Re: IML: 66LeBaron-turn the key...and nothing!

["JIM LORENZEN" <jdlpdx@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Back in the days when I was using my 60 Imperial as a daily driver it 
started doing the same thing as you describe - no pattern, just when ever it 
felt like it.  It turned out to be a bad ground cable.  It looked OK but was 
bad in the center.
Jim in OR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: IML: 66LeBaron-turn the key...and nothing!


Hi all...I'm going to throw this out to the whole group while I am trying to 
troubleshoot the problem myself (as you read this I'll be checking and 
measuring).
Note: several times in the previous 2 months or so, after my '66 LeBaron had 
been running just fine and I stopped for either lunch or gas or whatever, 
the car wouldn't turn over at all. Turn the key and....nothing!? I found 
some loose wires on the battery and the starter-relay, which I fixed and 
thought that was that!...car ran great till Thursday afternoon...I was 
checking the trans fluid, letting the car warm up (in neutral) and checked 
the brake fluid (topped it off) all in prep to make a trip to Temecula to 
visit Dick Benjamin and his friend Rich (who paints cars!). I shut off the 
engine, waited 5 minutes to let the oil settle and measured the level which 
was fine!....turned the key to start the car again and...nothing! no radio 
no lights, but the windows and interior courtesy lights work OK. One other 
thing....when the car was still running I had opened the trunk twice (using 
the glove-box button) to get the can of brake fluid out of the trunk ...and 
then to replace it again. The engine was still running just fine throughout 
this time. After shutting the engine off and checking the oil is when the 
'no start' problem started.
Before this, the Ammeter gauge worked fine! ...now, its shows stuck at 
CHARGE about 1/4 way to the right! possibly the needle is stuck??......The 
gauge shows this same reading even with the battery disconnected!
...one other thing, the ignition had been 'loose' since I got the car last 
year and sometimes I have to 'jiggle' the key to get it to turn to the right 
to start the car or sometimes to get the key to come out of the ignition.
..First thing I did was order a new starter-relay from Kragen Auto Parts 
which arrived the next day (Friday) and I installed it BUT, no change in 
symptoms at all!!!! Since i ordered TWO starter-relays at the time (one for 
a spare) I even changed to the second relay but still no change in the 
problem at all!  Still get nothing when turning the key! I also tried moving 
the trans thru different gears to be sure it was in PARK...and I also tried 
NEUTRAL as well, but no change.
I was trying to trace out the wires to see what might be the cause and 
noticed that the 'trunk lid release' button is in there associated somehow 
with the wires from the starter-relay (that is IF I am reading the diagram 
right!)....then I vaguely remembered someone on the IML, maybe last year, 
having a problem with the electrical system that finally was located in the 
trunk-release button (in the glove box, if I remember right) that caused the 
problem.........does anyone remember this???....was it really the 
trunk-release button?...or is my memory playing tricks again!?
Anyway, while I will be continuing to try and find the problem, any 
suggestions or hints or 'experience solving this kind of a problem' is 
GREATLY appreciated!!!
Right now I am going to go and check all the fuses again and then....? maybe 
go sacrifice a chicken so the 'gremlins' will go away!!
Thanks all!
Dan Melnik
66 convertible
66 LeBaron



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