Looking for any Electronic Lean Burn literature :)

Tiny
J_HOLUBEK
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  • 1988 CHRYSLER FIFTH AVENUE
  • 5.8L
  • V8
  • RWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 130,000 MILES
I have my grandmothers 1988 5th Avenue here for some much needed love and I would really like to get it back to somewhere near its prime for her. It is a 1 owner car, and is for the most part un-molested.

I have already done a full tune-up and under side inspection. Everything is good to go on that stand-point.

I have looked over all the electrical connections, and cleaned them all up and used die-electric. I have also looked over all the vacuum hoses and replaced any that have needed it. Power was way up from the vacuum hoses alone. And then again from the full tune-up. (Plugs, wires, coil, cap, rotor, filters)

I would like to get some literature on how to check the various ELB sensors to make sure they are working and if not, to order them in. I am no stranger to a multi-meter and probing 80's electronics ;)

Thanks in advance! Really appreciate it! :)
Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 AT 11:35 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
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Best bet on this one is to try to get amanual for it as all of that info would be in it which we dont' have complete access too
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Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 AT 7:15 AM
Tiny
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By manual, do you mean like a Chilton/Haynes?

Or a Chrysler ELB manual?
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Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 AT 10:02 AM
Tiny
HMAC300
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I would suggest a Chrysler manual but Chilton or Haynes may have that type of info there.
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Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 AT 12:47 PM
Tiny
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The only one I found was $75 from Australia! Haha Christ. I am going to go to my local old timer Dodge/Chrysler dealer and see if they don't have one collecting dust on the shelf ;)

It has been running much better but is still using more fuel than I think it should be.

Now is this an ELB issue? Or a Carb issue? It is only electronically fired right? The fueling is still a fully mechanical carburetor, am I correct?
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Thursday, April 10th, 2014 AT 9:53 PM
Tiny
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If you are using to much fuel the first thing to do is when was the last time the carb was overhauled? If never or at least 10 yrs ago then it shold be done because todays fuel with alcohol have probably messed up the accelerator pump and other rubber parts. Todays kits have parts that won't get damaged by alcohol. Also check to see if choke plate is opening properly when hot as that can cause the same thing. Meaning choke pulloff as well as electric choke it self. If you are looking for a manual go to a local car swap meet they are sold there all the time or if you know a mechanic that worked in a dealer around then an dhe has a manual he would be glad to get $25 or so for it. Swap meets will be more. Then if yo still have the same thing happening THEN look into lean burn problems which entail quite a bit. Remember KISS Keep it simple stupid- not meaning you are but a lot of times even mechanics think of the wrong stuff instead of the simple stuff. Make sure all your timing issues and vacuum isssues are good as well.
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Friday, April 11th, 2014 AT 6:28 AM
Tiny
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Thank-you for the through reply! :)

Yes, I think I have got all the vacuum leaks sorted. I just found another I had missed earlier, (there is a lot going on, on top of that engine hah) and it was a fair size line right at the base of the carb on the front side. So that was a HUGE leak basically right in the manifold. That made the car come alive afterwards! Holy cow, I have never felt this thing have THAT much power. I have been driving it here and there over the last 8-9 years.

With all the vacuum leaks there were, I will put money down this thing wasn't advancing timing at all. Ever. There is no way the computer got an accurate vacuum reading (if at all) with those many leaks.

Yes, I will check the base timing and make sure it is at 10* and then I will also see if I can't see the computer doing its thing where it starts with extra advance and then as the engine warms up over the first 90 or so seconds it starts to drop back to 10*. With the way it is starting and running, and has smooth power even right off idle. I want to say the ignition is all sorted, but I want to see that to verify.

This is to my knowledge an all original engine setup on this thing with day 1 factory installed parts. I am surprised it still functions as it should after 26 years and 130k.
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Sunday, April 13th, 2014 AT 2:07 PM
Tiny
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Ok, so tonight I rebuilt the carburetor. Now upon acceleration I have a heavy stumble. Either you back off the pedal and accel slowly, or you floor it and takes off.

Either or, anything more than a little throttle until WOT results in a hardcore stumble. For instance. Cruising the highway at like 50mph, give it a little more pedal to accel, stumble. Put it to the floor, and it will downshift to second, scream up and haul away. Shifts in to third when you let off, and starts stumbling. So you let off until it stops. But you start to decel.

The only thing I changed in the carb was I rose the float level. Because it was far too low when I took it apart. I rose it to the recommended 9/32". But this does seem like an over rich situation doesn't it.
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Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 AT 10:29 PM
Tiny
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Not really it can be a maladjusted accelerator pump or something similar to that hopefully you used a good carb cleanerr to clean it up so recheck all yur work and make sure the accelerator pump an dpower vavle are in all the way and no gas on oppisit side of power vavle as that is vacuum operated. Also running a thin wire like off packing slips helps.
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Thursday, April 17th, 2014 AT 6:48 AM
Tiny
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I took it all back down, and checked my float again as well. As I read that is ultimately what controls mixture? I feel like the float was so low when I opened it because I may have a dead mixture solenoid. So putting the float back to proper has enriched it up. I don't know.

Does the electric mixture solenoid control all but idle and wot?

Is there anyway to test it?

Is the power valve the mixture solenoid?

Anything I can find on this carb is very vague at best. And does a poor job of describing anything. All the literature talks to you like a Chrysler master tech lol.
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Thursday, April 17th, 2014 AT 9:36 PM
Tiny
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These are pictures of my front two cylinders plugs, they read lean at the elctrode but rich at the ceramic and ring?
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Thursday, April 17th, 2014 AT 9:38 PM
Tiny
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There is nothing wrong with the plugs
Remove bowl vent cover and gasket. See Fig. 7. With all linkages installed, adjust idle speed screw so throttle plates will fully close.
Using straightedge, check clearance from top of accelerator pump lever to bowl vent cover surface. Clearance should be. 170-190 "(4.31-4.83 m). See Fig. 5.
Adjust clearance by bending pump link. Ensure wide open throttle can be obtained without linkage binding
I have no further suggestions.
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Friday, April 18th, 2014 AT 6:42 AM
Tiny
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Thanks again.

Well I found out today that my coolant temperature sensor is definitely not giving a signal AT ALL. So the computer is staying in closed loop operation, if it is even working properly. So I need to replace that before it will run properly.

I will check on that diagram you sent me. Ty Ty.

I tried a test to see if the computer was cycling the carburetors mixture solenoid properly. I don't think it is. I think the computer has taken a shit on me.
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Friday, April 18th, 2014 AT 5:57 PM
Tiny
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Ok so today, I CHECKED EVERYTHING. Every single wire leaving the computers connectors to their respective places. Everything checked out there without issue, all the sensors and solenoids seem to be functioning. Whether or not the computer is actually working properly and telling everything what is up is a mystery.

It would seem I got about 8.5mpg of all in town romping out of the last 12.5 gallons. That isn't great. BUT I was not driving it to get mileage. So who knows. I guess I will have to do a highway trip of 100 kilometers after topping off the tank and then top it off when I get there and see how many liters of fuel it used. No other way to tell, because the fuel gauge is WAY off.

Is this an 18-20 gallon tank? Putting 12-13 gallons in from almost empty brought the gas gauge way closer to full than half.
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Saturday, April 19th, 2014 AT 4:42 PM

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