What have you done to your DeLorean today?

[Victor]

Everything about the washer fluid system on this car sucks.

When I first got my DeLorean 20 years ago, the only thing that didn't work was the washer fluid. The tank leaked and the pump didn't seem to work. It still doesn't. But I'm getting close. I couldn't fix it before because every M5 screw going into the body that holds the black cover over the tank was spinning. Now I have my suspension out and it's a good time to tackle this since I have the best access I'll ever have.

1) Cut the heads off the screws with my dremel and a cut off wheel - DONE
2) Drop the black cover and pull the tank out - DONE
3) Grind off the rivnut heads with an angle grinder - DONE
4) Pop the rivnuts out / push them into the void in the underbody - DONE
5) Get a new washer pump - DONE
6) Install new rivnuts - DONE

I ordered an M5 rivnut installer from McMasterCarr and it really worked pretty well. A bit tough to hold everything in place steady while working upside down but I managed pretty well. Most of the rivnuts are in really tight, one of them might be slightly less tight, and I had to skip one because the underbody chipped away while trying to knock out the old rivnut.

Attachment 67164

Attachment 67163

Next I need to try to fix the crack in the washer tank. painterdave72 has a plastic welder at his work so we will give that a try first.

I also finished putting my steering rack back together - I can install it as soon as I'm done doing some POR15 on the front frame extension near the driver side mount area.

Great work!
You may try a product call ColdWeld for bonding plastic. I fixed a fuel tank with this two tubes mix compound at one point and it holded very well.

[DMCMW Dave]

Everything about the washer fluid system on this car sucks.

5) Get a new washer pump - DONE
6) Install new rivnuts - DONE

Another hint - while you have the cover off the washer reservoir, find the two tiny drain holes in the bottom of the cover. Drill them out to about 3/8", and add another one or two for good measure. That cover fills up with water and drowns the pump motor.

Also, there is really no reason for 8 or whatever bolts there are that hold that cover in place. Four is plenty.

[82DMC12]

Another hint - while you have the cover off the washer reservoir, find the two tiny drain holes in the bottom of the cover. Drill them out to about 3/8", and add another one or two for good measure. That cover fills up with water and drowns the pump motor.

Also, there is really no reason for 8 or whatever bolts there are that hold that cover in place. Four is plenty.

Thanks Dave, good advice. Suzy is sending me some new hose for the pump and then I'll put it back up later this week. Painterdave72 and I did some plastic-welding on the tank yesterday using Uni-weld sticks (black flat sticks). We tried a few different white and translucent round sticks but they weren't attaching to the tank. The black seemed to work pretty good and it appears to be watertight now.

Regarding the rest of my project, Dave powder coated some of my front suspension I'm reusing and will have the rest of it done later this week.

Tonight I'm brushing grey POR15 on my treated bare frame spots. Two coats on so far, might put one more on the thinner spots before I put Smoke Grey top coat on. I might be up all night working on this!

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[DMCMW Dave]

Thanks Dave, good advice. Suzy is sending me some new hose for the pump and then I'll put it back up later this week. Painterdave72 and I did some plastic-welding on the tank yesterday using Uni-weld sticks (black flat sticks). We tried a few different white and translucent round sticks but they weren't attaching to the tank. The black seemed to work pretty good and it appears to be watertight now.
]

Good luck on plastic-welding the tank, I'm not sure I ever seen it work. That stuff is really a pain to work with and nothing seems to stick to it.

[FABombjoy]

Also, there is really no reason for 8 or whatever bolts there are that hold that cover in place. Four is plenty.

This is another place place where nylon screws are a useful replacement for the OEM bolts. I just R&R'd my washer tank this summer, replaced the corner fasteners with bolts but used nylon screws for the rest. I use them on the trunk access panels too - they'll never bind to the rivnuts and do a great job holding the panels in place.

[82DMC12]

This is another place place where nylon screws are a useful replacement for the OEM bolts. I just R&R'd my washer tank this summer, replaced the corner fasteners with bolts but used nylon screws for the rest. I use them on the trunk access panels too - they'll never bind to the rivnuts and do a great job holding the panels in place.

Is there supposed to be some kind of seal or foam between the underbody and the black plastic cover? I can't tell if whatever residue there is came from the factory or if a PO did it.

[MrChocky]

I hosed down the engine bay for the first time, to try and get rid of the accumulated dust. Probably not an ideal solution, but it had to be done, and I was fully expecting potential electrical problems until it all dried out.

Low and behold, the oil light came on dimly; I guess some kind of short for the oil sender. All clear this morning.

[Helirich]

Drove 500 miles today. I'm at a hotel and have another 300 tomorrow. All good except my speedometer quite. I'm wondering if it's the infamous "angle drive".is there any quick check I can do in the hotel parking Lot? (I have some tools)

[82DMC12]

Drove 500 miles today. I'm at a hotel and have another 300 tomorrow. All good except my speedometer quite. I'm wondering if it's the infamous "angle drive".is there any quick check I can do in the hotel parking Lot? (I have some tools)

Not much you can do unless you can get the car off the ground. You could try disconnecting the angle drive cable from the lambda counter and see if the square wire inside is spinning, but I imagine that would be extremely difficult to do while you are driving!

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[Helirich]

Not much you can do unless you can get the car off the ground. You could try disconnecting the angle drive cable from the lambda counter and see if the square wire inside is spinning, but I imagine that would be extremely difficult to do while you are driving!

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Finally got to look at it. The angle drive is broke. Not sure what holds it there at all. The housing is definitely cracked right through. The cable is not in the clip. It will have to wait till I get home.