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

[Ken Lang <imperialken@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dan,

Another thing to check is faulty high current connections.  That would both
connections on the battery posts as well as the connections to the chassis
and the starter post.  One way that works most of the time to check this is
to leave the driver door open while attempting to start.  If the dome light
goes out completely then one of the high current connections is faulty.

Ken
67 Crown 4 Dr Ht
68 LeBaron 4 Dr Ht


-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Dyra
Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2007 8:48 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: IML: 66LeBaron-turn the key...and nothing!

I concur that it is probably a bad battery cable. It happened on my '68 last
year - a random no power situation.

Jim in a vert COLD Chicago 


-----Original Message-----
From:	"mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
<mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of
"dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent:	Saturday, February 03, 2007 8:36 PM
To:	"mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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



-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm




-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm



-----------------  http://www.imperialclub.com  -----------------
This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please 
reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be 
shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the
Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm