GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 102
CAUTION
- Brake shoes may contain asbest os, which has been determined to
be a cancer causing agent. Never clean the brake surfaces with compressed
air! Avoid inhaling any dust from any brake surface! When cleaning brake
surfaces, use a commercially available brake cleaning fluid.
1. Raise and support the car. Remove t he wheel. Remove the brake shoes by
following the Brake Shoe R eplacement procedure.
2. Remove dirt from ar ound the wheel cylinder inle t and pilot. Disconnect the
inlet tube.
3. Using 2 awls,
1/8 in. (3mm) in diameter, or J29839, remove the wheel
cylinder retainer. Insert the awls in to the access slots between the wheel
cylinder pilot and retainer. Simultaneous ly, bend both tabs away from each
other. Remove the wheel cylinder.
To install:
4. Place wheel cylinder into position and place a block of wood between it and
the axle flange. Install a new retainer over the end of the wheel cylinder.
Using a 1
1/8 in. 12-point socket with an extensi on, drive the new retainer into
position.
5. Connect the inlet tube and torque 120-280 inch lbs. (13.6-20 Nm). Complete
installation by reversing the remova l procedure. Bleed the brakes.
OVERHAUL
Wheel cylinder overhaul kits may be available, but often at little or no savings
over a reconditioned wheel cylinder. It often makes sense with these
components to substitute a new or re conditioned part instead of attempting an
overhaul.
If no replacement is availabl e, or you would prefer to overhaul your wheel
cylinders, the following procedure may be used. When rebuilding and installing
wheel cylinders, avoid getting any cont aminants into the system. Always use
clean, new, high quality brake fluid. If di rty or improper fluid has been used, it
will be necessary to drain the entire syst em, flush the system with proper brake
fluid, replace all rubber components , then refill and bleed the system.
1. Remove the wheel cylinder from the vehicle and place on a clean
workbench.
2. First remove and discard the old r ubber boots, then withdraw the pistons.
Piston cylinders are equipped with seals and a spring assembly, all located
behind the pistons in the cylinder bore.
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) 117
5. Remove the shaft seal and washer.
6. Remove the dust boot. Be careful not to scratch the housing bore.
7. Remove the locator retainer if so
equipped. Remove the piston locator if so
equipped.
8. Remove the piston seal usi ng a wooden or plastic tool.
9. Remove the bleeder screw, bolt, fi tting, and copper washer. Remove the
bracket only if it is damaged.
10. Inspect caliper bore for scoring, nicks, corrosion, and wear. Use crocus cloth
for light corrosion. Replace caliper if bore will not clean up.
To install:
11. Replace the bleeder screw, bolt, fitting, and copper washer.
12. Install the piston. Lubricate seal s and piston with brake fluid prior to
reinstallation.
13. Install the locator retainer if so equi pped. Install the piston locator if so
equipped.
14. Install the dust boot.
15. Install the shaft seal and washer.
16. Install actuator scr ew to the housing.
17. Install the nut, lever, lever seal, and anti-friction washer. It may be necessary
to rotate the parking brake lever away from the stop to install the nut. Torque
the nut 30-40 ft. lbs. (41-54 Nm) and ro tate the lever back to the stop.
18. Install the shoe dampening spri ng to the end of the piston.
It may be necessary to move the parking brake lever off the stop, extending the
piston slightly, making the dampening spring groove acce ssible. If the piston is
extended, push it back into the caliper before installing the caliper on the car.
1989-92 MODELS
1. Remove the caliper assembly. Remove the 2 collar return springs from the
actuating collar. Remove the actuator collar assembly with parts attached
out of the housing.
2. Remove the clamp rod and compliance bushing.
3. Remove the boot retainers, 2 boots and pushrod from the compliance
bushing. Discard the retainers and boots.
4. Remove the preload spring from the retainer.
5. Using compressed air directed into the brake hose port, carefully extract
piston.
CAUTION - Do not place fingers between piston and brake shoe flange, or
personal injury may occur when piston breaks free from bore. Cover caliper
assembly with a rag to prevent brake fluid from spraying when piston is
extracted
6. Inspect and clean piston and bore a ssembly for cracks or scoring.
7. Remove the piston seal.
8. Remove the bleeder valve.
GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 287
DRIVE TRAIN
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
UNDERSTANDING THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Because of the way an internal combus tion engine breathes, it can produce
torque (or twisting force) only withi n a narrow speed range. Most overhead
valve pushrod engines must turn at about 2500 rpm to produce their peak
torque. Often by 4500 rpm, they are prod ucing so little torque that continued
increases in engine speed produce no power increases.
The torque peak on overhead camshaft engines is, generally, much higher, but
much narrower.
The manual transmission and clutch are employed to vary the relationship
between engine RPM and the speed of the w heels so that adequate power can
be produced under all circumst ances. The clutch allows engine torque to be
applied to the transmission input shaft gradually, due to mechanical slippage.
The vehicle can, consequently, be star ted smoothly from a full stop.
The transmission changes the ratio between the rotating speeds of the engine
and the wheels by the use of gears. 4-speed or 5-speed transmissions are most
common. The lower gears al low full engine power to be applied to the rear
wheels during acceleration at low speeds.
The clutch driveplate is a thin disc, the center of which is splined to the
transmission input shaft. Both sides of the disc are covered with a layer of
material which is similar to brake li ning and which is capable of allowing
slippage without roughness or excessive noise.
The clutch cover is bolted to the engine flywheel and incorporates a diaphragm
spring which provides the pressure to engage the clutch. The cover also houses
the pressure plate. When the clutch pe dal is released, the driven disc is
sandwiched between the pressu re plate and the smooth surface of the flywheel,
thus forcing the disc to turn at th e same speed as the engine crankshaft.
The transmission contains a mainshaft which passes all the way through the
transmission, from the clutch to the dr iveshaft. This shaft is separated at one
point, so that front and rear portions can turn at different speeds.
Power is transmitted by a countershaft in the lower gears and reverse. The
gears of the countershaft mesh with gear s on the mainshaft, allowing power to
be carried from one to the other. Countershaft gears are often integral with that
shaft, while several of the mainshaft gea rs can either rotate independently of
the shaft or be locked to it. Shifting from one gear to the next causes one of the
gears to be freed from rotating with the shaft and locks another to it. Gears are
locked and unlocked by internal dog clutc hes which slide between the center of
the gear and the shaft. The forward gears us ually employ synchronizers; friction
GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 290
4. Remove the switch attaching bo
lt and remove the clutch switch.
5. Installation is the reverse of t he removal procedure. The switch will
automatically adjust when depres sed for the first time.
SPEED SENSOR
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
5-SPEED TRANSMISSION 1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Disconnect the electrical connector.
3. Remove the attaching bolt and remove the sensor.
4. Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure. The bolt torque is 89
inch lbs. (10 Nm).
SHIFT HANDLE
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION 1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
3. Disconnect the shift rods from the control lever.
4. Lower the vehicle. Remove the shifter knob.
5. Remove the parking lever grip.
Fig. 1: Exploded view of the typi cal transmission shifter mounting
GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 292
Fig. 1: Installing the extension housing seal
4. Use an oil seal installation tool to evenly drive the new seal into the
housing. Make sure the tool only cont acts the outer metal portion of the
seal.
5. Install the driveshaft. Torque the uni versal bearing cup retainer bolts to
15 ft. lbs. (20 Nm).
TRANSMISSION
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
On 5-speed transmissions remove the shif t lever boot and the shift lever prior to
transmission removal.
1. Disconnect the negative batte ry cable at the battery.
2. Raise the vehicle and support it safely with jackstands.
3. Drain the lubricant from the transmission.
GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 293
4. Remove the torque arm from t
he vehicle as outlined under Rear
Suspension in
Suspension & Steering of this repair guide.
5. Mark the driveshaft and the rear ax le pinion flange to indicate their
relationship. Unbolt the rear universal joint straps. Lower the rear of the
driveshaft, being careful to keep the universal joint caps in place.
Withdraw the driveshaft from the transmission and remove it from the
vehicle.
6. Disconnect the speedometer cable a nd the electrical connectors from the
transmission.
7. Remove the exhaust pipe brace.
8. Remove the transmission shifter support attaching bolts from the
transmission.
9. On 4-speed transmissions only, disconnec t the shift linkage at the shifter.
10. Raise the transmission slight ly with a jack, then remove the
crossmember attaching bolts.
11. Remove the transmission mount atta ching bolts, then remove the mount
and crossmember from the vehicle.
12. Remove the transmission attachi ng bolts, then with the aid of an
assistant, move the transmission r earward and downward out of the
vehicle.
To install: 13. Apply a light coating of high temperature grease to the main drive gear
bearing retainer and to the splined por tion of the main drive gear. This
will assure free movement of the clutch and transmission components
during assembly.
14. Install the transmission and secu re with transmission mounting bolts
Torque transmission-to-clutch housing bo lts to 55 ft. lbs. (74 Nm).
15. Install the mount and cr ossmember into the vehicle, then install the
transmission mount attaching bolts. Torque both the mount-to-
crossmember bolts and t he mount-to-transmission bolts to 35 ft. lbs. (47
Nm).
16. Install the crossmember attach ing bolts. Torque the crossmember-to-
body bolts to 35 ft. lbs.
17. On 4-speed transmissions only, connect the shift linkage at the shifter and adjust the shift linkage.
18. Install the transmission shifte r support attaching bolts to the
transmission. Torque shifter bracket-to -extension housing to 25 ft. lbs.
(35 Nm).
19. Install the exhaust pipe brace.
20. Connect the speedometer cable and the electrical connectors to the
transmission.
21. Install the driveshaft into the tr ansmission. Then, align the marks on the
driveshaft and the rear axle pinion fl ange. Bolt the rear universal joint
straps.
22. Install the torque arm into the vehicle.
23. Fill the transmission wi th lubricant. Then install the filler plug and torque
to 15 ft. lbs. (20 Nm).
24. Lower the vehicle.
GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 294
25. Connect the negative battery cable at the battery.
CLUTCH
UNDERSTANDING THE CLUTCH
The purpose of the clutch is to disconnect and connect engine power at the
transmission. A vehicle at rest requires a lot of engine torque to get all that
weight moving. An internal combustion engine does not develop a high starting
torque (unlike steam engines) so it must be allowed to operate without any load
until it builds up enough torque to move the vehicle. To a point, torque
increases with engine rpm. The clutch a llows the engine to build up torque by
physically disconnecting t he engine from the transmission, relieving the engine
of any load or resistance.
The transfer of engine power to the tr ansmission (the load) must be smooth and
gradual; if it weren't, driv e line components would wear out or break quickly.
This gradual power transfer is made possi ble by gradually releasing the clutch
pedal. The clutch disc and pressure plat e are the connecting link between the
engine and transmission. When the clutch pedal is released, the disc and plate
contact each other (the clutch is engag ed) physically joining the engine and
transmission. When the pedal is pushed in, the disc and plate separate (the
clutch is disengaged) disconnecting the engine from the transmission.
Most clutch assemblies consists of t he flywheel, the clutch disc, the clutch
pressure plate, the throw out bearing and fork, the actuating linkage and the
pedal. The flywheel and clutch pressure plate (driving members) are connected
to the engine crankshaft and rotate with it. The clutch disc is located between
the flywheel and pressure plate, and is splined to the transmission shaft. A
driving member is one that is attached to the engine and transfers engine power
to a driven member (clutch disc) on t he transmission shaft. A driving member
(pressure plate) rotates (drives) a driv en member (clutch disc) on contact and,
in so doing, turns the transmission shaft.
There is a circular di aphragm spring within th e pressure plate cover
(transmission side). In a relaxed state (w hen the clutch pedal is fully released)
this spring is convex; that is, it is dished outward toward the transmission.
Pushing in the clutch peda l actuates the attached linkage. Connected to the
other end of this is the throw out fork, which hold the throw out bearing. When
the clutch pedal is depre ssed, the clutch linkage pushes the fork and bearing
forward to contact the diaphragm spring of the pressure plate. The outer edges
of the spring are secured to the pressure plate and are pivoted on rings so that
when the center of the spring is compre ssed by the throw out bearing, the outer
edges bow outward and, by so doing, pu ll the pressure plate in the same
direction - away from the clutch disc. This action se parates the disc from the
plate, disengaging the clutch and allowing the transmission to be shifted into
another gear. A coil type clutch return sp ring attached to the clutch pedal arm
permits full release of the pedal. Releasing the pedal pulls the throw out bearing
away from the diaphragm spring resulting in a reversal of spring position. As
bearing pressure is gradually released from the spring center, the outer edges