1997 CHEVROLET CAMARO service

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When It’s Time for New Tires
L
One way to tell when it’s
time
for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number
on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they
are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
6-54

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels,
It's all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It
was developed for use on your vehicle,
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform
to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
'( 1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
6-55

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody.
If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody
parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect.
Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can do
this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect
in the paint job causes this,
Chevrolet will repair, at no charge to the owner, the
surfaces
of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km)
of purchase, whichever occurs first.
6-66

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
This is the legal identifier for your Chevrolet. It appears
on a plate in the front corner
of the instrument panel, on
the driver’s side. You can see it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service
Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label inside your console storage
compartment. It’s very helpful if
you ever need to order
parts. On this label is:
;. your VIN,
the model designation,
0 paint information and
0 a list of all production options and special equipment.
Be sure that this label
is not removed from the vehicle.
Electrical System
* -’ _. - -Lon Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your Chevrolet
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered by
your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your Chevrolet, see ‘Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Chevrolet” in the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
This section covers the maintenance required for your Chevrolet. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety,
dependability and emission control performance.
7-2
7-3
7-4
7-43 Your Vehicle and
the Environment
How This Section is Organized
Part
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
Part
B: Owner Checks and Services 7-47
7-48
7-49
7-5 1
Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspection
Caliper/Knuckle Maintenance Inspection
Part
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Part
E: Maintenance Record
7-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How This Section is Organized
The remainder of this section is divided into five parts:
“Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some of these
services
can be complex, so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment, you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center do these jobs.
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can
be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs, you can
be seriously injured.
Do your own maintenance
work only if you have the required know-how
and the proper tools and equipment for the job.
If you have any doubt, have a qualified
technician do the work.
If you are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle,
you will probably want to get the service
information
GM publishes. See “Service and Owner
Publications” in the Index.
“Part B: Owner Checks and Services” tells
you what should be checked and when. It also explains
what
you can easily do to help keep your vehicle in
good condition.
“Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains
important inspections that your Chevrolet dealer’s
service department or another qualified service center
should perform.
“Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products
GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether you do the work
yourself or have it done.
“Part E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance
is performed, be
sure to write it down in this part. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition,
it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed
to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
7-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we don’t know
exactly how you’ll drive it. You may drive very short
distances only a few times a week. Or you may drive
long distances all the time in very hot, dusty weather.
You may use your vehicle in making deliveries. Or
you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because
of all the different ways people use their GM
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may even need
more frequent checks and replacements than you’ll find
in
the schedules in this section. So please read this
section and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good
condition, see your Chevrolet dealer.
This part tells you the maintenance services you should
have done and when you should schedule them. If you
go to your dealer for your service needs, you’ll know
that GM-trained and supported service people
will
perform the work using genuine GM parts. The
proper fluids and lubricants
to use are listed in
Part
D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these. All parts should be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you
or anyone else drives the vehicle.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
0 carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See “Loading Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
0 are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
0 use the recommended fuel. See “Fuel” in the Index.
Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules is
right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide which
schedule
to follow:
7-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance Schedule
Short TriplCity Definition
Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if any
one of these conditions
is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to
break
down soonex
your vehicle.
or other commercial application.
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first). Tire Rotation.
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) of Trailering: Rear
Axle Fluid Change (Vehicles Towing Trailers).
At the First 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Rear Axle Fluid
Change (Limited-Slip Differential).
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving in dusty conditions. Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be
sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.