1976 CHEVROLET VEGA Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ENGINE COOLING
SYSTEM
The recovery type cooling sys­
tem 'is standard on all Chevrolet
passenger cars. The coolant ex­
pands with rising temperature and
the overflow
is collected in the
recovery tank. When the system
temperature drops, the coolant
is
drawn back into the radiator. The
cooling system has been filled at
the factory with a high -quality, in­
hibited ,
year-around coolant that
meets the standards of General
Motor s Specification 1899-M. This
coolant solution provides freezing
protection to
-20oP (- 28 °C),
and in Canada to -35°P
(-37°C), and it has been formu­
lated to be used without replace­
ment for two years
or 30,000 miles.
After two years or
30,000 miles,
the coolant should be drained to
prevent rust
or corrosion in the
radiator and engine.
Cooling System Care
Do not remove radiator cap to
check coolant level, but check visu­
ally in the
"see thru" coolant re­
covery tank at
least as frequently
as needed. Level should be at the
"full cold" mark on the recovery
tank when the system
is cold and
at the
"full hot" mark at normal
operating temperature.
Add a 50/
50
mixture of high-quality ethylene
glycol antifreeze and water for
coolant additions.
If frequent addi­
tions are required, see
your' dealer
for a cooling system check.
NOTE: If recommended quality
antifreeze
is used, supplemental in­
hibitors or additives claiming to
provide increased capability are not
necessary. They may be detrimen­
tal to the efficient operation of the
system, and represent an unneces­
sary operating expense.
5-7
The cooling system should be
serviced every year as follows:
1. Wash radiator cap and filler neck
with clean water.
2. Check coolant for proper level
and freeze protection.
3 . Test system and radiator cap for
proper pressure holding capacity
(15 psi). If required, use cap
designed by
AC for coolant re­
covery systems, and specified for
your model.
4. Tighten hose clamps and inspect
all hoses. Replace hoses if swol­
len, checked or otherwise deteri­
orated.
5 . Clean frontal area of radiator
core and air conditioning con­
denser.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Every two years or 30,000 miles,
whichever occurs first, the cooling
system should be· flushed and re­
filled using
the following recom­
mended procedure:
1. Remove radiator cap when en­
gine
is cool:
• Rotate cap slowly counter­
clockwise to detent
(Do not
press down while rotating.)
• Wait until residual pressure
(indicated by a hissing
sound) is relieved, then press
down on cap and continue
to rotate counterclockwise.
2.
Run engine, with radiator cap
removed, until upper radiator
hose
is hot (indicates thermo­
stat
is open). 3.
Stop engine
and open radiator
valve to drain coolant. (Opera­
tion may be speeded by remov­
ing drain plugs in the block.)
4. Close valve (install block drain
plugs, if removed) and add
sufficient water to
fill system.
5. Repeat 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,. empty fluid,
scrub and clean bottom and
sides of tank with detergent and
water, flush well with clean
water, drain and reinstall.
5-8
8. Add sufficient ethylene glycol
coolant, meeting
GM Specifica­
tion 1899-M, to provide the re­
quired freezing and corrosion
protection-at least a 50 per­
cent solution
-34°F, -37°C.
Fill radiator to the base of the
radiator filler neck and bring
level of coolant in the recovery
tank to the
"FULL HOT"
mark. Reinstall recovery tank
cap.
9.
Run engine, with radiator cap
removed, until radiator upper
hose becomes hot.
10. With engine idling, add coolant
to radiator until level reaches
bottom of filler neck; install cap
making certain arrows line up
with overflow tube.
It is the owner's responsibility to:
• Maintain cooling system freeze

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine protection at -20o
P (-28°C) or
below to ensure protection against
corrosion
and · loss of coolant
from boiling even though freezing
temperatures are not expected.
• Add ethylene glycol base coolant
that meets
GM Specification
1899-M when coolant additions
are required because of coolant
loss
or to provide additional pro­
tection against freezing at tem­
peratures lower than -20oP
(-28°C), and in Canada to
-35°P (-37°C).
NOTE: Alcohol or methanol base
coolants or plain water are not
recommended for your vehicle at
any time.
Your vehicle, if equipped with
standard 4-cylinder engine, has
an aluminum cylinder block.
When adding anti-freeze, rust
inhibitors, or cleaners, make
certain they are safe for
use
with aluminum components.
Radiator Pressure Cap
The radiator cap, a 15 lb. pres­
sure type, must be installed tightly,
otherwise coolant may be lost and
damage
t6 engine may result from
overheating. Radiator pressure caps
should be checked periodically for
proper operation.
If replacement is
required specify AC.
Thermostat
The cooling system is protected
and controlled by a thermostat that
maintains a satisfactory engine
operating temperature. This
ther­
mostat is installed in the engine
coolant outlet and
is designed for
continuous use through both winter
and summer. When replacement
is
necessary, Delco parts are recom­
mended.
5-9
CHASSIS ITEMS
Rear Axle Lubricant
Standard -Every 6 months or
7,500 miles, whichever occurs first,
check lubricant level and add
lubri­
cant, if necessary, to fill to level of
filler plug hole.
Use SAE 80W or
SAE80W-90GL-5 Gear Lubricant.
cant.
(Por vehicles operated in
Canada, use
SAE 80W Gear Lubri­
cant.)
Positraction -Drain aJ,ld refill
after the first 15,000 miles then
maintain same
as standard axle but
use only the special positraction lu­
bricant available from your Chev­
rolet Dealer, part number 1051022.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Front Suspension
Every 6 months or 7,500 miles
Lubricate fittings with water
re­
sistant EP Chassis Lubricant which
meets GM Specification
6031M.
NOTE:
Ball joints should not be
lubricated unless their temperature
is +10°F (-12°C), or higher.
During cold weather, they should
be allowed to warm up as necessary
before being lubricated.
Steering Linkage
Every 6 months or 7,500 miles,
lubricate fittings with water resist­
ant
EP Chassis Lubricant which
meets GM Specification
6031M.
Power Steering System
Check the fluid level in the pump
reservoir at each oil change period.
Add GM Power Steering Fluid
(or Automatic Transmission Fluid
DEXRON®-II) as necessary to bring
level into proper range
on
filler cap indicator depending upon
fluid temperature.
If at operating temperature (ap­
proximately 150°F, 66°C-hot to
the touch), fluid should be between
"HOT" and "COLD" marks. If at
room temperature (approximately
70°F, 22°C), fluid should be bet­
ween "ADD" and "COLD" marks.
Fluid does not require periodic
changing.
Standard Steering Gear
The steering gear is factory-
l-t.. __ "AOO"
5-10
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 30,000 miles, the gear
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 sould be refilled only with
the proper Steering Gear Lubricant
as noted below.
NOTE: Use only #1051052 (13
oz. container) Steering Gear
Lubri­
cant which meets GM Specification
GM 4673M, or its equivalent.
Do not use
EP Chassis Lube,
meeting GM Specification GM
6031M, to lubricate the gear. DO
NOT
OVER-FILL the gear hous­
ing.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Front Wheel Bearings
Every 30,000 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.
Brakes
Brake linings should be periodi­
cally inspected for wear by a quali­
fied technician. The frequency of
this inspection depends 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.
REMINDER: The front disc
brakes have a built-in wear indica­
tor that
is designed to make a high
frequency, squealing or cricket-like
warning sound when the linings are
worn to where replacement
is re­
quired. The sound will occur inter­
mittently or continuously when
wheels are rolling, but will dis­
appear when the brake pedal
is
firmly applied. Also see the brake
checks listed in the Maintenance
Schedule folder.
5-11
Master Cylinder-Every 6 months
or
7,500 miles -Check fluid level
in each reservoir and maintain
~ /I below lowest edge of e.ach filler
opening with Delco
Supreme No.
11 or DOT -3 hydraulic brake fluid.
~" BELOW
TOP EDGE
Parking Brake Pulley, Cables
and Linkage-Every 6 months or
7
,500 miles -Apply water resis­
tant EP Chassis Lubricant which
meets GM Specification
6031M, to
parking brake cable at cable guides
and at all operating links and levers.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hood Latche$
Every 6 months or 7,500 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 mechanism,
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 .
Accelerator Linkage
Lubricate with engine oil every
15,000 miles.
Hinges
The following points should be
checked and lubricated every 6
months or
7,500 miles, whichever
occurs first:
hingeS on all doors,
fuel filler door, trunk lid, door lock
striker and door
jamb switches. '
5-12
Air Conditioning
Have your Authorized 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 Authorized
Dealer immediately if you suspect
the system
is not performing as it
should.
NOTE: Your car's air condition­
ing system will not operate below
ambient temperature of
300 F
( -1 0 C) , regardless of control
position.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine UNDERBODY
MAINTENANCE
The effects of salt and other cor­
rosive materials used for ice and
snow removal and dust control can
result in accelerated rusting and
deterioration of underbody com­
ponents such
as brake and fuel
lines, frame, underbody floor pan,
exhaust system, brackets, parking
brake cables, etc. These corrosive
effects, however, can be reduced
by periodic flushing of the under­
body with plain water.
In geographic areas having a
heavy concentration of such cor­
rosive materials, it
is recommended
that the complete underbody be
inspected and flushed at least once
each year, preferably after a win­
ter's exposure. Particular atten­
tion should
be given to cleaning
out underbody members where dirt and
other foreign materials may
have collected.
If desired, your Chevrolet dealer
can perform this service for you.
In addition ,
he can provide recom­
mendations
on undercoating mate­
rials which will help protect your
vehicle from corrosion.
BATTERY CARE
5-13
O. K. TO JUMP START
DO NOT JUMP START
o DARKENED .... DICATOR
WITH GREEN DOT
• FULLY CHARGED
•. 11 DARKENED .... DICATOR NO GREEN DOT
• NEEDS CHARGING
•
REPLACE BATTERY

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine TIRES
The factory installed tires on
your vehicle, shown in the Tire
Usage Chart, are engineered to pro­
vide a proper balance of these per­
formance characteristics for normal
vehicle operation:
• Endurance
• Handling
• Noise
• Ride
• Road Hazard Resistance
• Rolling Resistance
• Traction
• Tread Mileage
This section contains some tips
on how you can obtain maximum
benefit from these tires and your
investment in them.
Vehicle Loading
When inflated as recommended
on the tire pressure placard, located on
the left door of your vehicle,
the
tires originally installed will operate
satisfactorily at all normal highway
loads and speeds. Do not load your
vehicle beyond the capacity shown
on the tire placard. This represents
the design capacity of the vehicle,
not merely of the tires.
Station Wagon loads should
be
distributed as far forward as pos­
sible. Luggage racks do not in­
crease the maximum vehicle load
capacity specified on the tire pla­
card.
Inflation Pressure
Tire cold inflation pressures
listed on the tire placard provide
for the best combination of tire life,
riding comfort, and vehicle hand­
ling for normal driving conditions.
Use of the highest pressures shown
on the placard will result in
im­
proved fuel economy. For those
owners who prefer the utmost in
5-14
II RECOMMENDED TIRE PRESSURES (PSI COlD) VEHICLE lOAD FRONT REAR ----UP TO VEHICLE CAPACITY
1 OCCUPANT + 500 lBS CARGO (650 lBS)
RECOMMENDED TIRE SIZE(S) (USE ONLY IN SETS) LOAD RANGE
BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON VEHICLE HANDLING, DO NOT MIX RADIAL TIRES WITH OTHER TYPE TIRES ON THE SAME VEHICLE.
VEHICLE CAPACITY STANDARD SEAT OPTIONAL SEAT
1 OCCUPANT 2 OCCUPANTS 1 fRONT 2 FRONT 710 lBS CARGO LOAD 560 LBS CARGO LOAD TOTAL 860 lBS TOTAL 860 lBS SEE OWNERS MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
c::J PRINTED IN USA