1974 CHEVROLET CAMARO ESP

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine YOUR CAR'S FIRST
FEW HUNDRED MILES OF DRIVING
You can operate your new car from
its very first mile without adhering
to a formal
"break-in" schedule.
However, during the first
few hun­
dred miles of driving you can, by
observing a
few simple precautions,
add to the future performance and
economy of your car.
It is recommended that your speed
during the first
500 miles
be confined to a maximum of
60
M.P.H.,
but do not drive for ex­
tended periods at
anyone constant
speed, either fast
or slow. Dur­
ing this period, avoid full throttle
starts and, if possible, avoid hard
stops especially during the first
200
miles of operation since brake mis- use
during this period will destroy
much future
bnlke efficiency.
Always drive at moderate speed
until the engine has completely
warmed up.
If you plan to use your new car
for trailer hauling see additional
information on page 11.
SEE PAGE 64 for ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GAS M,ILEAGE.
2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Break-in Schedule
In addition to the new car
break-in instructions in this man­
ual, it
is recommended that your
new Camaro be operated for
500
miles before trailer towing. If it is
necessary to tow during this period,
avoid speeds over
50 MPH and full throttle
starts. The same precau­
tions should be observed whenever
a new engine, transmission
or axle
is installed in your car.
Operation in Foreign Countries
Your Camaro is designed to op­
erate on fuel of approximately
91
research octane number or higher,
sold in the United States and Can­
ada.
If you plan to operate your
Camaro outside the continental
limits of the United States
or Can­
ada, there
is a possibility that the
best fuels available in some coun­
tries are so low in anti-knock
quality that excessive knocking
and serious engine damage may
. result from their use. To obtain
information on the quality of fuels available
in the countries in which
you plan to travel , write to Chevro­
let Motor Division, Service Depart­
ment, Detroit, Michigan
48202,
(or in Canada write to General
Motors of Canada Limited,
Owner
Relations Department , Oshawa,
Ontario),
giving:
• The vehicle identification num­
ber ( on plate on instrument
panel ahead of the steering
wheel and visible through the
windshield , or from registration
slip or title).
• The country or countries in
12
which you plan to travel.
It
is recommended that you not
operate your Camaro in any coun­
try not having fuels meeting the
requirements of
your Camaro
engine. Engine modifications are
not available to compensate for
low anti-knock quality fuels. Op­
eration of your car under condi­
tions of continuous
or excessive
knocking constitutes misuse of the
engine and may cause engine dam­
age for which the Chevrolet Divi­
sion
is not responsible under the
terms
of the Chevrolet New
Vehicle Warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine proper gear position before re­
leasing the clutch pedal.)
3.
Operate accelerator pedal and
starter
as outlined in step 3
(under Automatic Transmission
Models).
Engine Flooded
Depress accelerator pedal and
hold to floor while starting until
engine
is cleared of excess fuel and
is
running smoothly. Never
"pump" the accelerator pedal.
Warm-Up
Always let the engine idle for 20
to 30 seconds after starting and
drive at moderate speeds for several
miles, especially during cold
weather.
Driving with the Chevrolet Automatic Transmissions
The Turbo Hydra-Matic 350
and 400 are completely automatic
transmISSIons. All replace the
standard clutch and transmission.
Turbo Hydra-Malic 350
and 400
After starting the engine with the
selector lever
in N (Neutral) or P
(Park)
position select the range de­
sired (see table) and depress the accelerator.
A gradual start with a
steady increase in accelerator pres­
sure will result in best possible fuel
economy. Rapid acceleration for
fast starts will result in greater
fuel consumption.
Automatic transmission shift
quadrants of all GM cars continue
the uniform sequence of selector
positions. This particularly benefits
multicar families and those who
occasionally drive other cars. Shift
16
indicators are arranged with "Park"
position at one end, followed in se­
quence by "Reverse" , "Neutral"
and the forward driving ranges.
All automatic transmissions are
equipped with a starter safety
switch designed to permit starting
the engine only when the trans­
mission
is in the "Park" or "Neu­
tral"
position. For additional
engine braking effect,
as sometimes
needed in mountainous driving,

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine transmiSSIOn in gear, especially if
your car
is equipped with air con­
ditioning. This practice
is detri­
mental to the transmission, due to
overheating.
Tilt Steering Wheel
The optional tilt steering wheel
can be tilted up above normal posi­
tion to provide additional room for
entrance and exit
as well as selected
driving positions below normal
Horn
The horn on your Camara is
actuated by firmly pressing on the
horn button in the center of the
steering wheel. height.
This permits individual
se­
lection of the most natural position
for all driving conditions.
On long
trips
the steering wheel position can
be changed to minimi ze tension and
fatigue.
The
tilt mechanism is operated
by lifting up on the .small control
lever on the left side of the
steering
column just below the directional
signal, moving the steering wheel to
As a good motorist , use of the
horn should be kept at a minimum.
However , acquaint yourself
as soon
as possible with this function of the
selected position, and releasing
the lever.
your car, should it ever become
necessary to give a warning
to a
pedestrian or another motorist.
NOTE: For operation of hazard flasher, see page 36 in, Section "In Case of Emergency. "
20

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 OTHER CONTROLS AND FEATURES
Positraction Rear Axle
The optional Positraction pro­
vides additional traction on snow ,
ice , mud, sand, and gravel, par­
ticularly when one rear wheel
is on
a surface providing poor traction.
During normal driving and cor­
nering, the Positraction unit
func~
tions as a standard differential.
When one wheel encounters a slip­
pery surface, however , the Positrac­
tion directs driving force to the rear
wheel having the better traction.
Power Windows
Power windows have an ignition
interlock so the windows cannot be
operated unless the ignition switch
is in the "on" position.
REMINDER: Remove the ignition
key when the vehicle
is not at­
tended by a responsible person.
A master control for both win­
dows
is provided at the driver's
position. Also, an individual switch
is provided under right window for
passenger use.
Adjustable Front Seat Back
-Driver's Side
The optional adjustable front
seat back (driver's side) can be
adjusted to two positions by means
of a control handle located at
the right rear of the driver's seat
35
cushion. With the control handle
in the full rearward position the
seat back
is adjusted to the full rear­
ward position; when the control
handle
is actuated (rotat td) for­
ward the seat back
is adjusted for­
ward
to a normal position .
ADJUSTABLE SEAT BACK
CONTROL
HANDLE
II

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 clockwise to detent (do not
press down while rotating).
• Wait until any residual pres­
sure (indicated by a hissing
sound)
is relieved.
• After all hissing ceases, press
down on cap while continuing
to rotate counterclockwise.
CAUTION: To ,a~()/d' thedange, .• olbfling "l)~ned;tlo n(Jtl'entoveradiator «aP while
, engipe and radiator are ,stlll hot because $ca/ding ' flU./d·antlsteam' will be blown .
(1utunder pressure.
2. If necessary, run engine, with
radiator cap removed, until nor­
mal operating temperature
is
reached and upper radiator hose
is hot (indicates thermostat
is
open).
3. Stop engine and open radiator
drain valve to drain coolant. (To
speed this operation, the drain
plugs in the block can also be
removed.) 4.
Close valve (install block drain
plugs, if removed) and add suf­
ficient water to
fill system .
5. Run engine, drain and refill the
system, as described in steps
1,
2, 3, and 4, a sufficient number
of times until the drained liquid
is nearly colorless.
6. Allow system to drain com­
pletely and then close radiator
drain valve tightly. (Install
block drain plugs, if removed.)
7. Remove recovery cap leaving
hoses in place. Remove coolant
recovery tank and empty of
fluid. Flush tank with clean
water , drain and reinstall.
8. Add sufficient ethylene glycol
coolant , meeting GM specifica­
tion 1899-M, to provide the re­
quired freezing and corrosion
protection-at least a 44 percent
solution
(-20°F). Fill radiator
to the base of the radiator filler
55
neck and add sufficient coolant
to the recovery tank to raise level
to the
"FULL HOT" mark. Re­
install recovery tank cap.
9. Run engine , with radiator cap
removed, until normal operat­
ing
temperature is reached.
(Radiator upper hose becomes
hot.)
10. With engine idling, add cool­
ant until level reaches bottom
of filler neck and install radia­
tor cap making certain arrows
line up with overflow tube.
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
-20 °F or below
to ensure protection against cor­
rosion and loss of coolant from
boiling even though freezing