
GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 51
shoes to rotate very slightly with the 
drum, rocking an adjusting lever, thereby 
causing rotation of the adjusting scr ew. Some drum brake systems are 
designed to self-adjust duri ng application whenever the br akes are applied. This 
on-board adjustment system reduces  the need for maintenance adjustments 
and keeps both the brake function and pedal feel satisfactory.  
POWER BOOSTERS  
Virtually all modern vehicles use a va cuum assisted power brake system to 
multiply the braking force and reduce  pedal effort. Since vacuum is always 
available when the en gine is operating, the system is simple and efficient. A 
vacuum diaphragm is located  on the front of the master cylinder and assists the 
driver in applying the brakes, reducing both  the effort and travel he must put into 
moving the brake pedal.  
The vacuum diaphragm housing is normally  connected to the intake manifold by 
a vacuum hose. A check valve is placed  at the point where the hose enters the 
diaphragm housing, so that during periods  of low manifold vacuum brakes 
assist will not be lost.  
Depressing the brake pedal closes o ff the vacuum source and allows 
atmospheric pressure to enter on one side  of the diaphragm. This causes the 
master cylinder pistons to move and app ly the brakes. When the brake pedal is 
released, vacuum is applied to both si des of the diaphragm and springs return 
the diaphragm and master cylinder pist ons to the released position.  
If the vacuum supply fails, the brake pedal  rod will contact the end of the master 
cylinder actuator rod and  the system will apply the br akes without any power 
assistance. The driver will  notice that much higher pedal effort is needed to stop 
the car and that the pedal f eels harder than usual.  
VACUUM LEAK TEST  
1.  Operate the engine at idle without t ouching the brake pedal for at least one 
minute.  
2.  Turn off the engine  and wait one minute.  
3.  Test for the presence of assist va cuum by depressing the brake pedal and 
releasing it several times. If vac uum is present in the system, light 
application will produce less  and less pedal travel. If there is no vacuum, air 
is leaking into the system.  
SYSTEM OPERATION TEST  
1.  With the engine  OFF, pump the brake p edal until the supply vacuum is 
entirely gone.  
2.  Put light, steady pressu re on the brake pedal.  
3.  Start the engine and let it  idle. If the system is operating correctly, the brake 
pedal should fall toward the floor if t he constant pressure is maintained.   

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 113
1. Remove 2/3 of the brake fluid from the ma
ster cylinder. Raise the car. 
Remove the wheel. Reinstall a wheel nut,  with the flat side toward the rotor, 
to hold the rotor in place.  
2.  Loosen the parking brake cable at the  equalizer. At the caliper, remove the 
parking brake cable, damper and  spring from the lever.  
3.  Hold the parking brake lever and re move the lock nut. Remove the lever, 
seal and anti-friction washer.  
4.  Position a C-clamp ov er the caliper and force the piston into its bore. 
Remove the C-clamp. Rein stall the lever, seal and nut to the caliper.  
5.  Loosen the brake tube nut and disc onnect the brake tube from the caliper. 
Plug the tube to prevent t he loss of brake fluid.  
At the right rear wheel, it  may be necessary to remove the rear bolt from the 
lower control arm to allow the lower caliper mounting bolt to be removed.   
6.  Remove the mounting bolts using a 
3/8 in. Allen head socket. Remove the 
caliper and inspect the mounting bolts  for corrosion. If necessary, replace 
the mounting bolts.  
To install:  
7.  Place the caliper onto  the rotor and install the m ounting bolts. Torque the 
mounting bolts to 30-45 ft . lbs. (40.7-61 Nm).  
8.  Install a new anti-friction washer and  lubricate the lever with silicone brake 
lube. Install the lever on the actuator  with the lever pointing down. Rotate the 
lever toward the front of the car and hol d while installing the nut. Torque the 
nut to 30-40 ft. lbs. (40.7-54.2 Nm),  then rotate the lever back against the 
stop on the caliper.  
9.  Install damper and spring. Connect  the parking brake cable. Tighten the 
cable at the equalizer until  the lever starts to move off the stop on the 
caliper, then loosen the adjustment unt il the lever moves back against the 
stop.  
10. Remove the nut holding the rotor in  place and install the wheel. Lower the 
car and fill the master cylin der with brake fluid.  
1989-92 MODELS  
1.  Raise and safely support the vehicle.  
2.  Loosen the parking brake cable at the equalizer.  
3.  Remove the wheel and tire assembly. Inst all 2 wheel nuts to retain the rotor.  
4.  Remove the bolt, inlet fitting and was hers from the caliper housing. Plug the 
holes in the caliper housing and inlet fitting.  
5.  Remove the caliper lever return spri ng only if it is defective. Discard the 
spring if the coils are opened.  
6. Disconnect the parking  brake cable from the caliper lever and caliper 
bracket.  
7.  Remove the 2 caliper guide pin holes.  
8.  Remove the caliper housing from  the rotor and mounting bracket.  
To install:   

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 223
FUSIBLE LINKS 
In addition to circuit breakers and fuses,
 the wiring harness incorporates fusible 
links to protect the wiring. Links are used  rather than a fuse, in wiring circuits 
that are not normally fused, such as th e ignition circuit. The fusible links are 
color coded red in the charging and load  circuits to match the color coding of 
the circuits they protect. Each link is  four gauges smaller than the cable it 
protects, and is marked on the insulation with the gauge size because the 
insulation makes it appear heavier than it  really is. The engine compartment 
wiring harness has several fusible links.  The same size wire with a special 
Hypalon insulation must be used w hen replacing a fusible link.  
For more details, see the information on fusible links at the beginning of this 
section.   
The links are located in the following areas:  
1.  A molded splice at the starter solenoid  Bat terminal, a 14 gauge red wire.  
2.  A 16 gauge red fusible link at the j unction block to protect the unfused 
wiring of 12 gauge or larger wire.  This link stops at the bulkhead 
connector.  
3.  The alternator warning light and fiel d circuitry is protected by a 20 gauge 
red wire fusible link used in the batte ry feed-to-voltage regulator number 
3 terminal. The link is installed as a  molded splice in the circuit at the 
junction block.  
4.  The ammeter circuit is protected by  two 20 gauge fusible links installed 
as molded splices in the circuit at t he junction block and battery to starter 
circuit.  
REPLACEMENT   1.  Determine the circuit that is damaged.  
2.  Disconnect the negative battery terminal.  
3.  Cut the damaged fuse link from  the harness and discard it.  
4.  Identify and procure the proper  fuse link and butt connectors.  
5.  Strip the wire about 
1/2 in. (13mm) on each end.  
6.  Connect the fusible link and crimp the butt connectors making sure that  the wires are secure.  
7.  Solder each connection with resin  core solder, and wrap the connections 
with plastic electrical tape.  
8.  Reinstall the wir e in the harness.  
9.  Connect the negative battery terminal  and test the system for proper 
operation.  
CIRCUIT BREAKERS 
 
Various circuit breakers are located under  the instrument panel. In order to gain 
access to these components, it may be ne cessary to first remove the under 
dash padding. Most of the  circuit breakers are located in the convenience 
center or the fuse panel.  

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 626
ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND TUNE-UP 
 
TUNE-UP PROCEDURES  
In order to extract the full measure  of performance and economy from your 
engine it is essential that  it is properly tuned at regul ar intervals. A regular tune-
up will keep your Camaro's engine  running smoothly and will prevent the 
annoying breakdowns and poor perform ance associated with an untuned 
engine.  
A complete tune-up should be performed  every 30,000 miles (48,000 km). This 
interval should be halved if the car is  operated under severe conditions such as 
trailer towing, prolonged idling, start-and- stop driving, or if starting or running 
problems are noticed. It is assumed that  the routine maintenance described in 
General Information & Maintenance has  been kept up, as this will have a 
decided effect on the result s of a tune-up. All of the applicable steps of a tune-
up should be followed in order, as the result is a cumulative one.  
If the specifications on the underhoo d tune-up sticker in the engine 
compartment of your car disagree with th e "Tune-Up Specifications" chart in this 
Section, the figures on the sticker must  be used. The sticker often reflects 
changes made during t he production run.  
SPARK PLUGS 
A typical spark plug consists of a metal  shell surrounding a ceramic insulator. A 
metal electrode extends downward through  the center of the insulator and 
protrudes a small distance. Located at  the end of the plug and attached to the 
side of the outer metal shell is the side el ectrode. The side electrode bends in at 
a 90 angle so that its tip is just pas t and parallel to the tip of the center 
electrode. The distance between these two electrodes (measured in 
thousandths of an inch or hundredths of  a millimeter) is called the spark plug 
gap.  
The spark plug does not pr oduce a spark, but instead provides a gap across 
which the current can arc. The coil produces anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 
volts (depending on the type  and application) which travels through the wires to 
the spark plugs. The current passes along  the center electrode and jumps the 
gap to the side electrode, and in doing so,  ignites the air/fuel mixture in the 
combustion chamber.   

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 698
5.  Disconnect and plug hose to canister purge port.  
6.  Disconnect and plug hose to idle load compensator.  
7.  Back out idle stop screw 
on carburetor 3 turns.  
8.  Turn air conditioning OFF.  
9.  Block drive wheels, set parki ng brake, place transmission in P, start and 
warm engine to normal operating temperature. Make certain choke is 
OPEN .  
10. With  engine  RUNNING place transmission in  D and idle load 
compensator fully extended (no vacuum  applied). Using tool J-29607, or 
equivalent, adjust plunger to obtain  650-750 rpm. Locknut on plunger 
must be held with a wrench to  prevent damage to guide tabs.  
11. Measure distance from  the locknut to tip of the plunger. This distance 
must not exceed 1 in. (25mm). If it  does check for low idle condition.  
12. Reconnect vacuum hose to idle  load compensator and observe idle 
speed.  
13. Idle speed should be between 425-475 rpm in  D.  
14. If idle speed is correct no further  adjustment is necessary, proceed to the 
next step. If idle speed is still incorrect continue as follows:  
It may be necessary to remove the idle  load compensator from the engine 
unless a hex key wrench is m odified to clear obstructions.  
a.  Stop engine, remove rubber cap  from the center outlet tube.  
b.  Using a 0.90 in. (23mm) hex wrench,  insert through open center tube to 
engage idle speed adjusting screw.  
c. If idle speed was low, turn t he adjusting screw counterclockwise 
approximately 1 turn for every 85 rpm low. If idle speed was high turn 
screw 1 turn for every 85 rpm high.  
15. Disconnect and plug vacuum hose to the idle load compensator.  
16. Using a hand pump, apply vacuum to  the idle load compensator until fully 
retracted.  
17. Adjust the idle stop  screw on carburetor float  bowl to obtain 450 rpm in 
D .  
18. Place transmission in  P and stop engine.  
19. Reconnect the idle load compensator.  
20. Reconnect all vacuum hoses.  
21. Install air cleaner and gasket. Remove wheel blocks.   

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 719
11. Lubricate the new large O-ring with cl
ean engine oil and install it directly 
over the backup washer. Be sure t he O-ring is seated properly and is 
flush with the top of the fuel meter body surface.  
12. Lubricate the new small O-ring with  clean engine oil and install it on the 
nozzle end of the injector. Push t he O-ring on far enough to contact the 
filter.  
WARNING  - Do not attempt to  reverse this procedure and install the backup 
washer and O-ring after the injector is  located in the cavity. To do so will 
prevent proper seating of the O-ring in th e cavity recess which could result in a 
fuel leak and possible fire. 
13. Install the injector by  aligning the raised lug on  the injector base with the 
notch cast into the fuel meter body . Push down on the injector making 
sure it is fully seated in the cavity. In jector installation is correct when the 
lug is seated in the notch and the electrical terminals are parallel to the 
throttle shaft.  
14. Using new gaskets on the fuel mete r cover and a new dust seal, install 
the cover to the fuel meter body.  Use an appropriate thread locking 
compound on the cover attaching screws.  
15. Connect the injector electrical c onnector by pushing straight down until 
seated firmly in place.  
16. Connect the negative battery cable.  
17. With the engine OFF and the igniti on ON, check for fuel leaks.  
18. Install the air cleaner.  
ADJUSTMENTS  
MINIMUM IDLE SPEED  
Minimum idle speed should only be adjus ted when installing a replacement 
throttle body. The idle stop screw is used  to regulate the minimum idle speed of 
the engine. The throttle body is adjusted at  the factory, then covered with a cap 
or plug to discourage unnecessary readjustment.   
2.5L ENGINES   1.  Remove the air cleaner and pl ug the THERMAC vacuum port.  
2.  Disconnect the TV cable from the th rottle control bracket to allow access 
to the idle adjustment screw.  
3.  Remove the throttle stop screw plug or cap.  
4.  Connect a tachometer to the engine.  
5.  Disconnect the Idle Air Control (IAC) valve connector.  
6.  Start the engine with the transmi ssion in PARK (auto transmission) or 
NEUTRAL (manual transmission)  and allow the engine speed to 
stabilize. All accessories (A/C, rear  defogger, etc.) should be OFF.  
7.  Install tool J-33047 in t he idle air passage of the throttle body. Be certain 
that the tool seats fully in t he passage and no air leaks exist.   

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 720
8.  Using a number 20 Torx® bit, turn 
the throttle stop screw until the engine 
speed is 475-525 rpm in PARK (aut o transmission) or 450-500 rpm in 
NEUTRAL (manual transmission).  
9.  Stop the engine and remove tool  J-33047 from the throttle body.  
10. Reconnect the TV cable to  the throttle control bracket.  
11. Reconnect the IAC valve connector.  
12. Use silicone sealant to co ver the throttle stop screw.  
13. Reinstall the air cleaner.  
 
Fig. 6: Installing tool J-33047 
5.0L ENGINES   1.  Remove the idle stop screw plug or cap.  
2.  Ground the diagnostic connector (ALDL).  
3.  Turn the ignition  ON and wait 45 seconds, DO NOT start the engine.  
4.  Disconnect the idle air control connector with the ignition  ON.  
5.  Remove the ground from the di agnostic connector and disconnect the 
distributor set-timing connector.  
6.  Connect a tachometer to the engine.  
7. Place the transmission in PARK  (auto transmission) or NEUTRAL 
(manual transmission). Start and run  the engine until it reaches normal 
operating temperature.  
It is important that the distributor set- timing connector be disconnected to fix the 
spark advance at base timing. This elim inates the possibility of changes in 
engine speed due to variations in timing.    

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 721
8.  The idle speed should be 450-500 rpm, adjust as necessary. 
WARNING  - Correct minimum idle speed adj ustment is critical to vehicle 
performance and component durability.  Incorrect minimum idle speed 
adjustment (too high) will caus e the IAC valve pintle to constantly bottom in it's 
seat and result in early valve failure.  If minimum idle speed is adjusted too low, 
the vehicle may not start in cold  weather or may stall during warm-up. 
 Turn the ignition  OFF and reconnect the IAC motor connector.  
9.  Reconnect the distributor set-timing connector.  
10. Use silicone sealant to co ver the throttle stop screw.  
THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS)  
1982-1983 2.5L TBI engines ar e equipped with an adjustable throttle position 
sensor. This procedure should only be  performed after replacing the TPS or 
diagnosis leads to incorrect TPS adjustment.   
1.  Remove the throttle position sensor connector and install three jumper  wires between the connector and the s ensor. Connect a digital voltmeter 
to terminals  B and  C.  
2.  Turn the ignition  ON. It should display bet ween 0.45-0.60 volts.  
3.  Adjust the TPS, if necessary, by  loosening the attaching screws and 
rotating the TPS.  
4.  Tighten the screws, remove the  jumper wires with the ignition OFF and 
reconnect the harness connector.  
5.  Start the engine and check fo r proper idle operation.  
 
Fig. 7: TPS adjustment