New Overheating Issue and Growing Laundry list of Frustration

[David T]

Those are not the OEM motors or fans. The only purpose of the Lambda counter was to remind you of a service due. It lights a light in the binnacle every 30,000 miles. At that time you are supposed to do a tune-up replacing the spark plugs, air filter, and checking and adjusting the valves, timing, and A/F mixture. Under normal use that would translate into 10,000 miles a year to a service every 5 years. Service on most Deloreans is no longer timed to mileage, rather to time or as-needed.

[Boxbot]

Those are not the OEM motors or fans. The only purpose of the Lambda counter was to remind you of a service due. It lights a light in the binnacle every 30,000 miles. At that time you are supposed to do a tune-up replacing the spark plugs, air filter, and checking and adjusting the valves, timing, and A/F mixture. Under normal use that would translate into 10,000 miles a year to a service every 5 years. Service on most Deloreans is no longer timed to mileage, rather to time or as-needed.

Understood. I was just wondering if I need to disconnect the wires running to it or any fuse or relay.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I think you have Toby's fans since that looks like the OEM fan shroud. Verify both fans blow air out the back (turning correct way). If your fan fail light still comes on you may have my first fan fail unit which tests the fans current. You can pull the fan fail unit and read the revision number printed on the bottom.

[Boxbot]

Fan fail unit is kind of wedged in the corner. Didn't want to force it out. Fans functional and blow towards the rear of car. I'm going to guess at this point that I have air in my system due to the several coolant leaks that I have on the list to repair and hope that takes care of things.

I replaced my stovepipe today. While I had everything apart, I noticed there was a big hole in the intake hose, so I was sucking in air right next to the engine block, and the air filter assembly wasn't clamped together properly, so there was an additional gap sucking in hot air past the filter. Also one of the mounts for the coolant pipe was dislodged, but luckily the bottom part of the bracket was sitting on the tub below, so I repaired that as well.

Before:
IMG_7976.jpgIMG_7977.jpgIMG_7978.jpg

After:
IMG_7979.jpg

[Boxbot]

Maybe it's psychosomatic, but the car seems to be more responsive now to throttle from a dead stop. Also, the engine bay looks a whole lot better without that rusty metal and paper Rube Goldberg device!

[David T]

If you have several coolant leaks, the best plan of attack is to just replace all of the hoses. if you try to do them one-by-one you wind up dumping and filling the system and bleeding it many times.

[Boxbot]

If you have several coolant leaks, the best plan of attack is to just replace all of the hoses. if you try to do them one-by-one you wind up dumping and filling the system and bleeding it many times.

Yup. Have the full kit of 26 hoses and clamps ready to go along with thermostat and new water pump w/gaskets. Just need my mechanic friend to find time to help me out.

[Jonathan]

Window and lock situation: I still have my passenger door torn apart and can not repair either the window or the lock issue.

Second, I noticed in the dusk that the LED lights in the door remained on - very dim but on - even when the wire to the door switch was disconnected. I pulled the courtesy light fuse and that shut them off completely. I'm certain that was at least part of my battery drain.

I noticed something happening on my own car that made me think it might be part of your problems too.

I had my doors apart working on window motors and realized the door lights were staying on. This is because the door light plungers get pushed in to shut the lights off by coming into contact with a piece of that lower door trim panel. When the panel is off the door, the gap is too far and the plunger doesn't engage. So the lights stay on even with the door closed and they are very hard to notice because the light gets trapped and doesn't shine out other than through that small seam left from where the door panel isn't.

Like you said, the door lights may have been a big contributor to the battery drain issue. This might be why your door lights were staying on. Once you start to get things back together, and plug those door plunger switches back in, you might find out they work ok afterall. Assuming there isn't some other wiring mistake hiding in there too.

[David T]

The plunger also has (or is supposed to have)a small rubber tip. If it is missing that is enough to keep the lights on. You can stick a short piece of vacuum hose on the plunger to get the lights off.

[Boxbot]

I think you have Toby's fans since that looks like the OEM fan shroud. Verify both fans blow air out the back (turning correct way). If your fan fail light still comes on you may have my first fan fail unit which tests the fans current. You can pull the fan fail unit and read the revision number printed on the bottom.

I declined to pull the relay, but found instructions in my file that say it is "Rev K."