These make great daily drivers, as they are superbly comfortable and quiet
on the road, and get very good mileage. What they are not, though, is
performers. The are very slow off the line, with the 2:20 rear end, and
4500 pounds being pulled by a 135 HP engine. Once you get them rolling,
however, they will cruise all day at 75 and give you 22 MPG or better doing
it.
You can make a good air cleaner gasket with closed cell foam, as used in
weather-strip (it must be closed cell foam, however, anything else will let
the air sneak in there without passing the air flow sensor. This drives the
computer mad!
The EFI is throttle body injection, with 4 nozzles feeding 2 cylinders each
at low flow rates, and 4 more chiming in for more fuel demand. The nozzles
are controlled by fuel pressure, with the low flow nozzles opening below 20
PSI and the higher flow coming on stream above that. This function is
entirely controlled by pressure operated mechanical plungers in the
plumbing - no electronics involved at all here. The system monitors RPM,
throttle position, fuel and air flow, temperature of fuel, air and coolant,
time since startup, the O2 content of the exhaust, fuel pressure, brake
pedal position, ignition key position and perhaps the phase of the moon, and
compares this data with pre-programmed and memory data to set the flow of
fuel. The computer is basically an analog in - analog out device, so it is
not much like our modern digital controlled devices at all.
There is no provision for on board diagnostics. The dealers were supplied
with a test set, which is little more than an box full of switches and
meters. Some on the IML have this device, but I have not bothered with
one, as I can learn quite a bit about what is going on with normal test
equipment.
Chrysler dealers sometimes have parts, more often you have to run your needs
on PartsVoice.com to see who can come up with what you need. You will need
part numbers, of course.
The fuel filters are under the car near the passenger's door hinge post.
They are very normal in-line filters, with good availability. Take the old
ones into NAPA and match them up.
I think your problem is more likely to be too much fuel than not enough. If
you have flames coming out the breather, though, you may a have a cracked
piston or worse. I think it's time to do a compression check! It also
would be a good idea to smell the dip stick - if you smell gas, you have a
bomb waiting to go off there! Drain the crankcase and refill it before
doing anything else to the car.
Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul A. Feeney <paFeeney@xxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 9:38 AM
Subject: Re: IML: 82 Imp EFI won't start/run
> Hi Dick,
>
> Thanks for the great advise. I'm planning on looking at the car this
weekend
> (after tuning-up my 68). If the lid gaskets are bad, is this something a
> dealer would still have, or should I improvise with a generic seal? I
> bought this car for next to nothing ($250, it sat for about 5 years) and I
> don't mind putting a few bucks into it as I plan to use it as a daily
driver
> (kind of). Heck if this engine doesn't work out, I was thinking a newer
> Magnum 360, or even a V-10 from a truck.
>
> At the parts store I ran into a little confusion on fuel filters. It
listed
> two types, one seemed to be "normal" with a simply "in" and "out", but the
> other had a third, smaller in/outlet. I haven't crawled under the car yet
to
> check what's under there, but I found it interesting, and confusing.
>
> I couldn't hear any pumps, pumping, but the engine is obviously getting
> fuel, as it stinks of gas and will somewhat start. Ever seen fire coming
> from the crankcase breather??? (the breather hose is gone, but I've
> completely sealed the inlet the air cleaner housing until I get a new one)
>
> I have a sound understanding of modern fuel injection (which may hurt my
> chance of understanding this car). I read about the fuel "nozzles". Is
this
> just a type of fuel distribution system, all feeding from a centralized,
> single injector?
>
> Also, is there any type of electronic self-diagnosis system on these cars?
> Even my 97 Ram (with OBD-II) can be accessed by cycling the key.
>
> Are parts still available at the dealer for these cars, or has Chrysler
left
> us out in the cold (again)?
>
> I appreciate any/all help with this project.
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Paul
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dick Benjamin" <DickB@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 9:05 AM
> Subject: Re: IML: 82 Imp EFI won't start/run
>
>
> > Paul;
> >
> > This may take a while, and is going to lead you into doing some research
> > yourself. As a first step, though, remove the new air filter element
and
> > reinstall the lid tightly, just to make sure you don't have an air leak
> > induced by a poor fitting air filter element.
> >
> > Assuming this is not going to help, the next step is to carefully
inspect
> > all the wiring and vacuum hose tubing, making sure all the harnesses are
> > completely plugged in with all pins and connectors intact, and that the
> > vacuum hose routing is exactly in compliance with the information on the
> > passenger inner fender sticker (it's near the hood hinge and may be
quite
> > dirty, but it is there.)
> >
> > Assuming you haven't yet found a problem, read up in the IML archives
> about
> > how to run the car with the air cleaner lid off. Basically, you need to
> > fool the computer into ignoring the air flow sensor by telling it that
you
> > are cranking to start the engine.
> >
> > If you haven't been using the IML archives long, you may need to search
> > around a bit before finding the step by step procedure, but it is there,
> I'm
> > sure, because I wrote it.
> >
> > Once you know the trick for starting the car with the lid off, have a
> helper
> > try to start it while you watch the fuel plumbing lines inside the air
> > cleaner assembly. I'm guessing you will see some liquid fuel leaking
> from
> > somewhere, probably the fuel pressure switch tubing, or the nozzle
> assembly
> > valves. This is all very simple stuff, which you can remove,
disassemble
> > and clean with spray type carburetor cleaner, so that you get all 8
> nozzles
> > spraying nicely. Then put it back together and reassemble the lid
etc.,
> to
> > see if you've fixed anything.
> >
> > If still no go, take a very close look at all the other air seals in the
> > whole top of engine hardware. Pay particular attention to the lid
> gasket,
> > and to the one beneath the hydraulic support assembly.
> >
> > If you don't have the two manuals for this car, get busy on eBay or from
a
> > literature dealer and find yourself a set, these are mandatory for
> > maintaining this car.
> >
> > Don't give up - just listen to those of us who have fought our way
through
> > all the sin previously committed by the unwashed in trying to get these
> cars
> > to run. Once you have it all back to normal, you will be delighted in
the
> > way the car starts, runs, and drives!
> >
> > I doubt this is enough information to solve the whole series of
> complaints,
> > but see if you can plow through the above and report back to us. There
> are
> > 5 or 6 people on here who know a lot about these cars, and one of us
will
> > jump in with good advice on every point.
> >
> > If you don't already have one, it is a good idea to pick up a decent
> analog
> > type volt-ohmmeter. Radio Shack has an adequate one for under $50.
> >
> > As someone else has implied, 90% of the engine problems on these cars
are
> > blamed on "that damned EFI", and when it's all said and done, about 10%
of
> > them turn out to be actually related to its being an EFI car.
> >
> > Dick Benjamin
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Paul A. Feeney <paFeeney@xxxxxxxx>
> > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 12:09 PM
> > Subject: IML: 82 Imp EFI won't start/run
> >
> >
> > > Hi All,
> > >
> > > I just bought this car a few weeks ago and have since joined the club.
> > > Thanks for welcoming me. I've enjoyed the club so much in the last
> couple
> > of
> > > weeks that I've already gone out and bought a 68 Crown Coupe (runs
> great,
> > > 99.9% original from a man who bought it in 69).
> > >
> > > Anyway, about my non-running 82. It has the EFI still installed. I
just
> > put
> > > new plugs in it and a new 0-2 sensor, fresh gas, new air filter and a
> new
> > > battery.
> > >
> > > Result- If I crank the car FOREVER, it will fire and immediately
stall.
> If
> > I
> > > give it some gas (step on pedal) as it fires it will increase RPM and
> then
> > > die within a couple of seconds. If I then crank it again it will fire
> and
> > > stay running (very rough) as long as I keep my foot on the gas. WAY
DOWN
> > on
> > > the gas. It will NOT idle, not even close, it will run above about
2,500
> > rpm
> > > only and it sounds like it's running on 5-6 cylinders only. Actually
it
> > > feels like the plug wires are on wrong (they're not, I checked).
> > >
> > > Where should I start? I've read briefly through the info on club
> > > website but most of it deals with vehicles that idle rough or have low
> > > power. Mine just isn't drivable at all. I'm sure that I'm not the only
> > > person to come across this problem as I see 81-83 Imps for sale cheap
> all
> > > the time that "don't run". This car is extremely clean. No dents, no
> rust,
> > > great interior. As soon as I get it running it will go out for a fresh
> > coat
> > > of paint.
> > >
> > > Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure all be back online
about
> > > things on my 68 as I learn more about it. I've already had the VERY
> > painful
> > > experience of taking a power window motor off the regulator (watch
out,
> > this
> > > thing is like a bear trap as the spring will snap it closed on your
> hand,
> > I
> > > got ten stitches out of it)
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Paul A. Feeney
> > >
> > > 82 Lt Blue EFI Wire Wheel
> > > 68 Black Crown Coupe
> > > 97 Dodge Ram 3500 (tow rig)
> > > 82 Maserati Quattroporte (at least it has a Mopar Trans, starter, and
> A/C)
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> > >
> >
> >
> >
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