convertible top motor?

Question 1
convertible top motor?...  if the motor for the convertible top is broken and you have to manually push it down will it get stuck? i have a 1997 or 98 lebaron. and my dad keeps threatening that it will eventually get stuck and i will be unable to bring it back up.. is this true?

Answers
1)   What you are saying and asking, is that if your top motor is not working ( I am guessing that is the case) and you are forcefully opening and closing the top, by hand then yes your dad is right it will eventually get stuck, since you are not putting equal force on the right and left side of the top, you will eventually bend the top frame and you are SOL. I would check the net for a top motor kit and replace it, since the frame is no longer made and you would need an engineering degree to fix that thing if you bend the frame - rick b

2)   Mr. Rick B. is right. You will bend the frame and it will be stuck. Is it the pump motor that is bad, is do you have a wiring or switch problem? It's worth having a mechanic take a look. - C-Tech

3)   You'll either bend the frame, bend the mounting points, or break gear teeth. Any of these would double the $1,000 repair that you already need.

That being said, it's a $1,000 car that needs a $1,000 repair. Are you ever going to bother fixing the convertible top motor? I wouldn't. Does it really matter if a repair you're never going to do gets worse? What will probably happen is that it will get stuck pretty badly at some point and you'll have lots of trouble getting it back up, you might need help from a few people or even a $100 at a body shop to get it back up and then you shouldn't put it down again. If you like driving with the top down, that's probably worth it. - Steve


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Question 2
how can i change my headlight bulb low beam on my 1999 chrysler 300m?...  i have changed it before, but it took me 2hours and i loosen up alot of things. I am curious of what the proper way to do it is and how long should it really take? thank you very much for you answers :) (((((frustated)))))

Answers
1)   Here are some step-by-step instructions:

http://www.fixya.com/cars/t653781-headlight_bulb_replacement_chrysler_300m - Patrick

2)   Just a little note here never just change one headlight bulb always change both sides at once bec they work in balance with each other and usually the other will blow out soon after you replace the other side.

Hope that helps and best of luck. - helpful bob


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Question 3
99 Chrysler Town and Country automatic not going into gear properly. Could it be an exhaust problem?...  I think it might not be getting enough back pressure to shift. I don't think it transmission. Its been like this for quite a while. I've been living with it for about a year. Its getting worse now.

Answers
1)   it is most likely a transmission. They are electronically controlled. - Doug W

2)   Well, the short answer is no, the exhaust will not cause transmission problems.

However, a clogged catalytic converter can make a car feel like it isn't shifting or running correctly, but that's just because of the reduced power the engine is making, not any actual problems with the transmission. This would also likely prevent you from getting to highway speeds as quick as normal.

Chances are, it's a minor transmission problem, best thing is to take it to a Chrysler dealership repair shop and have them check it out for you. The dealership techs will have the best training on your vehicle, and will know how to properly test and repair your transmission. That isn't always the case with indpendent repair and trans specialty shops. - Mark B


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Question 4
Does a Chrysler 2006 Town & Country Van with a 3.3 engine have disc or drum brakes in the rear?...  

Answers
1)   Drum brakes, standard. - Vanessa G

2)   2006 Chrysler minivans had the option of rear disc brakes with drum brakes being standard.

However, since it's a T&C, it almost certainly has rear disc brakes since that's the top line minivan model. - Mark B


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Question 5
2003 pt cruiser belt tension?...  I have a squealing drive belt on my 2003 pt cruiser. I have looked around alot trying to find answers, but have been unsuccessful. I have found that I need to jack it up, remove the tire, and remove the plastic liner thing. I did that, and still have no access to the tension pulley. I can see it, I can move it when I push on the belt. But I see no way to actually tighten it. What am I missing? Also...removing the plastic liner thing in no way helped. The frame is still there in front of the pulley.

Answers
1)   You cannot tighten the tensioner. The tensioner has a circular spring inside of it that is set at a certain tension. It's made to automatically provide the right tension so adjustments are not necessary ..... HOWEVER, over time, the spring inside the tensioner will become weak, usually with high mileage (near or over say, 90k miles) and will no longer be keeping the belt as tight as it should. I had a 92 Chrysler New Yorker and that is what happened. my belt started squealing and it got bad pretty quick to the point where the belt started to come right off the pulleys. Turned out the tensioner was bad. Check the belt and see if you see any wear or fraying on the edges/sides of the serpentine belt.

Just found this on a PT Cruiser forum:

http://www.ptcruiserlinks.com/forum/tech-performance-forum/21296-timming-belt-change-help-getting-tensioner.html - Pen Man

2)   You have two belts on your cruiser. One operates the a/c and power steering and the other the alternator.A/C and P/S belt is tensioned by an automatic. Ill bet your alternator belt is the one squealing.You will have to loosen both mounting bolt on the alt. Fromthe top of the engine look down at the alt and you will see a bolt head sticking out of a bracket, that is the tensioner bolt for the alt. - Gregory A


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