
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tir,s
When lowing trailers using a dead-weight hitch, inflate tires to the "Cold Tire
Pressure" for ·'Max . Load" show n on the Tire Placard on the left front door.
The allowable passenger and cargo load for this car,
also sh o wn on· the Tire
Placard, is reduced by the trailer tongue weight whenever the trailer is attached
t o the car.
Maintenance
More frequen.t servic e is requi red when using your car to pull a trailer. See Section
A of the Maint enance Schedule folder for Tran saxle Fluid and Engine Oil chang e
requirement~ for traitering.
Now and then. check that all trailer hitch bolts an d nuts are tight. Also see
"the Maintenance Schedule rol_def, and the Index in this manual , for important facts
o n
belts, coo ling system care and brake adjustment.
Break-In Schedule
See the new car break~in instru ctions in this manual. Also,. we recommend you
drive your new car for
500 mil es (800 kilometer s) before trailer tOwing. At the
" end
of this 500 mile (800 kilome te r) break-in period, avoid speeds over 50 mph (80 km/h) and full throttl e start s during the first 500 miles (800 kilometers) of
trailer towing.
If a new engine or transaxle is ins talled in you r car, observe the
same
care.
CAUTIONS:
Brakes -To help avoid personal injury due to poor braking action:
• Trailer brakes of adequate size are required on trailer s over 450 kilograms
(1,000 pounds) loaded weight.
• If you use trailer brakes with this car, follow the installation and balan ce
instructi ons
of the trailer brake maker.
• Do nol lap into the car's brake system if the trailer brake system uses more than 0.3 cubic centimeter (0.02 cubic inch) of nuid from the ca r's master
cylinder. In this case, the car's brake fluid capacity will not be enough to
operate
both the car and trailer brakes under all kind s, of use.
• All brak e fluid parts must be able to stand 20 685 kPa (3,000 psi). The brake
fluid tap must be made al th e upper rear master cylinder port. Copper tubing is subject to fatigue failure and must no t be used.
• Before going down a sleep or long grade , reduce speed and shift the tran saxle
into a lower gear to control your car's speed.
Try not to hold the brake pedal
down too long or too often. This could cause the brake s to get hot and not
work
as well.
Hitches -To help avoid personal injury due to sway caused by such things as
c rosswind
s, big trucks passing or road roughn ess, or due to sepa ration of the
trailer :
• Keep the trailer tongue load at 10% of the loaded trailer weight for
dead-w eight hitches. Tongue loads can be adjusted by proper distribution of the load in the trailer. This can be checked by weighing separately the loaded
trailer and then the tongue,
• When you remove a frailer hitch, be sure to seal any mountin g h'oles in the
body . This will help prevent entry of exhaust fumes, dirt or water. (See
"Engine Exhaust Gas Caution (Carbon Monoxide) " at the beginning of "Starting and Operating," Section 2 of this manual.)
1-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine '" 0;
o STANDARD
o OPTIONAL
1. AIC Outlet 2. Warning Lights
Standard I.P.-Gen, Fasten Belts.
Oil/Choke, Temp.
Optionall.P.-Fasten Belts, Brake,
Check Engine (Calif. Only), Choke. 3. Rear Defog Switch
4. Brake Light
5. Turn Signals
6. Speedometer, Odometer & Hi Beam Indicator
7. Clock
8. Chack Engine (Calif. Only)
9. Radio 10. Heater & Opt. Ale Controls
11. Glove Box
12. Ash Tray with Lighter 13. Shift Quandrant, Auto. Tr~ns_.
14. Vent Levers 15. Fuel Gage
16. Parking Brake Release
17. Light Switch
18. Delay Wiper Control Knob 19. Clock or Tach (OptJ
20. Warning Gages
21. "Emission" Indicator Flag

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Oil/Choke Indicator Light
This light will c0!TIe on to provide a "bulb check", w hen the igni tion is turned on, but sh Qu19 go out after the _ engine is started. If tight fails to
come on wit h ignitio~ turned on, it could indicate a burned out bulb , a
defective electric choke hea ter circuit (on L4 and V6 engines), or a blown
instrument lamp fuse. Have system repaired if light does not come on d min g ch eck .
Occa sionally. this light may flicker momentarily while the engine is running. Should this occur, CHECK EN GINE OIL LEVEL as outlined in Section 5,
"Checking Oil Level." If the light comes on continuously, pull over toa safe place and STOP THE ENGINE until the source of trouble can be loca ted and corrected.
The source of tro uble could be any of the following:
• Loss of engine oil press ure (cbec k eng ine oil level).
• Blown choke heater fuse.
• Loss. of electric choke heate r voltage.
Continuing to run the engine with an illuminated oil pressure light can cause
serious engine damage or unusu ally high exhaust system temperature which can
r esult in serio us damage to the
vehicle. Pull over to a safe place and STOP THE
VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND SHUT OFF ENGINE. If the light flashe s
momentarily , ch
eck engine oil leve l as outlined in Sectio n 5 of thi s manu al
Choke Warning Indicator Light
On some vehicles equipped with the optiona l oil pressure gage, an amber choke
warning indicator light replaces the red oil pressure indicator light in the
instrument cluste
r. If this light comes on, indicating loss of electric choke heater
volta
ge, have your authoriz ed Dea ler .locate and correct th e tro uble as soon as
p ossib l
e.
Generator Indicator Light The red ligh t GEN will go on when the ignition key is in the "run" _posit ion, but
before the engi ne
is started. After the engine s tarts, the light should 'go out and
r e m ain out .
If th e light remains on when en gine is running , have your Authorized
D eale r loca te and correct the troubl e as soo n as possibl
e.
Engine Temperature .Indicator Light This indicator light is provided in th e instrument cluster to quickly warn of an
overh eated en gi ne. With the igniti on switch in the START position, the red
TEMP indicator (hot light) will light to let you know that it is operati ng prope rly.
When the engi ne is started ;-th e re d light will go out imm ediate ly. It wilUight up
a t n o other time unleSS for some reason the engine reaches a dangerously high ope ra tin g temperature . 1f the light comes on during extreme driving condition s,
such as an exte nded idle, see "E ngine Cooling
System" on page 3-3. Glance at
th e instrument cluster frequently as you drive to see if this
ligh t is on.
Brake System Warning Light
The regular braking system is a dual system designed so that one part will provide
some braking action if there is a loss of hydraulic pressure in the other part of
the system. The system has a "Brake" warning light loca ted in the instrum ent
pane\.
• To serve as a reminder , the "Bra ke" lig ht is designed to come on while the
park ing brake is se t and the ignition key
is on.
• The light is also designed to come on briefly during engine starting so you
can chec k that the bulb is okay.
• Have the system repaired if the light does not come on during engine starting
o r when the parking brake
is set. 2-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Temperature Gage
This gage indicat~cCX?lant temperature which will vary with air temperature and
operating condition~, The ignition 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 Red Zone, see "Engine Cooling
System" on page 3-3.
Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage indicates the pn;ssure at which oil is being delivered 10 the various parts of the engine requiring lubrication. Pressures registered by the gage
I11.!lY vary according to outside air temperatures or weight of oil being used. Oil
pressure of a cold engine ~ing operated at a given speed will be somewhat higher
than when the engine is at normal operating temperature at the same speed .
. Prolonged high speed operation on a hot day at the given speed will result in somewhat lower oil pressure readings. Readings of 30 to 40 psi (205 to 275 kPa)
mny
be considered normal during moderate road speeds of 35 to 40 mph (55 to
60 km/h) \\lith the engine at proper operating temperature. Gage readings which
are
consistently high or Im\l under these conditions may indicate lubrication system
When the engine is operating, the voltmeter indicates the electrical system voltage.
During minimum electrical load, the pointer will read to the right of the center.
As the electrical load is increased,
or in stop-and-go driving, the pointer will rotate
to the left. A meter reading continuously in
the left or right red zone indicates
an electrical system
failure .. Cause of the failure should be determined and corrected~
Light Switch
The three position light switch controls the headlights, taillights, parking lights,
sidemarker 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 condition develops,
have your headlamp wiring checked immediately.
The headlight beam changer is located. in the
Turn Signal Lever; for operation
see Section 2 under heading "Tum Signal and Headlight Beam Lever."
TUIN KNOt TO VAr:t'INSTRUMENT lIGHTS_'UtLy COUNTERClOCKWISE RlR DOME
0"
MAltlCfIt LIGHTS , INSTRUMENT LIGHTS
Headlamp "ON" Warning Buzzer
The optional headlamp reminder buzzer provides an audible warning that the
main light switch is in one
of the "on" positions, either parking lights or
headlights.
The reminder buzzer
is actuated only when the ignition switch is turned to "OFF," "LOCK" or "ACCESSORY" position.
2-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • pull over-to a 'safe p'late and stop (he car:-=Set the parking brake and shift to "P"(Park) (with a manual transaxle. shift to Neutral first, then set the parking
brake).
• DON'T TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND DON'T INCREASE THE ENGINE SPEED~ Let the engin e run at normal idle speed for two or three
minutes.
If the
''TEMP'' light still doesn't go off (or the gage needle doesn't start to drop) , NOW TURN OFF THE ENGINE and proceed as follows.
CAUTION: Keep henda, tools end clothing awey from'the engine COOling fen to help prevent personal Injury. This fen ia electric end can come on whether or not the eR8ine is runnirl'jJ. The fan Cen etert eutomatically in reapon .. to a heet ~, wrth the ignitkNl in ~Run."
• Lift the engine hood. Look at the coolant level.in the "see through " coolant
recovery tank. The coolant level should be at or above the "Fun Hot" mark
o n the tank.
If it looks like the coolant is boiling, wait until it stops before
proceeding You should :not need to remove the radiator cap to check the
coolant level and it can be dangerous if the coolant is still hot. See the
following Caution.
CAUTION: To help avoid the dange, of being burned:
• cia not remove the coolent recov.ry tank cap while the coolant is boiling.. and
• cia not remove the .rad~:_c.p white the engine end radiator are atill hot.
Scelding fluid and ateam can be blow, Qut under presau,.. If either cap ia taken off too soon.
• If the coolant level is low:
• look for leak s at the radiator hoses and connectio ns, heater hoses and
connections. radiator, and water pump.
See that the water pump belts
are not
brok~ or otT the pulleys and that the fan runs when the engine is running and theUTEMP" light ison (or the gage needle is in the
warning zone).
• add coolant to the recovery tank.
If the level in the recovery tank is at the correct level and the "TEMP" light (gage) still comes on, air may be-trappedin the, cooling system . This may prevent coolant
from returning to the radiator.
In this case. you may have to add coolant directly
to th e radiator.
See "Coolant Replacement" in "Service and Maintenance," Section 5 of this manual. Follow steps I and 10 for the correct way to remove
the radiator cap and add coolant to the radiator.
After the "TEMP" light is out (or the gage needle is out of the warning zone).
resume driving
at a reduced speed. Return to normal driving after about ten
minutes if the light does not come back on (or the gage needle does not go back
into the warning
~one).
J.4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine JACKING
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury:
• Follow all jackin g and stowag e instructions.
• Use jack only fo r liftin g this venicle du -rin g wheel c h a ng e.
• Nev er ge t ben eath th e vehiCle, start or run en g in e while vehicle is supported b y jac k.
• Always securely res tow spare tire (o r flat tire ) an d all jackin g equipment.
Wheel Nut Torque
CAUTION: As soon as possible after Installing 8 wheel-and at the intervals shown on the chart-in the Maintenance Schedule foldet-han 8 m.chanic tighten whe&l nuta with II torque wrench to the specifications shown in "SpeCifications ," Section 7 of this manual. Wheel nuts should be tightened alternately and evenly to the correct torque. Never us. oil or grease on studs or nuts. Improperly tightened wheel nuts could eventually allow the wheel to come off while the vehicle is moving, possibty causing loss of control.IAlso see the Caution in "Service and Maintenance," Seetion 5 of this manual regarding the danger of mixing metric and customary fasteners.)
Stowage of Tire and Jack
CAUTION:·AlwaYs MOurely restow the spare tire assembty (or flat tire). all jacking equipment. and the cover, using the means provided. When driving the car with the compact spare installed and the reer seat folded down, stow the wheel cover flat on the rear floor behind the-right front seat. When the rear seat is up (or If It does not fold), stow the wheel cover in the trunk area. This will help keep such things from being thrown about and injuring peopla In the car in an accident.
Compact Spare
The compa ct sp are is des ig ned to save space in yo ur trunk, and its lighler weig ht
m ak es
it easi er to in stall if a flat tire occurs. The light~r weig ht als o helps improve fuel eco no my.
If you have a flat tire, follow the jack ing in struction s in this manual while keeping
t h ese point s in min d:
• Chec k inflati on press ure as soo n as practical after in sta llin g the s pa re ( use of a pocke t type: high pressure inflatio n gage is adv ised) and adjust to 415
k Pa (60 psi). The tire pressur e sh o uld be checked at least monthl y and kept at 415 kPa (60 ps i) while the tire is s tored.
• Co ntinuou s use at spe eds over 50 mph (80 km/h) is not re c omme nded .
NOTICE: Because this tire is amaUer than the standar d tire, vehicle ground clearance is reduced, Avoid driving over obstacles, and do not take your car U,rough an automatic car wash whila the spare is installed. The car may get caught possibly resulting in property damage.
• A trea d life of up to 3,000 mil es (4 800 kilomet ers) ca n b e expe cted, depe nding
on roa d condi tions and you r
driv ing habits . T o co nserve tire t read life. return the spar e to the sto rage area as soo n as the sta nd ard tir e ca n be repa ir ed -or
r
epl ac ed .
• Beca use the co mpac t spare was spec ifica lly designe d for your car, it s hould
no t be used on any other vehicle.
3-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine On all C-4 cars, a "CHECK ENGINE" light on the instrument panel is
designed to come on during engine starting , to let you know the bulb is working. (The light will stay on a short time after the engine starts.) If the light comes on while driving, service to the emission control system
may be required. See your Chevrolet dealer' as soon as possible for an inspection of the system. Continued driving without having the C-4 System serviced _ could eventually
cause damage
to the emission control system . It could also affect fuel
e conomy and drivabili -ty.
ENGINE OIL AND FILTER RECOMMENDATIONS • Engine oils' are labeled on 'the containers with various API (American
Petroleum Institute) designations 6f quality. Use engine oils that are labeled
5E or SE/CC. Do not use oils labeled only SA, 5B, 5C, SD, CA, CB, CC or CD; _or oils with the combination label SE and CD (SE/CD). Higher
quality oils labeled SF will be introduced soon (late 1979, or 1980). These SF oils are preferred and should be used when available.
• The oil and filter change intervals for your engine are based on the use of SE-quality or SF-quality oils and ,high- quality filters such as AC oil filters. Using oils other than SE-quality or SF-quality oils, or oil change intervals
longer than recommended. could reduce -engine life and might affect your
warranty.
• Your engine was filled with a high·quality engine oil when it was built. You do ,not have to change this oil before the suggested change period.
•
If your normal driving does nQt include one or more of the four "severe service" conditions listed below. change the oil every 7,500 miles (12 000 ' kilometers) or 12 months, whichever comes first. Change the oillilter at the
first oil change. then every second oil change, if mileage (7,500 miles or 12
000. kilom~ters) determines .w ,hen you change the oil. If _time (12 months)
determines when you change the oil, change the filter with every oil change.
• Change the oil and oil filter every 3,000 miles (4 800 kilometers) , or three
months if you often drive under one or more of these 'severe service·,~.
conditions: • Driving in dusty areas
• Towing ,3 trailer
• Frequent idling or idling for long periods
• Driving 4 miles (6 kilometers) br'less in freezing weather,o~other short trips in cold weather, where the engine does not thoTough ,ly warm up.
• Change the oil and oil filter as soon as -possible after driving in a dust
storm.
Oil Viscosity
Engine oil viscosity (thickness) has an effect on fuel economy. Lowec viscosity
engine oils can provide increased , fuel " economy; however, higher temperature
weather conditions require higher viscosity engine oils for satisf~ctory lubrication.
To. get the best fuel economy with your-1980 Chevrolet, -iou should use -,, ' .
fuel. 'saviiJ.&:_engine oil ohhe_ proper viscosity. These oils call_ be found. in serviCe
stations and other retail stores. They are-identified by words such as: "Energy Saving," "Conserves Gasoline," "Gas Saving," "Gasoline Saving," '''Friction
Reducing," "Improved Gasoline Mileage" or "Fuel Saving."
The following chart lists the engine ' oil viscosities recommended for the
temperature range you expect before the next oil change. For lemperalures above ,_18°C (O"F),SAE lOW-30 is -the preferred viscosity grade. Ircold-weather starting
problems
are encountered at temperatures below -lSoC (
5-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine USE Tlltst: SAE VISCOSITY GItotoDH
I , , , cl.
*
::0';'~ ,.,..~,: , , , ,
I
lOW , , , ,
,
I I I I , . , " • '" ,~, ." ., , " " " ~ lVitPl .... 1Ul:( lAN<* YOU ElU'EClltfOll( NUT OIl CHANG(
NOTICE: 00 NOT USE SA~ 5W-2 0 OilS fOA CONTINUOUS HIGH-SPEEQ OAIVING. 1,iW-30 OILS MAY III USED .. 4.CYIJNO!!R AND 2.lIll1AE VII EItClMES UP TO 104)
the oil level at regular intervals (such as every 'o ther fuel stop) and keep it above
th e "Add" line. Rem ember, your engine may use more oil when it is new .
• The best time to check the engine oil level is when the oil is warm, such as
during a fuel stop. First, wait about 5 minutes for the oil to drain back to
the oil pan, Then, pull out the dipstick, wipe
it clean, and push it back down
all the way . Now , pull out.th e dipstick and look at the oil-level on the dipstick.
Some
dipSlicks have "Add" and "Full" lines , Others are marked "Add! Qt"
and "Operaling Range." In all cases, keep the oil level above the
"Add" line. Push· the dipstick back down all the way after taking the
reading. _ A ·dd oil , if needed.
• If you check the oil level when the oil is cold, do no t run the engine first. The cold oil wilJ not drain back to the pan fast enough to give a true oil level.
Engine Oil Additives
There are many extra engine oil additives (or helpers) for sale. Your engine should
not need these extra additives if you use SE-quality or SF·quality engine oil and
change
it as suggested. If you think your engine has .an oil-related problem, talk
to your authorized dealer.
If needed, your dealer can provide you with a tested
and approved oil additive called "GM Engine Oil Supplement."
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID RECOMMENDATIONS
Use the Proper Fluid Use only automatic transmission fluid labe led DEXRON-®II. You can buy this
fluid from your Chevrolet dealer or
othe~,'service outlets.
Check the Fluid Level with care Check the automatic transmission fluid level at each engine oil change. Before
checking the fluid level, set the parking brake and then start the engine. AppJy
the regular brakes and then
'mov e the shift lever through all of the gear ranges,
ending in
"P '·(Park). You must check the fluid level with the engine funning at
slow idle and the car level.
I-c ..... --=---=..,~ ..... B9"""5IL.u;~~"-·, __ .........,; ..... _·F_%¥-W+--T -l{
COOL OR WARM -j ""I ,~-
5-4