Mike:
All or most of us have gone through similar tune-up hell over the years. I recall some of my friends swapped a few plug wires on my ’49 flathead V8 of the third kind. Perseverance is the key and you are to be commended for that.  What was the magazine that used to have the old mechanic/wizard that solved problems like you had every month? Popular Mechanics?
Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy the ride this spring.
Rich Barber
Brentwood, CA (Corn has tasseled out already)
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael Moore mmoore8425@xxxxxxx [Chrysler300]
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2016 4:42 PM
To: Michael Moore <mmoore8425@xxxxxxx>
Cc: Chrysler300 <chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Chrysler300] Lessons learned on my 300H
During the last year I have worked hard if not smart to get my 300H back on the road. There were issues with the brakes (not so hot), hard starting, miserable idle and stalling. With good advice from a number of people on and off of this forum, it now runs better than it has in 20 years, starts on a dime and idles very well.It is a joy. I am now on vacation and thinking about all that has happened, and now realize what I think will be a solution to my last insoluble problem: intermittent operation of the power steering.I also thought some more of a problem I have if always looking for esoteric solutions and skipping more obvious and simple possibilities. My lessons may be of value to someone.
Some of the lessons I learned:
Lesson 1 . If the engine runs poorly, and you have gone through the usual carb adjust, ignition, timing etc. , check for a vacuum leak, especially an intake manifold to head leak. A vacuum leak can lead you to all sorts of wrong hypotheses. (At least I now have correct plugs, cables, rebuilt distributor, rebuilt carbs and rebuilt damper.
Lesson 2. This is an example of the difference between PRECISE and ACCURATE. If after replacing plug wires, and the engine doesn’t start but fires back through the carb, and you know it was running before you changed the wires, and you have checked the firing order several times at the distributor and you know you have PRECISELY the correct firing order sequence with correct wire going to each plug, you may have not ACCURATELY had the correct sense of rotation, i.e., CW instead of CCW. Setting cables in the dist cap in the wrong direction of rotation is not going to move the ball.
Lesson 3. If you have been working under the car, removed the starter motor, removed cruise control and disconnected and re-attached transmission linkages, and then if you move the car it suddenly locks up in either D or R after a couple of feet, readjust the linkages starting with the carb and accelerator pedal and set them to shop manual dimensions. A 3/16 steel rod and a plywood cut the correct angle is all that’s needed. (At least I got my 3rd member rebuilt, both axles replaced, new rear wheel bearing, new rear u joints and the front u joint greased plus assembly inspection, replacement and adjustment of the e brake.
Lesson 4. If your power steering continues to have intermittent boost after you replace a suction hose, and still is intermittent, so you place the ps pump, and you still have the problem, so you finally replace the pump again because you think it’s bad, and then you go to great effort to get precisely the correct belt, precisely the correct tool to tighten the pump and so remove the pump bracket and have it reworked and still have intermittent boost, it may be time to look at the basics of correctly bleeding the system. (Cardon says 12 full cycles of steering wheel rotation with tires off the ground, end to end with engine off followed by 12 cycles with engine running).
Again, thanks to all who made so many helpful suggestions.
Mike Moore
300H
Morgan Hill, Ca
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