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Thread: Died while driving, won't start and stay running now

  1. #11
    Not a DeLorean Guru
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    Quote Originally Posted by DMCMW Dave View Post
    Tighten up the wiring on the ballast resistors. You are getting coil voltage while cranking and then losing it when you let go of the key.

    During crank it comes directly from the starter, when running it comes from the aux relay. Just pull off the three connectors on the resitors and tighen/clean them all.
    Thanks, I will do so. By the way, I'm not much of an electrical guy; how can I use my multimeter to check the coil voltage? And, should I need to, how to use the meter to test the ballast resistors?

    Quote Originally Posted by Accipiter View Post
    I didn't see this. I pay attention to usernames and post content/context, and ignore signatures and avatars.
    Contributions still most certainly appreciated!

    Quote Originally Posted by AdmiralSenn View Post
    Honestly I would just pull the aux relay and look closely at the terminals. I think I just tightened mine slightly with a set of needlenose pliers. If any of the connections feel even a little loose or are really grody-looking, then you have at least part of your answer.

    And of course Dave has an excellent point - I don't know what your ignition wiring is like but that's actually a more common failure point than the relay wiring, I would think.

    When you get it running again I would recommend grabbing that part of the wiring harness while it's running and jiggling it back and forth. Make sure it won't come off, say, when you come to an abrupt start or accelerate sharply.
    Thanks!
    -Mike

    My engine twists my frame.

    1981 DeLorean, Carb LS4 swap completed
    1999 Corvette, cam/headers/intake manifold, 400 rwhp
    2005 Elise, stock
    2016 Chevy Cruze

  2. #12
    Senior Member WelmoedJ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by opethmike View Post
    Thanks, I will do so. By the way, I'm not much of an electrical guy; how can I use my multimeter to check the coil voltage? And, should I need to, how to use the meter to test the ballast resistors?
    Using a multimeter is actually straight forward: Dial Volt if you want to read Voltage, Dial Ohm if you want to read resistance.

    In Voltage mode, one pin/ead to ground (usually a black lead), the other to the point to test: the coil Voltage can be tested at both pins + (15 if I'm correct) and - (minus=GND).
    Voltage on the minus side depends, but will be somewhere in between 4.5 and 8.5 Volts while idling (at least those values have been read by me on various cars).

    Voltage at the resistor pack can be tested the same way (blue/yellow from the starter, white/yellow to the coil).
    In between is the starter relay (to switch the resistor pack to use both or only 1 resistor (each resistor is .5 Ohm), testing in Ohm mode.
    There are in series while running (so 2x .5 = 1 Ohm), only one (.5 Ohm) while starting.

    My car has a stronger coil (40kV Flamethrower); I have removed the starter relay and only use one resistor all the time (better spark).
    Bill R. has done about the same (also using a Flamethrower or alike coil) and has paralleled his resistors, now only being half of a half coil pack, thus .25 Ohm.

    Hope this helps.
    Welmoed
    Black D 1981-11 sold
    Toyota Prius III 2009-07 (sold)
    Mazda MX-30 (BEV) 2020-09

  3. #13
    Senior Member jmpdmc's Avatar
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    In case you do not have the Technical Information Manual, here are some of the diagnostic values you should see on a stock DeLorean in a troubleshooting chart posted by Rich: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?3142 Hope you can apply this to your car.



    Jeff

  4. #14
    Not a DeLorean Guru
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    Thanks guys, I'll hopefully have a chance to dive into the car today. If I do, I'll update this thread with how it goes.
    -Mike

    My engine twists my frame.

    1981 DeLorean, Carb LS4 swap completed
    1999 Corvette, cam/headers/intake manifold, 400 rwhp
    2005 Elise, stock
    2016 Chevy Cruze

  5. #15
    "Former Delorean owning Guru" Spittybug's Avatar
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    Adam/Mike; how did you guys wire your fuel pumps for the EFI systems? Are you using the existing one or did you replace it? I can help you with a real easy replacement.... from the RPM relay, the green wire is only hot on run and the brown is hot all the time. I use the green for the relay signal and although I use the brown for MS, LC1 and the injectors, I went with a dedicated hot wire from the battery for the fuel pump. I won't go into it here, but if you want a diagram, let me know.
    Owen
    I.Brew.Beer.

  6. #16
    Senior Member AdmiralSenn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spittybug View Post
    Adam/Mike; how did you guys wire your fuel pumps for the EFI systems? Are you using the existing one or did you replace it? I can help you with a real easy replacement.... from the RPM relay, the green wire is only hot on run and the brown is hot all the time. I use the green for the relay signal and although I use the brown for MS, LC1 and the injectors, I went with a dedicated hot wire from the battery for the fuel pump. I won't go into it here, but if you want a diagram, let me know.
    *Shrug* I just used the existing RPM relay and wiring and left the MS fuel pump wire unused. It seemed simpler and I had just bought a solid state RPM relay anyway.
    Aka Adam S, aka Adam Wright
    1981 DMC-12 #3416, mothballed in preparation for motor swap
    2006 Volvo S60R

  7. #17
    Not a DeLorean Guru
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    I left it completely alone, the wiring for it is stock. I don't think its a fuel pump issue, as the engine will run and rev with the key in the start position; I suspect something like what Dave S. or Adam described as being the cause. Will hopefully get a chance to check today.
    -Mike

    My engine twists my frame.

    1981 DeLorean, Carb LS4 swap completed
    1999 Corvette, cam/headers/intake manifold, 400 rwhp
    2005 Elise, stock
    2016 Chevy Cruze

  8. #18
    Not a DeLorean Guru
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    Ding ding ding! Mr. Swingle had this one - As soon as I opened my engine compartment, I found that one of the connectors to the ballast resistor had fallen off of the resistor. It was VERY loose. I cleaned all of the connectors and blades, tightened up the one that come loose, and put it back on. Car fired up immediately and settled into a nice, burbly idle.
    -Mike

    My engine twists my frame.

    1981 DeLorean, Carb LS4 swap completed
    1999 Corvette, cam/headers/intake manifold, 400 rwhp
    2005 Elise, stock
    2016 Chevy Cruze

  9. #19
    Senior Member Bitsyncmaster's Avatar
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    I powered my LC1 on the lambda power. If you leave your lambda relay installed you can use it. It only powers with the engine running and that is what you want for the LC1. That also isolates it some from the fuel pump noise.
    Dave M vin 03572
    http://dm-eng.weebly.com/

  10. #20
    DMC Midwest - 815.459.6439 DMCMW Dave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by opethmike View Post
    Ding ding ding! Mr. Swingle had this one - As soon as I opened my engine compartment, I found that one of the connectors to the ballast resistor had fallen off of the resistor. It was VERY loose. I cleaned all of the connectors and blades, tightened up the one that come loose, and put it back on. Car fired up immediately and settled into a nice, burbly idle.
    The giveaway on this one is that it would fire while cranking and immediately die when you let go of the key. Not much else will cause that. Plus those resistors run REALLY hot so the connectors relax over time.
    Dave S
    DMC Midwest - retired but helping
    Greenville SC

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