Worst Engines of All Time: Chrysler 318/360/400/440 V8 Electronic Lean Burn

Learn more about Chrysler's malaise-era Electronic Lean Burn system that was used on numerous engines, including the 318, 360, 400, and 440 cubic inch V8s, and why it injected fear into the heart and soul of many mechanics.

[@stewieiommi]

I worked at a Chrysler dealer as a service advisor in '77. A young attorney customer BEGGED me to do anything that would fix his black Cordoba. He complained that while out in the car on a date, it "smells like I sh*t my pants"! The techs did all the could, the district rep got involved to no avail. There was little or no oversight at the time, so.... they cut out the catalytic converter. No more rotten egg smell, but the car was still a pig.

[@joehovanec1985]

I had bought a new 77 Cordoba. Beautiful looking car. I was disappointed in many ways. The running problems mentioned, driver's seat would put my legs to sleep, the rotten egg smell, early rusting, etc. Never drove it in New York winters. Nobody thinks of them as classics. I've been disappointed in Chryslers for too long now.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Here in California, he would have had to do that himself, as any shop cutting out the converter risks a $50,000.00 fine. And he would have had to put it back in for smog-check time, then remove it again.

[@maxr4448]

Those were beautifully styled cars. Chryslers had the best looking cars in the day, Their bumpers were so much styled into the car, than any other car back then, hands down. Actually looked like a part of the design. Not after thoughts.

[@msmeyersmd8]

The Chrysler Cordoba. "Look what they've done to my Car" said the famous actor, Ricardo Montalbán, in the TV commercials for the Cordoba. Many years later I saw him interviewed on a talk show. Maybe "The Tonight Show" or its equivalent at the time. I remember laughing and being disappointed at the same time when Ricardo revealed that there was no such thing as the "Corinthian Leather" that he promoted as being used as the seat material. In the Cordoba that he promoted in the TV commercial. It was a made up name implying rare and exquisite quality. Just like the ""haute couture" name brand (that I've never heard of) GD leather purses that my wife dreams about looking at catalogues. She's had one that was originally about $1k, that we bought second hand for $200 In unused, new in box, condition from one of her friends. At least it was big, used a fair amount of vinyl, and held a lot of stuff. So...useful, at least. And when the exterior material developed a tear? It was replaced with a new one. ASAP. Easy for a company to do with a 10,000%+ markup. Honestly, my wife is realistic about the BS and hype. It's her friends that are not. My wife is a part time realtor/well paid assistant who basically covers for her "boss" friend who's the Main Realtor. 42yo recent divorcee, skinny attractive blonde who really likes to get shit faced drunk, smoke marijuana, has 2 kids graduated from college (Thank God), has a Tramp stamp and just inherited about 5M when her Dad died. She gave my wife a $3000+ bonus Christmas gift purse last year with a 45 degree tilted Chrome F in a Circle purse last Christmas. I've never heard of the company. My wife has said the name 50 times and I still can't remember it. I'm not sure exists, other than to sell exhorbitantly priced purses. We were shopping in WalMart about a week ago. Something I rarely do because they are an evil monopolistic company. I prefer local. But, in a major freeway town of ~275.000+ people, there's not that much local business left after the CV debacle. So, in WalMart, waiting for a drug prescription refill ($530 at WalGreens...$18 at WalMart...WTF?); the other day for some basic items. I'm 63 and prefer to push the cart because it lessens my back pain. She left down an aisle for a minute to look at something and said "keep an eye on my purse". I waited, looked at the cart, the purse, thought about the contents of the purse which were her wallet, ~ a couple hundred $ in cash, credit/debit cards with 5-20k limits, Driver's licence, Health Insurance Cards, VA card (She and I are both military Vets), SS Card, car keys with two expensive RFID key fobs and our house key. Plus the usual detritus of life. Gum, lip stick, mascara, breath mints, receipts from the 20th Century (not that old but dated), Kleenex (probably with lip stick on it?), etc. And I had an epiphany. That GD purse alone was "worth" more than everything it contained. Sorry to get dark. But that's how F**ked Up our Country is right now. Watching your videos and seeing these cars from my childhood is so awesome, relaxing and informative. Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Mercuries, Lincolns, Cadillacs, Chryslers, Dodges, etc. It reminds me of the time when two mid-1970s military brats could go to many different schools from around the US and the World. Both join the military for different reasons. Scholarship money for me. A good paying job for her. Meet, get married, and have two wonderful grown Sons. In a stable World, historically speaking. Thanks to both of our Dads and previous Veterans fighting in real wars against real people who were trying to kill them. And wind up in a WalMart in a High Plains American small City. Where the last of the Indian Wars ended about a hundred years before we moved here in 1991. With a $3000 purse (that's honestly worth maybe $150). I apologize for the long comments. I hope some people find them interesting, nostalgic or entertaining. I also save them to someday put in a "cut and paste" edited autobiography of important and influential experiences that happened during my lifetime. Your entertaining and informative videos trigger me to write these things down before I forget them.

[@michaeltipton5500]

Funny I had one that was black too. After 6 months I got rid of it. One thing after the other. You can only put so much lipstick on a pig.

[@charger19691]

The Lean Burn System I think worked ok during Chrysler’s testing, but in the real world it just couldn’t hold up and be reliable. I replaced many Lean Burn computers on cars that just flat out failed under warranty.

[@johncarter1137]

You had to run factory electrical components such as the stock spark plug wires or the computers would fry. I fried two or three before I found that out.

[@prevost8686]

Chrysler knew the system was garbage before they ever pawned it off on the consumer. Ditto for garbage that GM, Ford, and the various imports developed during that time period. The domestics drug their feet on developing EFI and as a result they implemented some really quick band aids to meet stricter emissions standards.

[@richardprice5978]

the air cleaner placement was dumb in the long run but it lowered costs to manufacture so it got the go a head and aftermarket company's have TBI EFI systems with the same placement so also opportunities for failure thats part of why i didn't buy it at first as i remembrance of the 1970's car's

[@thromboid]

1:57 I realise the jug analogy is just an analogy, but I wouldn't want people getting the impression that the air-fuel ratio was a volume ratio when it's actually a mass ratio. This makes sense as the mass equates to the number of molecules in the chemical reaction, whereas volume can vary. Really interesting video, too - thanks!

[@steveskouson9620]

Thank you. You beat me to it. steve

[@donferrie4070]

Not only that, but it’s 14.7 parts of oxygen, not air. So, with air being (very roughly) 20% oxygen, it would take some 60 jugs of ‘air’. And, as you mention, it’s mass, not volume, so increase the jugs in proportion to mass. Not a very good analogy at all….. back to the classroom….

[@thromboid]

@@donferrie4070 That was a detail I wanted to check before posting, and the Wikipedia page on air-fuel ratio says that the masses are "of all constituents that compose the fuel and air, whether combustible or not". I was half expecting it to be just the mass of the oxygen. Another reason for using lambda or FAER? :)

[@matthewdupuis232]

I was saying "No. No. No." during that bit

[@Greatdome99]

On a mass basis (not volume. . ) you would need 183 gallon jugs of air to mix with one gallon of fuel. (1 gal air = 0.01 pounds, 1 gal fuel = 8 pounds)

[@maxr4448]

Thanx Adam! You missed your calling. You should be an engineering Professor! I read about those Lean Burn engines back in the day. It was NEVER explained to me to where I could understand it. You my friend, explained it perfectly to me. KUDOS! This is one of my Favorite channels. No glaring MU-SIK, no Glam, no BS. Just explainations of what, how, why, when, and where. Real driving, real working... Just a perfect site.

[@RareClassicCars]

Thx. I was indeed once a professor.

[@drippinglass]

Everything made during that era sucked. Until they got computerized EFI with multi sensors, it was a Rube Goldberg setup. The easiest way to wake up one of those Mopar engines from that era was to order the Direct Connection Electronic Ignition kit. It came with everything you needed and the instructions to install it. You could do it in a Saturday afternoon with a couple of beers.

[@UberLummox]

SO much sucking going on, from not only a pure aesthetic pointa view, or mechanically, but everything. From the quality of the steel to the quality of the plastics....even the fabrics were wAnK. '73 - '80s especially.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

It was a little later,but I always laughed at them having electronic circuit boards mounted in an airbox to get airflow cooling.

[@shredder_mang3211]

@@MrTheHillfolk Land Rover until the early 2000’s because fuck the consumer

[@mankind8088]

I was thinking 73-87 was the worst time to be a🚗

[@mddunlap03]

Your not wrong they all where doing things for emissions and they all took a hit for reliability and hp

[@MisterMikeTexas]

Detroit's engineers had a lot to do in a short time to bring powertrains into compliance with federal emissions and economy mandates.

[@Mythicregard]

Bingo! The explosion of new regulations in nearly every industry during the 70's crippled what otherwise may have been good products.

[@richardprice5978]

@@Mythicregard add cheap board room politics on top of it. like they wanted the big-3 to fail

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@richardprice5978 Many of the politicians did indeed want the Big 3 to fail. Many people under a certain age, and those who were "anti establishment" in the 50s and 60s were groomed to truly hate the auto industry and to unconditionally love foreign cars. They hate Detroit with a passion to this day.

[@richardprice5978]

@@michaelbenardo5695 i never can fully understand why uper management can be so short sited and greedy to the point that it hurts the common employee ( a general sine the business is heathy as well-off working people make up the majority of the company, a sick/dieing one the worker's are struggling or miserable ect i know all to well about the later as i have worked for more than one ) more so but the consumers as well and eventually kills the heathy business off all the way, ie the 2009-ish bank board bailout and or scandals and gm was involved as well in the mess and some foreign car brands as well i believe wow 😲the filth

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@richardprice5978 It is because most corporations believe in "Maximum Possible Profits By Any Means Necessary", no matter what the cost, and hate their employees. Before Reagan, public disapproval of this attitude helped to keep them in check, to a point, but Saint Ronnie whole-heartedly championed that attitude, so they came busting out acting like their s--t don't stink. Sadly, President Bill also kind of gave it his approval. President Biden, however, does NOT approve of that attitude, and has been trying to get amendments to the Labor Code passed, but the right-wing senate won't pass it. (Only congress can pass laws. The President can only sign them or veto them). But more workers are unionizing now! Look at Starbucks! And Amazon's New York facility was just organized!

[@lukesm5747]

Hi Adam. I live in Australia. My father was a taxi driver in the mid 70s to mid 80s. The Chrysler with the 318 was the vehicle of choice for most taxi companies.Day 1 modification with a brand new chrysler 318 elb was to rip out the elb and convert to old school carb setup.They would then run anywhere from 700000kms to 1000000kms.Amazing engines for the day.Another fun fact for you for some strange reason a lot of 318s engines were very popular in speed boats here in Australia.Not sure why.

[@martinliehs2513]

Chrysler's marine division was a pretty big thing in the 60's and 70's in North America, offering both outboard (2 stroke) and inboard powerplants. Pretty sure that the inboards were based on 4 stroke automotive engines.

[@DanEBoyd]

318 is a quite good engine among other mid-size small blocks.

[@GetOffMyyLawn]

The reason why there were so many 318 engines in boats is because chrysler cars would rust away leaving just the engine behind.

[@lukesm5747]

@@GetOffMyyLawn In Australia we dont have salt on our roads and cars dont rust that badly but having said that you are right Chryslers of that era did seem to return to mother nature a bit quicker than other cars.

[@watsisbuttndo829]

@@GetOffMyyLawn exactly, my grandfather had a slant 6 powered boat and that was his answer. Body would rust out, usually near the steering box and the steering box would collapse the rail. He would run his ski boat salt water cooled for a couple of seasons until the head would crack or the old slant just gave up and we would go to the wreckers to get another. There was always a long row of slant engines to pick from.

[@MarkPalmer1000]

I can attest to what junk these things were. As a kid my father had a '77 Charger Daytona, basically a sporty looking two-tone paint version of the Cordoba. It had the 400 Lean Burn with the Carter Thermoquad. This setup would vapor lock and refuse to start nearly every time when it was hot outside and the engine was warm. Fond memories of sitting in burning hot parking lots as the old man swore Chrysler up and down!

[@spaceghost8995]

What a nightmare! And you were too young to know how to help!

[@robertdiehl9003]

Yep, I spent my childhood with my dad in parking lots waiting for vapor lock to pass on a 1978 Ford Fairmont all along sitting on vinal seats getting 2nd degree burns.

[@spaceghost8995]

@@robertdiehl9003 Wow what a pile of junk the Fairmont was. I rode in one that was a four cylinder back around 1980. It would barely move!

[@deepthinker999]

@@spaceghost8995 I had a 6 cylinder Fairmont as a company car. It would get stuck in 2" of snow. The ride comfort was terrible. Even a dealer confided that it was noisy as well. It was replaced by a Chevrolet Citation that would climb a tree if requested. However, the brakes would cause the car to spin out without warning. Such is the life of a road warrior.

[@johncarter1137]

The 360 in my 1978 Dodge Magnum was reliable enough but the rest of the car was junk especially the interior components.

[@nb7466]

I had a 318 in my 92 Dodge Dakota. That thing was a little rocketship

[@Marc816]

The electronics of those times were entirely too crude and primitive for the use that they were designed for. I knew that back then. That's why I drove a 1972 Olds 442 with a 455 from 1971 to 2000.

[@skinnerhound2660]

I have a '70 442, hope you kept it. They are bulletproof drivetrains.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

The EPA forced it on the auto makers. If they didn't make it emissions-compliant, it could not be sold, and if they sold it anyway, it would have been registered as a racing car, illegal to drive on a public road.

[@P_RO_]

@@michaelbenardo5695 Exactly. There was a wide gap between engineers with car knowledge and computer engineers and it took a long time to bring both those together under one car hood.

[@turkeyboyjh1]

By 93-97 the euros had it down, now the rest of the car was shit but the engine management was great, the reason was Bosch, Bosch made the best engine management systems from the late 80s to the early 2000s after that the immobilization systems got too complex

[@donniemcfarland3160]

I’m restoring a 1968 olds 442 convertible now

[@msmeyersmd8]

I love how the label on you photo of the spark control computer proudly stated it was Solid State. As if there was a Vacuum Tube version that just couldn't hack it so they went to All Transistor ICs on a circuit board. Only High Tech for Mopars.

[@GoFastGator]

Technically VT's qualify as solid state. Maybe they tried relay logic and mag core memory first? Bwahahaha!

[@specialopsdave]

They call it that because ignition timing is traditionally done with moving parts, i.e. not solid state

[@msmeyersmd8]

@@GoFastGator I did not know that. I knew that the military used VTs for quite awhile in missile guidance systems or inertial Nav systems. Because they resisted EMP pulses. I honestly thought solid state meant "solid". As in solid transistors, 555 timers, integrated circuit chips, and discrete components on a PCB. Were these later developed using low voltage VTs? Needing an ultra-high voltage transformer mixed with other low voltage components always seemed to be a source of problems in older stereo or musical amps. By the time I was involved with them. They were pretty robust. And they had a lovely sound. Even if it wasn't linear enough to satisfy the "testing obsessed" listeners.

[@tombiondi9969]

Yeah, everyone milked “solid state” for a long time on virtually anything electronic

[@GetOffMyyLawn]

I had a '77 Aspen 318 and never had a problem with the lean burn. I did have problems with freeze out plugs rusting through, a shattered diff pinion gear that was probably my fault :) and a host of other issues. I still have fond memories of the car since it was my first... but we did call it the Dodge "Aspirin" because it was always giving us a headache.

[@beezertwelvewashingbeard8703]

My cousin had that model, year car also. I had a rural paper route we used that car to deliver papers. We beat the living heck out of that car. He got the car up to 100 mph on a dirt road that intersected with a 2 lane highway. Saw no cars coming and blew the stop sign at 100, launched it over the two lanes and also cleared the railroad tracks that were parallel to the highway. Landed it on the corner of the front bumper and didn't even stall it out. Dukes of Hazzard couldn't even do it that fast.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

That's why I use brass freeze plugs!

[@hutchcraftcp]

I didn't have a problem with mine either. But that distinctive Clang from the rear end of Chrysler products when you put it in drive or reverse was always there

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@hutchcraftcp That sound means either loose universal joints or a Panhard rod that is loose. On a car with rear coil springs, it can also mean loose radius rods/control arms, (bad bushings). My Chrysler never does that.

[@theundergroundlairofthesqu9261]

Whatever cheap stuff they made those freeze plugs out of, I think they were also doing it on the 2000 Durangos.

[@mumwifeteacher]

my first car was a 1979 Chrysler LeBaron. had about 100k on it and it drove great. Did ping on cheap gas but unleaded plus made it run good. cool trivia the car was won in a home run contest at Fenway Park when Carl Yastrzemski hit a home run.

[@Mark-eu4ds]

Adam, I gotta tell ya! Your videos are awesome. I've got one for you.. I am the proud owner of an R(are) body 1979 Chrysler New Yorker. She's a garage queen with 50,000 original miles. Beautiful condition with the original paint. It came equipped with your 318's bigger brother, the 360. I've got the lean burn! It runs awesome. But, that wasn't always the case. It used to run "good", but here's what happened. My cousin owned the car before me. He had a custom dual exhaust put on. Finally, after 18 years, the mufflers were starting to rust through. I went to a shop to replace the whole system. Originally wanted stainless pipes and Magnaflow mufflers. Turns out his supplier didn't have those. This was during the height of the pandemic. I settled for the bigger galvanized pipes and Flowmaster mufflers. He asked me if he could kill the cats. He did offer to give them back to me (they weren't original). Keep em' I told him. I was initially concerned that the car would stink after the cat delete. He said "You've got lean burn" it won't stink at all. He was right. Young kid behind the counter starts my car to pull it off the rack. He says "listen to this" . Starts it up, my Beautiful '79 New Yorker sounds like a hemi Cuda! First thing going through my head was "oh shit, it's too loud" second thing was, Aah F--- it, it's a Mopar!. Laid a huge patch of rubber when I pulled out of the shop. Ran like a million bucks! Those lean burn systems don't like cats! My Holley 2145 carburetor is original and has never been rebuilt. Jets probably wore bigger and causes the car to run richer. She starts like she's fuel injected now!

[@beezertwelvewashingbeard8703]

I took my cat off, was just clamped on both ends. Punched out the innards to hollow it out and put it back on. It was a melted down mess inside.

[@skinnerhound2660]

Flowmasters are now made in China. My muffler shop will no longer install them.

[@joedomingos8486]

Great work, I was born in 67 and my dad was always a car tinkerer on weekends. He had some interesting cars, 40 Ford pickup, various MG’s and even a couple Mustang II’s This channel brings back memories of working with my dad on projects. I’d be interested in an episode on you. First car, education, jobs you’ve had ETC. Kinda of a mini autobiography.

[@cadillacguy1890]

Adam, great explanation of the Lean Burn system. The basic theory of the system was sound. Slow processors, lack of memory/adaptability, and the pretty ridiculous placement of the processor doomed it to failure, not to mention there is no way a carburetor can effectively distribute fuel to cylinders to maintain A/F ratios leaner than about 13/1 or maybe 14/1. I owned a 1979 Diplomat with a 318, all the drivability characteristics you described were present, although overall, for the times, it seemed to be a really good running car. The Lean Burn System failed around 45,000 miles, was removed and an aftermarket distributor and carburetor were put on, the car had more power, was more responsive, better fuel mileage, and when in my state tail pipe emissions testing was initiated, it never had an issue passing. As far as the 14.7 to 1, or stoichiometric air fuel ratio is concerned, I believe that measurement is not volumetric but rather by weight. For every gram of fuel, 14.7 grams of air are needed. A gallon of fuel weighs roughly 8 pounds. To burn a gallon of fuel at stoichiometric would require 117 pounds of air. Wouldn’t that require more than 15 one gallon cans of air?

[@michaelbenardo5695]

A carb can be jetted as lean as 16:1. No, power will not be good, but it will function. Many did just that during the war when gas was rationed.

[@cadillacguy1890]

@@michaelbenardo5695 you are correct, they can be jetted that lean. The problem becomes fuel distribution and variants in air volume. A carb jetted to 14.7 to 1 doesn’t deliver that ratio to evenly to every cylinder as some fuel will drop out of suspension on the way to the cylinder, or the atomized droplets aren’t picked up evenly as air passes through the carburetor. If the ratio is higher than about 15.5 to 16 to 1 there’s a good chance a couple of the cylinders farthest from the carb will be receiving something like an 18 to 1 mixture. Most likely the mixture will not ignite. A carb jetted at 16 to 1 will create lots of misfiring while the engine is running.

[@mikekokomomike]

I believe you are right about the 14.7 to 1 is not by volume. Think about how many gallons of air are pumped through a 3.8 liter (one gallon) engine spinning at 2000 rpm for a minute.

[@cadillacguy1890]

@@mikekokomomike thank you. Kind of makes you realize how important a clean air filter is, doesn’t it?

[@michaelbenardo5695]

A carb is generally jetted to provide between 14:1 and 15:1 - it is just about impossible to keep it at exactly 14.7:1, but can be jetted for about 13:1 to 14:1 for maximum performance, but at a cost of high fuel consumption or 15:1 to 16:1 for maximum mileage at a cost of performance, but it will indeed run OK once warmed up. This is at part throttle. At full throttle, you want about 12.8:1 - 13.2:1. What it can't do is stay at exactly a specific ratio or constantly change according to conditions.

[@Fljeff7]

The struggle of the times . The primitive engine management system with epa and bean counters control engine output

[@scottcarlson6246]

At least these low compression smog engines could have delivered good fuel economy in exchange for their poor HP outputs, but no. They gobbled gas AND made practically no power.

[@allanyoungstein4227]

I had 1978 Small Monaco with the lean burn 318. It failed at around 6,000 miles. The dealer repaired it . Drove the car to well over 100,000 with out any problems after.

[@drott150]

_"The dealer __-repaired-__ deactivated it."_ 😂

[@esw427]

Great video. I had a 78 Cordoba with a 360 my Dad gave me back in 1987 to take to college. He warned me that those Lean Burns systems were bad news. Well to our surprise that Learn Burn system worked great and never had any issues with it. It was a great highway car.

[@biastv1234]

ELB was also used in Australia. As you said, our quick fix was to remove the wires from he coolant sensor and leave it in ‘ cold start’ mode, and tune the BBD with the metering needles as you said. Mind you, the spark control computer was so reliable, the engines were still running long after the car rusted away

[@georgewetzel4380]

I'm not disagreeing, just saying I had a 77 lean burn 400 that ran well, albeit lacking on the low end, without issue through about 2000 with at least 270,000 miles.

[@tdvandy2]

You were incredibly lucky.

[@darrenpalmer6073]

The ELB even made it to Australia on Chrysler Australia built vehicles on all of our 6cylinder and V8 engines. They even had a light on the front guard that would flash up orange when the car detetermined you were having too much fun with the throttle.Curiously I have friends that had ex police vehicles with the 318 where the ELB system wasn't fitted although I can't confirm that they were omitted from the factory or removed in their post police life the evidence suggests they weren't fitted. Our 6 cylinder engines were also fitted with this system which meant we would of had to do some of the development work here as we stopped using the slant six around 1970 and used our own developed 6 cylinder power plant which I believe had its roots in the US before it was shelved and was more thoroughly developed here in Australia.

[@biastv1234]

Yep , the 245/265 and 318 got the ELB here ( in Australia) from CL 318 , Le Baron and all CM’s. And they are all probably still working today.

[@Jacacatt]

I was only a kid when ELB came out in Australia and I remember that compared to Ford and Holden sixes the Chrysler six was more economical. It was always more powerful even though not as powerful as the earlier models, which I had a VH Charger 770 265.

[@mervynstent1578]

ELB was legendary in Oz thanks to the highly talented Chrysler Australia Engineers! ELB made the Local Hemi 6 245/265 almost a new engine! The most fuel efficient & powerful Big 6 in the country! Wasn’t that good in the 318 V8 as it was in the Hemi 6! ✌️ kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJ2TY4audp10g9E

[@noelgibson5956]

Chrysler in Australia are reputed to have had the best sixes during this period compared with Ford and especially Holden, even with ELB. Their more modern design enabled them to cope with anti pollution gear more efficiently. Their V8's weren't that good from memory, however, and sold poorly. The Hemi sixes actually outperformed them.

[@michaellorenz7177]

I might be mistaken, but I think our cop cars here in the states had the computer mounted in the cabin. The idea wasn't horrible, but the execution left a lot to be desired. I had a 79 Cordoba, and ordering the MP distributor kit was the 2nd thing I did to it after a fresh battery.

[@thomassilvestri2128]

Hey Adam , this video is a little over my head with all the technical jargon but also why I like it so much. I was glued to every word trying to understand how the engine works. Not too often you learn from a video these days, usually it’s just embellishing while the video plays eg: the car is a beautiful blue with lovely chrome. Thanks for challenging our intellect by teaching us while entertaining us at the same time. Thanks Adam, can’t wait for your next video!!

[@RareClassicCars]

Wow. Thx!

[@rolfjohansen5376]

"an American talking about car history" = Best KZbin idea ever, both entertainment and knowledge!!!!

[@mikee2923]

Excellent video. Very informative. I can remember as a high school student looking to buy my first car in the mid 80s I thought I had found the perfect car. It was a black 76 Cordoba. It was a very sharp looking car I thought. Had bucket seats and power everything. My brother was a mechanic and I told him about it and wanted him to take a look at it for me. He asked me what engine it had and I told him a 400. He said it was a lean burn engine and he wouldn’t waste his time to even go look at it no matter how nice it looked. He told me in my price range a mid 70s GM would be hard to beat for reliability. A few weeks later he stopped and looked at a 75 Pontiac Grand Prix I found and he gave it his blessing. It also had a 400 with bucket seats and power everything and even ran much better than the Chrysler did. I’m now closing in on 53 and due to the fact I have always had a company vehicle for work I have only ever owned 6 vehicles myself. I have owned mostly mid 70s GMs and loved every one of them. Mostly Pontiac and Oldsmobile. Now I have an 89 Firebird Formula 350 that I’ve had since 91 and another 75 Grand Prix. I don’t drive them very much but they’re always ultra reliable when counted on. I always enjoy watching your videos as you have unique cars no one else ever talks about. Keep up the good work.

[@pjheloguy]

Great presentation and video as always! One detail I noticed is the explanation of air/fuel ratio. The air fuel ratio is determined by weight, not volume as in the gallon jug example so 1 pound of fuel will be combined with 14.7 lbs of air to achieve a stoichiometric ratio. Love the videos, keep them going!

[@pollodustino]

I have a 1978 Cordoba that was my second daily driver for years. Even drove it from Orange County, CA to Taos, NM and back once in the early 2000s when I was nineteen. It has the 360 small block, but no Lean Burn. Apparently it was still an option and my grandparents didn't opt for it when they bought the car new. I ripped the engine out years ago, took it to school, and bored and stroked it out to a 408. Kept the original heads and intake because I still need it to pass smog here in California, and aftermarket heads and intake would fail the visual immediately. The car is still apart in my driveway. Every time I try to get going on it again I think about how much money it's going to cost, and I want to put the funds toward other things. I have worked on it though. Got the engine bay all spray painted, have the hood and fenders primed, some other stuff. It'll get back on the road one day.

[@larrydraper9544]

I ordered a 1978 Chrysler Cordoba with 400 Lean Burn and worked great,had good performance and if easy on throttle gas mileage averaged around 19 to 23. My best mpg was 25 doing about 55 mpg. Car handled excellent with front and rear sway bars and heavy shocks. I installed big Dunlop radial tires which really helped. I had 245,000 miles till I sold to my nephew. Great car with leather seats and first Digital search tune stereo. Spark plug didn't last long till I found new type platinum plugs which improved running.i wish I never sold it

[@jeffreysproul9110]

Adam, spot on about these carburetors. I had an 84 5th Avenue with the 318 2 barrel carburetor that did exactly what you said. On the interstate it was smooth but from stop light to stop light it was sluggish. I did have to put in mid grade gas to stop the engine knocks but at about 200k it need the lower half of the engine overhauled. I did not do it at the time instead I didn't need the car and donated it to St Vincent de Paul. The body, interior, and paint were still like new after 18 years but the electric windows and door locks would act up and in general I had electrical problems. Loved that car and it was smooth riding but it was the first and last Chrysler product I will ever own. Interior parts were falling apart and I had to replace them which I did.

[@dannysdailys]

I had a 1982 Chrysler Imperial and it was the worst car I ever owned by a long shot. They had a recall on the lean burn for these cars and my local Imperial dealer refused to recall it. He claimed he was no longer an Imperial dealer and went Dodge only. Even though the huge Imperial sign was still there. These are the people who sold the car in the first place. Just imagine my glee. That car was so bad I didn't sell it, I junked it and showed up to see it get crushed. I couldn't sell that to a person because it wasn't a real car. The most expensive car Chrysler built; I might add.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Many shops/owners yanked the computers off and converted them to a carburetor. End of problems.

[@ZULUBRAZIL]

Here in Brazil, my father had a Dodge Dart V8 318 in 1970. That engine was perfect. One of the bests cars I have drive until now.

[@CIZ736]

Thank you so much Adam! Your videos are so insightful, I can watch them for hours.

[@tombrown1898]

Oh, my. At the beginning of the video you mentioned the 2.6l Mitsubishi engine and its carburetor. In 1982 I went to work for a company that made all of the OE air conditioning clutches for all Chrysler Corporation vehicles. Naturally, we drove Mopar company cars. My first company ride was a 1982 Aries. I didn't have it a week, and it left me stranded. Long story short, that became a weekly event. I told my manager about it, who told the company president. I have no idea who he spoke with, but when I went to pick it up at Dodge Boys Milwaukee, the service writer said, "Who ARE you? We've NEVER gotten a call from that high up!" Problem solved.

[@Vegaswill714]

Very interesting, I remember the lean burn system as being hated. I never owned one and I never knew why. Thanks for another great video!

[@pappah707]

Oh my. I'm a guy who enjoys this channel so much, but I completely disagree with complaints with Lean Burn system. I owned a '79 Dodge, 360 with Lean Burn. Only had two issues: 1) Electronic Ignition pick-up coil failed in distributor. Easy fix. 2) Warped top plate in Holley Carb caused a small vacuum leak causing the power pistons to stay open allowing too much fuel. This went undetected and misdiagnosed by the experts. I bought a factory shop manual and learned every component of the lean burn system, propane tuning, and timing. Solved it myself. I live in Phoenix and the road temps are near 200f. Never had a problem with ambient air sensor. My idle speed was about 650. Gas mileage was mid to high teens which was fair for a 360 and B-Body. I think all the negativity, hype, and complaints were hooey. I joke that it was mostly GM and Ford guys that hadn't done their work to properly diagnose. One other comment. My Uncle (Electrical Engineer) and I both had similar cars and engines. We would adjust our timing by one or two degrees and make a long trip to see if we could achieve better gas mileage. As usual, the factory had it dialed in pretty close and our effort resulted in some good conversation with my uncle but no gas mileage improvements over the original settings. I will be comment 939 so probably everyone is tuned-out on this topic by now. Cheers.

[@willjones2884]

Thank you for making this video! I haven't found a lot of useful information about the lean burn systems and this helped me a lot. I daily drive a '84 Fifth Avenue and it has the same setup as your Gran Fury with the 318 and the BBD. I'm gonna have to mess with the metering rods and timing and see if I can fix it. I hate driving it on the highway because after I get off the car always feels like it's trying to run away from itself, so now I have a better understanding of why. Again, thanks for making this video!

[@adamtrombino106]

The ELB was developed in a controlled lab, and on a dyno. But in real world testing, Chrysler techs KNEW it wasn't ready yet. The analog computer was too slow. Even the digital computer of 78-80 ( ESC gen 1) was too slow and had no adaptive memory. 1 thing about the ELB/ESC is the basics ( sensors, inputs) are still used today. The idea was good. The technology wasn't ready. Nothing at all wrong with the engines, otherwise. The lack of reliability hurt Chrysler sales in a bad way for many yrs to come!

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Its annoying how so many can't tell the difference between an engine and an ignition system.

[@clembob8004]

The cure for Lean Burn was to strip all that crap off the engine and replace it with a pre-1975 ignition and fuel system. Life became MUCH easier.

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

I love these videos! Thanks for making them. Interesting history to hear about, explained simply and in real world experience style 👍🙂

[@chessiesystemrailfanman3741]

Hello don't I know you because I know I have seen your user name my fellow railfan.

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

@@chessiesystemrailfanman3741 I dont know if you know me personally, but you've probably seen me around on KZbin or my channel.

[@chessiesystemrailfanman3741]

@@BaltimoreAndOhioRR you are right I don't know you personally but I recognize your cool user name and awesome CSX locomotive thumbnail picture. And yes I have seen you around KZbin most likely commenting on railroad videos. 👍🚂

[@richardprice5978]

its a good idea but a bad example as its poorly executed for lean burn / and or better MPG some more modern cars used it in some different markets but things like the EPA killed it again as passing NO2 is harder to do

[@blainebaker3574]

Sir I would like to thank you. I have a lean burn 83. Someone replaced it with a normal carb. But didn't unplug thw computer. If it wasn't for this video. I wouldn't have though to unplug it and check if my timing was off. The pickup had issues running. Now it's fine and runs like a race horse.

[@kammer007]

Dude. Just enjoying the heck out of your channel. Great information. Plus like the way you explain the theory of operation! Just subbed!

[@kellanhills1972]

You are a great teacher. These are interesting and informative. Request more videos like this. 👍👍

[@brycejames2127]

I have a 440 in a dart , I'm running a new holley injection system and the dash is all rewired now with modern technology and gauges. Works great and goes like hell too ! Haha ! Great videos here! 👍

[@SomeOne_86]

Sounds awesome, would you consider uploading some videos of it?

[@Oddman1980]

I had a 78 aspen with the slant six, it had a Carter bbd. Was called the "super six". Either it never had lean burn, or someone took it off. Really solid engine.

[@FedUpCanuck]

The slant six was an amazing engine Someone I knew had an old Valient with this motor and went 750,000 without much engine issues

[@patrickkelley6780]

Removed lean burn, rebuilt the 318, headers, new hipro heads, drove that thing 200,000 miles. had issues with the window cranks lol, and once with the water pump. Love the 318 and the 225 slant six. Amazing engine

[@michaelporter3555]

I had a 1978 Labaron with a 360 and the lean burn system. When it failed it would start in the morning then once you drove it long enough for it to get to full operating temperature and then turned it off it wouldn't restart until it completely cooled down which usually took about 4 or 5 hours especially in the summer. I had enough of that and eliminated the lean burn system by replacing the distributor and carb. One way to do that now is to use a Chrysler non lean burn distributor with a GM HEI module and coil. You can find diy instructions on the internet.

[@ercsan]

Is this the engine (the lean burn 440) that were in the cop car 1977-1978 Dodge Monaco (Roscoe P. Coltrane of the Dukes of Hazzard or Sgt Rick Hunter of the Hunter TV Series) ? If Roscoe P. Coltrane had the Lean Burn 440 in the cop car, its a wonder why he was never able to catch Bo and Luke Duke in their 69 Dodge Charger with their 440 Magnum V8.

[@FedUpCanuck]

Don't forget Roscoe s car was purchased by old boss hog and meant to be destroyed

[@ChiefCabioch]

Chrysler did the "lean burn" to avoid the over rich mixture with air pumps to burn the rich exhaust mixtures, it worked pretty well but wasn't perfect...

[@MixedGoku]

Another amazing educational video! I would enjoy seeing you cover the 4.3 L V6 that Chevy produced that were found in S10s Silverados and blazers!

[@cswango1714]

Hello 👋 from west coast Florida! Stay warm brother. Great video once again! Wouldn’t expect anything less. 👍

[@michaelkehm3663]

Adam thank you for the ELB explanation. As a GM and Ford Service Manager back in the day, I remember hearing about the poor performance issues. I was overwhelmed with the GM product issues so didn't pay much attention to Chrysler design flaws.

[@99jeepxjguy97]

Yes, thank you for making the point that it was not just Chrysler products. All the manufacturers wre doing essentially the same thing. And all struggling at it. Brings to mind the debacle of '87 new emissions rules. GM added more garbage to the F-body engines, and Ford put tubular exhaust manifolds (essentially factory headers) on the Fox body.

[@TheBigdog868]

As for overwhelming, I completely believe you. The chevy citation and the Olds diesel came out around then. The running joke was if you could get a citation with a diesel, GM would fix it for free forever 😂

[@davepotanko5514]

Glad you don't just bash the whole engine, thank you. The system was flawed, idea okay, most cars nowadays run much like this only the processors move like lightning compared to mid-seventies electronics. I had a '76 Cordoba, I put headers, dual exhaust, and a point distributor, leaving the carburetor stock. The car would get 19-20 mpg out of a 400 on the highway. The Thermoquad carburetors we're only lean at cruise and idle, WOT was still jetted for 12.7 air/fuel. The computers also had multi-strike ignitions to handle the lean charge. Everyone that loves their MSD box ignitions can tip a hat to Chrysler engineering.

[@stevebyrne4235]

My shop called these Commodore Chryslers; another great review, looking forward to next weekend! Thank the Gods of technology for the advancements in computer controls; don't much miss PWM idle circuits, WOT sensors, miles of vacuum hoses. Thanks, as always, for your efforts to keep your audience entertained. (and informed)

[@RichieRouge206]

Really enjoy your delivery and comprehensive information! Great video dude

[@msmeyersmd8]

An older Cousin of mine lived in Leadville CO at >10,000 feet ASL. He bought the late 1970s Dodge Diplomat(?) in Denver and when he drove to Oregon to visit us it was running poorly. I very distinctly remember that electronic module on the air cleaner. Apparently, there was a different electronic module for high altitude cars. I suspect this was to allow them to still "lean burn" up in the thin air. Somehow it was diagnosed (dealer?) that this electronic module was broken or not working properly and was causing the poor driving. In Oregon, there were only standard modules. After hearing you explain how this system worked, I suspect the original electronic module was fine but was running really, really lean down at SL on the coast and our house at 1350 feet ASL. It was going to take a week to get a new high altitude electronic module sent from Denver. So my Dad, Cousin and I went to a junkyard and pulled a used one off a wrecked car. Saved him some money because a new one wasn't cheap. And was probably a lucky and ideal fix for the problems he was having. I doubt he ever put a new or the original high altitude module back on as it was now probably running even better in Leadville CO. Do you think this is a reasonable analysis of what may have been occuring? I'm just curious. The electronic module sounds like it was made from a bunch of 555 IC chips set up as timers, counters, comparators and some memory connected to sensors and relays to the appropriate actuation devices, circuits and switches. As I remember, it was a very large box. Thanks for the great videos.

[@timokuusela5794]

My -78 Newport started to backfire while cruising, so, as the replacement module from the dealer was an arm and a leg, electronic distributor from a speed shop an arm (in Finland in 1986), I replaced the stupid system with a points distributor from scrapyard. Replacing the plugs with a correct gap for points was a bigger job than the distributor (440) , but the engine run just fine or better with points, and the 440 apparently had enough margin to operate with too lean mix with those. I miss that car...

[@ricochetey]

Nothing wrong with points if set up properly! I always liked the thought of a points in a car still working say there was an em pulse or something crazy 🤣

[@donaldallison]

We had the same car and did the same thing as you.

[@heinzbaron9129]

The chillest explanation of some crazy stuff only a gear head would care about. Well done.

[@DSP1968]

Very informative as always, Adam. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with these. Your explanation makes me happy I'm a Ford guy. ;-)

[@highrzr]

The "Lean Burn" system just sucked! Another attempt at retrofitting an engine that was never designed with emissions and fuel efficiency in mind like most everything the Big Three tried in the '70's and early '80's,

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Trouble was, designing a new engine, or at least new heads, takes time. If they had taken that route, they would not have been able to sell anything until the new was released for sale. Blame the EPA, not the automakers.

[@Andyface79]

@@michaelbenardo5695 Absolutely not. Honda made it work. Toyota made it work. Mercedes made it work. The Big 3 didn't want to make it work. Pure and simple.

[@P_RO_]

@@Andyface79 The 'big 3' didn't have the brainpower to make it work. The rest of the world with it's over-taxed fuel had long been conversant with efficient engines, and efficient means burning more of the fuel mix instead of letting it go out the tailpipe which helps emissions. The world was already ahead of us and has remained there as our auto industries are dying.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@Andyface79 I never said it can't work, I said it takes time, and if it isn't ready in time, they can't sell the cars. Mercedes is super expensive, so cost isn't an object. The Japanese were heavily subsidized by the Japanese government. Our government did NOT subsidize OUR automakers. You haters have to quit with your refusal to acknowledge this.

[@WydGlydJim]

Addressing having early and somewhat crude electronics attached to the air cleaner, we used to get the following condition. Customer would complain about the car dying in traffic just like they shut the key off. No stumble, no warning, etc….well you could have the car running in the bay and tap on the lean burn electronic module attached to the air cleaner with your hand and the car would die…. 😂 Yeah great system as we all know the air cleaner gets no vibration. 🤔

[@charlesb7019]

Absolutely! I had a 1977 Dodge Diplomat that used to turn itself off. On the expressway. At 70 miles per hour!!!! Had to slap on the hazards and do a super fast shift into neutral and pray it restarted. Got rid of it when I started having nightmares about crashing….

[@jefferyhurley151]

I had a 78 Dodge Magnum with 400 lean burn that would sound like it puked at highway speed sometimes. Do that for a few seconds and go back to running fine. It would sound like it took a shit but would only shart. 😎

[@matrox]

The fact that even had Computers on cars then was a big advancement in tech.

[@superdad2150]

I think everyone would agree we love the best of worst of series and at the favorite background when you do that is when you're sitting behind the bricks at the window definitely do more of these that was the one thing that attracted me to watching this channel best of worst of series discussions about different parts and features

[@jimmyaber5920]

Broken solder joints on the PCB and especially at the connector pins standing on the PCB together with poor sleeve connectors in the spark control module caused lots of failures. There were a few with harness soldered to the board and connectors borrowed from other places put in the harness. Volvo used this system 81-88 on 240s with non-turbo 2.3L. These used the first style crude knock sensor as did some versions on chrysler engines. That knock sensor was a ring connected to ground via sensor body and the pin in the center has a spring contact. Knock would make the contact vibrate if knock was bad enough and it would connect to the ring and give knock signalling. The sensor was not sensitized to spark knock well and many things mechanical like loose v belts could signal like there was knock. The piezo knock sensors made the spark knock control ignitions work well when they came around.

[@sking2173]

🧐

[@davidjohnson4550]

I had this on my Dodge, I had very few problems with this system. I did have to replace spark plugs a lot. One benefit was gas mileage compared to my Volare. Both got about 18 miles per gallon.

[@blue-be8vs]

I had a 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue. It had the Lean Burn on it and I hated it. I even put a new carb on it because it used to hesitate and stall (and I was unaware that it was a lean burn). I couldn't even "jump" on the gas to pull out from an intersection onto the highway without it hesitating. It ran great after the new carb was put on and after about ten miles of driving 55, it started rough idling again. I paid that care off and traded it the same day for a 95 Oldsmobile Ciera SL.

[@mr.b2107]

I think you misdiagnosed and misplaced the blame.

[@sooverit5529]

Dang you're good at this, Adam! Very enjoyable video series.

[@localcrew]

My late-seventies wood chipper has a 318. No Lean Burn on that wood hog!

[@johnkrag6]

The shop I use to work at gave the customer a choice. Point type distributor or the Direct Connection electronic ignition kit. We richened the carburetor and gutted the cat. Car ran perfect.

[@6mtzhp55]

Almost should have saved this for a Halloween episode about most haunted and cursed automotive components. These worst of episodes sound like these poor drivers were dealing with ancient artifacts filled with angry spirits.

[@pcno2832]

I have a fascination with these early automotive "computers", which I picture as little more than a bunch of op-amps, phased-locked-loops, transistors, caps, resistors, etc. I doubt many in the industry today are more than vaguely aware that there used to be something called an "analog computer", which could add, subtract, multiply, and even integrate voltages the way today's processors and software do those operations on data. The understanding of the controllers for Chrysler Lean Burn engines and the early Bosch/Bendix EFI systems used on Chryslers, VWs and Cadillacs must be something of a lost art today. I wonder how long these analog controls stayed in production when Chrysler brought the Lean Burn system into the 1980s and everything else was going digital. Thanks for posting this.

[@keithessex3873]

Yes, it would be interesting look at the schematics, have you seen any?

[@oops1952]

Very interesting vidio. I don't remember anything running well during that time. My '79 360 cooked most of the exhaust valves at 90,000 mi. No one I knew back then got decent gas milage and power was pathetic. I put a '74 cam and ignitoin in it. Then I played a bit with the tuning. Power was great. Milage was great.

[@oldiron77]

Thank you. After 35 years I finally understand why my '78 Monico had occasional difficulties keeping up with fully loaded gravel trucks and stalled just before grabbing 2nd gear a few times. A mechanic at work had a simple 2-word explanation and described it as "computerized crap".

[@louiskats5116]

Goodday Adam, We had the infamous Lean Burn here in Australia too. I heard horror stories about it, I stayed with the older Mopars pre 70's. Great information as per usual. Your number 1 Fan in Australia Louis Kats from Melbourne Australia ☺ 👍 ❤

[@jamesgeorge4874]

Started as a tech in 1990. It has been an interesting ride. Now, ATF is $27 a quart. If your touchscreen infotainment center malfunctions in winter, you're gonna be cold. Or you can accept the TOS of a camera that is mapping the world, and can rip off a 0-60 in 2 seconds.

[@slant6guy]

Had a 1983 Dodge RAM D150 slant\6 short-bed regular cab pickup with the Lean Burn system...talk about a piece of garbage to tune! Removed ALL components of that ELB then replaced with regular early 1970s parts & pieces. One the truck was running good, the Lean Burn "computer" was promptly put under the rear tire and ran over a few times and then stomped on.

[@cecilkoselke7878]

My daily is an 82 just like yours was. 833 O/D trans. Converted mine 16yrs ago when I bought it. 270k and running strong. 19-20 mpg. My boat hauler summer ride is an 83 prospector AD-150. Rust free, 318 90k. Only 2 vehicles I own.

[@papaw538]

My folks always bought big Dodges and Plymouths (C-Body). When Dad purchased a 77 Royal Monaco w/ a 360, I quickly noticed that it was much less peppie than his 74 Monaco with a 400 or his 73 Fury with a 360 (that car would fly!).

[@T-41]

Thanks for the tutorial, well explained. I had three of them , a ‘79 (360) and ‘80 (318) Lebarons , and an ‘87 Fifth Ave. Fortunately the mechanic I had was able to work with this system , although he let me know the system was often fussy to get it adjusted right. I drove the Fifth Ave. to over 200,000 miles , one carburetor rebuild at 100,000. Chrysler must have improved the system by then. That car ran as well overall as any of the pre-lean burn cars I had. I also put 200,000 miles on an ‘81 Ford 302 with the Variable Venturi carb. Fortunately my mechanic told me I didn’t want to pay him to learn how to make that system work and suggested another guy who knew so I survived that too.

[@michaelshaules3197]

Sooooo nice to have intelligent KZbin content to watch, thank you very much

[@countryroadautopartsusa6466]

The Lean Burn system is in many ways identical to the GM CCC [Computer Control Command] that was introduced in 1981 except GM used a module in the distributor and did away with vacuum advance distributors.

[@Henry_Jones]

Id love a vid on OBD. I remember when I first discovered I could short those 2 pins with a paper clip and read blink codes I thought it was the coolest thing ever 😃. My Prelude had an OBD LED on the ecu itself!

[@Henry_Jones]

Looks like vw had an external diagnostic computer in 72! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXSWYpmgl9iDgrM

[@zlinedavid]

I could troubleshoot any non-Cadillac GM from that era the same way: paper clip in the two leftmost upper pins.

[@davidpistek6241]

Great content, theese videos keep the gears turning in my head, this and Steve magnate have tons of information and stories about old cars, I will get a toy one day ,box caprice old truck or g body some day, I miss turning wrenches

[@TheHandyman1313]

Interesting, Chrysler design information. Thanks for thorough description of older Chrysler motors

[@us1fedvet]

Good review. Most of those cars were retrofitted with non-lean burn systems, ran better, and were arguably as clean. You mentioned the 80s - The Mits 2.6 was a horrible power plant and wouldn’t start below 20 degrees F without luck and potential jump. Well done review.

[@21Piloteer]

The 2.6L "Hemi" lol

[@us1fedvet]

@@21Piloteer it was awful!

[@Henry_Jones]

My first car was a 85 Reliant with the mitsu 2.6. I got it in 2000. It always ran rich and guzzled gas, 20mpg at best. in cold wet conditions it would be getting 14. I treated the mikuni carb like the black box it was and ignored it. What ended up doing it in were the timing chain guides wearing out. That was 3 years later.

[@mikee2923]

I remember my dad had an 84 Chrysler New Yorker (K car style) with the 2.6 Mitsubishi. It was so gutless you had to turn off the A/C to climb a hill.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@mikee2923 And Japanese is supposed to be "wonderful".

[@johnz8210]

That was well explained. Thanks. It's no wonder Chrysler was bankrupt by '79 - their vehicles were really bad in the mid to late 70's. Rust and terrible build quality. And this Lean Burn system. Just really cheesy cars. Then the K car came out. Another gem. I think what did save them for a while was idea of the minivan. Their first ones of those were nothing to brag about either with that awful Mitsu 2.6 in them and the temporary transmissions.

[@spaceghost8995]

After the government bailed out Chrysler they somehow had the money to buy bankrupt AMC. The only reason they wanted it for was the Jeep. The even kept making the AMC 258 straight six for awhile.

[@Progrocker70]

I also believe it really was the minivan, not the K car, that saved Chrysler. My sister had an '81 Aries with the Mitsu 2.6 and a 2 bbl carb and sad to say it was junk.

[@johnz8210]

@@Progrocker70 Yes. Can you imagine if there was internet back then and people could share their opinions and experiences like we do now? Chrysler would have been dead.

[@Progrocker70]

@@johnz8210 Exactly. I also had an '84 Turismo 2.2 that was also nothing but trouble. Water leaks around windshield, rattles, electrical issues, and of course carb problems. It either wouldn't start or would just decide to randomly die in traffic.

[@TTTTTTTTztttttttt]

Answers a lot of questions I didn't know to ask as teenager with a '76 royal Monaco w/400ci. That same engine survived a '72, and then a '70 Charger, all with the same 727 torqueflite (shift kit after Monaco). However the lean-burn crap didn't get transplanted. lol Good vid. Very informative.

[@christianheidt5733]

Thank u Adam, very informative, always a pleasure to watch ur vidz!

[@votingcitizen]

It makes me wonder how many mechanics back in the day figured out your approach of adjusting the metering rods and timing to spoof the system and make them run decent.

[@sking2173]

Most of them ...

[@SkyKing58318]

@@sking2173 Out of the clear blue of the western skies...

[@josephvaldora49]

I had a ‘78 New Yorker with a 400 lean burn engine. The heat and engine vibrations caused me to go through two of those spark control boxes in pretty short order. The car would just die without warning and you had no power steering or brakes. It fairly well sucked. As to engine reliability, I had to carry extra spark plugs as one or two on the right bank would foul from oil and the engine would shake pretty violently.

[@j.t.cooper2963]

I had a 1979 Dodge Diplomat Medallion Edition Coupe that had a Lean Burn 318. I took it all off and covered it to 1974 specs and it ran for 350,000 miles and was still running when I sold it.

[@dkd1228]

My '82 D150 slant six 'Miser' lost its ESC computer when I did the 'Super Six' conversion to it. That made a new truck out of it.

[@martinliehs2513]

Excellent analysis of this system. I had no idea about the logic in these primitive systems, only that they resulted in some flaky behaviour in terms of driveability (I learned to drive on a 1979 Newport with the 318 Lean Burn). It is notable that the issue of the day in the 1970's was fuel economy and unburned hydrocarbon emissions where the lean burn strategy was theoretically of benefit. Once the EPA got concerned about oxides of nitrogen emissions in the 80's, lean burn strategy became obsolete. Thankfully, the widescale adoption of electronic fuel injection (and increasingly reliable electronics to support this technology) in the 90's solved a lot of the emissions, fuel economy and driveability issues for good.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

BUT, computers can't be adjusted, and many can't be repaired. They can only be replaced.

[@Mogul345]

@@michaelbenardo5695 plenty of KZbin channels exist where people repair computers from the 70s-80s. The stuff is repairable, but it's a different skill set from your average shadetree mechanic.

[@kalebbrown93]

Just switch any lean burn car over to Chrysler electronic ignition. This is applicable all the way the 87. You put in a standard vacuum advance distributor and put on an aftermarket carb. I have an 87 Ramcharger that is just a eddy 1406 and vacuum advance. Yes I am driving around on essentially 1976 setup but it’s not bad. Besides it doesn’t get worse gas mileage than the factory 10/12 rating.

[@OnkelPHMagee]

I did something similar with a 1988 Fifth Avenue.

[@johntaylor7288]

Lean Burn turned my dad from a Plymouth man into a ford man in 1976. We had a new 1976 Plymouth Volare station wagon for less than a year. After my dad got his money back through the lemon law, he bought a new Ford LTD and never looked back. That thing would die at stop signs, buck and snort, rev up and down. It was at the shop more than our house, and they would give my mom a loaner car to drive, a mercury marque which she fell in love with. She basically refused to drive the Plymouth because it left her stranded so many times.

[@paulwilliams286]

what a great explanation and see how a lean burn system works. I've never owned one but I have heard of them and now if I ever come across one and want to buy it, I'll have some knowledge is too hard how to handle it. thanks again!

[@billnicholas1381]

Your review’s are very informative resulting from a a wealth of knowledge of 60s-80s American cars. Shame few young mechanics today have no clue how to use a timing light.

[@SomeOne_86]

They don't really have to, today most repairs seem to be stupidly designed electronics on luxury cars(mostly german).

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Heck, most younger people don't even know how to check the oil, the water, the battery, and last but not least, THE BRAKE FLUID.

[@SomeOne_86]

@@michaelbenardo5695 man, most people of my age(early 20's) don't even know how a fucking engine works. They don't know what's a piston, a crankshaft, valves, nothing. I was talking at work with one of my coworkers about changing an intake filter on his car, and he asked me what was the PURPOSE OF THE FILTER. I don't know man, maybe it FILTERS AIR? I got pretty fucking mad. But I got really mad when the dude asked my why does my engine need air inside it? He asked me if it is for cooling. I am not joking. And the worst thing is this guy has a damn near brand new Mercedes Benz with a 400hp twin turbo engine. I didn't dare to ask him if he knew how a turbocharger worked, I would've gotten a mental breakdown.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@SomeOne_86 Ain't it sad? They will live a life victimized by dishonest mechanics, (I used to work in the industry, so I know for a fact that they do exist), all because you can tell as soon as they open their mouths that they don't know squat about their car. Its just like the way Lyft drivers were covering up their grille with that pink mustache, then wondering why their engines were overheating and failing. Glad that there are some like you who are keeping the love of machinery alive.

[@SomeOne_86]

@@michaelbenardo5695 Thanks man, I'm kinda limited on mods in my country(I live in eastern europe) because they measure emissions here, and you can get insane fines for completely minor things, like removing a DPF on a diesel car. So I haven't really been able to tinker much with my cars. And my cars aren't really anything special lol, a 2004 base model impreza 1.4 and a '91 civic hatch with a 90hp d-series. I'd love to have something with higher displacement, but the fees for cars above 2.0L are completely insane here, and only criminals and people with ties to the government can really drive those kinds of cars which is really sad for me.

[@armorer94]

The LA series small blocks were good engines* * So long as they didn't have the lean burn system.

[@joehovanec1985]

I had a 1977 Cordoba with the 400 Lean Burn. I wish I had your knowledge back in 1977.

[@jverrelli1]

Excellent job explaining how that system works, thanks you made it easy to understand. J

[@kcindc5539]

First? No way lol

[@littlejohnny47]

Why is being first important exactly? Are you keeping score?

[@kcindc5539]

@@littlejohnny47 it’s just the lucky confluence of timing. That sort of thing never happens when I’m perusing YT

[@kcindc5539]

@Shawn 🏴‍☠️ Stafford oh I generally have plenty to say on Adam’s videos but I’m more a GM person than Mopar.

[@Retired_Gentleman]

My father had a gold '79 Chrysler Lebaron. The lean burn computer malfunctioned several times resulting in multiple trips to the dealership for warranty repairs. The 318 had bo power what so ever. On a hunch he took the lean burn module to a friend who was quite good with electronics. His diagnosis was there was a resistor that had a value that was simply not up to the task. He replaced it with a resister more suited to the task, gave several to my father for spares but never had another issue. For the hellishly sluggish engine performance my father, being a mechanic, put a four barrel carburetor on it and a dual exhaust. It was fine after that.

[@kentkrueger6035]

I had several Chrysler products with the Lean Burn System on them. The only one I had a Lean Burn problem was an 83 Chrysler 5th Avenue I bought with a spun main bearing. I simply replaced the engine and the Computer with a 318 out of an 88 5th Avenue. That car ran like a clock and got 27 mpg on the highway. I was quite satisfied with the Lean Burn System. Maybe I was lucky or maybe people were super critical of something that no-one else was adressing.

[@jamesmcintire3800]

Thanks for clarifying that the Lean Burn system was on all Chrysler products from 1977 on. I had always thought it was unique to the Cordoba/Magnum.