I'm New Here, W/ An '85 Shelby Charger

[bill440cars]

I'm Bill and I picked up on a deal for an '85 Shelby Charger (Turbo'd) and things were just fine and then it died on me and won't start. I lost power to the distributor and the electric fuel pump. There have been a number of modifications to this car too. I'm told that there are fusible links in the electrical system and that THAT is most likely my problem. Any input as to where those links are? I haven't spent too much time checking it out, as I've been pretty busy. When I get the chance (maybe this evening) I'll post the changes that were made and I can say now that the car has SOME parts from a Daytona Shelby Z (such as, the wheels, the rear disc brake, the master cylinder and the Shifter w/ cables) and it has an intercooler from an SRT4.

BTW, been a Mopar man since way before there Mopar name came into being. Had a '56 Plymouth, 2 '66 Chargers, 2 '69 road runners, a '76 road runner, a '74 Dodge Royal Monaco (ex Arkansas state police car), an '84 Plymouth Turismo 2.2 and now have the Shelby, a '69 Plymouth GTX and an '07 Charger R/T.

[butchsuppe]

Welcome to the board, here's where you want to start....http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/

[bill440cars]

Welcome to the board, here's where you want to start....http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/

Thank you for the Welcome AND the link to the Troubleshooting area as well. I joined here sometime back, but kinda got sidetracked and didn't make it back.

I've got a friend who is working on getting a Neon SRT4 and I'll definitely recommend they come over here as well. Now, THAT car has NO problem! Hoping to get MINE back in action as well. The Previous owner says they used to "Spank" Mustangs with this one. Supposed to be putting out around 250hp with the capability of about 300 with the cam dialed in. That's alot of HP for such a little engine, isn't it? I've got a list of the mods that were done to it and when I figure out exactly where I can post them, I'll get at it.

Gonna try to get after the Shelby Tomorrow, weather permitting.

[cordes]

You may as well just post it up in here so we can help you get it running in one thread.

The first thing I would check is that it is seeing a signal from the HEP. To do this disconnect the battery and wait for a minute or so to reset the computer.

Then crank the engine over. Now pull the codes by cycling the key from off to the run postition.

On-off-on-off-on.

The check engine light should hopefully blink the codes at you. A series of long flashes will make up the first number, the shorter flashes will be the second number.

You should see a code 12 for the battery being recently disconnected and 55 signals the end of the codes. You'll get these pretty much all the time.

If you get a code 11 after resetting the computer that tells you that the computer has never seen a HEP signal. That indicates that the HEP is bad. Since the HEP being bad won't allow for the fuel pump to run or the coil to fire that could surely be your problem.

You also should check to make sure that the cam is spinning while you are cranking the motor. You could have stripped off teeth from the timing belt near the crank, or the belt could be broken. Either way, they are non-interference motors so it is no big deal.

Welcome to the site.


ETA: IF the hep is sending out a signal and the cam turns, run a jumper wire from the + battery terminal to the + side of the coil. That will energize the fuel pump. If the pump doesn't run it is either bad, or there is a break in the connection to the pump which you will need to track down.

[bill440cars]

You may as well just post it up in here so we can help you get it running in one thread.

The first thing I would check is that it is seeing a signal from the HEP. To do this disconnect the battery and wait for a minute or so to reset the computer.

Then crank the engine over. Now pull the codes by cycling the key from off to the run postition.

On-off-on-off-on.

The check engine light should hopefully blink the codes at you. A series of long flashes will make up the first number, the shorter flashes will be the second number.

You should see a code 12 for the battery being recently disconnected and 55 signals the end of the codes. You'll get these pretty much all the time.

If you get a code 11 after resetting the computer that tells you that the computer has never seen a HEP signal. That indicates that the HEP is bad. Since the HEP being bad won't allow for the fuel pump to run or the coil to fire that could surely be your problem.

You also should check to make sure that the cam is spinning while you are cranking the motor. You could have stripped off teeth from the timing belt near the crank, or the belt could be broken. Either way, they are non-interference motors so it is no big deal.

Welcome to the site.


ETA: IF the hep is sending out a signal and the cam turns, run a jumper wire from the + battery terminal to the + side of the coil. That will energize the fuel pump. If the pump doesn't run it is either bad, or there is a break in the connection to the pump which you will need to track down.

Man, this is getting better by the minute! You might not believe this, but I've used the switch on, off deal before on my Minivans and it never crossed my mind. Now, I DID hot wire the fuel pump and it IS good. I just gotta find the problem of why there is no fire there when there should be. I'm getting a good feeling about this guys. Thanks.

BTW, Here is what was supposed to have been done to the Lil '85 Shelby Charger that I have:

(as posted on the ebay listing, that I bought it from)

Suspension:

1. KYB Struts & Strut Mounts in the front & rear
2. New Shelby Front Springs
3. Rear Disc Brakes from an 87' Shelby Daytona Z
4. Mopar Performance Rear Sway Bar
5. 87' Daytona Shelby Z wheels 15" x 6"
6. Daytona Shelby Z Front Sway Bar 1 1/4"
7. All New Bushings
8. Rebuilt Rack and Pinion
9. New Outer Tie Rod ends
10. New Front Brake Calipers, Rotors & Hoses
11. 205/50/15 Cooper Zeion Tires

Transmission:

1. A555 Trans From 87' Daytona Shelby Z
2. Shifter & Cables From 87' Daytona Shelby Z
3. Differential locker unit
4. H.P. Axle Shafts from Forward Motion
5. New Street Disc & Stronger Performance Pressure Plate
6. New Trans Mounts
7. New Findanza Aluminum Flywheel
8. New Custom 6 Puc Clutch (with car, in a box)

Engine:

1. New Custom Intercooler from a 2003 Dodge SRT4
2. New Engine Mounts
3. New Ported 58mm Throttle Body
4. New 475 Cam from Forward Motion
5. New High RPM lifters
6. 87' Daytona Shelby Z High Swirl Ported & Polished Head
7. New Ported Exhaust Manifold
8. Block has been "O-ringed"
9. New Radiator
10. Shelby T2 2 Piece Ported and PolishedIntake Manifold
11. New Mopar Performance Stainless Steel 2mm Larger Intake & Exhaust
Valves
12. New Mopar Performance Springs & Titanium Retainers
13. Powder Coated Valve Cover
14. New Custom Forged Steel Rods
15. New Custom Forged Steel Crankshaft
16. New Custom Forged Aluminum Pistons
17. New Oil Pump
18. New Enforcer 2 Turbo From Forward Motion
19. New Cold Air Hose & K & N Filter
20. New Oil Catch Can
21. New Oil & Coolant Lines At Turbo
22. New ARP Head & Main Studs
23. New ARP Rod Bolts
24. New Evaporator
25. New Heater Core
26. New Fuel Rail
27. New Fuel Injectors Mopar Performance P/N 4452804
28. New Fuel Pressure Regulator
29. New Inline Mopar Performance Super 60 300 LPH Fuel Pump
30. New Shelby Stage 2 Computer
31. New Water Pump
32. New Hi Amp Alternator (Later model and it has been wired to a
standard Mopar voltage regulator, instead of to the computer like the
stock one was) "Nice Touch"
33. New Findanza Underdrive Pulley from Forward Motion
34. New Findanza Custom made Adjustable Cam Gear
35. New Hardened Followers
36. New Mopar Perfpormance Valve Keepers
37. New Greddy Type S Blowoff Valve
38. Power Steering Pump Is Factory Original, But Rebuilt with New Seals

Exhaust:

1. Ported 2.5" Exhaust O2 Housing
2. New Custom 3" Down Pipe 32' Long To 2.5" over Axle Pipe Into new
DynoMax Muffler with New Stainless Steel Tip

Extras:

1. New Audiometer Exhaust Temp Gauge
2. New Audiometer 20lb Boost Gauge
3. New Audiometer Tach
4. New Audiometer Air/Fuel Gauge
5. New Blitz Turbo Timer
6. New Kenwood Stereo (June 2009)
7. New 6 x 9 Speakers In the Rear (also June 2009)
8. New Optima Battery (installed 1 Dec2009)
9. Fire Extinguisher


It came out of Del Ray Beach, FL.

[BadAssPerformance]

Welcome to the forum!

[bill440cars]

Welcome to the forum!

Thank you and let me say that THAT is One BAD looking Daytona!

[cordes]

Sounds like you should be off to the races in no time. Post up with the results of the codes etc. Hopefully it isn't any crazy electrical problem.

[bill440cars]

Sounds like you should be off to the races in no time. Post up with the results of the codes etc. Hopefully it isn't any crazy electrical problem.

It WAS pretty exciting to drive the thing, before I lost electrical power to the dist. & fuel pump. I'm thinking it just might be a fusible link. just have to determine where it is. And Pray that's all it is. Everything was fine and all of a sudden it shut off.

Can't wait to get it going again.

[cordes]

The fusible links are located next to the driver's side strut tower.

[BadAssPerformance]

Thank you and let me say that THAT is One BAD looking Daytona!

Thanks!

[ShadowFromHell]

I would lean towards swapping in a new HEP too, but I blew a fusible link in my NY one time and had the same problem. With the fusible links, check them with a DVOM. I visual inspection may not show a problem, at least my new yorker didn't.

BTW, sounds like you bought one hell of a car, have fun! But I will warn you... Boost and TM's are worse then crack! Before you know it you will be trying to figure out where to put your 5th one, and none of them will run... lol.

[bill440cars]

I would lean towards swapping in a new HEP too, but I blew a fusible link in my NY one time and had the same problem. With the fusible links, check them with a DVOM. I visual inspection may not show a problem, at least my new yorker didn't.

BTW, sounds like you bought one hell of a car, have fun! But I will warn you... Boost and TM's are worse then crack! Before you know it you will be trying to figure out where to put your 5th one, and none of them will run... lol.

Thanks, I hope to get this one squared away, so that I CAN enjoy it more and shake up some unsuspecting folks. Got a couple more Mopars and some bikes. Sitting on the drive way are also my '69 Plymouth GTX and '07 Charger R/T. that other 2 provide some excitement as well. But the Shelby IS an experience..

[j4278h]

possible bad power module next to the battery.

[minigts]

possible bad power module next to the battery.

+1 If you're not getting power just about anywhere, I'd see about swapping that for another one. You'll need to get a spare one of those anyways, so I would look for one regardless.

[bill440cars]

The fusible links are located next to the driver's side strut tower.

Oops sorry I didn't see this sooner, Thanks for that.

[bill440cars]

possible bad power module next to the battery.

I'll have to check and see if there still is one of those. You see, the previous owner did some mods like getting a good sealed battery and installing it in the rear, under the hatch and over on the left rear side. I DO know that he took out the shutdown relay, as there is a connector and NO relay. What I DON'T understand is, with ALL of the mods he did to this car, WHY didn't he replace those fusible links with fuses? He seemed to be really up on this stuff and yet left the links. Soon as I get this figured out, I'm going the fuse route.

[2.216VTurbo]

Welcome Bill, I don't have anything to add on your diagnosis that these guys haven't already. I used to live in Searcy in 1989 and raced my 87 GLHS at a few different area tracks. Pine bluff has a track, there was another one twards TN but I can't recall the name Sounds like you bought a great start on a project car, whoever you bought it from spent some coin on all those new bits

[bill440cars]

+1 If you're not getting power just about anywhere, I'd see about swapping that for another one. You'll need to get a spare one of those anyways, so I would look for one regardless.

Only things that I KNOW that I'm not getting power to are the fuel pump and the distributor.

[bill440cars]

Welcome Bill, I don't have anything to add on your diagnosis that these guys haven't already. I used to live in Searcy in 1989 and raced my 87 GLHS at a few different area tracks. Pine bluff has a track, there was another one twards TN but I can't recall the name Sounds like you bought a great start on a project car, whoever you bought it from spent some coin on all those new bits

Yeah, I've been to Searcy a few times and there used to ba a Lil GLHS Om ni around here a few years ago, that used to really shake up some of those BAD car (so they thought). There used to be one at Carlisle. That's east of Little Rock and on the way to Tenn. It's been gone for a spell now.

Yeah, there HAS been quite a bit done to this car, but there is still a fair amount to make it really nice. It looks pretty good though, as is.