Simple Things Again

[JOE FULTON <piper_pa20@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Folks,

I have posted before about difficulties with what I
thought was driveline vibration (especially at 55 to
65 mph) in my 80 Spirit with the GM Iron Duke and the
California emissions package.  I thought I had the
problem corrected and was actually satisfied to drive
it without any more tinkering.  It turns out the
problem thus far had been a combination of a bent flex
plate (my fault) and a mistuned emissions carburetor.

Last week, after sitting for several days the car
would not start.  Like a dope I assumed the two year
old battery was not at fault.  At rest it showed 12.5
volts with a voltmeter. I didn't have a helper handy
to test the battery voltage in the "start" mode and I
did not remove it for testing elsewhere at first.
Because the symptoms seemed to come and go when I
jiggled the ignition key, I replaced the ignition
switch.  No joy.  I then replaced the neutral/park
switch on the tranny because again the symptoms (dim
pre-start lights on the panel and no sound from the
solenoid when in "start") were intermittent and seemed
to vary when I jiggled the floor shifter.  Again no
joy.

I then cleaned up the starter/block interface and
tested the starter.  It tested good.  Reinstalled it
and as a last resort replaced both original (25 year
old delco) battery cables and had the battery tested. 
The battery also tested bad under a load test at
Kragens.

The new battery cables and a different battery did the
trick.  The car now runs better that it ever has.  The
idle is so stable it's like a fuel injected car.  I
don't know if this will help anyone on the list
because these Iron Duke AMCs and Jeeps with the
electronic version of the carburetor are getting very
scarce but I now know it sure helps to have a stable
electric system feeding full voltage to the ECM and
this electronic carburetor.   This carburetor is not
that same as the 49-state version, at least not in
1980.

So I did things in just about the reverse order and
made things a lot more complicated and expensive than
they should have been.  Battery and cables should have
been tested first.  Now I know. 

As an aside, the battery was an Exide.  I have had
more troubles in the last few years with Exide
batteries, than any other brand I can remember.  I'll
add that to my do not by list which includes so far:

General Tires
Firestone Tires
Exide Batteries
Amsoil Products

Joe Fulton

Salinas, CA