mopower76
Well-Known Member
Hey all, I’m having a problem with my 1979 Chrysler Lebaron I call Lebron.
I understand this is the A Body forum but you guys are alway brilliantly versed in electrical gremlins.
this old car sat for 15 years and was set to be towed off and scrapped.
I love saving these old Mopars so $300 bucks and the 4 hour round trip she was home.
Needless to say it was less than good, carbon like I’ve never seen. I got it to run with basic tune up parts and fluid changes. Ran good and lost all oil pressure suddenly.
New HV Melling pump, I ran the engine with a mix of oil, trans fluid and seafoam after installing the new pump and another pan gasket kit.
0 oil pressure and drivetrain clatter for a few...then some oil pressure… 10-15 psi and suddenly fluctuated to 25+ and went to 0 and valve train clatter again.
I shut it off and checked the oil, full so started it again, chattering and back to 10 psi but not knocking and pressure dropping to 0 then to 20 back to 0.
I decided I’m driving it to see if it changes. Almost immediately it came up to 30lbs and got quiet!!
So I ran 2 miles to the gas station to fill it up, knowing not to turn it off (just in case) right as the pump clicked off valve train clatter.
I jumped in to see Lebron once again dropped all oil pressure, I took the chance and drove it home sitting at 3 stoplights just hoping it makes it back and sounding Terrible!!
It made it home, got in the garage and shut it off… temp was good, tried to restart and it wouldn’t fire.
Let it sit for a few hours and again just cranked… Slowly. (original starter)
I put the battery charger on boost and cranked better but still nothing. On a chance I bumped the timing a little advance and it fired up and almost instantly shut off like I turned the key off and there was smoke on the drivers side inner fender! Shut off and removed the negative cable. One of the fusible links burned, one that feeds to the bulkhead and when gone no crank.
I replaced the fusible link with new fusible link wire (not sure amp rating, 20?) tried to restart and crank no start again.
This morning I pulled the valve covers off, pulled the oil filter and rocker arms. I blasted seafoam and lacquer thinner through the oil passages the no blew them out with 165 psi from the compressor repeatedly until I could hear air blowing into the oil pan. Replaced the rocker arms and shafts I had new that were on a set of heads I ran roller rockers on.
I then drained the cocktail from the oil pan and added fresh oil and filter, straight 30w Rotella and some Lucas Oil additive.
It started! It had 35psi of oil pressure!! It was Silent!!! It really sounded great and ran smooth!!
And… it shut off again like I turned the key off. This time no smoke but would not restart.
Checked for spark, nothing.
Checked for 12v everywhere, tested coil, ballast, ECM… Changed all… Nothing.
I ran a separate plug and wire to check again and noticed when I turn the key from crank back to off there would be a very weak spark… WTF…
Any ideas?!?
Obviously something has happened in the wiring when the FL burned.
I’ve checked most of the grounds I thought could be related but all are good.
It seems like something has grounded out.
Could the ignition switch have something to do with this??
Oh man do I need a wiring diagram!!!
I really needed and wanted to drive Lebron tomorrow to work.
They are never easy when they have been neglected and abused but this is really frustrating.
As always, thanks so much for the responses.
I understand this is the A Body forum but you guys are alway brilliantly versed in electrical gremlins.
this old car sat for 15 years and was set to be towed off and scrapped.
I love saving these old Mopars so $300 bucks and the 4 hour round trip she was home.
Needless to say it was less than good, carbon like I’ve never seen. I got it to run with basic tune up parts and fluid changes. Ran good and lost all oil pressure suddenly.
New HV Melling pump, I ran the engine with a mix of oil, trans fluid and seafoam after installing the new pump and another pan gasket kit.
0 oil pressure and drivetrain clatter for a few...then some oil pressure… 10-15 psi and suddenly fluctuated to 25+ and went to 0 and valve train clatter again.
I shut it off and checked the oil, full so started it again, chattering and back to 10 psi but not knocking and pressure dropping to 0 then to 20 back to 0.
I decided I’m driving it to see if it changes. Almost immediately it came up to 30lbs and got quiet!!
So I ran 2 miles to the gas station to fill it up, knowing not to turn it off (just in case) right as the pump clicked off valve train clatter.
I jumped in to see Lebron once again dropped all oil pressure, I took the chance and drove it home sitting at 3 stoplights just hoping it makes it back and sounding Terrible!!
It made it home, got in the garage and shut it off… temp was good, tried to restart and it wouldn’t fire.
Let it sit for a few hours and again just cranked… Slowly. (original starter)
I put the battery charger on boost and cranked better but still nothing. On a chance I bumped the timing a little advance and it fired up and almost instantly shut off like I turned the key off and there was smoke on the drivers side inner fender! Shut off and removed the negative cable. One of the fusible links burned, one that feeds to the bulkhead and when gone no crank.
I replaced the fusible link with new fusible link wire (not sure amp rating, 20?) tried to restart and crank no start again.
This morning I pulled the valve covers off, pulled the oil filter and rocker arms. I blasted seafoam and lacquer thinner through the oil passages the no blew them out with 165 psi from the compressor repeatedly until I could hear air blowing into the oil pan. Replaced the rocker arms and shafts I had new that were on a set of heads I ran roller rockers on.
I then drained the cocktail from the oil pan and added fresh oil and filter, straight 30w Rotella and some Lucas Oil additive.
It started! It had 35psi of oil pressure!! It was Silent!!! It really sounded great and ran smooth!!
And… it shut off again like I turned the key off. This time no smoke but would not restart.
Checked for spark, nothing.
Checked for 12v everywhere, tested coil, ballast, ECM… Changed all… Nothing.
I ran a separate plug and wire to check again and noticed when I turn the key from crank back to off there would be a very weak spark… WTF…
Any ideas?!?
Obviously something has happened in the wiring when the FL burned.
I’ve checked most of the grounds I thought could be related but all are good.
It seems like something has grounded out.
Could the ignition switch have something to do with this??
Oh man do I need a wiring diagram!!!
I really needed and wanted to drive Lebron tomorrow to work.
They are never easy when they have been neglected and abused but this is really frustrating.
As always, thanks so much for the responses.
