CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 1973 2.G Repair Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. If radiator is not equipped
with a drain valve start to
drain system
as follows:
a. With engine stopped , insert
one end of a 5-foot length
of
% inch tubing into the
filler neck until it touches
the bottom of the radiator.
b. Insert any type of large
syringe into the open end
of the tubing and initiate
the siphoning process by
squeezing and releasing the
ball.
c. Completely drain radiator
coolant through the siphon
tube. (To speed this
oper­
ation, the drain plugs in
block can also be removed.)
d. Remove tubing (install
block drain plugs,
if re­
moved) and add sufficient
water to
fill system.
4. Close drain valve (install
block drain plugs,
if removed)
if so equipped and add
suffi­
cient water to fill system.
5 . Run engine, drain and refill
the system,
as described in
steps
1, 2, 3, and 4, a suffi­
cient number of times until
the drained liquid
is nearly
colorless.
6. Allow system to drain com­
pletely and then close radia­
tor drain valve tightly if so
equipped (Install block drain
plugs,
if removed.)
7. Remove recovery cap leaving
hoses in place. Remove
cool­
ant recovery tank and empty
of fluid. Plush tank with clean
water, drain and reinstall.
8. Add sufficient ethylene glycol
coolant, meeting GM
specifi­
cation 1899-M, to provide the
required freezing and corro-
59
sion protection-at least a 44
percent solution
(_200P). Pill
radiator to the base of the
radiator filler neck and add
sufficient coolant to the
re­
covery tank to raise level to
the
"PULL HOT" mark. Re­
install recovery tank cap.
9. Run engine, with radiator cap
removed, until normal
operat­
ing temperature is reached.
(Radiator upper hose becomes
hot.)
10. With engine idling, add cool­
ant until level reaches bottom
of filler neck and install
radi­
ator cap making certain ar­
rows line up with overflow
tube.
It is the owner's responsibility
to keep the freeze protection at a
level commensurate with the
tem­
peratures which may occur in the
area of vehicle operation.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Maintain cooling system freeze
protection at
.;...200 F or below
to ensure protection against
corrosion and loss of coolant
from boiling , even though freez­
ing temperatures are not
ex­
pected.
• Add ethylene glycol base cool­
ant that meets GM Specification
1899-M when coolant additions
are required because of coolant
loss or to provide additional
protection against freezing at
temperatures lower than
_200 F
(_320 F in Canada).
NOTE: Alcohol or methanol base
coolants or plain water are not
recommended for your Monte
Carlo at any time.
Radiator Pressure Cap
The radiator cap, a 15 lb. pres­
sure type, must be installed tightly,
otherwise coolant may be lost and
damage to engine may result from
overheating. Radiator pressure caps
should be checked periodically for
proper operation.
If replacement is
required specify AC.
Thermostat
The cooling system is protected
and controlled by a thermostat in­
stalled in the engine coolant outlet
to maintain a satisfactory operating
temperature of the engine. This
thermostat
is designed for continu­
ous use through both winter and
summer and need not be changed
seasonally . When replacement
is
necessary, Delco parts are recom­
mended.
60
Tires
The factory installed tires on
your car
as shown on the following
Tire Usage chart are designed to
provide the best all around per­
formance for normal vehicle op­
eration. When inflated
as recom­
mended on the tire pressure plac­
ard, located on the left door of
your vehicle, they have the load
carrying capacity to operate satis­
factorily at all normal highway
speeds.
Tire Care
Tires should be checked regu­
larly for proper inflation pressure,
wear, and damage. The following
information will assist you in prop­
erly caring for your tires:

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine MONTE CARLO TIRE USAGE
ENGINE AND BODY STYLE STANDARD OPTIONAL
All All
G78-15
All "S" and Landau GR70-15
GR70-15 White Stripe
All standard tires are blackwall with whitewall optional. All tires are bias·belted, load range B unless otherwise specified.
Inflation Pressure
The tire inflation pressures
listed on the tire placard have
been selected to provide the best
tire life, riding comfort and han­
dling stability for normal driving
conditions. When inflated at the
highest pressures shown on the
placard, the tires have the load
carrying capacity to operate satis­
factorily at all loads up to and
including the vehicle capacity load
(total pounds) which also
is shown
I!I RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURES (PSI COLD) VEHICLE LOAD
UP TO VEHICLE C APACIH UP TO 5 OCCU PANTS 250 185 MAX IMUM
FRONT REAR
xx XX
XX XX
RECOMMENDED TIRE SIZE(S) (USE ON LY IN SETS ) LOAD RANGE X XXX(X)XX XXX(X)XX XXIX)XXX BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON VEHICLE HANDLING, DO N O T MIX RADIAL TIRES WITH OTHER TYPE TIRES ON THE SA ME VEHICLE.
VEHICLE CAPACITY BENCH SEAT BUCKET SEAT 6 OCCUPANTS 3 fR ONT 3 REAR· 200 lBS TRUNK LOAD
TOTAL 1100 LBS
5 OCCUPAN TS 2 fR ONT 3 R EA R 200 U1S TRU NK LOA D
TOTAL 950 LBS SEE OWNERS MANUAL fOR ADD ITIONAL INfORMAflON mJ XXXXXXX PRINTED IN USA
Typical Tire Placard Located on The Left Door of Your Car
61

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine on the placard. In addition, for
those owners who prefer the
ut­
most in comfort, the reduced tire
pressures listed on the placard may
be used when loads of
(5 occu­
pants or less) are carried.
The use of improper tire
infla­
tion pressures can adversely affect
tire life and vehicle
perforrilance:
•
Too little air pressure can result
in excessive tire heat, abnormal
tire wear, adverse vehicle
han­
dling and reduced fuel economy.
• Too much air pressure can re­
sult in abnormal tire wear, ad­
verse vehicle ride and handling,
and increased susceptibility to
damage
by road impacts.
Tire pressures should be checked
when the tires are
"cold" at least
once a month (and preferably
oftener)
or before long trips or
when heavily loaded. The follow­
ing points should be observed
when checking and setting tire
pressures:
<
1. Cold tire pressure ratings are applic­
able when a vehicle has been Inopera­tive for 3 hours or more, or driven less
than 1 mile.
2. Tire inflation pressure may increase as much as 6 pounds per square inch (psi)
when hot (after vehicle has been driven
10 miles or at speeds of more than 60 miles per hour). Do not "bleed" or re­duce pressures when tires are hot from
driving.
3. For continuous high speed operation
(over 75 mph), increase tire inflation
pressure 4 psi above the fecommended
pressures up to a maximum
of 32 psi
cold pressure for load range B tires, or 40 psi for D load range tires. Sustained
speeds above 75 mph are not recom­
mended when the 4 psi adjustment
would require pressures greater than
the above maximum pressures.
4. Always use a tire pressure gauge when
checking pressures as the appearance of a tire can be deceiving. For example,
radial ply tires, in comparison with bias
ply tires at the same pressure, may have
the appearance of being under-Inflated.
62
Vehicle Loading-Do not load
your vehicle beyond the vehicle
capacity (total pounds) shown on
the tire placard. This figure
repre­
sents the design capacity of the
vehicle, not merely of the tires.
When towing trailers, the
allow­
able passenger and cargo load
must be reduced by an amount
equal to the trailer tongue load on
the trailer hitch.
(See "Trailer
Hauling" in Section 1 of this man­
ual.) Station wagon loads should
be distributed
as far forward as
possible. Vehicles equipped with
luggage racks do not have a
vehi­
cle load capacity greater than
specified on the tire placard.
Tire Wear and Rotation-Un­
even or abnormal tire wear is
usually the result of incorrect in­
flation pressure, improper wheel
alignment, wheels being
out-of­
balance, or poor driving habits.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Underinftation, incorrect toe or
camber and fast cornering produce
different types of abnormal wear
which
can be diagnosed by your
dealer.
The original equipment tires in­
corporate built-in tread wear indi­
cators to assist you in determining
when your tires have been worn
to the point of needing replace­
ment. These indicators appear
as
V2 inch wide bands when tire
tread depth
is 1/16 inch or less. When
the indicators appear in two
or more adjacent grooves, tire re­
placement due to tread wear
is
recommended.
To equalize wear, it is recom­
mended that the tires be rotated
every
6,000 miles (or sooner if ir­
regular wear develops)
as indi­
cated in either diagram below.
Upon rotation, tire pressures must
be adjusted in accordance with the
recommendations
on the tire infla­
tion placard.
II I
Vi
..
5 WHEELS 4 WHEELS
63
NOTE: It is recommended that
disc brake pads be inspected for
wear whenever tires are rotated.
Tire Damage and Repair-Tires
with cuts, splits or cracks deep
enough to expose the fabric, should
be removed from service. Bulges
usually indicate internal damage,
and the tire should be removed.
Tires with questionable damage
should be removed from the wheel
and examined by an expert.
If an air loss occurs while driv­
ing, do not attempt to drive on the
deflated tire more than
is neces­
sary to stop safely. Driving even a
short distance
can damage a tire
beyond repair.
Temporary repairs, such as
"blowout" patches or any repair
made from the outside of the tire
should not be made except in emer-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine gencies. Such "stop-gap" devices
as plugs and aerosol-type sealants
are good for no more than
100
miles of driving at speeds not over
50 mph. A permanent vulcanized
repair, plug or patch applied from
inside the tire, should be made
as
soon as possible. Also, the instal­
lation of an inner tube in a dam­
aged tubeless tire
is not a recom ­
mended repair procedure.
Replacemeot Tires
When replacing tires, only the
size, load range, and construction
type (bias, bias-belted ,
or radial)
originally installed on your vehi­
cle are recommended.
Use of any
other tire size
or type tire may
seriously affect ride, handling ,
speedometer / odometer calibration,
vehicle ground clearance and tire clearance
to the body and chassis.
The following also should be con­
sidered when replacing tires:
• To achieve best all around vehi­
cle performance, belted-bias tires
and
bias tires should not be
mixed on the same car.
• Because of possible adverse ef­
fects on vehicle handling , do
not mix radial ply tires with
other type tires on the same
vehicle.
• It is recommended that new tires
be installed
in pairs on the same
axle.
• When replacing only one tire, it
should be paired with the tire
having the least wear, to equal­
ize braking traction.
• When replacing original tires
64
with an optional recommended
size of different diameter, the
speedometer must be recali­
brated
by installing the correct
speedometer driven gear.
Snow Tires
If you equip your vehicle with
snow tires, they should be inflated
4 psi above the recommended pres­
sures shown on the tire placard up
to a maximum of 32 psi (cold) for
load range B tires and
40 psi for
load range D tires.
It is recom ­
mended that vehicle speeds be lim­
ited to a maximum of 75 mph if
snow tires are installed.
Replacement Wheels
When replacing wheels for any
reason , care should be taken to in-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine sure that the wheels are equivalent
to those removed in diameter, rim
width and off-set.
Warranty
Tires are warranted by the tire
manufacturers
as covered in · the
New Vehicle Warranty and
Policy
on Owner Service folder furnished
with your vehicle. However, for
the added convenience of own­
ers, many Chevrolet dealers are
equipped to handle tire warranty
adjustments on certain makes of
tires provided on 1973 Chevrolet
cars.
Tire Traction
A decrease in driving, corner­
ing, and braking traction occurs
when water, snow, ice, gravel,
or
other material is on the road sur- face.
Driving practices and
car
speed should be adjusted to the
road conditions.
When driving on wet
or slushy
roads, it
is possible for a wedge of
water to build up between the tire
and road surface. This phenome­
non, known as hydroplaning, may
cause partial
or complete loss of
traction, which adversely affects
vehicle control and stopping abil­
ity.
To reduce the possibility of
traction loss, the following precau­
tions should be observed:
1. Slow down during rainstorms
or when roads are slushy.
2. Slow down if road has standing
water
or puddles.
3. Replace tires when tread wear
indicators are visible.
65
4. Keep tires properly inflated.
For temporary assistance when
traction
is lost on ice or snow, the
use of
AC Liquid Tire Chain is
recommended.
Underbody Maintenance
The effects of salt and other
corrosive materials used for ice
and snow removal and dust con­
trol can result in accelerated rust­
ing and deterioration of under­
body components such
as brake
and fuel lines, frame, underbody
floor pan, exhaust system, brack­
ets, parking brake cables. These
corrosive effects, however,
can be
reduced by periodic flushing of the
underbody with plain water.
In
geographic areas having a heavy
concentration of such corrosive
materials, it
is recommended that

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine the complete underbody be in­
spected and flushed at least once
each year, preferably after a win­
ter's exposure. Particular attention
should be given to cleaning out
underbody members where dirt
and other foreign materials may
have collected.
If desired, your Chevrolet deal­
er can perform this service for you.
In addition, he can provide recom­
mendations on undercoating ma-terials
which will help protect
your
vehicle from corrosion.
Battery Care (Energizer)
Check fluid level monthly utiliz­
ing the level indicator cap marked
"Delco Eye". If the transparent eye
within the cap glows, fluid level
is
low. Add only colorless, odorless
drinking water or distilled water to
bring level to split ring in filler
opening.
66

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine the complete underbody be in­
spected and flushed at least once
each year, preferably after a win­
ter's exposure. Particular attention
should be given to cleaning out
underbody members where dirt
and other foreign materials may
have collected.
If desired, your Chevrolet deal­
er can perform this service for you.
In addition, he can provide recom­
mendations on undercoating ma-terials
which will help protect
your
vehicle from corrosion.
Battery Care (Energizer)
Check fluid level monthly utiliz­
ing the level indicator cap marked
"Delco Eye". If the transparent eye
within the cap glows, fluid level
is
low. Add only colorless, odorless
drinking water or distilled water to
bring level to split ring in filler
opening.
66

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine MINOR TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE
II
IMPORTANT: For maximum performance and economy, keep your GM car I I I I all GM. Specify General Motors parts identified by one of these trademarks. ~ Q G
67