1973 CHEVROLET CAMARO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine MINOR TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE
IMPORTANT: For maximum performance and economy, keep your GM car all GM. Specify General Motors parts identified by one of these trademarks.
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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 car. 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 recom­
mended 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 car will not start, check Steps A through 0 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 D only.
(A) The first and most obvious, and one of the most frequently
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 "turn over" but will not
start.
(8)
If the fuel tank is not empty,
you may check further to see
Checking Fuel Flow
63
whether the fuel is reaching the carburetor. Disconnect .the fuel line at the carburetor and remove the center wire (ground the secondary coil terminal or disconnect the primary wire from the coil to the
distributor at the coil) 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 recorinect the fuel line. Re­
place the filter if it appears to be
plugged.
(D) If the fuel seems to be
reaching the carburetor properly, Fuel Filter
the problem may be: an EMPTY CARBURETOR BOWL caused by a "stuck shut" carburetor; a FLOODED CARBURETOR caused by a "stuck open" condition and evidenced by gasoline seeping around and down the 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 as a screwdriver handle or pliers. Replace the air cleaner and attempt to start the engine in the normal manner.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine IE) 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 return 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 started. Turning the IGNITION SWITCH rapidly back and forth several times will sometimes correct a poor internal switch
contact.
IG) The BATIERY 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 battery is determined to be dead, and for no apparent reason, have your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer check the
battery, the GENERATOR and the VOLTAGE REGULATOR.
GENERATOR trouble should already have been indicated by the generator indicator light on the instrument panel.
64
POOR BATIERY 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.
IH) 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 in­
stalled, 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 foilowing
items may be checked along with the Fuel Systems Checks listed
previously.
II) With a clean dry cloth, wipe the ceramic portions of the spark plugs dry. In particularly damp or rainy weather dampness may be
the cause of not sta rting, especi­
ally when the engine is cold.
IJ) Check the cables at the top of the distributor and coil as well as each spark plug cable for
tightness.
IK) If the co r will still not sta rt,
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 Di.,ribu'or and Coil Cab I ••

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine a bobby pin) between the rubber
cup at the end of the spark plug
wire and the tubular metal con­
nector inside of it. If the spark
plug wire is wet or oily, wipe it
dry. Wrap a dry handkerchief or facial tissue, folded several thick.
nesses, around the wire at least three inches back from the end
and grasp the wire at this point.
Hold the bare wire about 1f4 inch
from the
bare tip of the spark
plug from which you removed the Checking Spark
wire. When the engine is "turned over" a spark should jump across
the V" inch space, indicating ample current supply. If no spark
jumps, the difficulty is probably caused by a defective ignition port
and should be corrected by your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer.
COOLING SYSTEM
When the cor will run but evidences serious overheating on the temperature gauge in the instrument panel, there are several items
which may be checked .
(L) Engine overheating will occur when the OIL lEVEL falls danger­ously low. Check the oil level as a matter of course.
(M) Low COOLANT LEVEL will , of course, couse engine over­heating. Determine . the cause of the low coolant level and have
it corrected if necessary.
(N) Check the RADIATOR CORE. Clean it if it is plugged with
bugs, leaves or other foreign material.
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(0) Condition of the FAN BELT is very important, not only for en­gine cooling but also for proper generator operation. Check the
condition of the belt. Replace it if it is worn or frayed. Loosen the generator toward the engine to remove and replace the belt. Tighten the belt, whether new or old, by loosening the generator bolts, prying with a bar on the generator until the belt is ten­sioned properly, then retighten
the generator bolts.
(PI Another couse of engine ove rheating may be on inopera­
tive COOLING SYSTEM THERMO­STAT. If the thermostat should foil in the closed position, it will not
perm it coolant to circulate through
the system . In such on emergency the thermostat may be removed
but should be replaced with a properly functioning thermostat as soon as possible.
Fan 8.11 Tension
Thermoslal Inslollo/ion

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
Car-Stamped on Vehicle Identification Plate attached to left
of instrument panel.
Engine-Stamped on boss on block.
6-Cylinder-On right side of block to rear of distributor.
S-Cylinder-On right side of block at front.
Body-Stamped
on plate attached to cowl panel.
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length (Coupe) ....................... 1 SS.5"
Height ..................................... 49.1"
Width .............•............•......... 74.4"
Wheelbase ................................ 10S.0"
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BATTERY RATING
L6 and 307-VS engine equipped vehicles-I 2 volt, 54 plate, 2300 watts'
350 VS engine equipped vehicles-12 volt, 66 plate, 2900 watts'
Heavy Duty-I 2 volt, 90 plate, 3750 watts'
'Cranking power at O°F.
CAPACITIES
Gasoline Tank
(Approx.)
Crankcase
(Refill)
6 and S Cylinder
U.S. Measure
IS.O gal.
Oil
change only . . . . . . . . . . .. 4 qt.
Oil and Filter change . . . . . . .. 5 qt.
Imperial Measure
15.0 gal.
3% qt.
4% qt.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SPECIFICATIONS (Cont'dl
Cooling System: 250 L-6
307 V-8
350 V-8
U.S. Measure (qts.)
12.5
15.5·
Imperial Measure (qts.)
10.5 13·
·with air condo add 1 qt. U.S. measure (3,4 qt. Imperial meas.)
Thermostat
All engines (Exc. RPO L-82, Z28) .............. .... 1950
RPO L-82, Z28 ........................... 1800
Radiator Pressure Cap ......................... 15 lb.
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Air Conditioning System
Compressor
oil (525 vis.) .................... , .. 11 oz.
Refrigerant-R-l 2
Four
Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3 lb. 12 oz.
Turbo Hydramatic U.S. Measure
350. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 10.0 qts.
400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.0 qts.
TURN SIGNAL FLASHER:
Imperial Measure
8.25 qts.
9.25 qts.
Type .................................... Capacity
All .................................. 2 lamp (LL)
Hazard Warning Flasher, All ................. .4 lamp
TIRE INFORMATION:
Complete tire information will be found on pages 55, 56, 57, 58,59,60 and 61.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS
6 Cyl. Engine 8 Cylinder Engine
CARBURETOR
250 Cu. In. 307 Cu. In. 350 Cu. In. ENGINE DATA 1 Barrel
Compo Ratio 8 .5:1
Bore 3.875
Stroke 3.56
Firing Order 1·5·3·6-2·4
FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
The wiring circuits in your 1973 Camaro
are protected from short circuits by a
combin­
ation of fuses , circuit breakers , and fusible
thermal links in the wiring itself. This greatly
reduces the hazard of electrically caused
fires
in the automobile. The fuse junction block is
located under the left side of the instrument
panel.
ITEM
Engine Oil Filter
Radiator Cap
Gasoline Cap
2 Barrel 2 Barrel 4 Barrel
9.0:1 8.5:1
3.875 4.00
3.25 3.48
1·8·4·3·6·5·7·2
USAGE RECOMMENDATION
All AC Type PF25
All AC type RC·15
All AC Type GT·73
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4 Barrel
9.0:1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKER:
The headlamp circuit is protected by a circuit breaker in the light switch. An electrical overload on the breaker will cause the lamps to go on and off, or in some cases to remain off. If this condition develops, have your wiring circuits checked immediately. Where current load is too heavy, the circuit breaker intermittently opens and closes, protecting the circuit until the cause is found and eliminated.
Fuses, located in the Junction Block beneath the dash on the driver's side are:
Radio, T.S.C. Sol. Rear Defogger Glove Box lamp .......................... .
Wiper .................. . .
..
10 Amp.
25 Amp.
Stop and Hazard Warning lamps .................. ... ..... 20 Amp.
Dir. Sig., B/U lamps .................... ............ .... 20 Amp.
Heater, A/C. . . . .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. . .. ... 25 Amp.
Insl. lamps, Anti·Diesel Relay and Dome lamp. 3 Amp.
Gauges, Warning lamps.. .. .
. .. .. . .. .... . . .. . .. .. . . .. .. .10 Amp.
Clock, lighter, Courtesy.. .. .. . . . . .. . .. ... .. .. . .20 Amp.
Tail, license, luggage, Sidemarker and Parking lamps ...... . .20 Amp.
An Air Conditioning high blower speed fuse,30 amp. is located in an In·line fuse holder running from horn relay to Air Conditioning relay.
Do not use fuses of higher amperage rating than those recommended above.
Fusible links are incorporated into the wiring system. These are wires of such a gauge that they will fuse (or melt) before damage occurs to an entire wiring harness in the event of an electrical overload. See your Chevrolet Dealer if fusible link replacement becomes necessary.
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BULB SPECIFICATIONS (Replace with AC·Guide Lamps)
Headlamp Unit High.Beam
Low Beam
Front Park and
Directional Signal
Front Fender Side Marker Lamp
Rear Side
Marker Lamp
Tail, Stop, and Rear
Directional
Signal
License Plate Lamp
Back Up Lamps
Courtesy Lamp
Dome
Lamp
Instrument Illumination Lamp (Includes Automatic Transmission)
High Beam
Headlamp Indicator
Indicator Lamps
Gen.
Oil Temp. System
Brake Warning
Turn
Signal Seat Belt Warning
Heater or AIC Control Panel Lamp
Glove Box Lamp
Radio Dial Lamp
Underhood
Lamp
Luggage Compartment Lamp
Rear Seat Courtesy
Candle Power
60W 6014
SOW Sealed Beam
32·3 1157NA
2 194
2 194
32·3 1157
4 67
32 1156
6 631
12
211·1
2 194
2 194
2 194 2 194 2 194 2 194 2 194 2 194
7 1445
2 1895
1 1816
15 93
15 1003
6 212·1 or 2