1982 CHEVROLET CAMARO jump cable

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 144
1. Isolate the circuit from
the vehicle's power source.
2. Ensure that the ignition key is OFF when disconnecting any components
or the battery.
3. Where necessary, also isolate at least one side of the circuit to be
checked, in order to avoid reading parallel resistances. Parallel circuit
resistances will always give a lower reading than the actual resistance of
either of the branches.
4. Connect the meter leads to both sides of the circuit (wire or component)
and read the actual measured ohms on the meter scale. Make sure the
selector switch is set to the proper ohm scale for the circuit being tested,
to avoid misreading the oh mmeter test value.
WIRE AND CONNECTOR REPAIR
Almost anyone can replace damaged wires, as long as the proper tools and
parts are available. Wire and terminals ar e available to fit almost any need.
Even the specialized weatherproof, mol ded and hard shell connectors are now
available from aftermarket suppliers.
Be sure the ends of all the wires are fitted with t he proper terminal hardware
and connectors. Wrapping a wire around a stud is never a permanent solution
and will only cause trouble later. Repl ace wires one at a time to avoid
confusion. Always route wires exac tly the same as the factory.
If connector repair is necessary, only atte mpt it if you have the proper tools.
Weatherproof and hard shell con nectors require special tools to release the pins
inside the connector. Attempting to r epair these connectors with conventional
hand tools will damage them.
BATTERY CABLES

DISCONNECTING THE CABLES
When working on any electrical component on the vehicle, it is always a good
idea to disconnect the negative (-) battery cable. This will prevent potential
damage to many sensitive electrical co mponents such as the Engine Control
Module (ECM), radio, alternator, etc.
Any time you disengage the battery cables, it is recommended that you
disconnect the negative (&mdash) battery cable first. This will prevent your
accidentally grounding the positive (+) term inal to the body of the vehicle when
disconnecting it, thereby prevent ing damage to the above mentioned
components.
Before you disconnect the cable(s), first turn the ignition to the OFF position.
This will prevent a draw on the battery which could cause arcing (electricity
trying to ground itself to the body of a vehi cle, just like a spark plug jumping the
gap) and, of course, damaging some com ponents such as the alternator diodes.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 594
REMOVAL & INSTALLATION
1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
3. Disconnect the VSS electrical wiring.
4. Remove the retaining bolt.
5. Have a clean container to catch the transmission fluid and remove the
VSS.
6. Remove and discard the O-ring.
To install: 7. Lubricate a new O-ring with a thin f ilm of transmission fluid. Install the O-
ring and VSS.
8. Install the retaining bolt.
9. Connect the electrical wiring.
10. Lower the vehicle.
11. Connect the negative battery cable.
12. Refill transmission to proper level.
TROUBLE CODES

SELF DIAGNOSTICS
READING CODES
The following procedure applies to mode ls with the 12 pin diagnostic connector
only.
1. Turn the ignition switch OFF. Locate the Assembly Line Diagnostic Link
(ALDL), usually under the instrument panel. It may be within a plastic
cover or housing labeled DIAGNOSTIC CONNECTOR. This link is used
to communicate with the ECM.
2. Use a small jumper wire to connect Terminal B of the ALDL to Terminal
A. As the ALDL connector is viewed from the front, Terminal A is on the
extreme right of the upper row; Terminal B is second from the right on
the upper row.
3. After the terminals are connected, turn the ignition switch to the ON
position but do not start the engine. T he dash warning lamp should begin
to flash Code 12. The code will disp lay as one flash, a pause and two
flashes. Code 12 is not a fault code. It is used as a system
acknowledgment or handshake code; its presence indicates that the
ECM can communicate as requested. Code 12 is used to begin every
diagnostic sequence.
4. After Code 12 has been transmitted 3 times, the fault codes, if any, will
each be flashed in the same manner th ree times. The codes are stored
and transmitted in numeric order from lowest to highest.
The order of codes in the memory does not indicate the order of occurrence.

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) 656
8. Once the timing is set to specific
ation, tighten the distributor hold-down
clamp. Recheck the timing to make su re it did not change while the bolt
was being tightened.
9. Remove the jumper wire from the ALDL connector, if applicable, with the
engine still running. (Usually, if this is performed before the engine is
shut off, no trouble codes will be stored.)
10. Turn the engine OFF, then remove the timing light and tachometer.
Reconnect the number 1 spark plug wire, if disconnected.
11. Attach the 4-wire EST connector at the distributor, or reconnect the Set
Timing connector, if applicable.
12. Check for fault code 42, and clear, if necessary, by disconnecting the
negative battery cable for at least 30 seconds.
To prevent ECM damage, the key must be in the OFF position when
disconnecting or reconnecting battery cables.
1988-90 VEHICLES
When adjusting the timing, refer to the instructions on the emission control
sticker inside the engine compartment. If th e instructions on the label disagree
with the procedure listed below, follo w the instructions on the label.
1. Locate the timing marks on the cran kshaft pulley and the front of the
engine.
2. Clean off the marks and coat them with white paint or chalk, so that they
may be easily seen.
3. Run the engine until it reaches no rmal operating temperature, then shut
off the engine.
4. With the ignition OFF, connect a ta chometer to the distributor, and a
timing light with an inductive pickup lead to the No. 1 spark plug wire.
WARNING - Never pierce a secondary ignition wire in order to connect a timing
light. A pierced wire may lead to engine misfiring and driveability problems.
5. Start the engine. With the engine running and all accessories off, use a
jumper wire to connect diagnostic terminal B and ground terminal A of
the 12-terminal Assembly Line Diagnostic Link (ALDL), located under the
instrument panel.
If jumping the ALDL terminals does not prevent timing advance, the EST
bypass wire will have to be disconnected instead.
6. Aim the timing light at the timing mark. The line on the balancer or pulley
will line up with the timing mark. If a change in timing is necessary,
loosen the hold-down clamp bolt at t he base of the distributor. While
observing the timing mark, rotate the distributor slightly until the line
indicates the correct timing. Use t he timing specification on the emission
control label in the engine compartm ent. If this label is missing or
damaged, refer to the Tune- Up Specifications chart in this Section.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 810

Fig. 14: After the bearings are adjusted, install the dust cap by gently tapping on
the flange - DO NOT damage the c ap by hammering on the center
JUMP STARTING A DEAD BATTERY
Whenever a vehicle is jump started, pr ecautions must be followed in order to
prevent the possibility of personal inju ry. Remember that batteries contain a
small amount of explosive hydrogen gas which is a by-product of battery
charging. Sparks should always be av oided when working around batteries,
especially when attaching jumper cabl es. To minimize the possibility of
accidental sparks, follow the procedure carefully.

Fig. 1: Connect the jumper cables to the batteries and engine in the order
shown

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 811
CAUTION
- NEVER hook the batteries up in a series circuit or the entire
electrical system will go up in smoke, including the starter!
Vehicles equipped with a diesel engine may utilize two 12 volt batteries. If so,
the batteries are connected in a parallel circuit (positive terminal to positive
terminal, negative terminal to negative te rminal). Hooking the batteries up in
parallel circuit increases battery cranki ng power without increasing total battery
voltage output. Output remains at 12 vo lts. On the other hand, hooking two 12
volt batteries up in a series circuit (positive terminal to negative terminal,
positive terminal to negative terminal) incr eases total battery output to 24 volts
(12 volts plus 12 volts).
JUMP STARTING PRECAUTIONS
• Be sure that both batteries are of t he same voltage. Vehicles covered by
this information and most vehicles on the road today utilize a 12 volt
charging system.
• Be sure that both batteries are of the same polarity (have the same
terminal, in most cases NEGATIVE grounded).
• Be sure that the vehicles are not touching or a short could occur.
• On serviceable batteries, be sure the v ent cap holes are not obstructed.
• Do not smoke or allow sparks anywhere near the batteries.
• In cold weather, make sure the battery electrolyte is not frozen. This can
occur more readily in a battery that has been in a state of discharge.
• Do not allow electrolyte to c ontact your skin or clothing.
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE 1. Make sure that the voltages of the 2 batteries are the same. Most
batteries and charging systems are of the 12 volt variety.
2. Pull the jumping vehicle (with t he good battery) into a position so the
jumper cables can reach the dead battery and that vehicle's engine.
Make sure that the ve hicles do NOT touch.
3. Place the transmissions of both vehicles in Neutral (MT) or P (AT), as
applicable, then firmly set their parking brakes.
If necessary for safety reasons, the hazard lights on both vehicles may be
operated throughout the entir e procedure without significantly increasing the
difficulty of jumping the dead battery.
4. Turn all lights and accessories OFF on both vehicles. Make sure the ignition switches on both vehicles are turned to the OFF position.
5. Cover the battery cell caps with a rag, but do not cover the terminals.
6. Make sure the terminals on both batte ries are clean and free of corrosion
or proper electrical connection wil l be impeded. If necessary, clean the
battery terminals before proceeding.
7. Identify the positive (+) and negat ive (-) terminals on both batteries.
8. Connect the first jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of the dead
battery, then connect the other end of that cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the booster (good) battery.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 812
9. Connect one end of the other jumper
cable to the negative (-) terminal on
the booster battery and the final cable clamp to an engine bolt head,
alternator bracket or ot her solid, metallic point on the engine with the
dead battery. Try to pick a ground on the engine that is positioned away
from the battery in order to minimi ze the possibility of the 2 clamps
touching should one l oosen during the procedure. DO NOT connect this
clamp to the negative (-) term inal of the bad battery.
CAUTION - Be very careful to keep the jum per cables away from moving parts
(cooling fan, belts, etc.) on both engines.
10. Check to make sure that the c ables are routed away from any moving
parts, then start the d onor vehicle's engine. Run the engine at moderate
speed for several minutes to allow the dead battery a chance to receive
some initial charge.
11. With the donor vehicle's engine still r unning slightly above idle, try to start
the vehicle with the dead battery. Crank the engine for no more than 10 \
seconds at a time and let the starter cool for at least 20 seconds between
tries. If the vehicl e does not start in 3 tries, it is likely that something else
is also wrong or that the battery needs additional time to charge.
12. Once the vehicle is star ted, allow it to run at idle for a few seconds to
make sure that it is operating properly.
13. Turn ON the headlight s, heater blower and, if equipped, the rear
defroster of both vehicles in order to reduce the severity of voltage spikes
and subsequent risk of dam age to the vehicles' electrical systems when
the cables are disconnected. This st ep is especially important to any
vehicle equipped with computer control modules.
14. Carefully disconnect the cables in the reverse order of connection. Star\
t with the negative cable that is attached to the engine ground, then the
negative cable on the donor battery. Di sconnect the positive cable from
the donor battery and finally, disconnect the positive cable from the
formerly dead battery. Be careful when disconnecting the cables from the
positive terminals not to allow the alli gator clips to touch any metal on
either vehicle or a short and sparks will occur.
JACKING
Your vehicle was supplied with a jack for emergency road repairs. This jack is
fine for changing a flat tire or other s hort term procedures not requiring you to
go beneath the vehicle. If it is used in an emergency situation, carefully follow
the instructions provided eit her with the jack or in your owner's manual. Do not
attempt to use the jack on any portions of the vehicle other than specified by the
vehicle manufacturer. Always block the diagonally opposite wheel when using a
jack.
A more convenient way of jacking is the use of a garage or floor jack. You may
use the floor jack to raise the vehicle in the areas shown in the illustration .