1974 CHEVROLET CAMARO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine REMINDER: Cars equipped with
front disc brakes have a built-in
wear indicator that
is designed to
make a high frequency, squealing,
or cricket-like warning sound when
the linings are worn to where re­
placement
is required. The sound
will occur intermittently or con­
tinuously when wheels are rolling,
but will change or cease completely
when the brake pedal
is applied
firmly.
See also the various brake
checks listed in the Chevrolet main­
tenance schedule folder.
Automatic Brake Adjusters
• Brakes on this car (except for
the parking brake) are self­
adjusting, designed to eliminate
periodic brake adjustments .
• Drum brake adjustment is made
automatically
as the brakes are
applied while car
is moving
backwards .
• Disc brake adjustment is made
automatically with each brake
application.
• If excess brake pedal travel de­
velops, drive alternately back­
ward and forward several times
and apply brakes firmly in each
direction.
• See your dealer if normal pedal
travel
is not restored, or if there
is a rapid increase in pedal travel,
which could be a sign of other
brake
trOUble.
Clutch Adjustment
Clutch adjustment should be
checked and adjusted periodically
as necessary to compensate for
22
clutch facing wear. To check, de­
press pedal by hand until resistance
is felt. Free travel of pedal should
be approximately one inch; if very
little or no free travel
is evident,
clutch adjustment
is required.
Headlight Beam Switch
"High" and "low" headlight
beams are controlled by the floor
button at your left foot. The indi­
cator, located in the speedometer
dial, will light up when the high
beams are in use.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SHIFT QUADRANT
HEATER ,-,.., ... ,T,,,,",'
OPTIONAL
CLOCK
(OPTIONAL
AIR CONDITIONING CONTROLS)
LIGHTER
OPTIONAL REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER AIR CONDITIONING SWITCH CENTER OUTLET
ASH TRAY
RADIO
CONTROLS
23
SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT
GLOVE BOX
RIGHT
OUTLET

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Instruments
The instruments, gauges and in­
dicator lights conveniently grouped
in the instrument cluster are de­
signed to tell you
at a glance many
important things about the per­
formance of your car. The follow­
ing information will enable you to
more quickly understand and prop­
erly interpret these instruments.
FuelGauge
This electrically operated gauge
registers correctly when the igni­
tion switch
is in the "on" position.
When the ignition switch
is turned
8RAI(E WARNIN G LIGHT
"off", the needle will not necessar­
ily return to the empty mark but
may stop at any point on the dial.
24
Oil Pressure Indicator Light
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 momentarily, but
this will do no harm. However , if
the light remains on during normal
driving speeds the engine should be
stopped until the cause of the trou­
ble can be located and corrected .
Driving the car with low oil pres­
sure can cause serious engine
damage.

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.
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 light comes on
during extreme driving condi­
tions, such as an extended idle, turn
off the air conditioner (if used) and
run the engine 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 overheat­
ing
is corrected. Glance at the in­
strument cluster frequently
as you
drive to see
if this light is on.
Brake System Warning
Light
The service brake system is de­
signed 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 labeled
"BRAKE, " located at lower left of
instrument cluster (speedometer
face), glows continuously when the
ignition
is on and after the brakes
have been firmly applied it may in-
25
dicate that there is a malfunction
in one half of the brake hydraulic
system .
On cars equipped with
front drum brakes, the light will
go out when foot is removed from
brake pedal.
• 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).
• The light should glow 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 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 par­
tially inoperative.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to do:
1. Check that the parking brake is
released. 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.
Tryout brake operation by
starting and stopping on road
shoulder-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
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 22) .
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
TURN KNOB TO
VARY INSTRUMENT LIGHTS
FULL Y COUNTER CLOCKWISE FOR DOME LIGHTS
26
HEADLIGHTS PARKING LAMI'S
MARKER LAMPS

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Optional Instruments and Gauges
Tachometer and Oil Pressure Indicator Light
The optional Tachometer indicates the speed of the engine in revolutions per
minute. The yellow area on the face of the tachometer indicates the highest recom­
mended engine rpm. Engine operation causing tachometer indications in or above
the red area can lead to serious engine damage.
Function of the .oil pressure
'light is described on page 24.
Engine Temperature Gauge
This optional gauge indicates coolant temperature which will vary with air tem­
perature and operating conditions. The ignition switch must be on for accurate
readings. Hard driving
or prolonged idling in very hot weather will cause the pointer
to move beyond the center of the band.
Should pointer move to the line at the "H"
end of the band, stop engine or reduce speed to permit engine to cool. A neutral
idle speed of
1500 RPM or driving in high gear at 34-40 miles per hour will achieve
best cooling.
Ammeter
The optional ammeter indicates whether the battery is being charged or discharged.
The De1cotron charging system
is equipped with a regulator which controls the charge
according to battery requirements. When the De1cotron generator
is supplying more
than the current demand, the ammeter will indicate a charging rate. If the current
demand
is more than the De1cotron output, a discharge will be indicated. With the
battery fully charged, the charging rate will be low, thus giving an indication of
battery condition.
27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Clock
Reset the clock, if your car is so
equipped, by pulling
out the knob
and turning
the hands clockwise if
slow, counterclockwise if fast. This
will,
if the clock error is five min­
utes
or more, automatically com­
pensate for time gain
or lag. Sev­
eral resettings, several days apart,
may be needed to properly adjust
the clock mechanism. Have your
clock cleaned
and oiled by a com­
petent clock serviceman at least
every two years.
Cigarette Lighter
The accessory cigarette lighter is
located on the instrument panel
face.
To operate, push it in. When
it becomes 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 designated areas
of the
windshield under most
inclement 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 windshield
wiper .
The two-speed electric wiper
has both a
"low" and a "high" speed
po sition.
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 then con­
tinue 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 so­
lution.
• Check washer fluid level regu­
larly-do it frequently when the
weather is bad.
28
• Use fluid such as GM
OPTIKLEEN to preventfreez­
ingdamage, and to provide bet­
ter 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 us­
ing
washer-to help prevent ic­
ing that may seriously obscure
vision.
Ventilation System
Your Camaro incorporates a
ventilation system
that provides
ventilation comfort, made possible
by the addition of air vent provi­
sions in the rear body lock pillar.
Another feature of the system
is
continuous low-speed operation of
the air conditioner blower, result­
ing in an uninterrupted supply
of
outside air flow into the car when-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ever the ignition switch is on.
With the side windows closed,
outside air flow into the front
grilles, through the car and out the
rear air exhaust valves.
Basic Operating Tips:
• Always keep front inlet grille
clear of obstructions (leaves,
ice, snow, etc.).
• When heating or air condition­
ing
is desired, best comfort is at­
tained by driving with all the
windows closed.
The following sections of this
manual provide additional operat­
ing tips for obtaining maximum
heating and cooling comfort.
(See
also Engine Exhaust Gas Caution
at beginning of this Section.)
29
Air Vents
The air vents in each kick panel
admit air from the vent grille just
ahead of the windshield. Control
knobs open and close the vents.
The amount of air entering the
car through this system
is depend­
ent upon vehicle speed.
Four Season Air Conditioning
equipped cars have no kick panel
vents since the vents are a part of
the air conditioning system.