1971 CHEVROLET CAMARO change time

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1971 CAMARO
OWNER'S
MANUAL
CHEVROLET MOTOR
DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS
CORPORATION DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48202
All information, illustrations 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.
Part No. 3991061
ST 309-71
©GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION 1970
Table of Contents Page
Before Driving your Car. _ ...... _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Starting and Operating
............................................ 11
Safety Checks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 33
In Case of Emergency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 38
Air
Pollution Control Systems.. .. . ....... . . . . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . ... 41
Appearance Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 47
Service and Maintenance ......................................... 51
Maintenance Schedule ........................................... 66
Specifications,
Owner Relations, Service Manuals, Index ........... 72
1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SAFETY CHECKS
Your Camaro not only conforms to all U.S. Fed­
eral Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards applicable at
time of manufacture, but also incorporates other im­
portant General Motors safety features. Even with
these safety features, however, continued safe and
dependable operation depends greatly upon regular
vehicle maintenance.
This section discusses the various components and
systems of your vehicle that should be checked regu-
CHECK OFF EACH ITEM UNDER MIlEAGE AS SERVICE IS PERFORMED. Brakes and Power Steering -Check all lines and hoses. Check condition of brake linings and parking brake adjustment. Chassis lube and check all fluid levels,· Check condition of front and rear suspension and steerine system. Exhaust System -Check condition of system and underbody. Tires and Wheels-Check condition. (Check tire pressure at least monthly.) Engine -Change oil.· Check condition 01 all belts. -Replace oil filter (at 1st oil change and tllen every 2nd chanie). -Check air cleaner every 12,000 miles; replace every 24,000 miles. .-Replace PCV valve. -Service exhaust emission control systems (see Owner's Manual). -Change toolanl every Iwo years. Throttle linkage -Check operation and condition . Headlights -Aim. Transmission (Automatic)-Change fluid and service filter. 0 ,', III · 0
33
larly to help maintain continued safe and dependable
vehicle operation.
Some checks should be made by
your dealer or service station, and can be done con­
veniently while your vehicle
is in the shop for other
regular maintenance services.
Other checks can be
made easily by owners.
CHECKS TO BE PERFORMED BY YOUR
DEALER OR SERVICE STATION
As a service reminder to owners, all 1971 General
Motors passenger cars are equipped with a
"Vehicle
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTE: If this cap requires a re­
placement, only· a cap with these
same features should be used. Fail­
ure to use the correct cap can re­
sult in a serious malfunction of the
system. Correct replacement caps
may
be obtained from your Au­
thorized Chevrolet Dealer.
Engine Oil
Recommendations
Use only engine oil which meets
oil quality standard GM 6041-M.
High quality oils which are in­
tended for service
MS and pass car
makers' tests are
of this quality.
The oil change interval (see para­
graph entitled
"Engine Oil Change
Interval") and the new vehicle
warranty are based on the use of
oils that meet these requirements.
NOTE: Non-detergent and other
low quality oils are specifically not
recommended. The use of proper
engine oils and oil change intervals are
your best assurance of contin­
ued reliability and performance
from your Camaro engine.
Checking Oil Level
The engine oil should be main­
tained at proper level. The best
time to check it
is before operating
the engine or as
the last step in a
fuel stop. This will allow the oil ac­
cumulation in the engine to drain
back in the crankcase .
To check
the evel, remove the oil gauge rod
(dip stick), wipe it clean and rein­
sert it firmly for an accurate read­
ing. The oil gauge rod
is marked
"FULL" and "ADD." The oil level
should be maintained in the safety
margin, neither going above the
"FULL" line nor below the "ADD"
line. Reseat the gauge firmly after
taking the reading.
NOTE: The oil gauge rod is also
marked
"Use GM 6041-M Quality
MS Oil" as a reminder to use only
52
high quality oils as prescribed
under "Engine Oil Recommenda­
tions."
Supplemental Engine Oil
Additives
The regular use of supplemental
additives
is specifically not recom­
mended and will increase operat­
ing costs. However, in cases of spe­
cific problems which may arise
under certain conditions, additive
supplements are available that can
effectively and economically solve
these problems without causing
other difficulties.
For example, if
higher detergency
is required to re­
duce varnish and sludge deposits
resulting from some unusual opera­
tional difficulty, a thoroughly tested
and approved concentrate -
"En­
gine Oil Supplement"-is available
at your Chevrolet dealer.
It is sug­
gested that, in the event of
an oper­
ational problem, you consult your
dealer for advice.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine the crankcase ventilation valve.
Regular replacement of the PCV
Valve
is recommended at 24-month
or
24,000-mile intervals.
G.M. Evaporation
Control SYltem
The Evaporation Control System
requires only periodic canister filter
servicing.
Every 12 months
or 12,000
miles, whichever occurs first, (more
often under dusty conditions) the
filter in the base of the canister
must be replaced and the canister
inspected.
Drive Beltl
Every 6,000 miles or 4 months­
inspect drive belts for wear, fray­
ing, cracking, and tension. Belts
which are in poor condition should
be replaced immediately.
Check tension by applying
mod­
erate thumb pressure midway be­
tween pUlleys. If the center-to­
center distance between pulleys
is
13 to 16 inches, the belt should
deflect
lh inch. If the center-to­
center distance
is 7 to 10 inches,
the belt should deflect
1;4 inch.
Loose belts should be retensioned
to give the correct deflection.
Air Cleaner
Paper Ellment Type -First
12,000 miles, inspect element for
dust leaks, holes
or other damage,
replace
if necessary. If satisfac­
tory, rotate element
1800 from
originally installed position.
Re­
place element at 24,000, miles.
Element must not be washed,
oiled, tapped or cleaned with an
air hose.
Crankca.e Ventilation Filter
(located within Air Cleaner)­
If so equipped, inspect at every oil
change and replace if necessary.
Replace at least every
24,000
miles; more often under dusty
driving conditions.
Flame Arrester -Every 12,000
55
miles-Clean the arrester (located
in the base of the air cleaner) with
kerosene
or a suitable solvent. Dry
with compressed air.
The engine air cleaner should
be installed at all times unless
temporary removal
is necessary
during repair or maintenance of
the vehicle, because in the absence
of the air cleaner backfiring could
cause
fire in the engine compart­
ment.
For maximum protection spe­
cify an AC Acron air filter ele­
ment.
Fuel Filter
Replace carburetor inlet filter
element every 12 months or
12,000 miles, whichever occurs
first or, if an in-line filter
is also
used, every
24,000 miles.
Replace in-line filter every
24,000 miles.
When replacement
is necessary,
always insist on AC Acron filters.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Standard Steering Gear
The steering gear is factory­
filled with steering gear lubricant.
Seasonal change of this lubricant
should not be performed
and the
housing should
not be drained-no
lubrication
is required for the life
of the steering gear.
Every 36,000 miles, the gear
should be inspected for seal leak­
age (actual solid
grease-not just
oily film).
If a seal is replaced or
the gear is overhauled, the gear
housing should be refilled with
Part No. 1051052 (13 oz. con­
tainer)
Steering ' Gear Lubricant
which meets
GM Specification GM
4673M, or its equivalent.
NOTE: Do not use EP Chassis
Lube, meeting
GM Specification
GM 6031 M, to lubricate the gear.
DO NOT OVER-FILL the gear
housing.
Power Steering Pump
Every 6,000 miles or 4 months­
Check level in pump reservoir. Fill
pump reservoir
as required with
GM Power Steering Fluid or, if
this
is not available, DEXRON®
Automatic Transmission fluid.
Oil
should be at operating tempera­
ture
and wheels in straight ahead
position when checking
or filling
operation is performed to ensure
against over-filling.
Hood Latches
Every 4 months or 6,000 miles,
whichever occurs first, lubricate
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
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pivot points in release mecha­
nism, as well as primary
and sec­
ondary 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
the summer, see your Chevrolet
Dealer immediately if you suspect
the system is
not performing as it
should.
NOTE: On vehicles equipped with
a
Four Season Air Conditioning
System, the system will not operate
below ambient temperatures of
30oP. regardless of control posi­
tion.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cooling System Care
Checking the coolant level at
each engine oil change. Level
should be
3" below bottom of filler
neck when cold.
Coolant Recommendations
The inhibited year-around cool­
ant, used to
fill the cooling system
at the factory,
is a high quality so­
lution that meets General Motors
Specifications 1899-M. This fac­
tory-fill coolant solution
is formu­
lated to withstand two full calendar
years of normal operation without
draining, provided the same con­
centration of coolant
is added if the
system needs additional fluid be­
tween drain periods. The original
factory-fill coolant provides freez­
ing protection to
-20°F (-32°F
in Canada).
Every two years, the cooling sys­
tem should be serviced as follows:
1. Drain coolant, when hot,
through the radiator drain valve.
2. Close valve and add sufficient
plain· water to
fill system.
3. Run engine until normal operat­
ing temperature
is reached.
4. Drain and refill the system as
described in steps 1, 2, and 3 a
sufficient number of times until
the drained liquid
is colorless.
5. Allow system to drain com­
pletely and then close radiator
drain valve tightly.
6.
Add the necessary amount of
high quality inhibited glycol
base coolant meeting GM
Speci­
fication 1899-M to provide the
required freezing and corrosion
protection
(at least to O°F.)
7. Run engine until normal oper­
ating temperature
is reached.
8. Check and adjust level of cool­
ant after system has cooled
suffi­
ciently to remove radiator cap.
60
NOTE: Addition of supplemental
additives and other available ma­
terials which have not been specifi­
cally approved by GM are not nor­
mally required in your car. Use of
these materials will result in un­
warranted operating expense.
It is the owner's responsibility to
keep the freeze protection at a level
commensurate with the tempera­
tures which may occur in the area
in which the vehicle will be oper­
ated. Regardless of whether freez­
ing temperatures are
or are not ex­
pected, cooling system protection
should be maintained at least to
OaF to provide adequate corrosion
protection. When coolant addi­
tions are required because of cool­
ant loss or to provide additional
protection against freezing at tem­
peratures lower than
-20°F,
(-32°F in Canada), a sufficient
amount of an ethylene glycol base

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • coolant meeting GM Specification
1899 M should be used.
NOTE: Alcohol or methanol base
coolants or plain water are not rec­
ommended for your Camaro 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 periodi­
cally for proper operation.
If re­
placement
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 operat­
ing 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, specify United Delco
parts.
Tires
The factory installed tires on
your car are selected to provide the
best all around tire performance
for all normal operation. When in­
lated
as recommended in the tire
inflation placard affixed to the left
door of your vehicle, they have the
load carrying capacity to operate
satisfactorily at all loads up to and
including the full rated load speci-
61
fied in that table at all normal high­
way speeds. In addition, for those
owners who prefer the utmost in
comfort, optional tire inflation
pressures may be used when loads
of four passengers or less are
carried.
For the added convenience of
owners, many Chevrolet dealers
are equipped to handle tire war­
rantyadjustments on certain makes
of tires provided on 1971 Chevro­
let 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.