What have you done to your DeLorean today?

[Nate88]

Could a lack of the light coming on also mean that the car actually has 130,000 miles instead of 30,000? As in the light would have come on at 30K, 60K, 90K, 120K, etc? I was wondering about this a while ago since I'm at 26K miles but have no idea if it's rolled over in the past or not due to lack of records....

I would hope not! I don't think so though, the title the PO had when he bought it back in 1987 said 11,XXX. It had also sat 10-15 years before 2011. The shop that worked on it to bring it back to life and that I have taken it too as well has never indicated it has that many (which I think they would). Everything else is in too good of shape to have that many, no cracks in dash or binnacle, original leather, carpets, etc.

[DMC5180]

Could a lack of the light coming on also mean that the car actually has 130,000 miles instead of 30,000? As in the light would have come on at 30K, 60K, 90K, 120K, etc? I was wondering about this a while ago since I'm at 26K miles but have no idea if it's rolled over in the past or not due to lack of records....

Technically possible, but unlikely. The lambda counter must be reset to Zero once the counter has tripped the switch.
So it would depend on who changed the O2 sensor. They could have reset the lambda to coincide with the sensor change. Only a DMC service facility would even know that needed to be done. Unless, the PO did it or told the shop that changed it, to reset the counter.

The only way to truly tell where the counter is at, is to unbolt it from the bracket. On the backside is a window with numbers. 00 to 99. (%) if it reads 97-98 you are getting close to tripping it. If its a low number, someone has likely reset it.

[eight8toy]

I would hope not! I don't think so though, the title the PO had when he bought it back in 1987 said 11,XXX. It had also sat 10-15 years before 2011. The shop that worked on it to bring it back to life and that I have taken it too as well has never indicated it has that many (which I think they would). Everything else is in too good of shape to have that many, no cracks in dash or binnacle, original leather, carpets, etc.

Technically possible, but unlikely. The lambda counter must be reset to Zero once the counter has tripped the switch.
So it would depend on who changed the O2 sensor. They could have reset the lambda to coincide with the sensor change. Only a DMC service facility would even know that needed to be done. Unless, the PO did it or told the shop that changed it, to reset the counter.

The only way to truly tell where the counter is at, is to unbolt it from the bracket. On the backside is a window with numbers. 00 to 99. (%) if it reads 97-98 you are getting close to tripping it. If its a low number, someone has likely reset it.

Good to hear. I figured it was a long shot but was still curious! I'm in the same situation with you Nate88, I would like to think I only have 26K on mine based on the interior. But at this point I guess I've got another 4K miles to go to see if my light comes on!

[Dangermouse]

again, look at the counter itself. It will confirm the odometer.

or not, as the case may be

[SS Spoiler]

I've got over 167,000 miles on my car, original angle drive,
greased it maybe four times, haven't lubed the speedo cables
yet, lambda has never come on, am I on borrowed time?......


[I probably just jinxed my car,...watch this space for future
rant about parts failing. Like they say "stuff knows"

[nkemp]

I've got over 167,000 miles on my car, original angle drive,
greased it maybe four times, haven't lubed the speedo cables
yet, lambda has never come on, am I on borrowed time?......


[I probably just jinxed my car,...watch this space for future
rant about parts failing. Like they say "stuff knows"

In the old days ... like DeLorean vintage, in order to keep the car running per spec, they used a 30,000 mile life for the oxygen sensor. So the Lambda counter counted to 30,000 miles and was just a hint that the oxygen sensor might be bad and it should be replaced. In reality the oxygen sensor may have gone out of spec at 25,000 or it may last until 40,000 miles. You can't tell by the lambda light. Modern cars monitor the sensors directly to determine if they are working within spec.

The fact that your Lambda has not come on is suspicious but has nothing to do with the oxygen sensor. If you've replaced the oxygen sensor in the last 30,000 miles then it should be good. In your case, no Lambda light could be a bad labda counter unit/switch/connection/ground or the bulb could be bad. If the lambda light is changed to LED it could be installed in reverse polarity and thus would not light even if there was a 12Vdc signal to it.

[Christian Dietrich]

I believe it is the original angle drive.

What he means i believe is if your system i a 1 piece worm gear from the angle drive to the speedo head or original 2 piece that meets at the Lamba counter at the base of the steering column with a black wire that comes out of it and goes to the speedometer and turns on the Lambda light after the counter reaches 100 or 30000 miles..

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[Jonathan]

You're right. I meant that if you have a one-piece speedo cable (like I do now after changing out constantly failing components) it doesn't go through the lambda counter and so it never turns the service counter numbers and will never turn your lambda light on.

In addition to the idea that an LED replacement bulb plugged in backwards might be the problem, it could just be that the normal style light bulb is burnt out. That light doesn't come on during the start-up sequence so you wouldn't really have any way of knowing whether the bulb is good or not.

[SS Spoiler]

Binacle has never been off, all bulbs original, have
two piece speedo line going through lama counter.
New ox sensor last summer.

[DMC5180]

Binacle has never been off, all bulbs original, have
two piece speedo line going through lama counter.
New ox sensor last summer.

probably Oxidation of the bulb contacts or twist lock socket to PCB. It's hard to imagine a bulb that never sees regular use to be burned out.

If you want to test the circuit and check the bulb, unplug the counter. Jumper the two harness connector terminals. Use a wire or paper clip. turn key On. look for light. If no light, use a DVM and test the green wire for power. if that is good, check the other wire for continuity to ground ( via the bulb)