What's the coldest temp you've driven in?

[Moneypenny]

Seasons Greetings, all. I keep #4115 in a climate controlled garage for winter storage, but I bring it out once every 2-3 weeks to drive around the storage facility roadways. They don't use any salt or melting chemicals, so it's just water that the car gets driven in. We had a cold snap a couple of weeks ago, and the temp at my garage when I brought the car out for its exercise was -25F. The car seemed unfazed by this. I drove it around for about 30 minutes, put 10 miles on the odo. The coolant got to full temp, but the heater never blew out more than tepid air. Interestingly, the car never tried to do its normal idle hunt, just settled right down. Also, the voltage gauge never showed it's normal voltage drop at idle; I guess the alternator really likes cold air.

So my coldest air temp is -25F. What's the coldest outside air temp that you've driven your DeLorean in?

4798647987479884798947990

[Michael]

At -25 I don't even get out of bed to pee.

[Citizen]

Coldest temp I've driven in? 8F degrees, I think.

But you didn't specify DeLorean. In my Delorean, I think 22 degrees was the coldest, but hey, I live in Texas. No way I'm gonna beat -25.

Thomas

...

[PJ Grady Inc.]

"The coolant got to full temp, but the heater never blew out more than tepid air." That's a common problem with a normally simple fix. Almost every Delorean that enters the shop for the first time has a loose foam seal at the heater core pipes where they exit the HVAC box. Bond that back on and you instantly eliminate the cold air diverted to your feet and add a measurable volume of heated air through the vents. We try to reseal every one that comes through the doors.
Here's to a warm and toasty holiday to all!
Rob

Interesting gauges and graphics btw.

[David T]

"The coolant got to full temp, but the heater never blew out more than tepid air." That's a common problem with a normally simple fix. Almost every Delorean that enters the shop for the first time has a loose foam seal at the heater core pipes where they exit the HVAC box. Bond that back on and you instantly eliminate the cold air diverted to your feet and add a measurable volume of heated air through the vents. We try to reseal every one that comes through the doors.
Here's to a warm and toasty holiday to all!
Rob

Interesting gauges and graphics btw.

Another big hole to plug is under the dash on the driver's side. The foam that the factory stuck in there degrades and comes loose. The coldest I have ever driven in was 0 degrees F but not in a Delorean. In an airplane about -5 F and in the Delorean about 15 F. Once the motor gets up to operating temperature it runs great but be aware the tires can never get sticky like they can when it is warmer so you can loose traction easier unless you have special winter compounded tires on the car. Also you can lose about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F so check your tire pressures or you can roll the bead off of the rim.

[ILM1010]

HEY I KNOW THAT PLACE

CHASKA or CHAHASSAN Motorplex?

been there plenty of cars and coffees

[Moneypenny]

HEY I KNOW THAT PLACE

CHASKA or CHAHASSAN Motorplex?

been there plenty of cars and coffees

That's the place. Bring your ride when Cars & Coffee starts up again in the Spring.

[Andrew]

"The coolant got to full temp, but the heater never blew out more than tepid air." That's a common problem with a normally simple fix. Almost every Delorean that enters the shop for the first time has a loose foam seal at the heater core pipes where they exit the HVAC box. Bond that back on and you instantly eliminate the cold air diverted to your feet and add a measurable volume of heated air through the vents. We try to reseal every one that comes through the doors.
Here's to a warm and toasty holiday to all!
Rob

Interesting gauges and graphics btw.

Rob: How do you recommend resealing the HVAC box? Is it possible to reseal the pipes without removing the assembly?

Thanks,

Andrew
4194
5052

[SS Spoiler]

Went to the last DCS at Palace Station in Vegas,
ran into a blizzard at Loveland pas CO. and 110 degrees
at the show. What a contrast.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Rob: How do you recommend resealing the HVAC box? Is it possible to reseal the pipes without removing the assembly?

Thanks,

Andrew
4194
5052
Here's the procedure. Turn the A/C mode switch onto the heater position and the fan on high. From the driver side put your hand above the heater vent that lays on the deck by the bulkhead and above the accelerator pedal. Now follow the cooler air from above to the back of the hvac box till you can feel the foam seal and the opening in the box and the unheated air blowing past the heater core pipes. Probe around until you know the size of the seal and opening. Turn off the fan and use a brush-top can of rubber contact adhesive to coat the opening area (Wurth and Winzer make a great product for this and all the rubber seals on the car) and the corresponding sealing areas on the foam. Remember you are doing this blind so expect to get some glue on your hands if not wearing a disposable glove. The whole operation should only take 10 minutes and makes a big difference in all modes as to the vent output and makes the car much less drafty in the winter. It also helps with the A/C vent output in the summer. Every car left the factory with a poor seal in this area. If you haven't fixed it yet now is the time.
Rob

[Andrew]

Thanks Rob! I'll do this fix on both of mine ASAP!

[Jonathan]

Went to the last DCS at Palace Station in Vegas,
ran into a blizzard at Loveland pas CO. and 110 degrees
at the show. What a contrast.

Biggest contrast I ever experienced was flying home from Hawaii in 2003. 30 deg C while in Oahu but our stop over (briefly) was in Edmonton... where it was -40 deg C! 70 deg CELSIUS difference. I remember the announcement as we were getting off the plane and going down the gangway to get into the terminal was "ok, folks, you probably don't want to doddle too long and get inside as quick as you can" lol. Yikes. That wasn't car related, but was the biggest contrast I ever felt.

Too much salt and crap on the roads here, so my D doesn't go back out to play until it's nice again outside. I think the sweet spot for driving these cars is in the high teens Celsius (15-19 or so say). Our cars don't seem to like the real cold or real hot weather. Which suits me just fine because that range is what it most often is outside during the driving season where I live.

On a side note... years ago I felt there might have been a connection between abrupt TAB failures and driving in cold weather. As in, metal strength is a function of temperature and if there is already a starting point like a scratch or ding or rust pit, the cold temps might be just enough to add it all up to a failure going over a big bump when out driving in the winter weather. Just wasn't enough examples with specifics to put any sort of legitimate analysis together, but that's still my theory, in part anyway.

[sdg3205]

Too much salt and crap on the roads here, so my D doesn't go back out to play until it's nice again outside. I think the sweet spot for driving these cars is in the high teens Celsius (15-19 or so say).

I've always felt the d was most enjoyable in the shoulder seasons. The milder temps of spring and fall means I can leave the windows down and AC off. I find the roar of the AC and hvac irritating after a while. Im a windows down kinda driver.

[Jonathan]

I've always felt the d was most enjoyable in the shoulder seasons. The milder temps of spring and fall means I can leave the windows down and AC off. I find the roar of the AC and hvac irritating after a while. Im a windows down kinda driver.

100% agree. Spring, Fall or later in the evenings during the summer. Windows down for me too. For ages I'd drive without any music on too, just listening to the road and the car. Some isolated back road with a few bendy sections and nice background scenery. The changing colours of the leaves in the Fall zooming past the car. That's the perfect setting for me and 3937. :)

[Lwanmtr]

Coldest I drove mine was in the 70's, I think...but I cant wait to get it put back together so next winter I can have some snowy fun..hehe.