check engine light CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 1973 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine BEFORE DRIVING YOUR MONTE CARLO
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 and adjust head
restraints.
3. Adjust inside and outside mir­
rors.
4 . Fasten seat belts.
5. Check that warning bulbs light
when key
is turned to start posi­
tion.
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 "E") -for ignition
switch and door locks.
• Key with oval head (stamped
"H") -for all other locks.
fib
~ ALL OTHER 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 Turn Signal and Lane
. Change Features
The tum signal lever is located
on the left side of the steering
column immediately under the
steering wheel. The lever
is moved
upward to signal a right
tum and
downward to signal a left tum.
Lamps on the front and rear of
the car transmit this signal to
other motorists and pedestrians.
The ignition switch must be in the
"ON" position in order for the
turn signals to be operational. This
feature prevents battery drain if
the lever
is left in an "ON" posi­
tion when your car
is not in use.
In a normal turning situation
such
as turning a comer, the
signal
is cancelled automatically
after the tum
is completed. How­
ever, in some driving maneuvers
such
as changing lanes on an
expressway, the steering wheel
is
not turned back sufficiently after completing
the
tum to automatic­
ally cancel the turn signal.
For
convenience in such maneuvers,
the driver can flash the
tum
signals by moving the tum 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.
20
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.

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
interrupted due to a stalled en­
gine
or some malfunction, two
or more brake applications can
be made using reverse 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 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.
• 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
brake set
as this may overheat
or otherwise damage rear brakes.
23
Clutch Adjustment
Clut8h adjustment should be
checked and adjusted periodically
as necessary to compensate for
clutch facing wear.
To check, de­
press pedal by hand until resist­
ance
is felt. Free travel of pedal
should be approximately one inch;
if very little
or no free travel is
evident, clutch adjustment is re­
quired.

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" position, 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 run­
ning , have your Authorized Chev­
rolet 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 red light
should come on, the engine must
be stopped until the cause of the
overheating
is corrected. Glance
at instrument cluster frequently
as
you drive to see if this light is on.
Brake System Warning Light
The service brake system is
designed 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 located
below the fuel gauge glows con­
tinuously when the ignition
is on
and after the brakes have been
firmly applied, it may indicate that
there
is a malfunction in one half
of the brake hydraulic system.
27
• 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) .
• 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
partially inoperative
What to do:
1. Check that the parking brake
is released. If it is ...
2. Pull off the road and stop,
carefully- remembering that:

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Stopping distances may be
greater.
• Greater pedal effort may be
required .
• Pedal travel may be greater.
3.
Tryout braking operation by
starting and stopping on road
shoulder -then:
• If you judge such operation
to be safe , proceed cautious
ly
at a s afe 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
ybu
with proper night-time visibility
for most driving conditons . 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 24).
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 TAIL AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS
--,---.---~------ -- --------
TURN KNOB TO VARY INSTRUMENT LIGHTS fULLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE fOR DOME LIGHTS
28
HEADLIGHTS PARKING LAMPS MARKER LAMPS
•

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Clock
Reset the clock , by pulling out
the knob and turning the hands
clockwise
if slow, counterclockwise
if fast. This will, if the clock error
is five minutes or more, automati­
cally compensate for time gain or
lag . Several resettings, several days
apart, may be needed to propertly
adjust the clock mechanism. Have
your clock cleaned and oiled by a
competent clock serviceman at
least every two years.
Cigarette Lighter
The cigarette lighter is located
on the instrument panel face.
To
operate, push it in. When it be­
comes 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 specific areas of
the windshield under most in­
clement 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 wind­
shield wiper. The two-speed elec­
tric wiper has both a "low" and a
"high" speed position.
31
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 continue 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 solu­
tion .
• Check washer fluid level regu­
larly-do it frequently when the
weather is bad .
• Use a fluid such as GM OPTI­
KLEEN to prevent 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

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine or property damage. All General
Motors cars have negative-ground
electrical systems and can be used
to jump start one another.
If you
cannot determine how the other
vehicle
is grounded (by checking
specifications in the owner's man­
ual, etc.) we recommend that you
attempt no jump starting with that
vehicle.
Jump Starting with
Auxiliary (Booster) Battery
Both booster and discharged
battery should be treated carefully
when using jumper cables. Follow
exactly the procedure outlined be­
low, being careful not to cause
sparks:
1.
Set parking brake and place
automatic transmission in
"PARK" (neutral for manual
transmission).
Turn off lights,
heater and other electrical loads. 2.
Remove vent caps from both
the booster and the discharged
batteries. Lay a cloth over the
open vent wells of each battery.
These two actions help reduce
the explosion hazard always
present in either battery when
connecting
"live" booster bat­
teries to
"dead" batteries.
3. Attach one end of one jumper
cable to the positive terminal of
the booster battery (identified
by a red color,
"+" or "P" on
the battery case, post or clamp)
and the other end of same cable
to positive terminal of discharged
battery. Do
NOT permit cars to
touch each other,
as this could
'establish a ground connection
and counteract the benefits of
this procedure.
4. Attach one end of the remaining
negative cable to the negative
terminal (black color,
"-" or
"N") of the booster battery, and
43
the other end to the' de1cotron
mounting bracket (see illustra­
tion) of your 1973 Monte Carlo
(do not connect directly to neg­
ative post of dead battery) -
taking care that clamps from
one cable do not inadvertently
touch the clamps on the other
cable. Do not lean over the
battery when making this con­
nection.
Reverse this sequence exactly
when removing the jumper cables.
Re-install vent caps and throw
cloths away
as the cloths may have
corrosive acid on them.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine hood latch assembly and hood
hinge assembly as follows:
1. Wipe off any accumulation of
dirt or contamination on latch
parts.
2. Apply Lubriplate or equivalent
to latch pilot bolts and latch
locking plate.
3. Apply light engine oil to all
pivot points in release mecha­
nism, as well
as primary and
secondary latch mechanisms.
4. Lubricate hood hinges.
5. Make hood hinge and latch
mechanism functional check to
assure the assembly
is working
correctly.
Air Conditioning
Have your Chevrolet Dealer
check your Air Conditioning
sys­
tem at some time during the winter
months to be sure there has been no
loss in cooling output. During
NOTE: On vehicles equipped with
a
Pour Season Air Conditioning
System, the system will not operate
below ambient temperatures of
300P. regardless of control posi­
tion.
the summer,
see your Chevrolet
Dealer immediately if you suspect
the system
is not performing as it
should .
Cooling System Care
Check the coolant level at each
engine oil change.
Engine Cooling System
The recovery type cooling sys­
tem is standard on all Chevrolet
passenger cars and
is designed to
maintain the engine at proper op-
57
erating temperatures. The recovery
tank collects coolant that expands
with rising temperature that would
otherwi se overflow from the sys­
tem. When the system temperature
drops, the coolant
is drawn from
the recovery tank back into the
radiator by the suction created by
coolant contraction. The cooling
system has been filled at the factory
with a high-quality , inhibited, year­
around coolant that meets the stan­
dards of General Motors Specifica­
tion 1899-M. This coolant solution
provides freezing protection to
-20oP (-32° P in Canada), and
it has been formulated to be used
for two full calendar years or
24,000 miles, whichever first oc­
curs, of normal operation without
replacement.
Cooling System Care
Check the coolant level in the
'see thru' coolant recovery tank

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The chart on the previous page, and the information on the pages which follow, contains information designed to aid the average driver to discover, and possibly correct, conditions resulting in minor
mechanical difficulties in his cor. The chart, designed to point out
possible solutions to several of the most common automotive mal­functions and point out a logical checking sequence, will lead step by step to the most likely causes and corrective procedures. If, after making the checks and adjustments suggested,' the source of the
trouble has not been found and corrected, it is strongly recom­mended that an Authorized Chevrolet Dealer inspect the vehicle and make whatever repairs or adjustments are necessary.
FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE
If the ignition switch will cause the engine to "turn over" or "crank" but the cor will not start,
check Steps A through D below. NOTE: If continual "f1ooding" of the carburetor is evidenced by a carburetor wet with fuel or black exhaust smoke, perform the operation suggested in par­agraph 0 only. (A) The first and most obvious, and one of the most frequently Checlcing Fuel Flow
68
overlooked, items to check when you have difficulty in starting your car is the amount of fuel in the tank. Make it a habit to check the FUEL GAUGE regularly and most especially at a time' when the engine will not start. (B) If the fuel tank is not empty, you may check further to see whether the fuel is reaching the carburetor_ Disconnect the fuel line at the carburetor and remove the center (ground the secondary coil
terminal or disconnect the primary wire from the coil to the dis­tributor at the coil) wire from the coil tower. Place a jar or cup under the open line and briefly "crank" the engine by means of the starter. If fuel spurts from the fitting, you may assume that the FUEL LINES are clear and the FUEL PUMP is operating properly. If no fuel leaves the line, either the
fuel lines or fuel pump are at fault. See your Authorized Chev­rolet Dealer. (C) Before reconnecting the fuel
line to the carburetor, remove the FUEL FILTER from the carburetor inlet and check its condition. If it appears to be clean, replace it and reconnect the fuel line. Re­place the filter if it appears to be plugged. (0) If the fuel seems to be reaching the carburetor properly, the problem may be: an EMPTY Fuel Filter
CARBURETOR BOWL caused by a "stuck shut" carburetor; a flOODED CARBURETOR caused by a "stuck open" condition and evidenced by gasoline seeping down and around outside of the carburetor; or a stuck CHOKE valve. Remove the air cleaner from
the carburetor. Check that the choke valve moves freely and is not
stuck. (Don't mistake normal spring tension for a stuck valve.) Tap the side of the carburetor sharply several times with a light tool such

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine as a screwdriver handle or pliers. Replace the oir cleaner and attempt to start the engine in the normal manner. (E) 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 turn 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 starfed. Turning the IGNITION SWITCH rapidly back and forth several times will sometimes correct a poor internal switch
contact.
(GI The BATTERY 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 baHery is determined to be dead, and for no apparent reason, have your :Aflthori~ed Chevrolet Dealer check the baHery, the GENERATOR and the VOLTAGE REGULATOR.
GENERATOR trouble shqiJld already have been indicated by
69
the generator indicator light on the instrument panel.
POOR BATTERY 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.
(HI 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 in­stalled, 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 following
items may be checked along with the Fuel Systems Checks listed previously.
(II With a clean dry cloth wipe the ce-amic portions of the spark plugs dry. In particularly damp or rainy weather dampness may be the cause of not starting, espe­
cially when the engine is cold.
(JI Check the cables at the top
of the distributor and coil as well as each spark plug cable for
tightness.
(KI If the car will still not start,
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 Distributor and Coli Cables