1973 CHEVROLET CAMARO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Every two years or 24,000 miles,
whichever first occurs, the cooling
system should be drained by si­
phoning
and refilled as follows :
1 . Run engine, with radiator cap
removed , until normal operat­
ing temperature
is reached
and upper radiator
is hot (in­
dicates thermostat
is open).
2. With engine stopped, insert
one end
of a 5-foot length of
¥s inch tubing into the filler
neck until it touches the bot­
tom of the radiator.
3. Insert any type of large sy­
ringe into the open end of the
tubing and initiate the siphon­
ing process by squeezing and
releasing the ball.
4. Completely drain radiator
coolant through the siphon
tube.
(To speed this opera­
. tion the drain plugs in block
can also be removed.)
4A. For recovery systems use
same method to siphon all
coolant from reservoir.
5. Remove tubing (install block
drain plugs, if removed) and
add sufficient water to fill
system.
6. Run engine, drain and refill
the system, as described in
steps
1 thru 5, a sufficient
number of times until the
drained liquid
is nearly color­
less.
7. Allow system to drain com­
pletely and install block drain
plugs, if removed.
8. Coolant Recovery Systems
Only
- Flush reservoir with
clean water,
and drain.
54
9. Add sufficient ethylene glycol
coolant, meeting
GM Specifi­
cation 1899-M, to provide
the required freezing and
corrosion
protection-at least
a
44 percent solution (-200
F). For both standard and
recovery systems, fill radiator
to the cold fill level
(3" be­
low bottom
of filler neck).
For recovery systems, add
sufficient coolant to reservoir
to raise level to
"Full Hot"
mark.
I O. Run engine, with radiator cap
removed, until normal oper­
ating temperature
is reached.
(Radiator upper hose be­
comes
hot.)
11. With engine idling, add cool­
ant to within 1 V:z " below bot­
tom of filler neck and install
radiator cap making certain
arrows line
up with overflow
tube.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
• Maintain cooling system freeze
protection at
_200 F or below
to ensure protection against cor­
rosion and loss of coolant from
boiling, even though freezing
temperatures are not expected.
• 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 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 thennostat
in­
stalled in the engine coolant outlet
to maintain a satisfactory operat­
ing temperature of the engine. This
thermostat
is designed forcontinu­
ous use through both winter and summer
and need not be changed
seasonally . When replacement
is
necessary, Delco parts are recom~
mended.
Tires
The factory installed tires on
your car
as shown in the Tire
Usage chart below are designed to
provide the best all around per­
formance for normal vehicle oper­
ation. 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.
CAMARO TIRE USAGE
ENGINE AND BODY STANDARD OPTIONAL
All (Except Type l T or Z28 Models) E78·14 F70·14 G70·14
Type lT Space Saver Tire E78·14 F70·14
Z28 F60·15 White letters Space Saver Tire -
All standard tires are blackwall with whitewall optional. All tires are bias-belted, load
range B unless otherwise specified. .
55

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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:
Inflation
Pressure-The tire in­
flation pressures listed on the tire
placard have been selected to pro­
vide the best tire life, riding com­
fort and handling stability for nor­
mal driving conditions. When in­
flated at the highest pressures
shown
on the placard, the tires
have the load carrying capacity to
operate satisfactorily at all loads
up to and including the vehicle
capacity load (total pounds)
which also
is shown on the plac­
ard.
In addition, for those owners
who prefer the utmost
in com­
fort , the reduced tire pressures
listed on the placard may be used
when loads of 4 occupants or less
are carried.
II RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURES . (PSI COlD) VEHICLE LOAD
FRONT REAR
UP TO VEHICLE C"',"'CITY
RECOMMENDED TIRE SIZE(S) (USE ONLY IN SETS) LOAD RANGE
BECAUSE OF POSSI&lE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON VEHICLE HANDliNG, DO NOT MIX RADIAL TIRES WITH OTHER TYPE TIRES ON THE SAME VEHICLE.
VEHICLE CAPACITY BUCKET SEAT ~ OCCU,""NTS 2 fRONT -2 RE .... 200 lIS TRUNK lO ... D
TOTAL 800 lIS
SEE OWNERS oAANU"" fOR ... OOITlONAl INfOR""'TlON c::=:J I'IINTED IN US ...
Typical Tire Placard Located On The Left Door Of Your Car
The use of improper tire infla­
tion pressures can adversely affect
tire life and vehicle performance:
• Too little air pressure can result
in excessive tire heat, abnormal
56 tire
wear, adverse handling and
reduced fuel economy.
• Too much air pressure can re­
sult in abnormal tire wear, ad­
verse vehicle ride and handling,

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine and increased susceptibility to
damage by road impacts.
Tire pressures should be
checked when the tires are
"cold"
at least once a month (and pref­
erably oftener) or before long
trips
or when heavily loaded. The
following points should be ob­
served when checking and setting
tire pressures:
1. Cold tire pressure ratings are applic­
able when a vehicle has been inopera­
tive 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 re­
duce pressures when tires are hot from
driving.
3. For continuous high speed operation
(over 75 mph), Increase tire Inflation pressure 4 psi above the recommended
pressures up to a maximum of 32 psi cold pressure for load range B tires, or 40 psi for 0 load range tires. Sustained
speeds above 75 mph are not recom­mended 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 t,he appearance of a tire can be deceiving. For example,
radial ply fires, In comparison with bias ply tires at the same pressure, may have
the appearance of being under-inflated.
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
ve­
hicle, not merely of the tires.
When towing trailers, the allow­
able pasenger 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
ve­
hicle load capacity greater than
specified on the tire placard.
57
Tire Wear and Rotation -Un­
even or abnormal tire wear is usu­
ally the result of incorrect inflation
pressure, improper wheel align­
ment, wheels being out-of-balance,
or poor driving habits. Underin­
flation, incorrect toe or camber
and fast cornering produce differ­
ent types of abnormal wear which
can be diagnosed by your dealer.
The original equipment tires in­
corporate built-in tread wear
in­
dicators to assist you in determin­
ing when your tires ,have been
worn to the point of needing re­
placement. These indicators ap­
pear
as Ij2 inch wide bands when
tire tread depth
is 1/16 inch or
less. When the indicators appear
in two or more adjacent grooves,
tire replacement 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

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ... ... ... ...
---",,"'"
-..... .
irregular . wear develops) as indi­
cated in either diagram below.
Upon rotation, tire pressures must
be adjusted in accordance with the
recommendations on the tire in­
flation placard.
NOTE: It is recommended that
disc brake pads be inspected for
wear whenever tires are rotated.
)11
I I
~Xl l.j
-.5 WHEELS 4 WHEELS
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 aire should be
removed. Tires with questionable
damage should be removed from
the wheel and examined
by an ex­
pert.
H an air loss occurs while driv-
58
ing, do not attempt to drive on
the deflated tire more than
is nec­
essary 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
emergencies.
Such "stop-gap" de­
vices
as plugs and aerosol-type
sealants are good for no more than
100 miles of driving at speeds not
over
50 mph. A permanent vul­
canized repair, plug or patch ap­
plied from inside the tire, should
be
made as soon as possible . Also,
the installation of an inner tube
in
a damaged tubeless tire is not a
recommended repair procedure.
Replacement Tires
When replacing tires, only the
size, load range , and construction
type (bias, bias-belted, or radial)
•

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 ve­
hicle 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
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
pressures shown on the tire pla­
card up to a maximum of 32 psi
( cold) for load range B tires and
40 psi for load range D tires. It is
recommended that vehicle speeds
be limited 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-
59
sure that the wheels are equiva­
lent 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 owners,
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 phenom­
enon, known
as hydroplaning.
may cause partial
or complete loss
of traction, which adversely affects
vehicle control and stopping abil­
ity.
To reduce the possiblity 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 .
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.
Inflation Instructions for
Space Saver Spare Tire
I. Install deflated space saver
spare
on car with valve stem at
the bottom and tighten all
five
lug nuts.
2. Remove valve qp and make
sure valve core is screwed tight
in valve stem.
3. Remove plastic cap from
in­
flator.
4 . Place inflator over valve
stern
and push onto stem until sound
of gas entering tire can
be
heard .
5 . Keep pressure against valve and
hold can upright against wheel
to ensure complete draining of
fluid.
60
6 . Hold the inflator in position one
minute. After sound stops. then
remove inflator for disposal
in
proper receptacle.
7 . Replace valve cap.
NOTE: It is recommended that
the inflation pressure be checked
and adjusted to 28 psi
(Space
Saver Spare
only), as soon as pos­
sible after installing tire on car.
To stow , deflate tire by remov­
ing tire valve stem core with tool
on end of valve cap. Flatten tire
and replace core and cap. Do not
inhale gas.
Store tire in trunk com­
partment. The
Space Saver Spare tire has
an approximate tread life of
2,000
miles; therefore, its continued use
other than for emergency purposes
is not recommended. The Space
Saver Spare
has the same warranty
as all original equipment tires.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine However, this warranty is void if
any inflator containing sealants
is
used. Approved inflation gases are
air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and
Freon 22.
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 component s such
as brake
and fuel lines, frame, underbody
floor pan, exhaust system, brac­
kets, 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
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
recommendations on undercoat­
ing materials which will help pro­
tect your vehicle from corrosion.
61
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.