjusted periodically
as necessary to compensate for
22
clutch facing wear. To check, de­
press pedal by hand until resistance
is felt. Free travel of pedal should
be approximately one inch; if very
little or no free travel
is evident,
clutch adjustment
is required.
Headlight Beam Switch
"High" and "low" headlight
beams are controlled by the floor
button at your left foot. The indi­
cator, located in the speedometer
dial, will light up when the high
beams are in use.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Generator Indicator Light
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 switch 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 light comes on
during extreme driving condi­
tions, such as an extended idle, turn
off the air conditioner (if used) and
run the engine slightly faster than
idle speed with the transmission in
neutral gear.
If the light does not
go off within a short period of time
(1-2 minutes), then turn the engine
off until the cause of the overheat­
ing
is corrected. Glance at the 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
system will provide some braking
action in the event of a hydraulic
leak in the other half of the sys­
tem .
If the warning light labeled
"BRAKE, " located at lower left of
instrument cluster (speedometer
face), glows continuously when the
ignition
is on and after the brakes
have been firmly applied it may in-
25
dicate that there is a malfunction
in one half of the brake hydraulic
system .
On cars equipped with
front drum brakes, the light will
go out when foot is removed from
brake pedal.
• As a check on bulb condition
the light should glow with the
parking brake applied and the
ignition on. (Light
is also a
reminder to release parking
brake).
• The light should glow during
engine starting to verify that the
bulb
is operating properly.
• Have system repaired if light
does not come on during check.
• This warning light is not a sub­
stitute for the visual check of
brake fluid level required as part
of normal maintenance.
If the light glows red:
• The parking brake control is not
fully released or,
• The service brake system is par­
tially inoperative.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to do:
1. Check that the parking brake is
released. If it is ...
2. Pull off the road and stop, care­
fully-remembering that:
• Stopping distances may be
greater.
• Greater pedal effort may be re­
quired.
• Pedal travel may be greater.
3.
Tryout brake operation by
starting and stopping on road
shoulder-then:
• If you judge such operation to
be safe, proceed cautiously at a
safe speed to nearest dealer for
repair.
• Or have car towed to dealer for
repair.
Continued operation of the car
in this condition
is dangerous .
. Headlight Beam Indicator
Light
The headlights of your car have
high and low beams to provide you with
proper night-time visibility
for most driving conditions. The
"low" beams are used during most
city driving. The
"high" beams are
especially useful when driving on
dark roads since they provide ex­
cellent long range illumination.
The headlight beam indicator will
be on whenever the high beams or
"brights" are in use. The Headlight
Beam
Switch controls the headlight
beams (see Page 22) .
Light Switch
The three position light switch
controls the headlights, taillights,
parking lights, side marker lights,
instrument lights and dome lights
as shown. The headlamp circuit is
protected by a circuit breaker in the
light switch. An overload on the
breaker will cause the lamps
to
"flicker" on and off. If this condi­
tion develops, have your headlamp
wiring checked immediately.
PARKING LAMPS
MARKER LAMPS
TURN KNOB TO
VARY INSTRUMENT LIGHTS
FULL Y COUNTER CLOCKWISE FOR DOME LIGHTS
26
HEADLIGHTS PARKING LAMI'S
MARKER LAMPS

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
po sition.
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.
28
• Use fluid such as GM
OPTIKLEEN to preventfreez­
ingdamage, 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
ing that may seriously obscure
vision.
Ventilation System
Your Camaro incorporates a
ventilation system
that provides
ventilation comfort, made possible
by the addition of air vent provi­
sions in the rear body lock pillar.
Another feature of the system
is
continuous low-speed operation of
the air conditioner blower, result­
ing in an uninterrupted supply
of
outside air flow into the car when-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine than 35 mph, for distances up to
50 miles, provided the drive-line,
axle, transmission, and steering
system are otherwise normally op­
erable.
Use only towing equipment
specifically designed for this pur­
pose following the instructions of
the towing equipment manufac­
turer. A separate safety chain sys­
tem must be used.
For such towing
the steering must be unlocked,
transmission in neutral and the
parking brake released. Attach­
ments must be made to main struc­
tural members of the car. Do not
attach to bumpers
or associated
brackets. Remember that power
brake and power steering assists
will not be available when engine
is inoperative.
Emergency Starting
• Engines in vehicles with auto­
matic transmissions cannot be started
by pushing
or towing the
car.
• Never tow a manual transmis­
sion-equipped
car to start be­
cause the surge forward when
the engine starts could cause a
collision with the tow vehicle.
• A car with a discharged battery
may be started by transferring
electrical power from a battery
in another car -called
"jump
starting."
Jump Starting
37
• The battery in the other vehicle
must be of the
same nominal
voltage
(12 volts), and must be
negatively grounded. (All Gen­
eral Motors cars, light trucks
(10,000 GVWR and under),
and motor homes use 12-volt,
negatively grounded electrical
systems and
can be used to jump
start one another.) The nominal
voltage and grounding of the
other vehicle's battery may be
determined by checking the spec­
ifications
in its owner's manual.
Use of a booster battery of a
higher nominal voltage,
or which
is positively grounded may re­
sult
in serious personal injury or
property damage.
• The battery in your car must be a
Delco battery (the original,
or a
replacement) which
is equipped
with flame arrestor type filler/
vent caps
on all filler openings, or
a sealed-type battery which does

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Base must sit flat with column
angled
as shown in illustration.
5. Always operate jack with slow
smooth motion.
6. Raise vehicle so tire just clears
surface,
replace wheel and
slightly tighten wheel nuts.
7. With lever in
"DOWN" posi­
tion, lower vehicle then fully
tighten
wheel nuts.
Carefully install hub cap or
wheel cover.
8. Replace jack assembly and
wheel in luggage compartment.
9. When possible check inflation
of replacement tire to agree
with tire placard affixed to the
left front door.
COlUMN
;:>;;;Om~r?' ';;ErAINER
"'-WING NUT
~~
VALVE "UP" WITH E78 TIRE VALVE "DOWN" WITH E70 FR78, F60 TIRE
SOLT
INFLAT07
INFLATOR TIRE VALVE "DOWN"
OPTIONAL SPACE SAVER TIRE
40
COLUMN
JACK
HOOK