Strange Thing Happened Today

Over time I have found this site to be about the most accurate at predicting values of older vehicles. Just click under pricing and make the choices needed to arrive at a price. Scott's 300 is not a letter series L model, so that will affect pricing a little. Be sure to read the condition guide before selecting which condition to click on - it is more strict than you might expect from just a number sequence (i.e. the pricing is not linear with the numbers). Having said that though, I know this car well and you can be sure it is as close to a number 1 condition as you will find.

http://www.vmrintl.com/cctm/coll_frame.htm
 
I think I discovered the culprit to my intermittent stalling issue: the carb. After 4 years and just over 2,500 miles, it appears the "fuel" we get here in CA gummed up the idle circuit. Upon disassemble, we also found the accelerator pump damaged which could explain the stuttering and stalling at throttle tip in. Thanks to Steve (saforwardlook) for diagnosing the issue and walking me through my first AFB rebuild. You rock Steve! I was only able to let it idle for 5 minutes or so the weekend but it did not stall or sputter. The plan for this weekend is to take it out, get it up to temp and dial in the carb. Here's to four more years of trouble free cruising!
 
Over time I have found this site to be about the most accurate at predicting values of older vehicles.

I agree. It is the value guide I have been using for sometime now and it seems to best reflect market values, as opposed to insurance replacement values which are usually inflated.
 
Glad to see you found the culprit. I am having issues with my carb too. I have put about 2,500 miles also, but in 2 years. Mine is empting out the gas from the carb over night resulting in hard starts.

My buddy said to bring it over and we would check it out. He said he is pretty certain of the problem. I will be running a Lucas product to counter act the ethanol, he said it is probably part of the problem.
 
Glad to see you found the culprit. I am having issues with my carb too. I have put about 2,500 miles also, but in 2 years. Mine is empting out the gas from the carb over night resulting in hard starts.

My buddy said to bring it over and we would check it out. He said he is pretty certain of the problem. I will be running a Lucas product to counter act the ethanol, he said it is probably part of the problem.

What does he think the culprit is? Can you post a link to the Lucas product you mentioned?
 
Glad to help you for once Scott. Detroit Matt turned me on to it. I found it at Advance Auto and Walmart. It is in a green bottle and it is called Safeguard Ethanol Fuel treatment.

10576_Safeguard_800x950.jpg

10576_Safeguard_800x950.jpg
 
I think I discovered the culprit to my intermittent stalling issue: the carb. After 4 years and just over 2,500 miles, it appears the "fuel" we get here in CA gummed up the idle circuit. Upon disassemble, we also found the accelerator pump damaged which could explain the stuttering and stalling at throttle tip in. Thanks to Steve (saforwardlook) for diagnosing the issue and walking me through my first AFB rebuild. You rock Steve! I was only able to let it idle for 5 minutes or so the weekend but it did not stall or sputter. The plan for this weekend is to take it out, get it up to temp and dial in the carb. Here's to four more years of trouble free cruising!

Rex: Throw some marine 2-cycle oil with TC-W3 in the gas tank (one ounce to every five gallons). It will keep the carb passages clean and the accelerator pump lubricated. It will also keep the valves clean and lubricate the piston ring pack, which will give you better compression (and all the benefits that go with that). After your third tank of gas, you will see a noticeable improvement in how the engine runs and performs.

To everyone else here: I know I sound like a broken record with this TC-W3 stuff, but it has really worked for me.
 
Rex: Throw some marine 2-cycle oil with TC-W3 in the gas tank (one ounce to every five gallons). It will keep the carb passages clean and the accelerator pump lubricated. It will also keep the valves clean and lubricate the piston ring pack, which will give you better compression (and all the benefits that go with that). After your third tank of gas, you will see a noticeable improvement in how the engine runs and performs.

To everyone else here: I know I sound like a broken record with this TC-W3 stuff, but it has really worked for me.

I use the 2 cycle oil too with the TC-W3 additive in conjunction with Star-Brite treatment for the ethanol with good results too thus far. Just don't use more of the two cycle oil than recommended to achieve best results. This is the combination that the motorcycle clubs seem to have converged on for best results when starting engines that sit for extended periods with gasoline with ethanol in them.
 
I use the 2 cycle oil too with the TC-W3 additive in conjunction with Star-Brite treatment for the ethanol with good results too thus far. Just don't use more of the two cycle oil than recommended to achieve best results. This is the combination that the motorcycle clubs seem to have converged on for best results when starting engines that sit for extended periods with gasoline with ethanol in them.

This one Steve?

http://www.starbrite.com/item/star-tron-gasoline-additive?category_id=699
 
Yes, that is the one. It is available at Autozone, as is of course the two cycle oil with the TC-W3 additive (most of the brands have this additive, but check the label to be sure).
 
Yes, that is the one. It is available at Autozone, as is of course the two cycle oil with the TC-W3 additive (most of the brands have this additive, but check the label to be sure).

The hot setup for 2-cycle oil with TC-W3 is Wally World. You can get a gallon (their brand) for around $13.00
 
My only concern is...... you guys are saying use 1 ounce of 2 stroke oil to 5 gallons of fuel. That seems awful thin to me even if your just using it for accelerator pumps ect. A 50:1 mix is 2.6 ounces per gallon of gas, what's the concern with using even 1 ounce per gallon?
 
My only concern is...... you guys are saying use 1 ounce of 2 stroke oil to 5 gallons of fuel. That seems awful thin to me even if your just using it for accelerator pumps ect. A 50:1 mix is 2.6 ounces per gallon of gas, what's the concern with using even 1 ounce per gallon?

At the risk of being blemished by GM-speak, read some of the postings at the beginning of the following thread:

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f48/been-testing-oil-91206/

This thread explains it all and answers your questions
 
I just read ten pages and here's what I got out of it....I'm very grateful that my car isn't show quality, nor 100% stock/oem. Throw in a circuit breaker or ATO fuse and be done with it.

How many AMPS is this fusible link rated for?
 
I just read ten pages and here's what I got out of it....I'm very grateful that my car isn't show quality, nor 100% stock/oem. Throw in a circuit breaker or ATO fuse and be done with it.

How many AMPS is this fusible link rated for?

:confused2:
 
I just read ten pages and here's what I got out of it....I'm very grateful that my car isn't show quality, nor 100% stock/oem. Throw in a circuit breaker or ATO fuse and be done with it.

How many AMPS is this fusible link rated for?


Maybe this may help, :book1:


http://www.minimopar.net/electrical-links.html



Electrical Issues: Fusible Links

Description

The page describes how to diagnose and repair fusible links. Fusible links are the electrical system's last line of defense against electrical fires. They distribute power to the main parts of the electrical system and carry loads far greater than any automotive fuse can handle.

Diagnosis

If your vehicle is an 1989 or earlier model, then you probably have hypalon wire fusible links. These look just like regular wires, except the insulation is made out of a special, flame-proof material. The easiest way to test them is to tug on them. A blown link will stretch like a rubber band. The diagram below shows a typical A1 distribution (using hypalon wires, based off of 1987 configuration).
electrical-maindist.gif
Later models have a power distribution center under the hood, near the battery which contains a bank of MAXI fuses that serve as the fusible links. The underhood relays are also located here. These look like large automotive fuses and can be visually inspected.
See the Electrical Issues: Main Power Feeds page for specific diagnosis of the various circuits.

Repair

This section concentrates on repairing the older hypalon fusible links, since the MAXI fuses can simply be replaced. There are a couple of ways to repair a hypalon fusible link, depending on how the link blew. It is important to understand why the link blew in the first place before repairing the link. Once the root cause has been addressed, the link may be repaired using one of these methods:
Temporary Patch

To aid in diagnosing the root cause, a temporary patch may be made depending where the link blew. If the link blew somewhere along the length of the wire within an inch of each end, the link can be spliced back together by stripping about 1/2 inch of insulation off of each end of the link and connecting it back together with a crimp-on butt connector or by twisting the link wire together and using a wire nut. Note that this should not be done as a perminant fix, as the spliced link will not have the correct current rating and the connection will be prone to failure due to corrosion.
Replacing the Link

Fusible link wire may be purchased at most auto parts stores. The correct gauge and length of wire must be used in order to achieve the correct current rating. The following table lists the Chrysler color coding on its hypalon fusible links. Be sure to cut the new link to match the length of the original.

  • ColorWire Gauge
    Black12
    Red14
    Dark Blue16
    Grey18
    Orange20
    White22
When replacing the link, cut the old link completely out of the old wiring and strip about 1/2 inch of insulation off of each wire and the each end of the link. If this link is off of the rubber multiple connection insulator, cut the old link flush to the insulator and strip about 1 inch of insulaton off of the A1 feed wire just before the insulator. Then solder the new link to the wires and wrap the connections with electrical tape and then harness tape ("friction tape" at most hardware stores).
Upgrading the Link

Rather than replace the old hypalon link with the same material, you have the option of replacing the link with a more modern replacement. There are two options available. The link can either be replaced with a cartridge-type fusible link ("Pacific Fuse") or a Maxi fuse instead. Pacific fuses come in a few different form factors. The easiest version to adapt is the type with copper lugs that have a hole through them. However, since these Pacific fuses are wired in directly, it makes them more cumbersome to replace again later. Maxi fuse holders are available at most auto parts stores. Since Chrysler switched to Maxi fuses in later models, that is what is recommended.
Selecting the correctly-rated fuse is not straight forward, as the hypalon link current capacity is a function of its size and length. They are generally selected to protect a particular size circuit wire and the general rule of thumb is the fusible link gauge should be 4 less than the circuit it's protecting (thus a 12 gauge circuit will be protected by a 16 gauge fusible link). The chart below uses the Maxi fuse ratings of later model (1989 and up) electrical systems as a guide for Maxi fuse size selection. This is possible because the power distribution did not really change electically on vehicles with the power distribution center, thus the circuit rating could be deduced from this.

  • CircuitHypalon Link TypeMAXI Fuse RatingCircuit Wire
    Alternator Feed (R6)12 gauge (black)160 amp (2x80 in parallel)8 gauge (BK)
    Radiator Fan (C26)20 gauge (orange)40 amp14 gauge (GY)
    Ignition Feed (J10)18 gauge (grey)50 amp12 gauge (PK/BK*)
    Ignition Feed (J1)20 gauge (orange)40 amp12 gauge (RD)
    ECU/ASD Feed (J1)22 gauge (white)30 amp12 gauge (PK)
    Direct Battery Feed (L1)18 gauge (grey)50 amp12 gauge (RD/WT*)
    Heated Rear Window (C13)18 gauge (grey)40 amp12 gauge (BK/RD*)
    Hazard Flasher (A3)20 gauge (orange)20 amp14 gauge (PK)
When replacing the link with the Maxi fuse socket, the procedure is much the same as before. Cut the old link completely out of the old wiring and strip about 1/2 inch of insulation off of each wire. If this link is off of the rubber multiple connection insulator, cut the old link flush to the insulator and strip about 1 inch of insulaton off of the A1 feed wire just before the insulator. Then solder a short length of regular copper wire (using the size specified in the table above) to each end of the blown circuit and wrap the connections with electrical tape and then harness tape ("friction tape" at most hardware stores). Then connect the new wires to the Maxi fuse socket. Some sockets have bare screw terminals, which must be insulated with tape and/or heat shrink tubing.
 
I just read ten pages and here's what I got out of it....I'm very grateful that my car isn't show quality, nor 100% stock/oem. Throw in a circuit breaker or ATO fuse and be done with it.

How many AMPS is this fusible link rated for?

Here's what I got out of your post: you didn't read all ten pages or your reading comprehension skills are lacking. Let me give you the Cliff's Notes version: The issue as outlined in my initial post isn't the Fusible Link and never has been. The issue is poor fuel quality which is an unbiased epidemic as it relates to the quality or correctness of the car in question, thus necessitating a premature rebuild of the carburetor.
 
I went with the Lucas Oil treatment Mike posted as O'Reilly didn't have the Star Brite stuff. I also got the 2 cycle oil with the TC-W3 additive. I put it in the GTO this afternoon and will handle the 300 tomorrow when I take it out.
 
So I must have imagined the first five pages which talked of nothing but fusible links? lol. Basically, what I was saying is that I am grateful that I don't have to be so detailed and accurate with my car repair.
 
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