Before I crank it over for the first time in 25 years...

[Doogie]

So, I'm almost done with the gas tank cleaning, still have to scrape it out and replace the pump, etc, and it got me thinking.

Should I somehow "FOG" the cylinders before I try to crank it over for the first time? Remember, #3589 has been sitting for 25 years. (Dry, covered, in a garage). I still have to clean the fuel lines, injectors, etc. I have an old antique wooden boat that every year for winter we fog the carb while it's running for a while, and it 'fogs' the cylinders with a thin coating of oil for the winter storage..

So I was thinking, while I'm whittling away at the fuel system, should I pull the plugs and "fog" the cylinders with something? Maybe the standard couple squirts of oil, or even a fogging spray used on boats, and let it sit there for a bit while I'm toying away on the fuel system? If so, how often..once a week for a month..once a day..once a hour..you get the idea..

just curious...Thanks everyone..

[TTait]

I can't comment on fogging, but I'll suggest this:

You are going to have the plugs out at some point soon anyway, perhaps to fog.

Before you try to start the car, with the fuel system off (fuse, no pump etc) and no plugs, and in neutral, first turn the engine a couple full revolutions with a cheater bar on the main pully nut (as if tightening that nut). Go as gently as you can and try to feel for impacts between piston and valves, etc... if you hear something weird or suddenly it requires more force, time to stop.

if that seems ok then its ok to tickle the starter. (still, no plugs and no fuel. If it cranks, watch for the oil pressure gauge to come up a little. You cant get full oil pressure from the the low rpms the starter provides, but you can get some oil moving a little and verify that it at least starts to build pressure.

One key question to ask yourself is why the car was parked in the first place. My first car was running fine when parked and it sat for 12 years, the second I wasn't sure why it was parked (again 12 years or so) until I went to service the fuel pump. The PO had installed an aftermarket fuel pump that was installed in-line outside the tank. Its possible that it might have worked, except that when installing it they hooked they mixed up the feed and return lines there by the pump. Whatever pressure the pump did build was pressurizing the return line.

I found subsequently that the Fuel Distributor needed to be rebuilt (damaged by reversal or age? no idea) but the point is I was pretty sure there wasn't a busted connecting rod in the engine... You don't replace the fuel pump on a car with a bad engine, and you can't easily bust the engine if there is no fuel system.

So, why was your car parked?

Tom

[Doogie]

Thanks Tom..

So, my wife's Aunt purchased the car in 1985 when she drive by a Car Deaker that it for sale, She promptly told her husband "Go back to that Delaership and get that car", and he dutifully did. In 1985/1986, everyone believed these cars would be worth a fortune later right?

So her husband brought back the car, but it wasn't to drive it, it was an investment. It had 11,700 miles on it.

My wife's cousin was allowed to drive the car to his senior PROM.

(I asked him how cool was that, he said VERY cool, but that you can't really do anything in a Delorean!).

After a few joy rides around the block (including one from my Mother-in-law reminding me that she actually drove #3589), it was pushed into the back of the garage, covered up in carpets/tarps, and left to ferment into a million dollar car.

That was 1985.

Later, I retrieved it in July 2011, and have it now. It has 12,888 miles on the Odometer.

[TTait]

Thanks Tom..

So, my wife's Aunt purchased the car in 1985 when she drive by a Car Deaker that it for sale, She promptly told her husband "Go back to that Delaership and get that car", and he dutifully did. In 1985/1986, everyone believed these cars would be worth a fortune later right?

So her husband brought back the car, but it wasn't to drive it, it was an investment. It had 11,700 miles on it.

My wife's cousin was allowed to drive the car to his senior PROM. (I asked him how cool was that, he said VERY cool, but that you can't really do anything in a Delorean!). After a few joy rides around the block (including one from my Mother0in0law reminding me that she actually drove #3589), it was pushed into the back of the garage, covered up in carpets/tarps, and left to fermet into a million dollar car. That was 1985.

Later, I retrieved it in July 2011, and have it now. It has 12,888 miles on te Odometer.

Your engine is gonna be fine. Use a breaker bar or rachet and make sure nothing seized up, watch for oil pressure, and you will be fine.

Back when Ed Bernstien briefly spoke with me he commented he'd never seen a car with engine trouble after being parked like that, its just the fuel system that goes bad, and that is usually confined to the tank and the accumulator - he may be an ass, but he was a well informed ass.

[Jonathan]

If not already done, I would suggest doing a really good inspection of the usual places where bugs and critters hang out. Check the fuse and relay area behind the passenger seat to make sure everything looks ok. You can compare what fuses you have in there against the standard ones shown in the Resources section here on the forum.

Behind the front grill/emblem is a good spot for nests, as is the rear vent hole where you might have the power antenna or you might not.

Maybe a good precautionary test would be to (when you're ready for this step) put a new battery in and test the various lights (interior and exterior) on the car to see if they come on. Same for the radio, seat belt buzzer, turn signals, etc. That stuff is easy to do and hard to damage anything by testing ahead of time... cause you need to test those things prior to driving the car anyway.

Resist the urge to "fire 'her up" until you are definitely ready and checked everything up to this point.

[timothymoore]

So, I'm almost done with the gas tank cleaning, still have to scrape it out and replace the pump, etc, and it got me thinking.

Should I somehow "FOG" the cylinders before I try to crank it over for the first time? Remember, #3589 has been sitting for 25 years. (Dry, covered, in a garage). I still have to clean the fuel lines, injectors, etc. I have an old antique wooden boat that every year for winter we fog the carb while it's running for a while, and it 'fogs' the cylinders with a thin coating of oil for the winter storage..

So I was thinking, while I'm whittling away at the fuel system, should I pull the plugs and "fog" the cylinders with something? Maybe the standard couple squirts of oil, or even a fogging spray used on boats, and let it sit there for a bit while I'm toying away on the fuel system? If so, how often..once a week for a month..once a day..once a hour..you get the idea..

just curious...Thanks everyone..

i used marvels mystery oil. put some in each cylinder and that did the trick for me.

[TTait]

I'd put some in, let it sit a while, then slowly and gently turn the engine using the nut 180 degrees, and then fog it again, let it sit a few minutes, and then finally slowly hand crank it another 420 degrees... At that point all pistons have cycled twice and each valve has opened and closed.

Slow and steady wins the race.

[DMCMW Dave]

My personal preference is to pull out all 6 fuel injectors and aim them into jars. Power the fuel pump and flush them out by pressing the air flap. This serves a couple of functions - You are 100% sure the fuel distributor and injectors actually work, you get any remnants of old nasty fuel out of the system, and when you do go to start the car you are starting on fresh gas and it should fire right up. This is a lot better than cranking a dry engine waiting for the fuel system to clean out.

If the fuel distributor happens to be stuck open, and you try to start the car without knowing what the system is doing, you run the risk of diluting the oil, or starting the car with the injectors wide open and melting the converter if the car does happen to run.

[David T]

I just helped a nearby owner start up one that was sitting for 5 years. We had the pump out and cleaned the tank but since he insisted on seeing if the motor was OK we started it up and ran it for a moment on Ether. It ran fine but we had to shut it down since the cooling system is all apart. After that we put the tank back together (it was filthy and everything inside was rotten and replaced except for the nylon baffles) and it started up but ran terrible on gas. Probably have to clean all of the injectors. This project is going to need everything from A/C to brakes, clutch cylinders, fuel system, cooling, and that is just the beginning.
David Teitelbaum

[Doogie]

DMCMW Dave, that's interesting you mention melting the converter. The guys I bought the car off (my wife's cousin's, sons of the my wife's Aunt) told me the last time they got it running (dumb luck by cranking it) many many many years ago, they seem to remember the catalytic converter glowing red hot after a while. They shut it off and never tried again.

I assuming either 1 or more injectors could be stuck open, or, something in the fuel distributor is not right, causing raw fuel to dump into the exhaust...

Is there a "tutorial" available anywhere that describes how the fuel injection system works on the D? This would be a good start I guess.

Thanks! Doug

[DMC5180]

Is there a "tutorial" available anywhere that describes how the fuel injection system works on the D? This would be a good start I guess.

Thanks! Doug

Work shop manual section D Fuel: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?102-Workshop-Manual

It does not really get into Diagnostics, that I recall. When you power up the fuel pump there should be resistance on the Air Plate. If the plate pushes down easily, the control plunger may be stuck in the Wide open position. FWI: do not push down more than 3/4 in on the plate. I you were to push all the way down you could potentially jam the Control Plunger , that would be bad. Follow Dave's advice.

[David T]

The Workshop Manual gives a good explanation of the fuel system but if you want more I am sure with some searching you can find a lot on the Internet. Another great source is a book by C Probst called "Bosch Fuel injection & Engine Management". You can find it at Motorbooks.

As for "waking up" a motor that has not been touched in may years, my preferred method, if time is available, is to remove the spark plugs, put some oil in each cylinder, rotate the motor several times by hand slowly to remove any rust on the cylinder walls and make sure there is no mechanical problem. Make sure the motor has oil in it at least up to the low mark. Try cranking it over and see if you can get any oil pressure. Next do a compression test. Test for spark. Finally you can try starting it. If the fuel system is not functioning you can always try a shot or two of Ether to at least prove out the basic mechanicals, the ignition system, the starting system, exhaust system, lubrication system, and charging system. I do not change the oil till I can at least get the motor running for a while and get it up to operating temperature. Once you get the motor running you should use an oil flush and then fill with clean oil and a can of Marvel Mystery Oil for a "break-in" fill and change it out after 500 miles. The only times I ran into a problem was when the motor had a bad problem when it was stored (probably the reason why) or if the block had frozen. One time I couldn't turn a motor over (not a Delorean). We put it into gear and rocked the car back and forth till we got it loose. We figured the motor was bad anyway if it wouldn't turn so what did we have to lose?
David Teitelbaum

[DMCMW Dave]

I assuming either 1 or more injectors could be stuck open, or, something in the fuel distributor is not right, causing raw fuel to dump into the exhaust...
Thanks! Doug

I've yet to see an injector stuck open. I see LOTS of fuel distributors stuck open (pin jammed all the way in).

We have a car in the shop now that came in with a gallon of gas in the crankcase AND at least a quart of gas in the muffler and cat. And some very expensive internal engine damage from running the engine extensively with a 50-50-mix of gas and oil. From the same problem you likely have.

Pull the injectors and do the test.