Newb Delorean owner question!!! It won't start!!

[ttwo]

good Info. thanks much!
It is refurbished in 2011.
the only thing so far is that the drivers window doesn't work where as it did recently and there is a vacuum line that I am still trying to find out where it goes that I am holding in that photo and runs straight forward through the firewall, along the drivers side of the tunnel and to the underside of the dash but not anywhere to connect to.

[ttwo]

for completeness I wanted to note that I ended up checking the voltage at the RPM jumper and also at the fuel pump. When jumped the fuel pump had about 9.5 volts to it. Not sure why it isn't closer to 12 V but I then sprayed starter fluid into the intake and it started right up and then ran well. In the end I will keep starter fluid in the car and hope that it doesn't happen somewhere embarrassing!

[Jonathan]

Does your HVAC mode control switch work? Like does the air come out the different vents when you select bi-level versus centre vents versus feet or defrost? I think that vacuum line is one of the ones that either connects to the HVAC mode control switch or is the one that provides vacuum to turn those vent baffles one way or the other.

Does your passenger window work? You can try to swap the switches for the windows to help troubleshoot. That way you can try and determine if the problem is in the switch or in the door itself. Both things can happen with the cars.

[ttwo]

Does your HVAC mode control switch work? Like does the air come out the different vents when you select bi-level versus centre vents versus feet or defrost? I think that vacuum line is one of the ones that either connects to the HVAC mode control switch or is the one that provides vacuum to turn those vent baffles one way or the other.

Does your passenger window work? You can try to swap the switches for the windows to help troubleshoot. That way you can try and determine if the problem is in the switch or in the door itself. Both things can happen with the cars.

yep all the vents works as expected and the heat gets hot and AC cold. I've not been able to verify if 'MAX AC' closes the outside vent but I cannot imagine that there would be a single vacuum line off the engine just for that? so this is confusing for sure! I wonder if this is not a standard line as I don't see it go this route in some other photos of delorean engines. This is where it goes through and starts at a T from the valve cover
firewall.jpg

I switched the driver and passenger switches and both work on the passenger window and neither at the drivers window. Is there a connector diagram from that window switch to the window itself? It's bizarre that it worked a day ago but not now. I did work under the center console but i cannot see anything pinched or cut, so ???

[David T]

Open your Workshop Manual to M:18:15 and you will find the Power Window Circuit wiring diagram. As for vacuum hoses look at the bottom of the open engine cover for the vacuum hose routing decal.

[ttwo]

thanks for the electric wiring! I'll look at that for sure!
Curiously on the DRIVERS side switch there is no ground wire and on the PASSENGER side there is a ground wire. So if someone can look at their switches for me can they tell me if they have only 3 wires on the drivers switch and 4 wires on the passenger switch that would be super helpful!!
maybe it is normal. If not the weird thing is that it worked previously like this!?


the major vacuum hoses are noted on the engine area but the smaller ones (like this one) is not noted on the hood which makes me wonder it if is added or just not 'major' enough to be listed

[Ron]

resistor block! very interesting you say that. I have noticed it might not be connected correctly, only because all the pins are not connected. Look at this photo and note that it has been functional previously with it wired like this. But notice the left lower is not connected. is this normal?
Attachment 61084.

Can you tell me how this resistor block works? what is the purpose?

I see J hooked you up with the schematic.
Basically, the electrical system's voltage (12V) is to high to feed the ignition system (coil) while the engine is running. To lower the voltage, the feed is ran through the resistor. To temporarily make the spark hotter during start-up, power from the starter solenoid triggers the small relay to the left of the resistor which causes the feed to bypass half of the resistor, raising the voltage (i.e. it doesn't reduce the voltage as much as when running).

for completeness I wanted to note that I ended up checking the voltage at the RPM jumper and also at the fuel pump. When jumped the fuel pump had about 9.5 volts to it. Not sure why it isn't closer to 12 V but I then sprayed starter fluid into the intake and it started right up and then ran well. In the end I will keep starter fluid in the car and hope that it doesn't happen somewhere embarrassing!

You would have to disconnect the pump's feed wire to read the voltage being supplied to it. (Note that 12V on a meter doesn't necessarily mean the the circuit is supplying the power needed i.e. a poor connection might read 12V but not be able to supply the current/amperage needed.

A vacuum leak could explain hard/no starts. The air/fuel ratio would be lean...Spraying starting fluid under the plate could compensate for that. Refer to the chart below to correct the vacuum routing.
Vacuum.jpg
(Click to enlarge)

[Ron]

thanks for the electric wiring! I'll look at that for sure!
Curiously on the DRIVERS side switch there is no ground wire and on the PASSENGER side there is a ground wire. So if someone can look at their switches for me can they tell me if they have only 3 wires on the drivers switch and 4 wires on the passenger switch that would be super helpful!!
maybe it is normal. If not the weird thing is that it worked previously like this!?


the major vacuum hoses are noted on the engine area but the smaller ones (like this one) is not noted on the hood which makes me wonder it if is added or just not 'major' enough to be listed

It take 4 wires to run the switches:
WS.jpg

Chase down where the vacuum lines not in the diagram go to. (Could be bypass repair, aftermarket gauge,...??)

[ttwo]

yeah that is weird but in the wire bundle going to the switches has NO ground wire going to the drivers switch. I wonder if it is just ganged within the wire bundle or if for some reason it is missing. It would be interesting to know if someone elses' DRIVERS side switch has one less wire than the PASSENGER side.

[Ron]

The switch has to swap the incoming power and ground wires going to the motor in order to make it run in both directions. Since it used to work for you in both directions, it had to of came off.
Check this out (bottom of post):
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?17...579#post248579