What have you done to your DeLorean today?

[Jonathan]

I'm a little "behind the times" yes as I'm only watching the TV show Fringe now for the first time. There's a Back to the Future reference in season 2 that I think most of you will catch. Can't imagine most of the regular viewing public of the show itself would have caught it though...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScYGqRsHQ7s

[Nate88]

Got my car out of winter storage yesterday evening! Ran great for the most part. If I drove hard the 1st to 2nd shift was pretty jerky (auto, computer rebuilt last year) but it shifted fine when not on the throttle hard. I'm kinda thinking its more old gas related then the transmission itself. It was put away with a full tank and Sta-bil ran through the engine. Also, by the end of the drive the engine sat around 1200 when in park. Going to drive it today some more, hopefully it's just working things out from sitting for 5+ months.

[Lwanmtr]

I'm a little "behind the times" yes as I'm only watching the TV show Fringe now for the first time. There's a Back to the Future reference in season 2 that I think most of you will catch. Can't imagine most of the regular viewing public of the show itself would have caught it though...

Glad they didnt go with him, cause it prolly wouldnt have been as good.

[Michael]

Last Winter my doors and locks started acting up. It was too cold for me to want to tear into diagnosing so today I fixed it in about 30 minutes. Turns out a spade had backed out from a connector just enough to make contact intermittently. I just got lucky when I started pulling wires looking for loose splices and I heard a relay click which zeroed me into the problem(s). All fixed up and ready for Spring!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gSOEEjn-Y8

[Riley88]

Last Winter my doors and locks started acting up. It was too cold for me to want to tear into diagnosing so today I fixed it in about 30 minutes. Turns out a spade had backed out from a connector just enough to make contact intermittently. I just got lucky when I started pulling wires looking for loose splices and I heard a relay click which zeroed me into the problem(s). All fixed up and ready for Spring!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gSOEEjn-Y8

Always nice when you are working on something and the problem just presents itself. A rare occurrence but when it happens its welcome

[CriticalB]

After a year of ownership, took my car on its first long distance trip. Up until now I’ve only used it in town for errands and test drives while I’ve worked out various kinks.

Made it 400 miles round-trip with no incidents!

[Lwanmtr]

Cool...2 1/2 for me and still aint really driven mine...lol

[mrpeterman]

Went to the first car show of the season, beautiful day next to the beach.
I also want to say Thank you to everyone who took the time over the years to document and post all the resources on this forum.
A lot of the time I am just lurking here, but everything thats been posted allowed me to spend the winter making this car safer and reliable and I'm excited to finally enjoy it!
56029

[Michael]

Went to the first car show of the season, beautiful day next to the beach.
I also want to say Thank you to everyone who took the time over the years to document and post all the resources on this forum.
A lot of the time I am just lurking here, but everything thats been posted allowed me to spend the winter making this car safer and reliable and I'm excited to finally enjoy it!
56029

I love me some dark wheels. I like my silver too but dark wheels give it a completely different(and equally awesome) look.

[Christian Dietrich]

Always had a thing for the darker wheels also. If I couldn't get the Machine wheels that I have today then I would have had mine powder coated in the dark gray color! Glad you're able to find a lot of stuff on the site to help you out!

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[mrpeterman]

I love me some dark wheels. I like my silver too but dark wheels give it a completely different(and equally awesome) look.

I've always loved the early dark wheels.
I was able to get them powered coated at a local shop, the end result looks pretty close to the original paint.
Edit: picture the day I picked them up and hosed some of the dust off, loved the fresh power coat.
56039
(I spent a few hours with the Search feature looking at past threads and what people said about power coating and color, very useful info before pulling the trigger!)

[Farrar]

Opened the trunk and these fell out of the right fender. LOL

56050

[spaceboyusa]

(I spent a few hours with the Search feature looking at past threads and what people said about powder coating and color, very useful info before pulling the trigger!)

I have a set of original dark wheels and while they're pretty darn good, I can see the day when I'll need to do the same refresh/powder coat exercise you did. At the cost of coming across lazy (guilty!), any chance you could share here, or via PM, what color mix you ended going with? If not, understood...had to try...:)

[81dmc]

Noticed throttle was hard to push so I dismantled the throttle spool to lube the cable. Upon reinstall of the spool, I dropped the c-clip into the VOD.

But after a trip to Home Depot, all was set until I fed the old throttle cable through the nut. The cable was frayed, so when it pushed through, it completely unwound itself. :swear1:



So now I have to drive across town tomorrow to buy a new cable at DMCH.

[Michael]

So now I have to drive across town tomorrow to buy a new cable at DMCH.

#livesclosetoavendorproblems

[dodint]

When I moved from Wisconsin to Pittsburgh I was annoyed that I was going from being about 4 hours from DMCMW to about 9 hours away. Then I realized DPI is about an hour and a half away. :lol:

[Trstno1]

Talk about being annoyed that you are not around a DMC location. Try living in Alaska. Every friggen time I make an order, just as soon as they send it out I realize I had forgot something.....

[Col Bennett]

It's been a busy week in-between new dad duties.

I finally got around to perfecting the luggage compartment in my car. It's always looked really nice, but the perfectionist in me wanted to give it a little love. As always, the devil is in the details. A full day of prep and masking and 10 minutes of painstaking paint work and she looks perfect. For me, it's all about originality but at the same time I want to improve and fix up visual elements and inconsistencies when and where I can in a tasteful way.

Some notes from the work:

— I used two cans of SEM Trim Black. It's great stuff but but it needs meticulously controlled to get the best results. You need to spray in +70 degree heat to avoid patchiness (from tests). I also reduced the flash time down to 30 seconds between coats instead of the recommended 3-5 min on the can. Leaving it too long creates visible layers between coats. You need to keep the flash time short in high heats to allow each coat to bond with the last before it dries. This gives a really nice even finish. You also need to spray continually 6-9 inches from the surface to make sure it doesn’t get saturated in paint. It gets far too shiny otherwise. The key is multiple light coats for a nice even matte finish.

— I tried to remove all of the messy rubber sealant around the brake fluid, fuel tank and fuel filler infill panels before painting. Whoever applied this stuff in the factory/service centers really tried to make it look as messy and unsightly as possible. Now that it's gone, it looks much nicer. I'm also cleaning up the infill panels themselves, removing sealant and fixing the shoddy alignment of the gaskets.

— Brand new stickers to complete the look.

— Cleaned up the gas strut brackets.

Pics…

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_01.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_02.jpg

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http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_06.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_07.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_08a.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_08b.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_08c.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_09.jpg

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http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_luggage_13.jpg

[Col Bennett]

I also got time this week to refinish the fibreglass paint on my very rare NOS 81 grooved hood.

After a LOT of searching worldwide, I managed to source the hood from a retired body shop owner south of LA. He's had it in storage (vertically) for 20-30 years. The stainless is absolutely flawless and is a perfect replacement for the near-perfect hood that came with the car. Sadly that hood had a dent that was unrepairable by Chris Nicholson. (I know, nuts!)

The original paint on the NOS hood was nice, but 30 years of storage had caused some light scuffs. All I need to do now is affix the new carpets and she's perfect.

I just love that hand-written date so I may keep that carpeted portion removable.

Oh the things we do for the cars we love in the pursuit of perfection. :blush:

Pics…

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_hood_01.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_hood_02.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_hood_03.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_hood_04.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_hood_05.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-04-25_hood_06.jpg

[iflights]

Stunning! Very nice work.

[81dmc]

Installed my new throttle cable, and it definitely feels whole lot easier to push! I guess there was some rust in there...

Also saw the Domino's Delorean at DMCH today.
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[Trstno1]

+1 on the trunk and hood work. Awesome job! I have tried for a long time to master that SEM paint. I took notes...

[Riley88]

I wish Domino's would deliver me a pizza in the Domino's DeLorean~_~

[Col Bennett]

Stunning! Very nice work.


+1 on the trunk and hood work. Awesome job! I have tried for a long time to master that SEM paint. I took notes...

Thanks!

[NckT]

Yesterday, after removing the accumulated crap that surrounded the car in the garage, and giving the car a quick once over, I took it in for its yearly MOT test, and it passed. I'm well chuffed and feeling simply, simply, lovely :D

I just need to take it to the petrol station, fill it up to make sure there is plenty in the tank for a bit of blinding driving

[mark w]

Did some work on the Mongoose DMC this week.

First, I completed my replacement of the rear suspension links. the car came with modified control arms, shortened, but also smaller diameter with poly bushings. Due to the articulation and radius swing of the trailing arm, which is also heavily modified (the rear track is about 6" narrower), the poly bushings kept popping out. I also didnt trust the strength of the arms, either.

So, for the upper, which is about 6" long (stock is about 9") I replaced the link with a heim joint setup on one side, and a nylon rod-end on the other. the link on the hub side moves with the radius of the arm, so there is not much flex. the link on the car side has the most deflection, so I installed a 3 piece QA1 hiem joint with high misalignment spacer. The aluminium hex tube (Joes Racing, sourced from Jegs) in between is threaded L/R so, its now also easy (but hard to get to with the tire on the car) for alignment adjustments, where before you had to remove the link to adjust it.

for the lower, I wanted to reintroduce some flex, but also reintroduce the resistance of movement front-to-back, so that not all the forces of braking and acceleration are taken up by the front TAB bolt. to do this I went with stock arms and stock bushings, but again shortened by 3" each and installing Grady adjusters, for maximum adjustment of alignment. I have raised the car 1" from it original modified ride height, so alignment adjustment is needed.

I also this week removed the CV axles, and found what I expected, heavily worn out CV joints. Caused by broken boots and the severe operating angle of my axles, because the car is so low, they are never horizontal, always angled up toward the wheels. I needed to replace 3 of the 4, so I went with all 4, sourced from my local Porsche parts place and new boots from Grady. My axles are custom made, and 18” long (stock I think is 21”).

561955619656197561985619956200

[AirmanPika]

Changed the 8 year old oil a few days ago. Now the car is on jack stands and I'm about to start the process of pulling the transmission to rebuild or replace it (I hope).

[Farrar]

This, among other things.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoWYW4CRAbk

[Trstno1]

Installed my new throttle cable, and it definitely feels whole lot easier to push! I guess there was some rust in there...

Also saw the Domino's Delorean at DMCH today.
56159

This is a job I have to do as well. Is it a big deal to pull the old throttle cable out and feed the new one through?

[Riley88]

This is a job I have to do as well. Is it a big deal to pull the old throttle cable out and feed the new one through? My throttle cable snapped on me driving once so I have done this as well. Its very straight forward pull the old cable out through where it goes up into the sleeve behind your pedal. You can then lube and run the new cable through the old sleeve quite easily. make sure the cable is pulled nicely through and you dont have any give on the pedals when tightening it down on the other end at the throttle. I actually ran some warm soapy water and forced it through with an compressor from the engine side of the cable and put an empty bucket at the other end under the dash to try to get some of the crud from inside of the cable out. After i did that i blew just air through then i blew a some co2 out to force any moisture out. Grabbed my new cable lightly greased it and ran it through. Took about 20 mins in total. Really easy and the new cable +cleaning made the pedal silky smooth

[81dmc]

This is a job I have to do as well. Is it a big deal to pull the old throttle cable out and feed the new one through?

If you're replacing the inner cable only, Riley88 has that covered.

However, I changed out the hole assembly including the outer cable. All I did was pull the cable with the parcel shelf carpet removed. I then reached under the dash on the passenger side for the cable and pulled in from the console. After that, I simply pulled it out after disconnecting it at the pedals.

To install, I removed the coin tray and fed the cable down the console from the front. I then fed a coat hangar from the engine side to catch the cable and pull it though the bulkhead. Once that it done, I fed the cable under the HVAC box towards the pedals.

The hardest pard is curving the outer cable between the pedal box and wiper motor. It took me an hour to get everything installed there....

After all that, I lubed the inner cable and fed it through from the pedal box side.

[Trstno1]

My throttle cable snapped on me driving once so I have done this as well. Its very straight forward pull the old cable out through where it goes up into the sleeve behind your pedal. You can then lube and run the new cable through the old sleeve quite easily. make sure the cable is pulled nicely through and you dont have any give on the pedals when tightening it down on the other end at the throttle. I actually ran some warm soapy water and forced it through with an compressor from the engine side of the cable and put an empty bucket at the other end under the dash to try to get some of the crud from inside of the cable out. After i did that i blew just air through then i blew a some co2 out to force any moisture out. Grabbed my new cable lightly greased it and ran it through. Took about 20 mins in total. Really easy and the new cable +cleaning made the pedal silky smooth

Sweet, thanks! What did you use to lube the cable?

[Farrar]

Preparing to adjust the fenders, I pulled one of the fasteners to have a closer look. Seems the washers may be stainless (they're mildly magnetic) but the screw isn't.

56253

Noted some Dunmurry, er, ''quality control'' - the middle hole on each fender lines up so badly that they couldn't put a fastener in it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Hardware will be replaced with 316 stainless - except for the middle one, of course.

Also drained 2 gallons of water from cooling system. It's getting cleaner with each daily cycle. Shouldn't be long before I can flush/backflush again and fill with 50/50. Moving forward feels good.

[Farrar]

Pulled the RH door sill. Some of the screws were sticking up, and some were spinning in their places. Previous owner had installed stainless letters. Some of the letters have fallen off. I helped the rest.

56260

Going to clean off the dried adhesive and see about re-installing. Really wishing there were some alternative to the screws.

[DMC5180]

Pulled the RH door sill. Some of the screws were sticking up, and some were spinning in their places. Previous owner had installed stainless letters. Some of the letters have fallen off. I helped the rest.

56260

Going to clean off the dried adhesive and see about re-installing. Really wishing there were some alternative to the screws.

Not exactly sure what the story is about the screws. They were never supposed to be there. You should be able to just replace the sills with new ones. They don’t have drill holes. You may need to replace the white plastic receptacles that the sill tabs push into. Dave S. Could could probably shed light on the topic.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jawn101]

Not exactly sure what the story is about the screws. They were never supposed to be there. You should be able to just replace the sills with new ones. They don’t have drill holes. You may need to replace the white plastic receptacles that the sill tabs push into. Dave S. Could could probably shed light on the topic.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The screws were a QAC thing. Some of the sills didn’t sit right using just the friction clips, and the QACs screwed them in place after they arrived.

[jmrydholm]

I've thought about #10715 today...(I've also logged into the forum after a long absence.) I still have her, just working at night, family, kids, etc. kind of take most of my time. Also bills. Need to get her out of my dad's garage and suck all the gas out of the tank.

[Farrar]

You should be able to just replace the sills with new ones. They don’t have drill holes. You may need to replace the white plastic receptacles that the sill tabs push into.


The screws were a QAC thing. Some of the sills didn’t sit right using just the friction clips, and the QACs screwed them in place after they arrived.

Thanks, y'all! I will add new door sills to my shopping list. :thumbup:

[Col Bennett]

I finally got around to getting my lovely wheels refinished by José and the team at Rite-Way in Walnut Creek, CA.

Their work is absolutely outstanding so if you're in the Bay Area or Northern California, I couldn't recommend them more. Fantastic finish and workmanship.

Be sure to ask for a full wheel restoration using LP1 - a near-identical match to the original silver.

Refinished and loaded into the day car…

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_01.jpg

And the end-result on the car…

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_02.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_03.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_04.jpg

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http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_07.jpg

[81dmc]

Well, I replaced my thermostat with a 160 degree from O'Reillys after I hit 215* yesterday. I also reprogrammed the Dakota Digital fan controller to start @185* and turn off @180*.

Looks like the thermostat I had was the original. It was made in West Germany...
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[DavidProehl]

I finally got around to getting my lovely wheels refinished by José and the team at Rite-Way in Walnut Creek, CA.

Their work is absolutely outstanding so if you're in the Bay Area or Northern California, I couldn't recommend them more. Fantastic finish and workmanship.

Be sure to ask for a full wheel restoration using LP1 - a near-identical match to the original silver.

They look great! I need to refinish my wheels as well. I have a couple leads on some local places that come recommended. Is LP1 a standard color code that any shop should be able to do or is that something specific to your shop?


Today I drained and replaced my coolant for the first time since I put in a new radiator a couple years ago. It is impossible to overstate how much faster and easier this job is when you have a peacock and don't have to pull a hose to drain the radiator!

[Farrar]

Replaced some fasteners on the doors that were eating into the plastic with some fasteners that are less hungry:

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[jawn101]

I finally got around to getting my lovely wheels refinished by José and the team at Rite-Way in Walnut Creek, CA.

Their work is absolutely outstanding so if you're in the Bay Area or Northern California, I couldn't recommend them more. Fantastic finish and workmanship.

Be sure to ask for a full wheel restoration using LP1 - a near-identical match to the original silver.

Refinished and loaded into the day car…

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_01.jpg

And the end-result on the car…

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_02.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_03.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_04.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_05.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_06.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-07_wheels_07.jpg

Wow, those look great. Did you have any curb rash repaired or anything? I have the usual minor flaking/bubbling of the powder coat, but also one or two small sections on the outer rim where someone curbed the wheels.

Also (and you know how to find me offline if you'd rather share it that way, and you don't mind my asking) - what did the work run you? I've long been bouncing between fixing mine and just getting a new set.

[Col Bennett]

They look great! I need to refinish my wheels as well. I have a couple leads on some local places that come recommended. Is LP1 a standard color code that any shop should be able to do or is that something specific to your shop?

Thanks David. That's a good question. I think it's maybe an internal shop code but I'll give them a call and try to figure out the exact powder color/brand. Stay tuned.

[Col Bennett]

Wow, those look great. Did you have any curb rash repaired or anything? I have the usual minor flaking/bubbling of the powder coat, but also one or two small sections on the outer rim where someone curbed the wheels.

Also (and you know how to find me offline if you'd rather share it that way, and you don't mind my asking) - what did the work run you? I've long been bouncing between fixing mine and just getting a new set.

Thanks Jon. I had some minor paint flakes too. Nothing too crazy, but stuff that just bugged me.

They can repair all rash and curbed chips as part of the restoration. They strip the wheel and then machine it to iron out the imperfections.

The price was $195 a wheel. Well worth it imho. The workmanship is fantastic.

[FABombjoy]

The price was $195 a wheel. Well worth it imho. The workmanship is fantastic.
Whoa, that must be a Bay Area price :)

There's a shop near me in Michigan that quotes $85 at the high end per wheel, minor repair included. They're the go-to for everyone in our local club and I've never heard of an unsatisfied customer.
https://warhawkpowdercoating.com/

[Col Bennett]

Whoa, that must be a Bay Area price :)

Haha. Possibly. I imagine it varies throughout the US. This price includes a full restore - stripping, machining, refinishing etc. It also includes balancing and tire removal. I could probably have found somewhere cheaper but I always go on recommendation and firmly believe you get what you pay for. :)

[Farrar]

Pulled the T-Panel and found some interesting things.

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[81dmc]

Separated the cooling fan circuits today in preparation for two powerful 200w cooling fans from a VW.
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[Bitsyncmaster]

Separated the cooling fan circuits today in preparation for two powerful 200w cooling fans from a VW.
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Interesting relay set up. I do think if you install 200 watt fans the double relay is a good idea. Do you find your engine overheating with your present fans?

Did you move the hot start relay socket from the back to the front of your relay compartment?

What rear defog timer are you using? The stock unit is green.

[81dmc]

Interesting relay set up. I do think if you install 200 watt fans the double relay is a good idea. Do you find your engine overheating with your present fans?
I had DMCEU fans on a stock shroud, and I began overheating with the higher ambient temps. As a result, I found that 1985-1992 Golf fans push significantly more air, but at a cost of 200w.



Did you move the hot start relay socket from the back to the front of your relay compartment?
Yeah, I deleted the pesky thermotime switch and moved the hot start relay into a more permanent position. Car starts every time now.



What rear defog timer are you using? The stock unit is green.
While I was rewiring much of the car for the cluster, I decided to use a momentary switch setup for the defog.

I used this timer:
http://www.euramtec.com/parts/b/b01/73922312.html

Coupled with this switch:
http://www.euramtec.com/parts/a/a07/1304m.html

[Bitsyncmaster]

I had DMCEU fans on a stock shroud, and I began overheating with the higher ambient temps. As a result, I found that 1985-1992 Golf fans push significantly more air, but at a cost of 200w.

Were those the 3.5 amp fans?

[81dmc]

Were those the 3.5 amp fans?

I think so. They really weren't adequate for the Texas heat.

[mr_maxime]

Brew came and helped me take the intake off so I could change out the water pump hoses. Since I was there I figured I'd just replace the water pump. while taking apart the old one, I found my thermostat like this. Unnecessarily changing a part to prevent future problems lead me to find an actual one.

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[JETS 81 DMC]

Brew came and helped me take the intake off so I could change out the water pump hoses. Since I was there I figured I'd just replace the water pump. while taking apart the old one, I found my thermostat like this. Unnecessarily changing a part to prevent future problems lead me to find an actual one.

56316


Don't forget to drill a 1/8 or 3/16" hole in the new thermostat before installing to help with getting air out of system. Can even drill two holes if you want.

[Col Bennett]

This morning I sprayed the face sides of the infill panels to match the rest of the work in my luggage compartment. I used SEM Trim Black.

I masked off the underside of each panel using tape and brown paper and lightly rubbed each panel with a 3M Scotch-Brite Ultra Fine Pad. Before painting I used SEM Soap and prepped with SEM Prep and SEM XXX Adhesion Promoter. I hung them from slightly angled cardboard and affixed them by using super strong tape - affixed to the reverse of the panel and then twisted to affix to the cardboard.

For the fuel filler infill panel I also applied a brand new upper seal (the bottom seal is no-longer available). It’ll squish in perfectly once I bolt it back on. Before painting the panel I used a medium rasp to open some of the screw holes to ensure a perfect fit. Interestingly, someone in the DeLorean factory clearly couldn’t be bothered opening some of the holes up and instead filled them with black silicone. Fixed now.

I’m going to order a new seal for the fuel pump panel and brake fluid panel this week.

Of course, the metal of the spare wheel is going to wreck havoc on that new paint so I got a custom cut piece of circular wood from a local hardware store (18” diameter) and used it as a template to cut a perfect circle from a nice piece of Home Depot’s thin grey carpet - that closely matches the texture of the hood carpets.

The results look really nice. Super smooth and non-patchy.

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-11_panels_01.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-11_panels_02.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-11_panels_03.jpg

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http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-11_panels_13.jpg

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http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-11_panels_15.jpg

[Farrar]

Replaced the rusty louvre bracket fasteners with not-rusty ones. Instead of split washer + flat washer, which is what I removed, I opted for a lower-profile flange bolt. (Black oxide finish to resist corrosion.)

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[Mark D]

I finally got my car out of storage for spring...these past few years has been getting later and later it seems.

I keep a spreadsheet with service history and mileage log... I found that I only put 883 miles on the car last year. Hopefully I get a chance to drive it more this summer.

[OZ DMC]

This morning I sprayed the face sides of the infill panels to match the rest of the work in my luggage compartment. I used SEM Trim Black.

I masked off the underside of each panel using tape and brown paper and lightly rubbed each panel with a 3M Scotch-Brite Ultra Fine Pad. Before painting I used SEM Soap and prepped with SEM Prep and SEM XXX Adhesion Promoter. I hung them from slightly angled cardboard and affixed them by using super strong tape - affixed to the reverse of the panel and then twisted to affix to the cardboard.

For the fuel filler infill panel I also applied a brand new upper seal (the bottom seal is no-longer available). It’ll squish in perfectly once I bolt it back on. Before painting the panel I used a medium rasp to open some of the screw holes to ensure a perfect fit. Interestingly, someone in the DeLorean factory clearly couldn’t be bothered opening some of the holes up and instead filled them with black silicone. Fixed now.

I’m going to order a new seal for the fuel pump panel and brake fluid panel this week.

Of course, the metal of the spare wheel is going to wreck havoc on that new paint so I got a custom cut piece of circular wood from a local hardware store (18” diameter) and used it as a template to cut a perfect circle from a nice piece of Home Depot’s thin grey carpet - that closely matches the texture of the hood carpets.

The results look really nice. Super smooth and non-patchy.

Looks great, nice work

[Col Bennett]

I spent 3+ hours tonight going through the Millennium Concours judging manual to appraise my car (to the best of my understanding) after almost 2 years of sweating the details since I purchased it from Ben (Soundkillr on DMCTalk) in 2016.

I lost points to things like recovered headliner material not having the accurate grain, a small crack in my ash tray outer rim (also missing inside clip), no hood seal (I chose not to install it for cosmetic reasons), silicone hoses instead of rubber, new non-original compressor and alternator, stainless clutch lines, a small crack on my windshield (bottom LH right), early 00s repainted facias (by previous owner) being glossy instead of matte and an 82 muffler (instead of 81) and a bunch of other small details.

Losing points for things like non-original batteries, struts, oil filters, belt brands, tires and LED bulbs are kinda funny for those of us that actually drive our cars, but I totally appreciate that Concours is all about accuracy.

I’ve been on a mission to achieve near-Concours condition and accuracy but with the benefit of all modern updates being completed to make it a safe, drivable car. The best of both worlds.

As always, there’s a bunch of things to improve here and there, but it’s SO much fun.

Raising a glass to those of you who adore their DeLoreans and love sweating the details.

It's a fun and sobering experience. Here's the link to the website if anyone else wants to put themselves through it…

http://www.deloreanmarquecertification.com

Cheers!

PS. A huge tip of the hat to James Espey and everyone who dedicated their time and energy to create the manual.

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-16_concours.jpg

[ritztoys]

Last winter project while car is still on jack stands............I removed the Auto-Trans diagnostic plug from the engine firewall and "fished it" down after clipping all the tie-straps holding the wiring harness to the A/C low pressure hose. This will give me extra length in removing the transmission governor from the side of the final drive. Now I can remove the transmission circuit board next to the car, looking down on my (work to be) , while un-soldering the old board and replace with one that has the failed parts replaced.
Governor comes off tomorrow, then the un-soldering begins! :swear1:

[tgraham]

Not a thing, but I did see it in the garage. Perhaps I will get a chance to light the mighty PRV this weekend.

(Haven’t visited in ages, but couldn’t resist adding to the most unwieldy thread of all time!)

Travis

[axh174]

Now I can remove the transmission circuit board next to the car, looking down on my (work to be) , while un-soldering the old board and replace with one that has the failed parts replaced.

If you get a chance, take a couple of pics! I always like seeing shots of the original and repaired boards ever since I was in there on 2234. :)

-Kevin

[Lenny]

1. I took the car to Orlando and had Tint put on. It was Ceramic and very light but really cuts out the heat. I can't believe how much cooler it is. Plus it's going to save the dash and binnacle.
2. Left Orlando on the way to Embry Riddle for their New Students Weekend. They put the car in the middle of the campus to draw attention, but, I never made it. I slammed on the brakes and the bushings for the anti sway bar pulled out. Luckily DMC Florida is now in Orlando. Had the car towed there and replaced all the bushings in the front.
3. Today I found a mechanic who had two cans of R-12. I had one can put in and bought the other can $50.00 total. He said he couldn't charge me for putting it in, he just wanted to work on the car.

Headed to Cars & Coffee tomorrow at Peter O. Knight airport in Tampa.

[dodint]

I'm having ceramic installed on mine on June 2nd.

Did they do it completely custom or order from a kit? The tint place I use does a lot of high end exotics and can usually get a pre-cut kit for pretty rare stuff.

[Lenny]

They cut it from sheets, custom.

[dodint]

Very cool, thanks.

[Col Bennett]

Continuing to work on those little details today by replacing my front shifter panel along with my LH grey dash end cap.

My front panel had a few minor shiny scuffs that always bugged me along with some horrible shiny adhesive that was visible at the edges of the shift boot. There were also a series of tiny holes drilled around the internal boot lip that were slightly visible at the main bottom screw holes. The new NOS panel from DMCH was a nice finishing touch here.

I also replaced my LH grey dash end cap with a used, but mint condition original end cap from Mike and Suzy at DMC Midwest. My original one had been clipped by shoes a few times over the past 37 years causing some minor chips and damage to the vinyl edge. It’s great to finally have this looking perfect with an original part.

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-18_shifter_endcap_01.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-18_shifter_endcap_02.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-18_shifter_endcap_03.jpg

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[DARCOM]

Finally added some bigger throttle bodies to my EFI intake. Made some new fuel rails and add PTFE fuel lines.

[mr_maxime]

I sheared off the dreaded bolt on the Y-pipe...

https://i.imgur.com/yRQ6u2h.jpg?1

[Jonathan]

2. Left Orlando on the way to Embry Riddle for their New Students Weekend. They put the car in the middle of the campus to draw attention, but, I never made it. I slammed on the brakes and the bushings for the anti sway bar pulled out. Luckily DMC Florida is now in Orlando. Had the car towed there and replaced all the bushings in the front.

Glad to hear that worked out okay in the end for you. Out of curiosity, were these original bushings on that front sway bar, or had you replaced something there on the front recently and it was the repair work that caused the failure? Partly asking because I bought a front sway bar bushings kit "proactively" but have not yet installed it. It isn't doing anything awful up front so I'm thinking I might just leave it as is and not mess with it.

[ritztoys]

If you get a chance, take a couple of pics! I always like seeing shots of the original and repaired boards ever since I was in there on 2234. :)

-Kevin

Howdy Kevin, ask and you shall receive!

Length available from harness, where you can work on the Trans Governor
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My new work station
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Before and after circuit boards
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All done, ready for new silicone
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For those of you thinking about rebuilding your Trans circuit board, be sure to remove all the "varnish" sealing the solder joints before attempting to remove any component or wire.

[AirmanPika]

Finally installed the matching McIntosh MX406 head unit to go with the amp I installed several years ago. Thanks to some prior prep work I did with the old Pioneer unit the swap went fairly smooth.

5638356384

[SS Spoiler]

Learned that cars don't run well with feed and
return lines reversed at the fuel pump!

[Nate88]

5638556386

Went to my first car show of the year!

[DARCOM]

I needed a little more fresh air in the cockpit. So i test printed a scoop to see if it worked.

[Lwanmtr]

Did it work?

[DARCOM]

Yea. I forgot i was testing them and got on the freeway. I was tuning my EFI. It was still there. The breeze in the car was much better. Also they have zero infill for testing but held together fine. When i'm done they will be adjustable for air direction in the car.

[CriticalB]

Plasti-dipped my rims today using a color called Matte Satin White Aluminum

56395

56396

[81dmc]

Drove my car in the pouring rain today. 20% chance of rain my ass...

Anyways, found a leak from the epoxy holding the fresh air intake to the underbody. So looks like HVAC box removal is in my future.:bigcry:

[Dangermouse]

I spent 3+ hours tonight going through the Millennium Concours judging manual to appraise my car (to the best of my understanding) after almost 2 years of sweating the details since I purchased it from Ben (Soundkillr on DMCTalk) in 2016.

I lost points to things like recovered headliner material not having the accurate grain, a small crack in my ash tray outer rim (also missing inside clip), no hood seal (I chose not to install it for cosmetic reasons), silicone hoses instead of rubber, new non-original compressor and alternator, stainless clutch lines, a small crack on my windshield (bottom LH right), early 00s repainted facias (by previous owner) being glossy instead of matte and an 82 muffler (instead of 81) and a bunch of other small details.

Losing points for things like non-original batteries, struts, oil filters, belt brands, tires and LED bulbs are kinda funny for those of us that actually drive our cars, but I totally appreciate that Concours is all about accuracy.

I’ve been on a mission to achieve near-Concours condition and accuracy but with the benefit of all modern updates being completed to make it a safe, drivable car. The best of both worlds.

As always, there’s a bunch of things to improve here and there, but it’s SO much fun.

Raising a glass to those of you who adore their DeLoreans and love sweating the details.

It's a fun and sobering experience. Here's the link to the website if anyone else wants to put themselves through it…

http://www.deloreanmarquecertification.com

Cheers!

PS. A huge tip of the hat to James Espey and everyone who dedicated their time and energy to create the manual.

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-16_concours.jpg

How many points do you lose for the BAE?

[Col Bennett]

How many points do you lose for the BAE?

Haha. None. The BAE turbo kit came off almost two years ago when I returned it to stock for CA emissions. I sold the kit back to Ben, who then sold it here on DMCTalk.

[Dangermouse]

Ah. Missed that. I thought he was selling a spare unit.

[81dmc]

Well, I removed the four year old DMCH alternator. Bearing is on its way out and the idle output is insufficient for my needs.

I'm going with the cs144 alternator off a 2000 escalade. To make it fit, I ordered a bracket that converts a Motorola 1" mount to a Delco 2" mount. Will have that in a few days...

Size difference is crazy!
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[DMC81]

Started the frame separation today, I am taking this extremely:umm: slow...lol


56423

[Lwanmtr]

Might take a while with just a floor jack...hehe

[81dmc]

Installed the cs144 today.

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Sits kind of close to the cat, but time will tell if that matters...

[Matt Carpenter]

Plasti-dipped my rims today using a color called Matte Satin White Aluminum

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56396

Looks fantastic! Pricey? No need to disclose $ amount. Just curious. Thx!

[CriticalB]

Looks fantastic! Pricey? No need to disclose $ amount. Just curious. Thx!

It was about $60 for this kit (https://www.dipyourcar.com/products/matte-satin-white-aluminum-wheel-kit). I think you can save a little if you buy the cans individually (It comes w/ 4 cans and only took 2.5 cans, 6 coats on each wheel), but this kit came with a microfiber towel, some spray to make the paint adhere better, and some spray to make overspray removal easier. It also came with some thin plastic to work behind the rims and cover the brakes if you choose not to take the wheels off the car.

I was a little concerned how the color turned out since you never know exactly how it will look based on pictures from the web, but I think it's a pretty close match to original.

[Jonathan]

Got some stainless dent repairs done as well as a full regrain. It really is incredible to see the difference. I had a couple fairly significant dings that were on the car ever since I got it in 2007. Now you'd never even know they were once there. One was a crease on the passenger rear quarter with some scratches that extended onto the door (likely caused by someone turning too closely into a curb or something) and the other was at the top of the driver's door, in the back corner where it meets the inside corner of the t-panel (guessing that a strut changeout went bad and the door got dropped on the extended strut which then kinked the t-panel and flared up the corner edge of the door). Absolutely magical what can be done when put into the right hands. Beauty.

564995649856497

[DMC-81]

Got some stainless dent repairs done as well as a full regrain.

Wow, that looks awesome Jonathan!

[81dmc]

Removed supply and return lines and lifted the mixture unit, injectors, cold start valve, WUR, and frequency valve as one unit. Makes things easier when you don't have to worry about 30 or so copper washers...

Cleaned the rotor and cap contacts. Both simply looked too new to replace.

Installed 8mm wires and Bosch Iridium 9608 plugs to complement my Pertronix coil. The plugs already come pre gapped at .044" so no problem there...

Reinstalled everything, and it fired up immediately! I will take my car on a long Memorial Day drive to verify all is good.

[Jonathan]

Wow, that looks awesome Jonathan!

Thanks! Hard to do it justice with the photos alone. It's amazing to me how much lighter or brighter it is. Like after a layer of darkness or filth or oxidation got removed. Closer to what it might have looked like when it rolled off the line in Dunmurry years ago.

[Col Bennett]

I finally found time this holiday weekend to detail my engine bay. 8 hours later, she looks quite lovely.

It all started with my light switch bracket - possibly the ugliest part on my car. I finally got it off to strip, blast and powder coat it last week. Cardinal Flat Black E300-BK147 is a nice powder match to the original flaky paint if your ever going to refinish yours.

With the bracket looking so good I started detailing the resistor, the screws, the wires… the list goes on. I didn’t go quite as nuts as you crazy (but amazing) lot that wire-wheel your whole engines. I kept it to visible hand-reachable wipeable areas only.

Not the most glamorous of cleaning tasks but the effort is definitely worth it if you sweat the details.

Now go grab your own toothbrush. :wink:

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-28_engine_bay_01.jpg

http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-28_engine_bay_02.jpg

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http://content.colinbennett.com/dmc/2018-05-28_engine_bay_16.jpg

[Jonathan]

That looks really good. I've had the same thoughts recently about the resistor bracket. Mine is flaking too. Figure I'll pull it off for a clean-up and repaint pretty soon. Going to do the intrusion brackets up front as well as I noticed they have gotten a little worn looking over time.

[ritztoys]

While my interior is 'open' ( no seats, console ) I've cleaned my carpets and after a few days, when I went to check their dryness, I noticed a dark looking piece sitting on my hood. On closer inspection it was the mirror glass from the passenger side door. It fell from open door(s) on to the hood, which was protected by some extra carpet laying on the hood.
So I went to check the mirror on the open drivers door, barely touching the mirror assembly, it fell into my hand!
I guess I'm blessed, because now I won't have to do the hair dryer method of removing the glass. The mirror itself is very faded and doesn't reflect too well, off to buying a new pair!

[the_watcher87]

Engine bay looking fantastic, mine isn't bad but makes me want to get out there and start cleaning it!

Sent from my LG-H870DS using Tapatalk

[Col Bennett]

That looks really good. I've had the same thoughts recently about the resistor bracket. Mine is flaking too. Figure I'll pull it off for a clean-up and repaint pretty soon. Going to do the intrusion brackets up front as well as I noticed they have gotten a little worn looking over time.


Engine bay looking fantastic, mine isn't bad but makes me want to get out there and start cleaning it!

Cheers guys.

[DMC-81]

I finally found time this holiday weekend to detail my engine bay. 8 hours later, she looks quite lovely.

It all started with my light switch bracket - possibly the ugliest part on my car. I finally got it off to strip, blast and powder coat it last week. Cardinal Flat Black E300-BK147 is a nice powder match to the original flaky paint if your ever going to refinish yours.

With the bracket looking so good I started detailing the resistor, the screws, the wires… the list goes on. I didn’t go quite as nuts as you crazy (but amazing) lot that wire-wheel your whole engines. I kept it to visible hand-reachable wipeable areas only.

Not the most glamorous of cleaning tasks but the effort is definitely worth it if you sweat the details.


Great work Colin! :thumbup:

[jackb]

I crossed 78,000 miles!

[steve]

Cheers guys.

Alright Already Ill clean my engine bay.

[CriticalB]

Got my DMCH seat covers back this week and installed the passenger side. I found the rubber bottom was split so I patched it with some flex tape and tensioning straps. I don't think the flex tape really does much other than improve how it looks, but with the straps installed it feels like a different seat. I saw some other folks said it was uncomfortable, but I used 4 straps and I think it must distribute the weight a little better.

As for the seat covers, I like how they look, though in the picture they look almost too wrinkled. Must be the lighting b/c they're not that bad in person. I'm not sure how I could have gotten them any tighter without ripping the seams or my own skin.

56611566125660956610

Incidentally, if anyone is looking for some electric blue seat covers with matching door trim panels and steering wheel, check back in the parts section next week. I'm going to try to sell them all as a matching set, unless someone just wants to buy the trim pieces for the backing boards. One looks like the original cardboard, but the other is plastic.

[DMC5180]

Usually an upholsterer will ad a 1/2” layer of fresh foam to the top of the seats to help compensate for shrinkage of the old seat foam buck. Without it you can get the excessive wrinkle look in the outer panels. The center panels are supposed to be wrinkled like that though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kukem]

My DeLorean overheated for the first time of ownership last week. The fans decided they had enough and weren't coming on when the engine reached temperature. After some troubleshooting, the otterstat seems to be the problem. Got one on order from DMCMW. Hope to get her back on the road soon. Didn't seem to be any damage, steam or strange noises, just the temp gauge spiking.

[Nate88]

My DeLorean overheated for the first time of ownership last week. The fans decided they had enough and weren't coming on when the engine reached temperature. After some troubleshooting, the otterstat seems to be the problem. Got one on order from DMCMW. Hope to get her back on the road soon. Didn't seem to be any damage, steam or strange noises, just the temp gauge spiking.

Same thing happened to me a couple years ago, otterstat failed. I ordered 2 so I'd have one as a spare in the car. You may want to order another for a spare, just in case.

[Kukem]

Same thing happened to me a couple years ago, otterstat failed. I ordered 2 so I'd have one as a spare in the car. You may want to order another for a spare, just in case.

That is a really good idea. i will add that to my next order list. Thanks!

[DMCMW Dave]

That is a really good idea. i will add that to my next order list. Thanks!

Carry a small jumper wire as well, this comes in handy in a couple of failure modes (RPM relay for example) but it can help get you home. Make up something with two male spade lugs, about 3 inches long.

[DMC-81]

Carry a small jumper wire as well, this comes in handy in a couple of failure modes (RPM relay for example) but it can help get you home. Make up something with two male spade lugs, about 3 inches long.

+1 like so:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=44758&d=1469277386

[OZ DMC]

Carry a small jumper wire as well, this comes in handy in a couple of failure modes (RPM relay for example) but it can help get you home. Make up something with two male spade lugs, about 3 inches long.

Good idea...

[dodint]

Did my first angle drive replacement. Pretty straightforward, hardest part is getting the that huge wrench into that tight space. I wonder if anyone makes a stubby 1 1/4" wrench. Switched to a one piece cable and changed the gauge cluster LEDs to the color I wanted (white, not 'incandescent yellow').

My car came with the original speedometer in a box of parts and a 170mph speedo in the car. The complaint on the original was that it bounced, but when hooked to a drill it was fine. Test drove it last night and it works perfect, even calibrated correctly as it's very accurate at most speeds. Very happy. Also lightly 'refurbished' the 170 speedo. Need to make a for sale thread soon to get rid of that and some other odds and ends that are starting to pile up.

[FABombjoy]

Pretty straightforward, hardest part is getting the that huge wrench into that tight space. I wonder if anyone makes a stubby 1 1/4" wrench.
I used these: https://www.harborfreight.com/15-piece-sae-service-wrench-set-93667.html

Every once in a while this wrench set is invaluable. Angle drive was one of those times!

[nkemp]

... The complaint on the original was that it bounced, but when hooked to a drill it was fine.

I've been trying to figure this our forever! When on the drill, it works fine. When installed it bounces. Yellow hub is fine, no slipping. I get tired of buying angle drives to try. Good work getting yours to work!

I now use a GPS based heads-up speedometer. Love it.

[dodint]

Nice, Harbor Freight of course, they have everything. I have a nice set of stubby metric wrenches but they only go up to 22mm. Thanks!

I never saw the 85mph speedo run as it just came in a box. My guess is the cable was binding at the PO used it as an excuse to swtich to the 170. I switched to a one piece cable and took the lambda counter of the car so the system has changed a lot.

When I took the lower speedo cable off of the angle drive water started to pour out of the cabling. In fact, that angle drive died while I was driving in 15F weather so it probably froze solid and bound the cable up.

[mr_maxime]

I got a 32mm wrench for the angle drive nut. For some reason the 1.25" i got didnt work. If you turn the wheel all the way to the left, you can get a standard wrench in easy. I think i slightly raised my car then pulled up to loosen the nut. You could even use a floor jack for leverage.

[dodint]

I have a 32mm fan clutch wrench I might try next time. And yeah, did the floor jack trick to bust it loose.

[81dmc]

Finished assembling my HVAC box today with new evaporator and heater cores from DMCH. Will install this weekend if I can fix the water leak from the fresh air intake...
56647 It drips between the metal intake and the fiberglass body.

Here's a few pics of the heater side of the HVAC box.
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Here's the flaps. Used rustoleum rust reformer and gray enamel as final coat. 56650

The awful smell pushed me to pull the box. I just couldn't take it anymore.
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Disgusting!

[OZ DMC]

I finally found time this holiday weekend to detail my engine bay. 8 hours later, she looks quite lovely.

It all started with my light switch bracket - possibly the ugliest part on my car. I finally got it off to strip, blast and powder coat it last week. Cardinal Flat Black E300-BK147 is a nice powder match to the original flaky paint if your ever going to refinish yours.

With the bracket looking so good I started detailing the resistor, the screws, the wires… the list goes on. I didn’t go quite as nuts as you crazy (but amazing) lot that wire-wheel your whole engines. I kept it to visible hand-reachable wipeable areas only.

Not the most glamorous of cleaning tasks but the effort is definitely worth it if you sweat the details.

Now go grab your own toothbrush. :wink:



Very nice indeed...

[eight8toy]

Finally got around to installing my louvre brace, needed a flexible dremel bit to drill out the holes. Wish the hardware came painted black as well.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=56655&d=1528569394

[Farrar]

New tires. Cha-ching.

[Farrar]

Roof cage "fix" part one: drilled holes and installed fasteners.

(Cured neither of the problems I was having with the doors, but managed to render the rear headliner useless in the process: original clip got stuck at tore out of the cardboard. When installing the replacement headliner later, I'll be sure to grease the clip a little bit.)

Part two (sealing the fasteners with RTV and putting the T panel back on) will come later. It's too hot in the garage to work for more than a couple of hours at a time.

[matt clark]

Saw it for the first time :)

56765

[Lwanmtr]

hehe...a Police-D (the blue lights).

[Farrar]

Fixed the door alignment problems by fastening down the roof box and adjusting the striker pins.
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[81dmc]

Recharged my ac with r134 using a machine at my brother in law's shop. Was experimenting with charge weight since I have an aftermarket condenser and DPIs smaller lines.

High side pressures are in the 300s, and low side pressures are between 30 and 50. I also did upgrade to a variable orifice tube. Do those pressures sound good for that setup? Should the compressor cycle with the VOV?

In any case, the system was only cool until I got home. By then, it was very cold and even pushing condensation into the air box outlets...

[eight8toy]

New DPI rotors and pads. Changed out the bearings too. Thanks to O'Reilly for having a wheel bearing press set to rent.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=56784&d=1528695487

[Farrar]

Threw the T-Panel and louvres back on with a minimum of damage.
Added some coolant.
Fired it up. That was a mistake.

[Farrar]

Replaced the steel fasteners, washers, and shims on both front fenders with stainless steel. (Fender washers instead of shims. Trick to lining them up is to lift up on the fender lip a little bit with one hand and use an awl or ice pick in the other hand to move the washers from the center.)

[ritztoys]

Fellow D owners, today was one filled with excitement for me as the car was off the jacks from its' winter nap and finally on the ground. :thumbup: The parts (driving too) I was most anxious about was testing all the items I changed, added, modified. Brakes from the end of last season, new alternator pumping out enough amps to have good system voltage. This helped my new stereo amp put out the sounds! New LEDs on all exterior locations, headlights too.
The biggest test of all was testing my newly (myself) rebuilt transmission shifting computer. The first drive, I found out that I did everything correctly and the transmission shifted beautifully through all gears properly. Needless to say I'm one of the happiest D owners on the planet today. :rock_on:
Now I will admit that if it weren't for this great community and these forum posts, I wouldn't have attempted rebuilding my shift computer, thanks everyone. :raveon:

56816

[Nate88]

56851

Hit 31,000 miles!!

[Farrar]

Hit 31,000 miles!!

Not too hard, I hope...

[Nate88]

Not too hard, I hope...

I was able to walk away. :)

[FABombjoy]

New gauge from https://perfecttuning.net/ installed:

56897

Replaces a Prosport vac/boost gauge that was difficult to read during the day. Connects to MegaSquirt by CAN bus, configurable by web browser, can set multiple alarms, all kinds of features. It can even monitor 3 sensors on its own and report the values back to Megasquirt over CAN. Eventually I'll remove the AFR gauge as it's now redundant but I have larger plans for that spot and need to build a new auxiliary cluster first.

[dodint]

Drove 588 miles from Pittsburgh to Kentucky without a hitch. Great car.

[Riley88]

Drove 588 miles from Pittsburgh to Kentucky without a hitch. Great car.

That is awesome!

[dodint]

Thanks!

Total trip for the weekend was 1,216 miles through PA/OH/KY/WV (Pittsburgh to Bowling Green and back, different routes each way). The car was fantastic; had three different drivers over the weekend and did everything from back country Amish roads to the interstate. DMCMW did a great job with the Stage II and Josh at Delorean Industries put together one hell of an AC system. It was between 95F and 100F the whole trip and we kept cool the whole time.

My buddy and I posing our cars at the museum; we traded keys and looked for some twisty roads to have some fun on:

56964

Murdered a good bit of the bug population in KY:

56963

Next big trip is DCS.

[novadmc]

roofbox rehab this past week and today.

noticed my roofbox was lifting in the rear.
pulled the t panel and access cover on the box.
sprayed a bunch of rust converter into the box, let it cure, then re-sealed the roof box access plate
took the louvers off and took the torsion bars out
drilled and installed bolts to the rear of the roofbox to secure it back down onto the body.
put everything back together and so far am very pleased with the results!

[the_watcher87]

Fitted replacement horn and reversing sensor. Nice cheap mod which will be sure to come in handy.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180623/6ec19b50ef242f6a535e532e582f9d75.jpg

Sent from my LG-H870DS using Tapatalk

[81dmc]

Found out the engine cradle is rusting from the inside out!😫

[Lwanmtr]

Ouch...how'd you find that out?

[81dmc]

Ouch...how'd you find that out?

Was peeking around taking measurements for a VR6 5 speed auto swap. Anyways, I looked inside the small drain hole that sits right above the rear lower control arm pivot point. The epoxy has failed due to stress, and is now peeling off of a rusty base...

[Brian_SS_TT]

finally got around to replacing the fuel pump.

57023

[SS Spoiler]

custom aluminum gas tank?????

[Brian_SS_TT]

custom aluminum gas tank?????


Yes aluminum, PO had it made. Goes nice with the stainless frame.

[Lwanmtr]

Yes aluminum, PO had it made. Goes nice with the stainless frame.

Stainless frame? hehe

[Brian_SS_TT]

Stainless frame? hehe

Yep Pearce Design Stainless Steel Frame and lower control arms.

[Lwanmtr]

Didnt know that someone had made a stainless frame.

[Brian_SS_TT]

Didnt know that someone had made a stainless frame.

His name is Bryan Pearce and I believe him and his dad made stainless frames and other components thru the 00's. I heard they made 23 or so frames at $10k+ a frame.
Has upgraded trailing arms as well.
PO did some really nice upgrades!

[DMC5180]

Plus 1 very special extended frame for the Delorean Limo project.


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[Brian_SS_TT]

Plus 1 very special extended frame for the Delorean Limo project.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah they made that one as well? Nice.

[DMC5180]

Ah they made that one as well? Nice.

Yup.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JETS 81 DMC]

Didnt know that someone had made a stainless frame.

You can get one here:
http://www.deloreanindustries.com/stainless-frame-base/

[Jonathan]

I keep the inside of the car pretty neat and tidy and don't often have anything sitting in the coin tray. If I grab a coffee on my way somewhere though, I'll often throw the change into the coin tray. It tends to slide around a lot though when that's the only thing in there.

I MacGyver'ed up a solution on the weekend for that though with some of that tacky rubber shelf liner stuff you put under your cups or mugs in the kitchen. The roll I bought was about a million times too big as the piece I needed was only the size of the bottom of the coin tray. I put a couple of small bits of double sided 3M tape on the corners to hold it in place. And it matches the black interior quite well.

5702657027

[the_watcher87]

Fitted reversing sensor at the weekend. Great no drill solution.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180625/221e70693d63d62a617be31d49cb6a76.jpg

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[CriticalB]

Yesterday finished up installing the new radiator, fans, and condenser. Today I pulled out the old AC hoses and installed new split hoses rated for R134A. Tomorrow I'll add the new OT, compressor, and accumulator, gas it up and finally see what it's like to have decent AC in the Mississippi heat!

[mark w]

Took my DeLorean to the NORCAL RADWood show (80s and 90s cars only) and won the Most Raddest of the show award!

After more than 2 months of work, which included cooling system, brakes, electrical, Wheel refinish, stainless/paint restoration, suspension work, etc, It was worth it.

Mark

https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36278294_10217249513609411_2051558340877615104_o.j pg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeEI81Qka3MBc1Fucofrx9wCqyS_XI8tx_eDBa5tM wZPX1jKWGsYw1tOkmrrqbh4wglPemcFA7Ldnu7l0g-ydfzutz1I_M3lnKgYj3c-ghNYPQ&oh=679e4d7579ff93dd59ec321ef2910c77&oe=5BAC51FD

https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36224524_10217248135614962_3725335275409244160_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeEoahDTbcOKwQjCbMHCalFLjNnOsNHzWP9tnnNaG tUNxFvkDJxm4QK2ji3U1jHqRJnPJ3lRN0SQzRdaLUNKU87V4SP zikNKjyG4lv-cJSbKKQ&oh=d791ced60e54e05207196d52bba39c33&oe=5BE14210

[CriticalB]

Yesterday finished up installing the new radiator, fans, and condenser. Today I pulled out the old AC hoses and installed new split hoses rated for R134A. Tomorrow I'll add the new OT, compressor, and accumulator, gas it up and finally see what it's like to have decent AC in the Mississippi heat!

Added the rest of the new AC components and installed new bearings in the AC idler pulleys. The system held a vacuum overnight, so I charged it up. It's blowing cold air, but after a 30 min drive in 85 degrees I'm still breaking a sweat. I think I'm going to have to take it to a tint shop and get clear ceramic tint on the windshield. All the other windows have a dark tint and the interior door panels are comfortable to touch in direct sunlight. The dash and binnacle, on the other hand, are scalding hot. I can put my hand between the dash and windshield while I'm driving and the air there is hot. I think it's cancelling out most of the AC cooling.

Radiator and fans seem to be working great, though. Temp is steady, fans are quiet, and the car doesn't try to stall with the AC and headlights on!

[DMC-Ron]

Added under-body LED accent lighting. LEDs are mounted on aluminum angle and can quickly be removed or installed.

5719757198

Ron

[Lwanmtr]

Yaay purple. How did you fix them to the car?

[DMC-81]

Like most Saturdays, I drove it with my iPod play list piping through the Craig....a sweet piece of heaven. This car is like no other I've had for attention it garners. Last weekend a mint Ferrari 308 GTB was directly behind me on a downtown street with tons of pedestrians. While I was looking in my rearview mirror admiring the car, the people on the street were pointing, smiling, and photographing my car. Man, I felt bad for the Ferrari driver, as he had to watch this unfolding in front of him all the way down the street.

[Hill Valley PD]

I picked up VIN 2282 from DMC Midwest on Thursday after it had a few things done to it post-purchase. Big thanks to Mike and Jason at Midwest for their excellent work and Stephanie and Suzy for their outstanding customer service. Also, thank you to Dave for his invaluable advice. About halfway home, I hit some heavy rain. Probably the first and last time it sees rain under my ownership. The car performed flawlessly for the 60 mile ride, and I surprisingly did not get pulled over despite my bogus BTTF plates. The real ones aren’t in yet. I also gave it a good wash before parking it in its new garage space next to our Mustang. I took it out for gas later that day, and some firemen in a passing fire truck were snapping pictures and video of it getting gas ha. The next morning I left town for a week and miss the car already!

[DMC-Ron]

Yaay purple. How did you fix them to the car?

Recently I replaced all the screws attaching the vinyl trim to the fiberglass under-body (managed to come up with a technique to extract the screws without stripping the head or spinning the nutsert). Now that those screws are new stainless with anti-sieze, they can be easily removed. The LEDs are attached to 1 1/4 inch aluminum angle. On the top side of the angle I drilled oversize holes. I have some longer stainless screws with fender washers that hold the angle (lighting rail). I use about four of these to hold the lights. So I remove four of the regular screws and secure the lighting rail with the longer screws. The oversize holes in the angle just fits over any of the screws I don't remove. The lighting rail connects to a power plug in the rear. I reverse the process when I want to remove the rails.

Ron

[Lwanmtr]

Cool. Seems simple enough. I havent even attempted to take any of those panels off...hehe.

[JETS 81 DMC]

Recently I replaced all the screws attaching the vinyl trim to the fiberglass under-body (managed to come up with a technique to extract the screws without stripping the head or spinning the nutsert). Now that those screws are new stainless with anti-sieze, they can be easily removed. The LEDs are attached to 1 1/4 inch aluminum angle. On the top side of the angle I drilled oversize holes. I have some longer stainless screws with fender washers that hold the angle (lighting rail). I use about four of these to hold the lights. So I remove four of the regular screws and secure the lighting rail with the longer screws. The oversize holes in the angle just fits over any of the screws I don't remove. The lighting rail connects to a power plug in the rear. I reverse the process when I want to remove the rails.

Ron

What was your technique you came up with?
Thanks

[Bitsyncmaster]

Jacked the car up. Front on ramps, back on jack stands. Removed both axles. I think I've read the starter comes out and detach all the linkage next.

Anyway the one new axle looks like one clamp on the boot is not holding since the boot is pulling off. Also the new Allen cap bolts I used (black oxide) have rusted on the heads but look good otherwise. I wonder if plated bolts would be better. Not sure if stainless bolts are strong enough for axle bolts. I think in shear loads SS is fine.

[jawn101]

Jacked the car up. Front on ramps, back on jack stands. Removed both axles. I think I've read the starter comes out and detach all the linkage next.

Anyway the one new axle looks like one clamp on the boot is not holding since the boot is pulling off. Also the new Allen cap bolts I used (black oxide) have rusted on the heads but look good otherwise. I wonder if plated bolts would be better. Not sure if stainless bolts are strong enough for axle bolts. I think in shear loads SS is fine.

Clutch replacement is a hard one, but so worth it.

I’m so tired of rebuilding my half shafts... done it three times now and no matter what I’ve tried I just can’t get the axle boots to stay on. I’ve used metal bands, those super thick zip ties, all manner of tools to pull and tighten them... one time I even coated the inner flange with RTV before tightening the ties to try and seal it - and every time, they come loose or rip and fling grease everywhere. Hate it. Nastiest, grossest job on the car and the least successful.

[hippieman9]

Jacked the car up. Front on ramps, back on jack stands. Removed both axles. I think I've read the starter comes out and detach all the linkage next.

Anyway the one new axle looks like one clamp on the boot is not holding since the boot is pulling off. Also the new Allen cap bolts I used (black oxide) have rusted on the heads but look good otherwise. I wonder if plated bolts would be better. Not sure if stainless bolts are strong enough for axle bolts. I think in shear loads SS is fine.

Check with Totally Stainless, they carry grade 8 stainless bolts.

[nullset]

Today I took 2072 out for a spin!

It was my first time driving the car in quite a long time. New DPI exhaust and heads plus a lot of Ron's time........ it's good to finally have her back on the road!

[YJK]

Today, removed master cylinder. Will order new one monday.

Drained trans, changed filter, put back together, found it not shifting. Drained again, removed pan, check linkage. Now need to test for why it won't shift. More work ahead.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Pulled the starter. I know I don't have the plate that holds the diagnostic sensor. Don't see another plate. I pretty sure Rob G did a clutch replace before I bought my car. The transmission mount plates look new. So I guess I unbolt those mount plates from both the transmission and the car frame to get them out of way. I also guess I have to support the transmission when I do that. Do you point your transmission jack toward the rear of the car or to the side? Just thinking if I will need blocks or a jack at the rear of the engine.

[DMC-81]

Pulled the starter. I know I don't have the plate that holds the diagnostic sensor. Don't see another plate. I pretty sure Rob G did a clutch replace before I bought my car. The transmission mount plates look new. So I guess I unbolt those mount plates from both the transmission and the car frame to get them out of way. I also guess I have to support the transmission when I do that. Do you point your transmission jack toward the rear of the car or to the side? Just thinking if I will need blocks or a jack at the rear of the engine.

Hi Dave,
Yes, once your transmission jack is in place and secured but not taking any weight off the gearbox, you’ll definitely want to support the engine from the rear, as it will tilt down a bit otherwise and make separation nearly impossible. I measured and cut a 4x4 length of wood from the floor to the rear edge of the oil pan( where the oil pan bolts are). Then, you can remove the 2 transmission mounts, linkage, etc.

Also, I had good luck removing the clutch slave without breaking the line, and hanging it out of the way. If you don’t need to replace it, that saves time and frustration.

I got some stainless steel Zip ties for the axle boots. They look great, were inexpensive, and hold securely.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=49419&d=1489147301

[Nate88]

Installed new front brake rotors, pads, and bearings. Also installed polyurethane sway bar bushings where it mounts to the frame. Now just to take it for a test drive!

[Jonathan]

Got a replacement console front (shifter) panel installed. I had been having issues with getting it to sit down flat enough to be able to get under the HVAC fascia properly. Turns out one of the two unthreaded, welded studs on the back was missing (and the remaining one was crooked). So they didn't line-up with the holes the way they were supposed to. I also put in one of those DMOCO style stainless "quadrant top plates" that I bought from Henrik on the forum here. Gotta say, it came out looking pretty nice.

I noticed how different the interior can look depending on the lighting and the camera flash. I know the stainless can have many different appearances depending on how the lighting is, but hadn't thought the interior was quite as susceptible. My pics go from looking like it's all one uniform and perfect shade of black to another where they all look horrendously different, even bordering on looking gray. Something to keep in mind I guess when considering buying a sight-unseen car and only going by the for sale pictures.

5733857337573395734057341

[Lwanmtr]

Hehe...I like the changing tones..mine is actually a few..black, grey and a different grey on the dash and console.

[Farrar]

Hehe...

I hope you don't mind if every time I read that from you I hear it in Michael Jackson's singing voice. ;)

[Lwanmtr]

I hope you don't mind if every time I read that from you I hear it in Michael Jackson's singing voice. ;)

Wouldnt that be hee hee? (groin grab) lol

[DMC5180]

I hope you don't mind if every time I read that from you I hear it in Michael Jackson's singing voice. ;)

I always think of Beavis and Butthead when I see that. [emoji57]


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[Jonathan]

I always think of Beavis and Butthead when I see that. [emoji57]


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I'll take Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure for $200, Alex!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXH1YTktPoM

[nullset]

Picked a fight with John Hervey on facebook.

Also, reset my lambda counter, and went through my fuse box, cleaning, checking, and replacing things. Fixed the wiring on my blower motor.

Up next:
- Replace hose to brake master cylnder from reservoir
- Replace blown headlight
- Drive it!
- Reinstall aftermarket stereo
- Install hood latch
- Reinstall remote starter
- Drive it some more
- Replace tires + alignment
- Drive it some more
- Oil change

[Bitsyncmaster]

Clutch replacement is a hard one, but so worth it.

I’m so tired of rebuilding my half shafts... done it three times now and no matter what I’ve tried I just can’t get the axle boots to stay on. I’ve used metal bands, those super thick zip ties, all manner of tools to pull and tighten them... one time I even coated the inner flange with RTV before tightening the ties to try and seal it - and every time, they come loose or rip and fling grease everywhere. Hate it. Nastiest, grossest job on the car and the least successful.

I just noticed that the boot that is slipping off is clamped at 4.1 inches from the bolt surface and the one not slipping is 3.3 inches from the bolt surface. The shaft has a rolled stop where the small clamp goes so why is one side longer than the other? This is the new (vendor rebuilt) axle.

The other axle (assume it OEM) that "roll" is 3.8 inches on each end.

[DMC-Ron]

I just noticed that the boot that is slipping off is clamped at 4.1 inches from the bolt surface and the one not slipping is 3.3 inches from the bolt surface. The shaft has a rolled stop where the small clamp goes so why is one side longer than the other? This is the new (vendor rebuilt) axle.

The other axle (assume it OEM) that "roll" is 3.8 inches on each end.

A case where longer may not be better.

[Bitsyncmaster]

A case where longer may not be better.

What I'm thinking is because that boot is extended, it may always pull off. I guess there is no lip on the axle ends to prevent the boots from pulling off. What I may do is move the smaller end in so the boot is not extended.

[jawn101]

I just noticed that the boot that is slipping off is clamped at 4.1 inches from the bolt surface and the one not slipping is 3.3 inches from the bolt surface. The shaft has a rolled stop where the small clamp goes so why is one side longer than the other? This is the new (vendor rebuilt) axle.

The other axle (assume it OEM) that "roll" is 3.8 inches on each end.

Super weird. I've never measured my axles but they are definitely OEM/factory - and yet no axle boot will stay on worth a crap.

[Chris 16409]

Jon, there are some Porchse CV Boots that are longer. Those might stay on better as there are more "acordian folds". I had a link saved somewhere.

[Citizen]

Driving the other day, I noticed my left blinker was blinking really fast, which is usually an indication a bulb is out. So I checked, and sure enough, the left rear blinker was not illuminating. I pulled the taillight assembly so to remove the bad bulb, so I can take it in with me to the parts store to get the correct replacement. But before I left, I tested the bulb with an ohms meter, and it appeared to be a good bulb after all.

So I cleaned the contacts on the bulb, put it back in the assembly and tested it. It blinked just fine, and at the right speed, so I gently secured the taillight assembly back in place.

Thing is, I've never had a bulb lose contact like that untouched. Now I'd like to clean all the contacts, but the old printed circuit boards are so old and delicate (over 35 years now) I'm afraid I'll scratch the metal off the board and have a bigger problem. Right now, all the lights are working, so I'm incline to leave well enough alone.

Thomas

...

[nkemp]

Now I'd like to clean all the contacts, but the old printed circuit boards are so old and delicate (over 35 years now) I'm afraid I'll scratch the metal off the board and have a bigger problem....

Thomas ... I wouldn't worry too much about the circuit board. They are not that fragile. The circuits are so simple that should you have a major problem you can fix sith jumpers. My car had a broken taillight after an accident. I limped it along with jumper wires for the circuit and strapped a paint stirrer on until I got the new board. It worked and nobody new from the outside. But they probably had a good laugh when they opened it to fix it.

Two thoughts:
1) Get some dielectric grease from the parts store and prior to reinstalling the lamps, add some grease to the contacts. Do this on all lamp and connector sockets. That will form an oxygen barrier and provide longer service. Auto mfrs used to do that prior to some of the better sealing sockets.
2)The bulb socket connections on the circuit board are rivets and they lose continuity over time ... partially due to corrosion. An easy fix is to bolt through the hole and provide a better mechanical bond. I did a quick search for the fix but didn't find it. Take the circuit board to the hardware store and find the size that fits the holes.

Nick

[JETS 81 DMC]

Here is a link to for the taillight circuit board fix that Nick mentioned above:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?16452-OEM-taillight-circuit-board-screw-fix

[Lwanmtr]

New boards dont cost that much, also, if youre worried about damaging the old ones.

[Farrar]

Sorted some laundry on the hood. It's nice to have a large-ish flat surface in the garage for that.

[CriticalB]

Installed new evaporator and heater core this weekend and replaced all the missing/disintegrating foam in the cabin. While I was in there I replaced all the vacuum hoses with new silicone hose (except for the line to the heater valve). It was much cooler but something still didn't seem right. Found that the heater valve vacuum was disconnected in the engine bay. Fixed that, but soon realized the heater valve and re-circulation door weren't moving on MAX, but were actuating on DEFROST. Checked the mode switch and found that the nubs on the back of the rubber diaphragm were worn. Ordered a rebuild kit and installed it today, but no change. Hooked up a vacuum hose to the source on the mode switch and sat down with the chart from the workshop manual to figure out what was going on. It turned out the vacuum hoses were installed in reverse order on the back of the mode switch.

I was extra careful to replace each line one at a time to be sure they didn't get mixed up. I now suspect they've been backwards as long as I've owned the car, which explains why my heater only seemed to work sporadically and even though the AC was leaky, it never quite seemed to cool like it should.

It's too late now for a test drive, but I'm looking forward to trying it tomorrow. Even though Mississippi is in the middle of a cold snap, the high tomorrow is supposed to be 88 so that should make for perfect test conditions :rofl:

[Farrar]

Tried to sort out the courtesy light circuit. Those door switches are garbage. LOL

[DavidProehl]

Tried to sort out the courtesy light circuit. Those door switches are garbage. LOL

You are 100% right! I seem to disassemble, clean, and re-install them every year at least once! It isn't that complex a switch. I should really find a simple replacement for it...there must be a dozen options out there.

[Lwanmtr]

You are 100% right! I seem to disassemble, clean, and re-install them every year at least once! It isn't that complex a switch. I should really find a simple replacement for it...there must be a dozen options out there.

Im just gonna buy some house elves from Hogwart's and have them live behind the headliners and and turn the lights on and off for me...

[MML]

My horns have been misbehaving for ages now. I discovered they were pretty much past it, so I got some new ones and made some stainless brackets to mount them.


57539

57538

[Ron]

Im just gonna buy some house elves from Hogwart's and have them live behind the headliners and and turn the lights on and off for me...
lol
...just don't get Winky.

[Hill Valley PD]

Changed the oil/filter and wiped down under carriage. Next on the list: stainless steel fuel lines and the rest of fluids changed just because. Oil looked brand new coming out, so I suspect it was already done recently - doh.

[ritztoys]

You are 100% right! I seem to disassemble, clean, and re-install them every year at least once! It isn't that complex a switch. I should really find a simple replacement for it...there must be a dozen options out there.

Went out to the garage today to check on the car, only to find out my courtesy lights on my doors lit up! (I store my car with the doors up/open)

These haven't worked for years, I guess that's my car telling me to fix those lights properly now!

Went to a local car show Saturday(170 cars), first DeLorean ever displayed in this show. My Brother-in-Law's Road Runner behind mine.

57645

[Farrar]

Took the car to get registered. In the state of Florida you also have to get the VIN verified by the police. (I presume it's to do with theft prevention?) Had fun at both places. First, the cop was delighted to see a DeLorean in person. Then at the DMV office a guy asked if he could take a selfie with the car. DeLoreans are awesome: they make people happy. :)

[Lwanmtr]

Hehe...yes they do make people smile...its an odd effect...lol

[hippieman9]

Since I purchased my Delorean in March I have been trying and trying to get the glass clean. dirty glass bugs me. So I have tried cleaning multiple times and always streaks up. I discovered that using a clay bar on the outside of the glass works amazing!! Just spray and rub the clay bar then wipe dry with a microfiber, then clean with your favorite glass cleaner. amazing the dirt and contamination that was removed from the windshield.

[DMC5180]

Since I purchased my Delorean in March I have been trying and trying to get the glass clean. dirty glass bugs me. So I have tried cleaning multiple times and always streaks up. I discovered that using a clay bar on the outside of the glass works amazing!! Just spray and rub the clay bar then wipe dry with a microfiber, then clean with your favorite glass cleaner. amazing the dirt and contamination that was removed from the windshield.

The hazy film on the inside is what bugs me.


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[Lwanmtr]

I use Invisible Glass cleaner, seems to work fine for me...granted I've only had mine sitting in the garage so far....but worked on our Focus too..no film on the window.

[hippieman9]

I use Invisible Glass cleaner, seems to work fine for me...granted I've only had mine sitting in the garage so far....but worked on our Focus too..no film on the window.

I use Sprayaway on my daily driver and never had issues with it. But it wouldn't touch the hazy film on the 37 yr old glass.

[nkemp]

The hazy film on the inside is what bugs me.

I agree! You'd think that after 30+ years the DeLorean would be done outgassing.

Use a hydrocarbon based glass cleaner to cut through the "haze". Regular glass cleaners (Windex like) will not cut the crud and smears it around. I learned that at a dealer. They had a spay can of glass cleaner and it did a great job. BTW ... Invisible Glass is a hydrocarbon based cleaner.

[CriticalB]

Rebuilt my original door key using a 3D-printed button and an LED/switch that I borrowed from a cheap grill lighter.

57666576675766857669


https://youtu.be/jYnO9nmtyKE

Not sure if the video will embed, so here's the link: https://youtu.be/jYnO9nmtyKE

[Farrar]

Drove it to and from work today. On the way there, the high pressure relief valve burped a bunch of R-134a onto the streets of downtown Miami. (Hmm, I think I know what the terrible squeak in the a/c system was now!)

Thank goodness the window motors work... mostly. LOL

[Farrar]

Replaced the trunk light with something a little less primitive. Much easier to see in there now.

With garage lights on and camera flash:
57691

With no other source of light:
57690

[Rhsxo]

Replaced the stock 80 Amp Ducellier Alternator with the DeLoreanGo 110 Amp Alternator. Nice direct replacement for my stock unit and it now charges again.

I also replaced the 1-3 Valve Cover gasket as it had a slight oil leak.

57692

[novadmc]

this past weekend, I replaced my OE flexible brake hoses with Grady's new braided stainless hoses since i was due for a brake fluid flush anyways.

I no longer have to all but stand on the brake pedal to stop the car, or have it pull hard to the right under heavy braking due to a starting/partially collapsed front brake hose.

[Nate88]

Installed relay update kit from DeloreanGo. Took the car for a drive and made sure everything was working. Everything did!

[Nate88]

Rebuilt my original door key using a 3D-printed button and an LED/switch that I borrowed from a cheap grill lighter.

57666576675766857669


https://youtu.be/jYnO9nmtyKE

Not sure if the video will embed, so here's the link: https://youtu.be/jYnO9nmtyKE

That’s so cool! The button on my door lock key is gone too. The light/battery are still in place, just nothing to turn it on. May have to look into doing this!

[Hill Valley PD]

Installed interior LED kit from DMC, along with new new door pull straps, and new engine bay light and switch. Thank you to username "Michael" for the helpful advice!

[hippieman9]

Installed interior LED kit from DMC, along with new new door pull straps, and new engine bay light and switch. Thank you to username "Michael" for the helpful advice!

I installed an LED exterior light kit From DMC, One of the red LED bulbs for the taillights didn't work. I tried it in other sockets, it was definitely the bulb. I called DMC they said they would warranty the bulb, That was April, I still haven't received a new bulb. They stated they were out of stock. I said could you send me one from a kit since I have already paid or my kit? They said they couldn't do that. So still waiting for a replacement after 5 months.:hmm:

[DMC-81]

Today, I finally got around to cleaning the stainless with Barkeepers Friend (the liquid version). I like the squeaky clean, satin sheen that the cleaner leaves behind.

Then I gave my Daily Driver a rest and drove the Delorean all around. It was a beautiful day.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=57756&d=1534102588

[Hill Valley PD]

I installed an LED exterior light kit From DMC, One of the red LED bulbs for the taillights didn't work. I tried it in other sockets, it was definitely the bulb. I called DMC they said they would warranty the bulb, That was April, I still haven't received a new bulb. They stated they were out of stock. I said could you send me one from a kit since I have already paid or my kit? They said they couldn't do that. So still waiting for a replacement after 5 months.:hmm:

I got mine from DMC Midwest, not DMC Texas.

[Hill Valley PD]

I installed an LED exterior light kit From DMC, One of the red LED bulbs for the taillights didn't work. I tried it in other sockets, it was definitely the bulb. I called DMC they said they would warranty the bulb, That was April, I still haven't received a new bulb. They stated they were out of stock. I said could you send me one from a kit since I have already paid or my kit? They said they couldn't do that. So still waiting for a replacement after 5 months.:hmm:

I forgot to mention I tried to order an Exterior LED kit with my Interior LED Kit and was told the LED taillight bulbs are on back order, so maybe that's why you haven't heard or gotten anything...

[Hill Valley PD]

New stainless steel fuel lines from DMC MW installed today along with new clutch, brake, and gearbox fluids. Also, new coolant. I washed it as well, but I'm pretty sure we are going to get rained on tomorrow on the way to DCS 2018...

[Farrar]

Fixed a flaky brake light by adding solder where the socket was riveted on. Replaced reverse light bulbs with LEDs.

[CriticalB]

Adjusted the valves, painted the valve covers and alternator mount, changed the oil and transmission fluid. I thought it was shifting fine before, but now it’s like a different car. Installed new stainless steel bolts wherever possible along the way.

[hippieman9]

Installed new A/C idler pulley bearings, Spark plugs, and plug wires. replaced a couple labels in engine compartment that were very discolored and installed a cold air intake. Found my A/C tensioner bolt is MIA too..

[Jonathan]

Adjusted the valves, painted the valve covers and alternator mount, changed the oil and transmission fluid. I thought it was shifting fine before, but now it’s like a different car. Installed new stainless steel bolts wherever possible along the way.

You think that improvement was due to the old ATF being in poor shape? Or just low? Or the filter being plugged? ...just curious as I'm always up for getting my own running as well as it can.

[Bitsyncmaster]

My 40 year old Craftsman floor jack failed today. No problems caused since I have jack stands and blocks holding the car. After the thousands of times the valve on the jack has been opened and closed, the threads just wore out and the jack dropped.

[Patrick C]

My 40 year old Craftsman floor jack failed today. No problems caused since I have jack stands and blocks holding the car. After the thousands of times the valve on the jack has been opened and closed, the threads just wore out and the jack dropped.

Glad you are OK!

[Jonathan]

The weatherman sure didn't cooperate, but the show still went on. And a good show it was. Really great job by the guys organizing everything. 80s and 90s cars and culture. KITT, the General Lee, a Jurassic Park jeep, retro video games... and umbrellas. Hopefully the skies are clear next year.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Va_4x3gfpw

(No idea who the video guy is).

[Farrar]

Got some more crud out of the cooling system. Cascade liquid detergent seems to be doing a fine job. :)

57925

[DMC-81]

Today, I cleaned the engine wire harness inside the Zip-on tubing cover (106170). It was previously dusty and the cover was crooked.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=57946&d=1535839904

Cleaned and reinstalled.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=57947&d=1535840028

I lost a half point on this at Celebration this Spring so I figured I'd take care of it before Lakeland show. :wrenchin:

[Farrar]

Replaced the dead passenger door light switch with a magnetic reed switch and neodymium magnet.

57950

57951

Got this idea from someone here on DMCTalk. Can't remember who it was now.

[Citizen]

My 40 year old Craftsman floor jack failed today. No problems caused since I have jack stands and blocks holding the car. After the thousands of times the valve on the jack has been opened and closed, the threads just wore out and the jack dropped.

Wow, glad you're ok too.

This happened to me one day (bottle jack failure), but not while I was using it (thankfully). I was about to start work on my car, got the jack out, placed it, and started jacking. Went up to the bottom of the car, but wouldn't push it up, just kept slipping back down. It was about 35 years old, and about 6 months since I had last used it. Don't think it was the threads that wore out though.

Lesson here is, don't ever trust one single jack. Even before this happened, I always use two jacks and no less than two jack stands.

Thomas

...

[SS Spoiler]

Wow, that's a great idea....could you do a write up?

[DMC-81]

Well, I performed an impromptu leak test on my newish weather seals when I got caught in a heavy downpour while out and about today. (I try to drive the car in good weather.)

I was at an auto parts store getting a part for my daily driver, and the skies opened up. I waited 15 minutes inside the store until it stopped raining and went out to shammy the water off. The great thing is that the car was completely dry inside, headliners included. Whew!!

[Bitsyncmaster]

I Helicoil'ed my three starter mounting bolts today. I'm don't trust China tools much but for this job this kit worked fine. Not much of a test since it's not in a steel repair. I used blue locktite on the inserts just to make sure they don't move.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/192388731132

I also bought longer bolts because the OEM bolts were a little short to use all the thread of the starter (the Autozone smaller starter). OEM bolts are 8mm 1.25 45 mm long so I got 50 mm long bolts.

[Rich]

Wow, that's a great idea....could you do a write up?

Maybe the "idea from someone on DMCTalk" mentioned in Post #7476 is the write up you want, somewhere in this one:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?3151

#8 perhaps...

[Bitsyncmaster]

Wow, that's a great idea....could you do a write up?

Here is another thread option.

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?3188-Door-switch-alternatives&highlight=mercury

[SS Spoiler]

Thanks guys on the door switch idea.....

[CriticalB]

Had some free time so I started working on my exhaust. After adjusting the valves last week, I was still hearing a ticking noise and read somewhere the 2nd most likely cause would be an exhaust leak. There appeared to be a little scorching on the cyl 3 gasket so I decided to look into it. Planning to replace gaskets and studs, resurface the manifolds, and repair a hairline crack on one of the pipes to the driver side turbo. Removed both manifolds without a single broken bolt. Gaskets were in pretty poor shape on the drivers side. The passenger side gaskets were in much better condition except for the scorching on cyl 3. It also looked like that gasket had been installed incorrectly, cutting off some of the airflow.

57990

I'm going to try high-temp JB weld on the crack and hope for the best. I'm open to suggestions if there's a better solution.

[DMC5180]

The gaskets only fit one way. The EGR port below the large opening is not used on the Delorean. The hole just remains blocked off by the manifold flange.

Is the cracked pipe a casting or bent tube?




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[DMC-81]

Had some free time so I started working on my exhaust. After adjusting the valves last week, I was still hearing a ticking noise and read somewhere the 2nd most likely cause would be an exhaust leak. There appeared to be a little scorching on the cyl 3 gasket so I decided to look into it. Planning to replace gaskets and studs, resurface the manifolds, and repair a hairline crack on one of the pipes to the driver side turbo. Removed both manifolds without a single broken bolt. Gaskets were in pretty poor shape on the drivers side. The passenger side gaskets were in much better condition except for the scorching on cyl 3. It also looked like that gasket had been installed incorrectly, cutting off some of the airflow.

57990

I'm going to try high-temp JB weld on the crack and hope for the best. I'm open to suggestions if there's a better solution.

Cool. Yeah, when I did mine, 3 of the 6 gaskets were leaking. At least 2 of the gaskets were installed backwards (see picture). I can't imagine anyone not paying enough attention to do this.... Well, maybe I can.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=48669&d=1485643833

When I was done with the work you are doing my ticking sound was gone and there was a noticeable improvement in power and quietness.

One tip, I suggest you apply high temp gasket maker to both sides of the gaskets like so:
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=49022&d=1487461913

Results:
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=49026&d=1487463087

[CriticalB]

Cool. Yeah, when I did mine, 3 of the 6 gaskets were leaking. At least 2 of the gaskets were installed backwards (see picture). I can't imagine anyone not paying enough attention to do this.... Well, maybe I can.


When I was done with the work you are doing my ticking sound was gone and there was a noticeable improvement in power and quietness.

On 2nd look, the gasket wasn't backwards, rather the corner was torn like yours so the gasket was off-center. I didn't take pics of those b/c they were otherwise unremarkable.

My car's PO cut the mufflers off so it's always been really loud. I added cats in October that took the edge off the noise, but it was still pretty loud. The manifolds and turbos are in good shape, but I really need to replace the pipes that join the turbos to the manifolds. (To answer someone else's question the crack I need to patch is in the pipe on one of these.) Turns out those aren't so easy to come by :smile: You could see it needed gaskets but I kept putting the job off b/c I read so many stories about breaking studs. Luckily they ended up not being an issue. Other than the ticking, it'll be an added bonus if this job quiets it down a bit.

I read on the permatex site as well as a few other places that gasket maker isn't really recommended for use with a gasket as it spreads so thin that it's not effective under high heat/stress. Instead they recommended a sealant, but even then I read several arguments for just using the gasket alone, but I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. That said, the side that had permatex on the previous gaskets didn't look like there was much of it left.

[DMC-81]

For the crack, I would find a good welder to see if he can repair it rather than doing JB Weld. I had good luck repairing a crack in an exhaust manifold from a Porsche. Definitely the $40 weld was less expensive than a new manifold.

[CriticalB]

When I was done with the work you are doing my ticking sound was gone and there was a noticeable improvement in power and quietness.



All done and back together. A friend offered to help with welding the crack. Ticking sound is gone and definite improvement in power! I'm super-happy with the results.

[DMC-81]

All done and back together. A friend offered to help with welding the crack. Ticking sound is gone and definite improvement in power! I'm super-happy with the results.

Awesome! Great to hear. :thumbup:

[iflights]

Replaced my alternator with a PJ Grady version. Came with everything I needed, including a perfect fit for easy installation made this a simple one-man job. Added DriveStainless' tensioning bracket which made the final steps a very simple process.

Found everything I needed to learn and prepare for the swap out from this forum, so thank you for sharing.

[DMC5180]

Well, I finally had the dreaded Orange fuel line failure. I had just left my house this morning headed to the annual Delorean gathering at Deer lake orchard in Buffalo MN. I got 1 mile down the road and the engine shut down. I rolled into a driveway and tried restarting the engine. It fired up on CSV fuel then died. It did that on 3 consecutive attempts. I open the door and get a strong fuel smell. I turn the key to the run position so that the RPM relay primes one second. I look under the car and sure enough fuel is pouring off the frame. I had some tools with me and was able to pull the access panel to observe where the fuel was coming from. Sure enough it was spray out of a crack in the OE style fuel pump cover. I pulled the cover off and found the hose had separated at the banjo fitting.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180916/af1e9f30babef73f8cb2d7ccbf4ef4a2.jpg

I managed to clean the barbed fitting and cut the hose back enough to get a clean end. I pushed it back on enough so that I was able to fire it up and drive back home. I went to O’reilly auto parts and picked up some 1/4” Gates Barricade fuel injection hose and clamps. I changed out the old Orange hose. Everything seemed good. So we head out again on our 4 hr trip. However, we didn’t make it 10 miles and the engine intermittently shut down. It started back up and seemed okay, so I headed down the road about a mile to a location I could pull off and do some further investigation and check the usual electrical connections. (Ballast, ECU) The wiggle test didn’t seem to find any ignition faults while the car was idling. I decided to risk it and press on down the road. However, I only made it 2 miles before the engine shutdown again. I tried restarting again and It would fire up with CSV fuel then die. It did that a few times. I pulled the FP access cover. There was no signs of fuel leaking. I wiggled the leads and connector for the fuel pump. I turned the key again too here if the pump would prime, it did. I cranked the engine and it fired right up. I made the decision to abort the the trip and headed back home , fingers crossed. I made it back the 10 miles without issue. But since I wasn’t able to find the definitive cause of failure I opted to cancel the trip. I’ve got some further investigating to do.

The only thing I can think of is that I caused a disturbance in the wires to the pump when replacing the hose or by shear coincidence, I have a failing fuel pump. The pump did not sound any different than it’s normal hum. I guess I’ll need to jumper the RPM relay and see if the pump stops while I do more wiggle tests.


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[Bitsyncmaster]

The only thing I can think of is that I caused a disturbance in the wires to the pump when replacing the hose or by shear coincidence, I have a failing fuel pump. The pump did not sound any different than it’s normal hum. I guess I’ll need to jumper the RPM relay and see if the pump stops while I do more wiggle tests.

Probably that two pin connector for the fuel pump. I just removed the connector since you can undo the wires at the pump, you really don't need a connector.

[DMC5180]

Probably that two pin connector for the fuel pump. I just removed the connector since you can undo the wires at the pump, you really don't need a connector.

That connector is a PITA because their isn’t enough length to pull it out in the open too work on it. How were you able to solder the connection?


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[Jonathan]

Dennis, this won't be related to your fuel hose replacement, but those engine quitting symptoms you described sound a lot like poor ballast resistor connection issues. While they likely didn't get bumped while you were figuring out the fuel leak, they may have coincidentally wiggled loose one way or another. Worth just looking at them quickly if for no other reason than to rule it out (if you don't read any of the fuel hose leak stuff in your post, but only the part about the engine dying or not starting, and it sounds like resistor connections, to me anyway).

[DMC5180]

I stated earlier that I did the wiggle test on Ballast wires and ignition ECU while the engine was idling. Neither resulted in any intermittent stumbling. I drove down the road 2 miles and it shutdown again. The engine would fire up on CSV fuel then die. I have too conclude there was enough Accumulator rest pressure to spray fuel via the CSV but not enough to open the injectors. Btw, my CSV fires because I have Dave’s Hot Start Relay, otherwise It wouldn’t under normal conditions. This confirmed it was not an ignition issue.

My best guess is that it probably is the 2 pin connector for the fuel pump. That wiring was the only thing that was disturbed while replacing the hose even though I never disconnect it. One thing I will say is that the wires to the pump from the connector are very stiff. I actually have a replacement harness to refresh those.
I just don’t know where it is in my collection of Stuff at the moment.


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[SS Spoiler]

bummer on the Deer Lake run....

[Bitsyncmaster]

That connector is a PITA because their isn’t enough length to pull it out in the open too work on it. How were you able to solder the connection?


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I think I could pull it enough to crimp on butt spices and then solder.

[jackb]

Replaced the fuel accumulator. Hot start issue is gone :)

On a side note, I didn’t think it was that difficult at all. I mean, it wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it wasn’t nearly as tough as I expected. Took maybe 20 or so minutes remove and the same to install. Was the difficulty overhyped or am I that incredible of a mechanic?

[Jonathan]

Replaced the fuel accumulator. Hot start issue is gone :)

On a side note, I didn’t think it was that difficult at all. I mean, it wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it wasn’t nearly as tough as I expected. Took maybe 20 or so minutes remove and the same to install. Was the difficulty overhyped or am I that incredible of a mechanic?

Good to hear... on the accumulator and that the forum is back up :)

As for overhyped difficulty... I'd love to hear how you replaced yours. What steps you followed or procedure you used or any tricks you used to make it easier? And what tools you used and whether on jack stands or ramps or whatever.