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WHITBY FREE PRESS, NEW CAR SUPPLEMENT,'WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 1979, PA Citation Objective - More Serviclbilty, OSHAWA, Ont. - The Citation, Chevrolet's new front-wheel drive car, is a paradox. It has been designed so it needs less service. But it is more serviceable. Chevrolet's service per- sonnel have never been better prepared to fix a car. They have trained for months. But never has so much attention been paid to making sure nothing goes wrong. To reduce the need for service, the Citation features: - Extra-large tires. - Permanently-lubricated wheel bearings. - Automatically-adjusting, long-life clutch. - Semi-metallic, heavy-duty brakes. - Thinner, long-lasting transmission fluid. - Increased service intervals on spark plugs. Even as it was engineered to reduce the need for ser- vice, the Citation was also engineered to improve serviceability. While the front-wheel drive configuration, with engine, transmission and axIe (transaxle) up front, is new to many- mechanics and , car owner, special efforts havè been made to ease the sevice and repair function. The removal and repair of cylinder head, oil pan, water pump, rear main seal and engine front cover are all possible without removing the engine. The optional three-speed automatic transaxle features an integral valve body and pump positioned behind the converter, which can be easily serviced by removing the sheet metal cover. In case engine and 'trans- axle .have to be removed from the car, a unique-design mini- frame, which acts as a cradle for tthese components allows modular removal and replacement. The cradle design allows repair time comparable to current front- engine, rear-drive vehicles. The engine and transaxle are mounted on the cradle. By removing eight bolts and loosening suspension components, the left side rail of the cradle can be swung around the suspension, providing clearance for removal of engine and transaxle. The engine may remain in the car if only the transaxle needs repair. And on cars with automatic transmission, it is not necessary to split the cradle to remove the engine. In all cases the engine is removed conventionally upward and the transaxle is removed from the underside. The split cradle design plays a significant part in servicing or repairing clutch and transmission, since it is not necessary to remove wheels and disconnect exhaust ball joints. Because clutch repair in front-drive cars can be a fairly imposing job, the Citation's clutch life h'as been extended. A constant-tension clutch cable on manual transmission models reduces the possibility of early clutch failures due to misad- justment. This feature, along with improvements in facing material, increases the service life of the clutch. The new, no-lash constant- tension clutch cable works like this: The toothed wheel segment; or ratchet, is free to rotate independently of the clutch pedal. When the pedal is depressed, the pawl engages a tooth, puts tension on the cable and disengages the clutch. When the driver's foot is removed from the clutch, a reverse action occurs. A spring pulls on the segment.-If there is excessive slack, the spring rotates the segment, and the pawl engages the next notch. The MacPherson strut front suspension used in many small front-wheel drive cars due to its space-efficient design (no upper control arms) also has preventive serviceability bpnefits. The strut shock-dampener provides greater service life than conventional shock absorbers, for example. Shocks and rear springs can be removed with a floor jack. First disconnect the shocks, then raise the bodyto take the load off the springs. Preventive serviceability of the sealed front and rear- wheel ball bearings eliminates the once almost-routine job of repacking the bearings. (It was a routine service job that required a good deal of patience and knowhow to do right, however.) The bearings are lubricatèd and sealed for life. The bearings have several ad- vantages compared with tapered roller bearings: they reduce. weight, improve durability and offer less rolling- friction. Moreover, the fropt bearings do not require pre-lead adjustment. The.inner race is splined to) the spindle and the wheel hub retaining nut is then tightened to a specific torque. In a move that had both service and , economy im- plications, Chevrolet engineers replaced the heavy GX90 lubrication used in most axles and manual transmissions with a con- siderably thinner flued called DEXRON II. It is used in both automatic and manual transaxles. It!s a thin fluid so it provides less friction and requires less energy in the operation of the transaxle. Service interval on Chevy Citation spark plugs has been increased from 36 000 km to 48 000 km, mainly due to refinements in carburetion, emission control systems, and lower engine tem- peratures. And while removal of the plugs is usually viewed as a formidable task in front- drive cars with their busy underhood space, using a 17 mm universal socket wrench and a flex-head ratchet with extension, it should take no more time in a Citation than a conventional vehicle. There are two more spark plug service aids: - New over-sized boots with a "grip-pad". - New ignition-wire clips made of heat-treated spring steel which split to allow the wire to be pulled off at an angle wvithout binding. Throughout the four-year Citation develop¡nent program, attention has been paid to improving ser- viceability. From minor to major operations, the Citation has built-in aids to service. The taillight assembly, for example, can be removed in two or three minutes, and without tools, because it is secured with four plastic wing nuts. The rear side-marker lamps are easily removed with a slight twist. Front fenders are bolted to the unitized body, also for easy removal and replacement. Repairs to the heater and air condition units are simplified. Heater access is through a panel in the engine compartment on non-air conditioned cars. On cars with air conditioning, the heater core is accessible from the passenger compartment after removing a trim panel. With many cars it is necessary to remove the fender to gain access to the heater blower motor. But the CHEVROLET CITATIONS XII SPORT PACKAGE is available on two-doorhatch- Citation blower notor can be back and two-door club coupe models. The package consusts of black-acoented bright:ra- removed after loosening Six diator grille; black accents on headlight bezels taillghts, rocker panel, door lockpllar, screws. and rear license plate pocket. There are XiI identifications, decal stripes, rear spolier and Conventional air and oil pin striping plus bright side window moldings, body-color dual sport mirrors, rally wheel filters are used, and drive trim, sport steering wheel, sport suspension bumper rub strips and white-Iettered'steel- bak ndtw.dorclbaouemoel. hepakae onissofblckacenedbrnit a belted radial tires. Available power is the base four-cylinder engine rated at 90 horse- power, and the optional engine - Chevrolet's new V6, rated an estimated 115 horsepower.