QuestionHi Roland,
I just bought a 1990 LeBaron convertable 3.0L. The power top started to give me trouble intermitently going up and down. I had the pump motor rebuilt and it worked for a while,then the same problem.The guy rebuilt the motor again and added an extra seal to keep the Dextron out of the motor. The motor spins over fine. I unfortunately broke one of the hydraulic lines,(going to the top of the rams) and replaced it with a slightly longer line that was designed to go to the bottom rams. I have a slight and I mean slight leak on the top drivers side Ram...crossthreading caused this (my fault)at the hydraulic line bolt in area on the ram. Now the top hardly works at all! It is like it has lost it's strength. It will go down if I give it a hand and push it the first foot or so. To get the top up, I have to keep the "up" button pressed in with a screw, and lift up on the top until it gets halfway up. What gives? The fluid levels are fine..I constantly filled and rechecked levels in pump after cycling top through up and down. I don't get how the top worked fine the first time I repaired it, and now this.
Not to be greedy with your time, but my air conditining has suddenly given up as well. The clutch dosen't engage when I push the air conditioning button. The cooling fan will come on.
I see some electrical deflection in the voltmeter but it will deflect indicating draw and then slowly go back to normal. The gauge use to solidly deflect "left" when the airconditioner worked.
Any ideas on the top or the air would be of help
Thanks in advance,
Ron Smith
AnswerHi Ron,
I too have a LeBaron but mine is an '89 coupe. So I don't have any experience with the convertible top. May I suggest that you bring your situation to the attention of one of the two Yahoo auto groups that specialize in the LeBaron. The one I co-moderate is called The Chrysler LeBaron Club and we have about 1,000 members, mostly who own the convertible. So if you sign up a Yahoo thus
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/thechryslerlebaronclub
you can get some feedback from all the members.
On the AC, I wonder if you may be low on refrigerant? There is a safety pressure valve which will prevent the clutch from engaging the compressor if the pressure drops below a minimum level for safe operation. You may have a sight glass fixture near the right front inner fender, and if you see bubbles inside of it that is a sign that the pressure is too low due to loss of refrigerant. Otherwise, let me know and we can check out the relay circuit for a problem with electrical issues.
Roland
