Hey guys, I just got an 82 LeBaron with the 2.2l I'm planning to restore. I picked it up a few weeks ago. Everything so far seems to work really well except the radio (which I have a replacement for, I found it at the dump). Just has a few rot issues, needs a couple gaskets, and definitely a carb cleaning. Does anyone have a belt diagram for these? I have one belt to the alternator that blew on me and what I assume to be the air pump on the drivers side? I need to replace these two belts and a couple tires before I take it over to the car wash. From what I've seen, changing the belts on these aren't very fun but I'll end up doing all of them down the road... but if the process turns out to be THAT excruciating I'll just suck it up and do it all in one swing. I would get a manual but besides the belts I don't need any other information. Everything from here on out is cosmetic

 

If you have the black and grey plugs on the radio, you can use later radios up to 2001. Around 2000 you can find them with both a cassette and CD player. Unless you have emissions testing, I wouldn't bother with the A.I.R. pump. Take the belt off it and ignore it. I'm not a fan of FWD cars but the K car was the basis for the LeBaron coupes and convertibles as well as the mini-vans that saved Chrysler.

 

Thanks for the info Grouch. I didn't know if the air pump was a necessary part or not, but I ordered the belt for it anyway. Only cost me a buck on rock auto for a closeout Dayco. As for the radio, I found a freakin' Kenwood that I've tested already and it works, so that's going to go in along with whatever cheap speakers I can find to replace the factory ones once I get to that point (which is dead last on my priority list).
We don't have emissions up here, and I'm actually planning to run this with antique plates till I'm ready to trade/sell. Here in Maine a daily driver has to have a state inspection for rust, suspension, brakes, etc, but antiques are exempt from that if you have a registered DD. I'm still in the midst of a thorough check list, but from a few small runs up and down the road I have little/no concern.

I did figure out the belts, so I have alternator and water pump back. I'm pretty much ready to run this after I get some new tires on it, however I do want to add a few gauges (oil pressure, voltometer, tach if possible). I'm going to do some research on how to do that (I've never done this before) so if anyone knows a resource right off the bat I'd greatly appreciate it!!!

And once the tires do go on, my plan is to take it to my regular mechanic so we can get it up on the lift and I can get an idea of what I'll need, then I'll balance out cost/return. My idea is to trade this one up to a really badass old man car, so I'm aiming to keep my total investment under 800.

EDIT: Is a way to verfiy a rollover on these cars? Mine does show 93xxx but for a 40 y/o car I wouldn't be surprised if there was an extra digit in front.

 

Please, please, PLEASE, use an adapter to install the new radio. Nothing is worse than trying to work in a dash where someone just started whacking on wires. On the emissions pump, I've seen guys gut them and leave the pulley intact. It spins but has no innards. I'd just leave the belt off. For your odometer, it may be an old "granny" car and just have 93K miles. I've got a pickup that was used by a hardware store and only has 121K. If they're all short runs, it may be actual miles.

 

Have you seen the mess I had to deal with in my 92 Dakota? Trust me, I plan to do it the nice way, and I'll even keep the OG radio in a box in the trunk for the next guy. I'm going to go ahead and guess that my best bet would just be to inquire when I go to register the car, maybe it'll show up that there's a 1 in front of that 93xxx. But for the condition, I'm thinking this has been a very well kept car and very well an actual 93k.

I didn't get around to anything tonight, I'm hoping to get out early and snag a muffler and go get some new shoes tomorrow. I will say, the starter wouldn't engage unless I jammed it on and off for a few minutes, but now that I at least start it every day and let it run I haven't been having an issue with it not wanting to start. Still needs a few pumps though. My fuel filter should be in tomorrow or Sat so I'll see what I can do about draining as much of that old 1/4 tank as I can.

 

I'd pull the starter and see if the bendix drive is sticking. If it has a mud dauber nest jamming it, it may just need a cleaning. If it looks good then bench test it. This would be a good time to replace it if it's going out.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the dump bees were getting into it (they really like my 83 Magna), but like I said, after a bunch of running it and engaging the starter the sticking is happening less and less.

Got all the rest of my parts in for the tune up. Muffler and tail pipe are on, new rotor & cap, plugs & wires, and fuel filter. The battery terminals are completely redone so that I can use a different battery than stock. Dropped a nice drink of seafoam down the boomjuice hole and cleaned out a good amount of gunk. Also managed to jiggle the passenger window motor wires a bit and get that to work again.

Next to getting the tires done, I need to get the wiper arms fastened on. I have them connected, but the nut/washer is missing from both arms. Also the pump motor seems to be leaking from what I'd assume to be a release valve if the pressure exceeds x psi. I think the arm squirters are blocked up, so I'll blow those out with air and see if that fixes the problem.

Todays weather is... not exactly what I want to get caught in with the hood up!

And some pics just for the hell of it. The ol' screwdriver through the filter was a first for me. I know some guys like to make them a little tighter but jeeze. I couldn't even get my belt to budge it. Then a pic of the new cap>plugs and the terminal rewire. Used an old chunk of heavy duty jumper for that one, and I set it up so that it can get to any corner of the battery box. The front body strap does need redone and the body>block strap (when I find it), but I didn't have enough parts to finish.

 

I think I'd pull the solenoid off the starter and make sure everything is clean and moves freely. If it's getting better, then something is sticking. I like the little 4 bangers in these cars. They are fairly easy to work on and I've even raced an Omni with that engine in Autocross in parking lot courses.