Hi Everyone,
After sitting for some time I tried to start my 1985 300 and had no juice. I charged the battery but still get nothing... no lights, no dash lights nothing. It has a charged battery so what is my next step? Anybody's help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Tony

Check/replace the battery cables....Good to upgrade to 2 gauge. There are two ground connections, one from the battery to the chassis and one from the chassis to the transmission. I would check that. There is also a junction box in front of the battery that can corrode...

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There is a junction block in the engine compartment on the passenger side. Make sure the trans is in park. I think the key needs to be in the run position so that the vacuum operated engine stop isn't activated. Jump 2 of the 3 wires using a large wire or plier handles. If the engine cranks and perhaps starts your wiring is good and a lock out switch is the/a likely culprit. Exactly which wires is in the FSM and on this forum. I don't think touching the wrong wires in the blowk will hurt anything.

Alternatively/additionally, test the wiring making sure that grounds are connected and clean. Measure for voltage in the fuse block. Strange that you have no power to the dash. Have you tested the fuses with a meter?

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Thanks, it's getting dark now so will try what you suggest tomorrow after work and report back. Thanks again

The headlamps and parking lights should work without the key switch, so you have excessive (or infinite) resistance - corrosion or broken wires or burnt fuses. Get a voltmeter and find the excessive voltage drops. You should measure 12.6 V across a charged battery.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

A battery that has sat and gone dead usually won't take a charge. It may appear as though it is OK, but as soon as it's loaded up the voltage drops to nothing.

Jump it with another vehicle.

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'84 190D 2.2 5MT (Red/Palomino) Current car. Love it!
'85 190D 2.2 Auto *Cali* (Blue/Blue) *sold*
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An easy thing to check is the safety neutral. Switch the transmission into neutral and try to crank the engine.

If that doesn't work, I would pull the battery out and take it to a local AutoZone or equivalent to be load tested.

If the battery checks out, then I would pull the grounds off and sand them down to remove any corrosion and check for voltage drops and that the starter motor is in good condition.

Edit: After reading again, it really sounds like your battery is not charged or cannot hold a charge.

Dkr.