My new daily driver. 1984 dodge rampage

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You could remove the switch and put it in boiling water and check with a meter too. However they are chesp enough to just replace.
 
moparmat2000 said:
not sure how to test the temp switch. One side of the connector is grounded. When it reaches the correct temp it's suppose to complete the circuit and send ground out to though the other wire.
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Unplug the switch when engine is cold, not running. Probe the contacts with an ohmmeter. Should read open.

Start the car and get it fully warmed up then check the contacts, should read full continuity when the switch closes.

Its just a bimetal spring with contacts inside. When it gets hot enough they close.[/QUOTE]


you are correct. the temp switch was working just didn't complete the circuit. Ran a wire over the top of the harness all the way over to the relay. works perfect.
 
That temp switch, IF I recall correctly, also has some control on the timing. I had an Omni once, and I unplugged the switch to get the fan to work. It felt like I unplugged a spark plug wire, it was a slug.
 
Yes, you unplug the temp switch to set base timing. Its like the electronic equivalent to disconnecting a vac advance on a distributor to set base timing.

The temp switch unplugged puts the computer into "block learn" mode. Then you can set the timing thru a slot cast into the trans bellhousing. The timing mark is on the torque converter, or flywheel on a stick.

With switch plugged in but in an open condition such as engine cold. The computer reads in "open loop" disregards the O2 sensor and allows the car to run rich because its cold. Once the temp switch closes the computer goes into "closed loop" and starts reading the O2 and other sensors in the system.
 
tested it out and it feels like the opposite is happening. Won't know until I hook a timing light to it but it feels like the timing drops off when its grounded. which would make sense that it would take timing out when the fan turns on. Also would help prevent run on.
 
Tune it up, then set the timing. RN12YC champions gapped to .035, new wires, cap, rotor etc. Fully warmed up, disconnect the 2 wire temp switch, engine cooling fan should come on, and check engine or power loss light will light up on dash, computer is now in "block learn"

Hook up your timing light to #1, and remove rectangular rubber plug on the top of the bellhousing, shoot your timing light thru that hole. Theres degree markings cast into the trans case in this location. bump your timing around to where it needs to be. 1/2" or 13mm wrench is what fits the dist hold down bolt. Once timing is set where you want, tighten the dist bolt down, and reconnect the 2 wire temp switch.

Some years reconnecting the temp switch will make the dash light go out, some years reconnecting the switch doesnt make the light go out, and you will have to shut the car off and restart it to reset the light. My old 87 lebaron turbo coupe, and 88 daytona shelby z were both this way. Not sure if it had something to with the programming of the LM on the 87 turbo or on the SMEC on the 88 z

If you hook the timing light up without disconnecting this switch, your timing mark will not show up on the timing tab, as the computer has the timing advanced like a vac advance would on an older distributor. Thisvis the electronic equivalent to disconnecting a vac advance to time an engine.
 
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finally found the wiring diagram for the cruise control unit. Somehow the wire on the coil was swapped to the positive side. switched it to the negative and wallah it works!!!!!

I would love to have the same Rostra vacuum operated unit for the dart. works great

http://www.rostra.com/manuals/vacuum-cruise.pdf
 
moparmat2000 said:
If you decide to do the head gasket , the MP one is a good one to get. Being that its got an aluminum head, it has a weird way they want the head bolts torqued. They give a torque figure, and a note for an additional 1/4 turn for the stretch type head bolts. I'd recommend new head bolts as well.

Typically when i was doing head gaskets on these i would start with a low number on my torque wrench maybe 20 ft lbs. Torque em all in pattern, then 40 ft lbs in pattern and so on up to final torque so as not to warp the head. Then do the additional 1/4 turn in pattern with a breaker bar.

A replacement 2.5L roller tappet cam from a dakota will help with a little more torque, and a quieter top end. Check your junkyard for 4 banger dakotas. You will need the roller tappets with the cam, but can reuse your lifters if they are good.

Additionally on the end of the head where you removed the air pump you can buy a "cam plug" shown below. this is a cover that replaces the seal on that end so you dont see the cam on that end. The camshaft caps are not interchangable, and the aluminum caps are the bearing surface. They should have arrows cast in for which direction faces forward, and be numbered 1 to 5. Check before removal, and mark em if needed.

An accel super stock coil or pertronix ignitor 3 will help too.

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driving to work blew the headgasket hahahahahahah didn't even last 1000 miles
 
Time for a top end overhaul. Dont forget new stretch bolts. Prob has a gazillion miles on it already.
 
just turned 80,000 miles. on the plus side i drug my feet in changing the valve cover gasket. so there's that.
picked up a felpro head set, new bolts, and cam seals.
 
Check head for cracks too. They are prone to that at the triangular water holes in the head at the gasket mating surface.
 
I will be dropping it off at the machine shop to have it planed and checked out.
 
You may find small cracks between intake and exhaust valves connecting the 2. This is ok. No water jackets in this area.

If head is junk you can get new aftermarket ones. I think A&A specialty midwest has them. Not sure if 84 was 10mm headbolts or 11mm
 
I ground out the cracks in my 2.2 turbo head. And had a guy tig weld up the triangle holes. Then i used an old headgasket and lined it up to drill out the center of the welds as a circular hole, then had it decked. Circular hole = no stress concentrations because theres no points for cracks to concentrate at. Now you know why airplane windows have rounded corners lol.
 
At this point check the bottom end. At the plymouth dealer i worked at in the late 80s we would pull the pan and oil pump, knock the pistons out, dingle ball hone the block and re ring it, and put new rod bearings and oil pump in. Poor mans overhaul. Block and crank stay in the car.

Also theres 2 small oil galley plugs in the head, one at either end. this is where the head is bored straight through for oiling to the lifters. I tapped mine for hex key pipe plugs at either end, because when the press in plugs are pulled out of the head for cleaning, new ones dont fit as tightly. If it pops out it makes a big ole mess.

Later 11mm head will fit your year if you need to get another one, bolt holes are bigger. I actually have about 6 good ones if you need one we may be able to work something out. The 10mm head has to get reamed to fit the 11mm block.

I typically assemble intake and exhaust to the head before dropping it on the block as an assembly. Turn 2 of your old headbolts into rounded top dowels with a screwdriver slot, put these into place first. this guides the head onto the block so you dont slide it around and scratch the mating surface on the locating dowels, then just thread them out when you get a few headbolts in.

10mm head has the "bathtub" style combustion chambers. The 11mm went to a swirl port wedge style chamber. A bit better for performance. If you shave a bunch to bring up compression, mopar performance makes a timing belt with 1 less tooth for that purpose. Id recommend the 11mm swirl port head over the bathtub head if you decide to mill it for compression.
 
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not really looking for performance at all. it drive 1/2 mile through town and set the cruise at 58mph for 24 miles. repeat
 
skep419 said:
not really looking for performance at all. it drive 1/2 mile through town and set the cruise at 58mph for 24 miles. repeat
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I hear you, however if your head is not useable, look for the 11mm swirl port head, and use one of those, it will give you a little bit more power, and better economy than the older bathtub head.
 
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Wow, those pix take me waaaay back to 1986 at the chrysler plymouth dealer i worked for. How bad is the head?
 
Id recommend a Mopar performance P4452005 headgasket installed dry. Or felpro permatorque headgasket with a generous amount of spray hylomar on both sides
 
moparmat2000 said:
Wow, those pix take me waaaay back to 1986 at the chrysler plymouth dealer i worked for. How bad is the head?
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Stripped out the last exhaust manifold nut got pissed cracked a beer and went inside hahaha.

Didn't take a good look.
 
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