Project: 1981 Chrysler Imperial

**Jeff** · 11-24-2010, 10:45 AM

I demand more pics.

I think we need to diagnose it's no-start issue before we go to tearing off the EFI. The lean burn needs to go. I'm sure I can help get parts to just convert it to mid 70's electronic ignition w/o lean burn. Lose that and lose all the emissions stuff. Once that is done see if we can get it going with the TBI.

Huh, on a side note. It looks like this car might be one of less the 100 built in this color in 1981.

Adam, take a look a this. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1981/81EFI/Cover.htm">http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1981/81EFI/Cover.htm</a>

***ViPER1313*** · 11-24-2010, 12:11 PM

Goal number one motor wise is to get it cranking and see if I have any spark at all, and try to determine if it's purely a fuel issue. I've got a battery all charged up and a can of starting fluid, and I'll see if it will kick over at all this Friday / weekend. Truthfully, I don't even want to bother with all the engine computer / EFI BS. I just want to get a carb manifold and the cheapest functional 2 barrel I can find, slap an electronic fuel pump and cheap Ebay FPR on it and call it a day.

So far as rare oddities about this car, it came with 4 Cartier crystals from the factory (2 on the door pillars, 1 for the hood ornament and one in the steering wheel.) Doors are missing but the hood ornament and steering wheel are still there, and from what I can tell the hood is not a replacement plastic one.

***ViPER1313*** · 11-26-2010, 07:45 PM

Moar pics:

[Image: img2294custom.jpg]

Maengelito · 11-26-2010, 10:57 PM

your poor neighbors...

V1GiLaNtE · 11-28-2010, 07:20 PM

This thing just screams Pimp Mobile/ Crack dealer car...

***ViPER1313*** · 11-28-2010, 08:15 PM

Other features that (strangely enough) work - power windows and power seats. Considering the extensive damage to the interior given all the moisture, I am really surprised by all this. Interior is almost gutted (excluding dash) - more pics soon.

**xvxax** · 11-29-2010, 12:58 PM

I can only imagine how thrilled your neighbors were when you pushed that beauty up the driveway.

Lots of... uhh patina I guess. And potential. Yeah, that's what they call it. Plenty of potential. It can only get better from here, right?

**Jeff** · 11-29-2010, 01:11 PM

Can I get that push button radio?

***ViPER1313*** · 11-30-2010, 02:50 PM

Sure - I don't think it works though. If it does work I'll give it to you after the rally - bad tunes are better than no tunes.

***ViPER1313*** · 12-11-2010, 08:46 PM

Updates:

I bought a junk yard battery, removed the accessory belts and fan for easier access to the front of the motor, and pulled out the engine computer / TBI metering computer. Pulled all the spark plugs, put some WD40 down the plug holes and turned the motor over with a breaker bar. The starter will now turn the motor over. The fuel pump also works - the throttle body injection sprayed a fine mist of stale gasoline all over my garage as the motor was turning. I disconnected the fuel pump after that :finger: . The car doesn't have any spark - I'm not sure whether you need the computer for that or not - it's a coil + distributor setup, I figured the coil would power the distributor without any of the computer stuff in place.

Next up - freeing the throttle body up (it's rusted shut) and diagnosing the no-spark condition.

**Jeff** · 12-12-2010, 10:55 AM

The lean burn is controlled by the computer. So no spark if the computer is not connected. MOAR PICS! Phil is really getting a kick out of this.

Oh, an I think this mighty Mopar has earned mention in your sig.

***ViPER1313*** · 12-15-2010, 03:27 PM

Hooked the lean burn back up - car has spark + compression. Charging the battery up again today (it was cranking slow last night) and I'm going to see if I can get it to kick over later tonight with some starter fluid, I promise video if it will. I also got the throttle body open a bit - the entire assembly is coated in what looks like melted hot-glue (which I think it is....from the back of the engine computer....) I want to smack the person who thought that the intake manifold was a good place for an engine computer....

Assuming it will kick over, my plan is:

-Get/install the carb and intake manifold from Phil if he still has them (or source a cheap 2-barrel and manifold) (??Free??)
-Drain and re-fill fuel tank, install single fuel filter to a cheap fuel pressure regulator to bring FI (20+PSI) pressure down to 4 or 5 PSI for the carb(I ****think**** this will work, although it might be easier to get a carb fuel pump....)
-Get a non-lean burn coil / vacuum advance distributor / "orange box" controller. (~$100)
-Get brake situation worked out.
-Success!

Other nerdy things I have learned about older cars that I think are pretty cool.

1. They have temperature operated vacuum switches! Cold when closed, engine gets hot, allows engine vacuum through it. Which leads me to....
2. They use engine vacuum and air for everything instead of electronics. Advancing the engine timing? Vacuum. Adjust fuel mixture? Engine vacuum. Reduce emissions? Pump air into the motor.
3. Distributor coils use drop-voltage "ballast resistors" to limit engine spark voltage while the car is running. Basically it's a resistor that gets incredibly hot and stops the coil from getting full voltage (after starting the car) to prevent wear on the distributor points....

**Jeff** · 12-15-2010, 08:01 PM

Old School cool.

V1GiLaNtE · 12-15-2010, 08:48 PM

WIN

ScottyB · 12-15-2010, 09:58 PM

i'm enjoying the "discovered old stuff facts" as much as the car build.

**Jeff** · 03-12-2011, 01:20 AM

Bump. Needs Moar UPDATE

***ViPER1313*** · 03-14-2011, 09:36 AM

None to really speak of, I got caught up with the Talon and then my buddies bike. Truthfully, I think that I am going to get rid of the car and donate the funds to the club per my agreement with Phil. The money it's going to take to get this thing to even kick over (starter that died, fuel lines, fuel pump, carburetor, ignition system) plus the things it needs to be drivable (hoses, tires, brake lines, probably a master cylinder, radiator) and the unknown (whether the transmission actually works) is kind of off-putting. Sitting like it did in that field basically ruined everything of value. I would rather end up ahead money wise on this than behind, and I don't want want to dump $300 into a carb/fuel pump/ignition box/distributor and then find that the transmission won't shift. I'd rather look at it as a $300 donation to the club than a money pit :dunno: .

CaptainHenreh · 03-14-2011, 09:39 AM

MM fails once again.

Cry

***ViPER1313*** · 03-14-2011, 10:00 AM

CaptainHenreh Wrote:MM fails once again.

I am still doing the BABE rally (already paid for the spot) but the more I tear into this car, the more it doesn't make sense to bring it back from the dead. Sad - yes, I really do want to get this car up and running, but I don't want to spend $1500 and 100 hours to do so. The only reason I haven't sold it is because I feel bad about doing it because it was given to me for this rally, and I really think Phil would get a kick out of seeing it run. Getting it sight-unseen was a mistake on my part.

**Jeff** · 03-14-2011, 10:22 AM

I wish I would have known how bad off it was. I thought it was in better shape but the last time I saw it was awhile ago and I didn't get as good a look as I should have. Just donate it and get rid of it. Phil will be dissapoint but I will just tell him it was to much and the money got donated to the club or whatever you want me to tell him. Get me that radio and any of the Crystal pentastars.

What If I told you I had a running driving 1986 Pontiac Bonniville? 4.3L RWD. $500.

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