Just bought a chrysler lebaron

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ike61

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Howdy all. Just picked up this beauty for $300. I know very little about these cars and was looking for advice on trouble areas, maintenance, inexpensive worthwhile mods, etc. My plans are to make the car mechanically good and drive it on nice days and let the kids drive it around. Here is some background:
86 chrysler lebaron, 2.2 turbo, auto trans, rust free, new tires and battery, brand new head replaced 10k miles ago, 90k miles. The top works fine, but has some tears. Probably not worth replacing the top. What trans would this have? Any good? Advice? comments? Thanks

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Those are cool cars I always wanted the turbo shadow they had. I think it was the same engine that was I the lebaron. I had a plain 1992 shadow I loved that car. I wish I still had it
 
I had an 86 gts. 2.2 turbo. Its old, look into replacing the oil feed line to turbo. I replaced mine with a coiled brake line.
check your engine oil as well, it must be turbo approved or it will coke up in the turbo. Turns black fast too.
I was running diesel oil in mine. It seemed to like it.
Had an issue with heat going away on acceleration, turns out line for water valve and egr got swapped. Air bleed by thermostat,if you replace coolant make sure you get all the air out when you refill it.
Check your timing belt too.
The reluctor below the rotor can come loose, a short screw will solve it. Its picky, early multi point injection was prone to this problem. Also the pickup wiring was prone to failure.

thats all i got, it was 20 plus years ago when i had it. Was a good car.
 
I used to run those mopar turbo cars. Just a blast. One trip to the pet store and for 3 bucks I could knock a full second of the E.T. slip. We ran the MP computers that was located behind the passenger kick panel. Brings the factory boost from 7 to 11 psi. Those motors are TOUGH. Head gasket and timing belt are the weak links. After driving it, or racing it, let it idle about 30 seconds. That cools off the turbo.
 
Yup still have my 1989 Daytona 2.2 turbo 2 , steel crank, roller cam all factory .
 
cool

i did the same thing in my 1.8T passat...before i had it reflashed to hold a stead 17 pounds
 
Change the fuel feed and return lines from the firewall to the fuel rail. Use high burst pressure fuel injection rated hose, and fuel injection style smooth hose clamps. I have seen these hoses develop pinhole leaks and hose a hot engine down with a fine spray of fuel and burn the car down. Seen plenty of these in the salvage yards with the front end burnt off because of this.
 
I've owned two Shelby Chargers, a Shelby Lancer, and a LeBaron Convertible. Love the 2.2l turbo and miss those cars. In fact, I have been shopping craigslist for another LeBaron convertible, although I want a 1991, or so.
Advice? The 2.2l turbo loves head gaskets. If Mopar Performance still makes them order several spares now and get new stretch bolts, too. I got to the point that with the assistance of three helpers I could do a 'lift and replace' head gasket swap in one hour flat.
AIS motors like to fail, but just locate the rivets to wire connections and solder flow for the fix. Single board computers fail due to molex connection on the PCB. MAP sensors throw codes due to poor connections; get some DeOxIt and spray every connector in sight often!
These cars have idiosyncrasies; accept this fact and be handy with a wrench and you will have a blast. If you are looking for Honda reliability walk away now.
 
I have a 1986 Turismo,,only torque converter that will work on labaron,k cars,chargers,omni,horizon is an 86 or 87 model.,,anything before 86 was 3 bolt torque converter, 88 and up has a lockup converter for overdrive.,,One problem you may run into, some 86 and 87 was mechanical fuel pump, some was electronic, on the electronic, the pump is in the gas tank, when i put the 89 motor in, had problem locating fuel pump assembly, finally found out a 1987 dodge omni had what i needed.
 
I bought a new 88 LeBaron Convertible 2.2 turbo and drove it for about 13 years. It's one of those cars that I am STILL kicking myself in the *** for selling. It was a GREAT cat.
 
I drove my 91 lebaron convertible 21 years and 174k miles. It had the best "convertibities" of any convertible I've ever owned. Replaced it with a 2012 mustang convertible, but miss ye ol'lebaron and starting to look for a cream puff.
 
That brings back memories.
Those 2.2s rumbled so bad the steering wheel vibrated.
I had a K Car with one, for some reason it kept blowing the distributor pick up.
 
I had the glh and glhs back in the 80's and today I still have a caliber srt 4 in the garage..
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Love that Lebaron and I also love those old Turbo motors.
I had quit a few of them over the years and even put a 2.5 turbo in an old 2.6 mitsu mini van and had a blast. Still have my turbo shadow.

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My buddy put a Conquest Turbo motor and trans. in a Plymouth Arrow. Car was pretty quick.
 
I still have an 88 daytona shelby in the corner of my shop piled high with boxes. I was going to get to it someday, but at least it's out of the elements and safely hidden inside. I also have an 87 lebaton turbo coupe with full digital dash and overhead console parked beside my house. Needs a headgasket. I had put some money in this thing. Would sell it for $800 if anybody wants it. Rust free solid texas car.
 
I never mentioned, guess im getting my mom’s dodge shadow, 140,000 km’s on it. Needs a paint job but solid from end to end.
 
Replace the heater control valve, they are prone to cracking.
When they break it will dump all the coolant out of the engine.
 
Thanks a lot everybody. Appreciate the feedback. Anything on the transmission?
 
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