brake CHEVROLET VEGA 1976 1.G User Guide

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.
Temp. Pressure Indicator
Light
This indicator light is provided
in the instrument cluster to quickly
warn of an overheated engine
and/or extreme low oil pressure
or oil supply. This light will be on
when the ignition switch is turned
"ON" and should go out after the
engine
is started. Occasionally the
light may be seen to flicker momen­
tarily, but this will do no harm. Ex­
treme low oil pressure or oil supply
will prevent the electric fuel pump from
operating and under this con­
dition the engine will not run.
If the light comes on during ex­
treme driving conditions, such
as an
extended idle, turn off the air con­
ditioner (if used) and run the en­
gine 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 overheating is
corrected. Glance at the instrument
cluster frequently
as you drive to
see if this light is on.
Add Coolant Indicator Light
This indicator light is provided to
warn of a low coolant condition in
the radiator.
If coolant level is low
the yellow
"Add Coolant" warning
light will glow. Coolant level in the
coolant recovery tank, and radiator,
should be checked at the first oppor­
tunity.
If necessary add sufficient
2-15
coolant to both the radiator and
coolant recovery tank.
(See Service
and Maintenance, Section 5, for
proper procedure) .
If frequent
additions are required, see your
dealer for a complete cooling sys­
tem check.
Brake System Warning
Light
The service brake system is a dual
system designed so that one part will
provide some braking action in the
event of loss of hydraulic pressure
in the other part of the system.
If the
warning light labeled
"Brake" lo­
cated in the speedometer face comes
on and stays
on when the ignition is
on and after the brakes have been
firmly applied
it may indicate that
there
is a malfunction in one part of
the brake system.
• As a reminder, the light is de­
signed to come
on with the park­
ing brake applied and the igni­
tion on.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • The light is also designed to come
on 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 substi­
tute for the visual check of brake
fluid level required
as part of
normal maintenance.
If the light comes on:
• The parking brake control is not
fully released, or,
• The service brake system is par­
tially inoperative.
What to do:
1. Check that parking brake is re­
leased.
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.
Try out brake operation by start­
ing and s,topping on road shoul­
der-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
PARKING LAMPS MARKER LAMPS TAIL AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS
TURN KNOB TO VARY INSTRUMENT LIGHTS FULLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE FOR DOME LIGHTS
2-16
HEADLIGHTS PARKING LAMPS MARKER LAMPS

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In Case of Emergency
Four Way Hazard
Warning
Flasher
• Use the warning flasher to warn
other drivers any time your
ve­
hicle becomes a traffic hazard,
day or night.
• A void stopping on the roadway
if possible.
• Turn on the hazard warning
flasher by pushing
in on the but­
ton located on the column just
below the steering wheel. Flasher
can
be actuated with
engine ignition either
off or on.
• Turn signals do not work with
hazard flashers operating.
• If the brake pedal is depressed,
the lights will not flash but
re­
main continuously lit.
• To cancel the flasher, pull the
button out.
Freeing Car from Sand, etc.
If it becomes necessary to rock
the car to free it from sand, mud
or snow, move the selector lever
on automatic transmission models
from
"D" to "R" in a repeat pat­
tern while simultaneously applying
moderate pressure
to the accelera­
tor.
(On standard transmission
models, move gear shift lever from
second to reverse gear.) Do not
race engine. For best possible trac­
tion, avoid· spinning wheels when
3-1
trying to free the car. The use of
AC Liquid Tire Chain
is recom­
mended for temporary assistance
when traction
is lost on ice or
snow.
Towing
Proper lifting and towing equip­
ment
is necessary to prevent dam­
age to the vehicle during any tow­
ing operation. State (Provincial in
Canada) and local laws applicable
to vehicles in tow must be
fol­
lowed. Detailed towing instructions
are available at your Chevrolet
dealer. Your Vega may be towed on
all
four wheels, at speeds of less · than

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 35 mph, for distances up to 50
miles, provided the driveline, axle,
transmission, and steering system
are otherwise normally operable.
Use only towing equipment specifi­
cally designed for
this purpose
following the instructions of the
towing equipment manufacturer.
A separate safety chain system
must
be used for such towing and
steering must be unlocked, trans­
mission in neutral and the parking
brake released. Attachments must
be made to main structural mem­
bers of the car. Do not attach to
bumpers or associated brackets.
Remember that power brake and
power steering assist will not be
available when engine
is inopera­
tive.
Recreational Towing
Vega models with a manual 3-
or 4-speed transmission may be
towed (with propshaft installed) be-hind
another vehicle
as a "dinghy"
at freeway speeds if additional SAE
80
or SAE 90 Gear Lubricant is
added to the transmission. This can
be accomplished · by removing the
filler plug and installing a
900-;.2
inch pipe street elbow fitting and
adding one quart
(2 lbs.) of SAE
80
or 90 Gear Lubricant. Use the
filler plug to cap the elbow fitting.
The additional lubricant will have
no adverse affect to the transmis­
sion during normal use of the
ve­
hicle and may be left in the trans­
mission.
EMERGENCY STARTING
A car with a discharged battery
may
be started by using energy
3-2
from a battery in another car­
called "jump starting".
NOTICE: Do not push or tow this
vehicle
to start. Damage to the cata­
lytic converter and/or to other parts
of the vehicle may result.
Jump Starting
Jump starting may be dangerous
and should
be attempted only if, the
following three conditions are met.
If they are not,we strongly recom­
mend that you leave the starting to
a competent mechanic.
• The battery in the OTHER vehi­
cle must
be 12 volt and nega­
tively grounded,
like the one in
THIS car. (Check the other car's
owner's manual to
see if it is.)
• The battery in THIS car must be
equipped with flame arrestor
vents (like the original-equip­
ment Delco Freedom battery)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine or flame arrestor type filler/
vent caps.
• If the battery is a Delco sealed­
type battery without filler open­
ing
or caps, its charge indicator
must be dark, with or without
green dot showing, see illustra­
tion. Do
NOT attempt jump
starting if the charge indicator
has a light or bright center.
Jump Start Procedure
1. Wear eye protection and remove
rings, metal
watch bands, and
other metal jewelry.
2. Set parking brake firmly. Place
automatic transmission in
"P ARK" in both vehicles (don't
let vehicles
touch); and turn
ignition key to
LOCK in car
with discharged battery (Neu­
tral and
"OFF" in cars with man­
ual transmission). Also turn off
lights, heater, and all unneces­
sary electrical loads.
3. Attach one end of a jumper
cable to one battery's positive
terminal (identified
by a· red
color
"+", or "P" on the battery
case , post , or
clamp), and the
other end of the same cable to
the positive terminal of the other
battery.
3-3
O. K . TO JUMP START
DO NOT JUMP START
o DARKENED INDICATOR
WITH GREEN DOT - FULLY CHARGED
• DARKENED INDICATOR
NO GREEN DOT
-NEEDS CHARGING
LIGHT
OR BRIGHT INDICA TOR -REPLACE BA TTERY

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Attach the remammg jumper Engine Coolant
cable FIRST to the negative ter­
minal (black color,
"-" or "N")
of the OTHER vehicle's battery,
(regardless of which vehicle has
the discharged
battery) and
THEN to the negative terminal
of the battery in THIS
car-thus
taking advantage of the flame
arrestor feature on the battery in
THIS car, should a spark occur.
5. Start engine in the vehicle that is
providing the jump start (if it
was not running). Let run a few
minutes, then start the engine in Jacking Instructions
the car that has the discharged
battery.
6. Reverse the above sequence
EXACTL Y when removing the
jumper cables, taking care to re­
move the cable from
[he negative
terminal of the battery in THIS
car
as the FIRST step.
3-4
Preparation
• Park on level surface and set
parking brake firmly.
• Set automatic transmission in
park (manual transmission in
reverse).
• Activate hazard warning flasher.
Instructions
1. After removing spare wheel
and tire, jack, jack base, and
jack handle (wheel nut
wrench), proceed with chang­
ing the wheel
as follows:
2. Remove hub cap or wheel
cover with flat end of wheel
nut wrench and loosen, but do
not remove nuts, by turning
counterclockwise.
3. With column assembly seated
in base and lever in
"UP" posi­
tion, insert jack hook in bum­
per slot.
4. Base must sit flat with top of
column angled slightly away
from vehicle,
as shown in illus­
tration.
5. Always operate jack with slow

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Front Wheel Bearings
Every 30,000 miles-clean and
repack with a high melting point
wheel bearing lubricant.
Use wheel
bearing lubricant GM
Part No.
1051344 or equivalent. This
is a
premium high melting point lubri­
cant. When replacement
is neces­
sary specify Delco parts.
Brakes
Brake linings should be periodi­
cally inspected for wear by a quali­
fied technician. The frequency of
this inspection depends upon driv­
ing conditions such
as traffic or
terrain, and also· the driving tech­
niques of individual owners. Your
Chevrolet Dealer
is best qualified
to advise you as to how often this
inspection should be performed.
When replacement
is required,
specify GM and Delco parts.
REMINDER: The front disc
brakes have a built-in wear indica­
tor that
is designed to make a high
frequency, squealing or cricket-like
warning sound when the linings are
worn to where replacement
is re­
quired. The sound will occur inter­
mittently or continuously when
wheels are rolling, but will dis­
appear when the brake pedal
is
firmly applied. Also see the brake
checks listed in the Maintenance
Schedule folder.
5-11
Master Cylinder-Every 6 months
or
7,500 miles -Check fluid level
in each reservoir and maintain
~ /I below lowest edge of e.ach filler
opening with Delco
Supreme No.
11 or DOT -3 hydraulic brake fluid.
~" BELOW
TOP EDGE
Parking Brake Pulley, Cables
and Linkage-Every 6 months or
7
,500 miles -Apply water resis­
tant EP Chassis Lubricant which
meets GM Specification
6031M, to
parking brake cable at cable guides
and at all operating links and levers.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine UNDERBODY
MAINTENANCE
The effects of salt and other cor­
rosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control can
result in accelerated rusting and
deterioration of underbody com­
ponents such
as brake and fuel
lines, frame, underbody floor pan,
exhaust system, brackets, parking
brake cables, etc. These corrosive
effects, however, can be reduced
by periodic flushing of the under­
body with plain water.
In geographic areas having a
heavy concentration of such cor­
rosive materials, it
is recommended
that the complete underbody be
inspected and flushed at least once
each year, preferably after a win­
ter's exposure. Particular atten­
tion should
be given to cleaning
out underbody members where dirt and
other foreign materials may
have collected.
If desired, your Chevrolet dealer
can perform this service for you.
In addition ,
he can provide recom­
mendations
on undercoating mate­
rials which will help protect your
vehicle from corrosion.
BATTERY CARE
5-13
O. K. TO JUMP START
DO NOT JUMP START
o DARKENED .... DICATOR
WITH GREEN DOT
• FULLY CHARGED
•. 11 DARKENED .... DICATOR NO GREEN DOT
• NEEDS CHARGING
•
REPLACE BATTERY

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine LF
5 WHEEL ROTATION 4 WHEEL ROTATION
RADIAL TIRES
BIAS PLY TIRE BIAS PLY TIRE 4 WHEEL ROTATION 5 WHEEL ROTATION
BIAS. BELTED TIRES
driving habits, etc. To obtain maxi­
mum tire life you should inspect
and rotate your tires regularly.
Many car
and tire dealers will per­
form a free tire inspection
and
assist you in identifying uneven
or abnormal tire wear which is
usually the result of incorrect infla­
tion pressure, lack
of regular rota­
tion, improper wheel alignment,
out-of-1?alance, or poor driving
habits.
Bias
and bias-'belted tires shOUld
be rotated at least every 7,500
miles. Radial tires should be ro­
tated at least at the first 7,500 miles
and then at least at 15,000 mile in­
tervals thereafter or whenever un­
even tire wear is noticed.
Alignment and Balance
Proper front-end alignment mini­
mizestire tread wear.
To minimize
tire wear, your front-end suspen­
sion
componentS should be in-
5-17
NOTE: It is recommended that the
brakes be inspected for wear when­
ever the tires are rotated.
spected regularly.
See the Main~e­
nance Schedule folder for more m­
formation. Some ball-joints have
built-in wear indicators and some
movement in the joints
is normal.
Improper front -end alignment will
.
not cause vibration. Improper toe
alignment
may cause your. fro~t
tires to drag at an angle resultmg m
excessive wear. Improper camber
alignment may cause your front
tires to wear more
on one side than
on the other and can cause the
vehicle to
"pull" to the left or right.
Proper tire balancing provides
the best riding comfort and helps
to minimize tire tread wear.
Out-of­
balance tires can cause annoying
vehicle vibration and irregular tire
wear such
as cupping, fiat spots,
etc.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine belted, or radial) as originally in­
stalled on your vehicle. Use of any
other size
or type tire may seriously
affect ride, handling, speedometer /
odometer calibration, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire clear­
ance to the body and chassis.
On most vehicles originally
equipped with radial tires,
you will
find a
TPC Spec. No. (Tire Per­
formance Criteria Specification
LOAD RANGE
TPC SPEC. NO.
SItE _HUI_ U LOAD RANG! .8 CONSTRUCT' ON _5, .. 1 a.lt •• Radle.! TPC SPEC. NO. _ 1 00 1
Number) molded into the tire side­
wall adjacent to the tire size mark.,.
ing. This designation indicates that
the tire meets rigid dimensional and
performance standards which were
developed for your car. These
specifications insure a proper
bal­
ance of: endurance, handling,
noise, ride,
road hazard resistance,
rolling resistance, traction,
and
tread mileage. Replacing your tires
with tires having the sameTPC Spec.
No. will assure you that your new
tires are compatable with your car.
Wheel Replacement
Considerations
Wheels must be replaced if bent,
heavily rusted, leak air,
or if lug
nuts continually loosen.
Do not
straighten
bent wheels or use inner
tubes in leaking wheels.
When replacing wheels for any
reason, the replacement wheels
should
be equivalent in load capa-
5-20
city, diameter, width, offset, and
mOllnting configurations to those
originally installed
on your vehicle.
Replacement wheels
can be ob­
tained from your Chevrolet dealers.
A wheel
of improper size or type
may adversely affect wheel and
bearing life, brake cooling, speed­
ometer/odometer calibration,
ve­
hicle ground clearance, and tire
clearance to the body
and chassis.
Replacement with
"used" wheels
which may have been subjected to
harsh operating conditions
or very
high mileage is
not recommended.
These wheels
may fail prematurely
without any prior visual indication.
Warranty
Tires are guaranteed by the tire
manufacturers. Guarantee informa­
tion
is included in the Passenger
Car Tire Owner's Guarantee folder
furnished with your vehicle.