1974 CHEVROLET CAMARO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
The time or mileage intervals on
the following pages are intended
as
a guide for establishing regular
maintenance and lubrication
periods for your car. Sustained
heavy duty or high speed operations
or operation under adverse condi­
tions may necessitate more frequent
servicing. To determine specific
recommendations for conditions
under which you use your car, con-
Fuel
Requirements
. Your Camaro is designed to op­
erate on unleaded
or low lead fuels
of at least
91 Research Octane.
These fuels will minimize spark
plug fouling and emission control suIt
your Authorized Chevrolet
Dealer.
Maintenance Schedule
For owner convenience, a sep­
arate maintenance folder has been
provided with your car which con­
tains a complete schedule and
brief explanation of the safety,
emission control, lubrication and
system
deterioration. Fuels with
Regular grade octane quality
should be used only when needed
to eliminate
knock-a metallic rap­
ping noise generated during the
combustion process. The engine
does not require
Premium fuel.
Therefore, its use would be an un­
necessary additional expense.
If
knocking persists, consult your
46
general maintenance it requires.
The maintenance folder informa­
tion
is supplemented by this sec­
tion of the
Owner's Manual, as
well as the separate emission con­
trol systems folder also furnished
with your car. Read all three pub­
lications for a full understanding
of vehicle maintenance require­
ments.
authorized Chevrolet dealer.
In
any case, continuous or excessive
knocking may result in engine
damage and constitutes misuse of
the engine for which Chevrolet
Motor Division
is not responsible
under the terms of the New Vehicle
Warranty.
If the service station gas pump
has a symbol similar to the samples

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine below, preferably use unleaded or
low-lead gas with a symbol number
of
2. Regular fuel (symbol num­
ber
3) should be used only when
needed to eliminate knock. Ask
your gasoline dealer for informa­
tion on the fuel you are using both
as to
lead content and octane
rating.
Gas Cap-The fuel tank filler cap has
a new two-step removal and
installation procedure plus a pres­
sure-vacuum safety relief valve. It
is equipped with a double set of
locking tangs. To remove:
• Rotate cap one-half turn coun­
terclockwise to clear the first set
of tangs from the slots inside the
filler neck. This will allow any
residual pressure to escape.
• Pull the cap outward and rotate
one-quarter turn counterclock­
wise to clear second set of tangs
and remove the cap.
• To install, reverse this procedure.
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.
47
Engine Oil and Filter
Recommendations
• Use only SE engine oil.
• Change oil each 4 months or
6,000 miles. If more than 6,000
miles are driven in a 4-month
period, change oil each
6,000
miles.
• Change oil each 2 months or
3,000 miles, whichever occurs
first, under the following con­
ditions: - driving in dusty conditions,
-trailer pulling,
- extensive idling,
- short-trip operation at freez-
ing temperatures (engine not
II
thoroughly warmed-up).
• Operation in dust storms may
require an immediate oil change.
• Replace the oil filter at the first
oil change, and every second oil
change thereafter. AC oil filters

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tection.
See your Chevrolet dealer for ad­
vice on the frequency of oil and
filter changes under unusual driv­
ing conditions.
The above recommendations ap­
ply to the first change
as well as
subsequent oil changes. The oil
change interval for your Camaro
engine
is based on the use of SE oils
and quality oil filters.
Oil change in­
tervals longer than those listed
above will seriously reduce engine
life and may affect Chevrolet obli­
gation under the provisions of the
New Vehicle Warranty.
A high quality SE oil was in­
stalled in your engine at the fac­
tory. It
is not necessary to change
this factory-installed oil prior to the
recommended normal change pe­
riod. However, check the oil level
more frequently during the break­
in period since higher oil consump- tion
is normal
until the piston rings
become seated.
NOTE: Non-detergent and other
low quality oils are specifically
Recommended Viscosity
not recommended. Only the use
of
SE engine oils and proper oil
and filter change intervals assure
you of continued proper lubrica­
tion of your Camaro engine.
Select the proper oil viscosity from the following chart:
RECOMMENDED SAE VISCOSITY NUMBER
L 1 ..
1
_.LIl'I,."I_IIl'I'.II_IIl'I'J • ,1_,,1 'l'Irl!.I. IIl'J'611_ ~ ~ ~ .. ...
I I
J 1 I
-30 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100 TEMPERATURE RANGE ANTICIPATED BEFORE NEXT OIL CHANGE, OF.
NOTE: SAE 5W-20 oils are not recommended for sustained high-speed
driving.
SAE
30 oils may be used at temperatures above 40oP. SAE 5W-30 vis­
cosity oil is recommended for all seasons in vehicles normally operated in
Canada.
The proper oil viscosity helps assure good cold and hot startfng.
48

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search 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 level, remove the oil guage 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.
Supplemental Engine Oil
Additives
The regular use of supplemental
additives
is specifically not recom­
mended and will increase operat­
ing costs. However, supplemental additives
are available that can
effectively and economically solve
certain specific problems without
causing other difficulties.
For ex­
ample, if higher detergency
is re­
quired to reduce varnish and
sludge deposits resulting from
some unusual operational diffi­
culty, a thoroughly tested and ap­
proved additive -
"Super Engine
Oil Supplement" -is available at
your Chevrolet dealer.
In the event
of an operational problem, consult
your dealer for advice before
us­
ing supplemental additives.
Drive Belts
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-
49
center distance between pulleys is
13 to 16 inches, the belt should
deflect
1;2 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.
It is recommended that belts be
replaced every 24 months or
24,000
miles , whichever occurs first.
Air Cleaner
CAUTIOH:Donot remo.vElfhe f1ngl,,~ al,. cleaner unlesstempo,ary removall$.nec~ essarrdur;ng repair ormaintenal1ce ot the vehicle; When t"ealrC/f1aneri$/~emoved backtlringcan cause tire in the engine
compartment. .',' . '
Flame Arrester -Every 12,000
miles-Clean the arrester (located
in the base of the air cleaner) with
kerosene or a suitable solvent. Dry
with compressed air.
Rear Axle
Standard -Every 4 months or
6,000 miles, whichever occurs

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine first, check lubricant level and add
lubricant, if necessary, to
fill to
level of filler plug hole.
Use SAE
80
or SAE 90 GL-S Gear Lubri­
cant.
(For vehicles normally 0per­
ated in Canada use SAE 80 GL-S
Gear Lubricant.)
Positraction -Drain and refill
after the first
12,000 miles then
maintain same
as standard axle but
use only the special positraction
lubricanf
available from your
Chevrolet Dealer.
Manual Transmissions
3-Speed and 4-Speed -Every
6,000 miles or 4 months-Check
at operating temperature and
fill
as necessary to level of filler plug
hole with
SAE 80 or SAE 90 GL­
S Gear Lubricant.
(For vehicles
normally operated in Canada use
SAE 80 GL-S Gear Lubricant.)
If temperatures of below 32°F.
are expected, use SAE 80 GL-S Gear
Lubricant only.
Clutch Cross-Shaft -Every
36,000 miles or sooner if neces­
sary -Remove the plug, install a
lubrication fitting and lubricate
with water resistant
EP Chassis
Lubricant which meets GM
Speci­
fication 6031 M.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid Recommendations
Use only automatic transmis­
sion fluids identified with the
mark
DEXRON@ II or DEX­
RON®. These fluids have been spe­
cially formulated and tested for use
in your automatic transmission,
and are available from your Chev­
rolet dealer or local service station.
Check the fluid level at each
engine oil change period. To make
an accurate fluid level check:
Check the fluid level at each en­
gine oil change period.
To make an
accurate fluid level check:
50
1. Drive car several miles, making
frequent starts and stops, to
bring transmission up to normal
operating temperature (approxi­
mately
180-190° F.).
2. Park car on a level surface.
3. Place selector level in "Park"
and leave engine running.
4. Remove dipstick and wipe clean.
S . Reinsert dipstick until
cap seats.
6. Remove dipstick and note read­
ing.
If fluid level is at or below the
ADD mark, add sufficient fluid to
raise the level to the
FULL mark.
One pint raises the level from ADD
to FULL.
Do not overfill.
Under normal driving condi­
tions, the transmission fluid should
be changed every 24,000 miles. If
your car is driven extensively in
heavy city traffic during hot weather,
or
is used to pull a trailer , change
fluid every
12,000 miles. Likewise,
operators of cars in commercial use

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine (such as taxicab, limousine or pa­
trol car service) where the engine
idles for long periods, should
change fluid every
12,000 miles.
Changing Fluid-For Turbo Hy­
dra-Matic
350, remove fluid from
the transmission sump and add ap­
proximately 2.5 quarts
U.S. Mea­
sure
(2.0 quarts Imperial Mea­
sure). Operate transmission
through all shift ranges and re­
check fluid level as described
above.
Turbo Hydra-Matic 400-Lubri­
cation of your Turbo Hydra-matic
400 will, except for fluid capacity
and filter change listed below, fol­
low previously stated automatic
transmission recommendations.
After checking transmission fluid
level it
is important that the dip­
stick be pushed all the way into
the filler tube.
Every 24,000 miles -After re- moving
fluid from the transmission
sump, approximately
7V2 pints
U.S. measure (6 pints Imperial
measure) of fresh fluid will be re­
quired to return level to proper
mark on the dipstick.
Every 24,000 miles the transmis­
sion sump filter should be re­
placed.
Transmission Shift and Back­
drive Linkage (Manual and
Automatic) -
Every 6,000 miles
or 4 months lubricate shift link­
age and on manual transmission
floor controls lever contacting
faces with water resistant
EP chas­
sis lubricant which meets GM
Specification 6031M.
Transmission Shift Linkage
(Manual and Automatic)
Every 6,000 miles or 4 months
lubriCate shift linkage and on man­
ual transmission floor controls
lever contacting faces with water
51
resistant EP chassis lubricant
which meets GM Specification
6031M.
Chassis
Front Suspension
Every 6,000 miles or 4 months
-Lubricate 4 fittings with water
resistant
EP Chassis Lubricant
which meets GM Specification
6031M.
Ball jOints should not be lu­
bricated unless their tempera­
ture
is 10°F. or higher. During
colder weather, they should be
allowed to warm up as neces­
sary before
lubricaJion.
Steering Linkage
Every 6,000 miles or 4 months
-Lubricate 7 fittings, one at each
end of each tie rod, one at each
end of relay rod, and one at idler
lever with water resistant
EP Chas­
sis Lubricant which meets GM
Specification
6031 M.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Front Wheel Bearings
Every 24,000 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.
c. AUT .I . O .. N. : ."LO .. ng . fibre" ... ot"vi.SC .. 0USI' .. ty .pe
lubricant . sho.uld . not be.used. DO not . mix wheel bearing lubricants. Be sure to thor­oughlyclean bearings and hubs(jf all old lubricant betore repac/dng .
Brakes
Brake linings should be periodi­
cally inspected for wear by a quali­
fied technician. The frequency of
this inspection
depe:pds 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.
Master Cylinder -Every 6,000
miles or 4 months -Check fluid
level
in each reservoir and main­
tain ~" below lowest edge of each
filler opening with Delco
Supreme
No. 11 or DOT-3 hydraulic brake
fluid .
Parking Brake Pulley, Cables
and Linkage~Every 6,000 miles
or 4
months-Apply water resist­
ant EP Chassis Lubricant which
meets GM Specification
6031 M, to
parking brake cable at cable guides
and at all operating links and levers.
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
52
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
ta iner ) 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 System
Check the fluid level in the
pump reservoir at each oil change
period. Add GM Power Steering
Fluid (or
DEXRON®-II or DEX­
RON® Automatic Transmissiol1
Fluid) as necessary to bring level
into proper range on filler cap
in­
dicator depending upon fluid tem­
perature.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine "HOT" MARK
"COLD" MARK
>-f.. __ "AOO"
If at operating temperature (ap­
proximately
150° F-hot to the
touch), fluid should be between
"HOT" and "COLD" marks. If at
room temperature (approximately
70° F), fluid should be between
"ADD" and "COLD" marks. Fluid
does not require periodic changing.
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
pivot points in release mecha­
nism,
as well as primary and
secondary 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.
53
NOTE: On vehicles equipped
with a Four Season Air Condi­
tioning System, the system will not
operate below ambient tempera­
tures of
30°F. regardless of con­
trol position.
Cooling System Care
Check the coolant level at each
engine · oil change.
Engine Cooling System
The recovery type cooling sys­
tem is standard on all Chevrolet
passenger cars and
is designed to
maintain the engine at proper op­
erating temperatures.
The recovery
tank collects coolant that expands
with rising temperature that would
otherwise overflow from the
sys­
tem. When · the system temperature
drops, the coolant
is drawn from
the recovery tank back into the
radiator by the suction created by
coolant contraction. The cooling
system has been filled at the fac-