Raising VIN 11114 back from the dead

[82DMC12]

Hey all,

Today I took in a farm-stored DeLorean with the task of getting it back on the road. I wanted to start this thread to document what it takes to get a D in a coma back to a driveable condition. Here's the back story:

My contact's name is Mickey. His dad had a farm north of here. When JZD was going to trial, his dad found out from a tractor supply friend that Consolidated was blowing them out for $17,000 a piece. He decided to buy two of them. Mickey and his sister ended up being the ones driving the cars. Mickey remained in North Dakota and his sister moved out to Dekalb, IL. When the sister no longer had room to store the car Mickey took it and kept it at the farm. It's been sitting there since 1990. In 2008, Mickey got a hold of me after seeing my car at my work and asked me if I would get his car running again. He towed it to my place and I worked on it for the next couple weeks in my free time and got it driveable. Now he wants me to do the same for the sister.

Mickey towed it here on a flatbed, we rolled it off, and pushed it into my garage. I took a few pics and then started working on taking out the fuel system. Yup, it was stored with a full tank of gas! Here are a few pics, and I hope you all enjoy reading about the experience!

And no, definitely not going to put a carb on it!!!

[dmc6960]

Way to go Andy, give it hell!

[82DMC12]

Day 1 - Started with a walk-around to see what the car obviously needs. So far:
- All six lift struts
- Pass side carpet missing
- Some kind of ducting is missing near the passenger side dash speaker. Didn't look at the parts manual yet but something isn't right.
- Retracting antenna is broken. Mickey isn't sure if he wants me to fix it.
- T-panel is slouching and is lower than the doors.

That's about it, but the car is really dirty. Body is very straight, a few scratches in the bumpers but no dents or dings that I noticed. A quick look under the car revealed no major rust, no leaks, and it actually has a stainless braided clutch hose. Was that available before 1990? Apparently it was.

I started to work on the car by removing the air filter box and pulled out the passenger side injectors. I took the hoses off the FD and removed them with the injectors. There is varnish build-up on all of them. Driver's side injectors necessitated removing the idle speed motor and the pipe that goes into the bottom of the air meter. I was glad to see the fuel that spilled was liquid and I didn't see any rust in the banjo bolts. I gently pushed down on the air meter but it wouldn't move. The metering pin must be stuck. I took the fuel distributor off the engine and sure enough the pin is froze solid. That's about all I can do with the engine until I start cleaning parts and flushing lines.

Next I opened the hood, crawled in, and went for the fuel pump. The top boot is now hard, brittle rubber and it was too tight to remove whole. I ended up cutting it up with a razor blade. The fuel pump is looking pretty nasty. Good thing I'm replacing it. Next, since I'm going to replace the fuel hoses and just cut them off too so I could get the tank open as soon as possible.

Opened the tank and found a nice full tank of nasty-ass gas. Awesome, can't wait to siphon that out.... It stinks really bad so I quickly put the pump boot back in place.

Here's a few pics...

[dvonk]

awesome, i love restoration threads! good job rescuing a stainless 'damsel in distress.' keep us posted! :biggrin:

[TTait]

see my post #4 here...

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1740-4-gallons-of-varnish-for-Sale&highlight=Berrymans

[82DMC12]

Tom, good post. Pretty much exactly what I was planning on doing. The last long-term storage car I fixed was pretty easy to get running. Here's a run down of what I expect to do:

1. All new lift struts so I can actually work on the thing
2. Clean out the gas tank, fuel parts, flush lines
3. New fuel filter and accumulator
4. Make sure the car actually runs!
5. Change oil
6. Change tranny fluid
7. Flush coolant and put in a stainless header bottle
8. Flush brakes and clutch
9. Recommend to the owner to get rid of the NCT's :-)

Oh yeah. Definitely rotate engine by hand, check the A/C idler bearings, and make sure electrical is more or less updated!

The thing is, I can do all the above for at most, $1200 in parts. The car will run and be driveable. The problem then is making the car reliable enough to take out of town by doing all the other stuff like radiator hoses, maybe a water pump kit, ignition tune-up kit, probably some A/C work, totally update the electrics, probably put in a bigger alternator.... the list goes on and on. Depends on what your expectations are and what you can afford!

I can say this... the third time combing through a DeLorean is a lot faster than the first time!

[Squall67584]

This a great thread! Keep the pictures coming, as a documented set of procedures can come in handy if anyone else gets a D that's been sitting for a long time.

[82DMC12]

Day 2.

Headed over to Harbor Freight and picked up a hand siphon pump, a hand transfer pump, and a pack of 50 shop rags for $21. What a deal! Then went to a hardware surplus store and picked up 4 five-gal pails with lids for $10.

Started by siphoning the tank. I can never figure out how to use one of those things the first try and a check of google didn't help. Anyway I jacked up the back of the car to make the gas collect towards the front of the tank. I put the suction end into the tank and attached it to a small pry bar with hose clamps so that it would stay straight and not curl up. I put the other tube into a shallow oil change pan (siphoning only works if the collector is below the reservoir). I managed to get 10 gallons out of the tank before the siphon quit working. I moved the hose back into the deepest spot (maybe 1/2" of gas) but it wouldn't start sucking. I'll have to get the rest out with rags. I used a 10mm nut driver to remove the nut at the bottom of the tank so I could take out the baffle. The hose was pretty much mush and it was coming apart like black tar all over my hands (luckily I had some chemical gloves on!). I couldn't get the bottom of the baffle off so I gently tugged on the whole thing and managed to get it out without breaking anything.

Now I was stuck with 1/2" of gas and all the nasty varnish covering the bottom of the tank. I decided to throw a couple of old cotton bathroom hand towels into the tank. I used them like a mop and kept bringing them up to wring them out. That was tedious but worked pretty well. Now I have the tank open and I'm going to let it air dry for a couple days before I wipe it out with an acetone -soaked rag.

As for the tank parts, pretty much nothing is salvageable except the baffle, base, and two wire supports. I'll have to replace everything else.

Not much else I can do until I get tank parts, so I took the fuel distributor, injectors, and cold start valve and put them in a ceramic bowl, then filled it up with mineral spirits. I'll let it sit like that until tomorrow where I will blow them out and see if I can get the metering pin free. It's stuck solid right now, but it will probably come out with some compressed air.

By the way - how do I caption attachments? I don't want to just attach random pics to every update. I'd rather have a short description of what the pic is.

Andy

[82DMC12]

Here's the first wave of parts I'll be ordering. Unless I find anything unexpected this should at least get the engine running.

[jawn101]

Here's the first wave of parts I'll be ordering. Unless I find anything unexpected this should at least get the engine running.

I almost guarantee you'll need more than 6 of 102344.... :)

[82DMC12]

I almost guarantee you'll need more than 6 of 102344.... :)

Oh I'm not actually replacing all of them. They can usually be re-used at least a couple times if you flip them over. I am getting six of them in case I lose a couple :-)

Andy

[dvonk]

By the way - how do I caption attachments? I don't want to just attach random pics to every update.

good progress so far! :thumbup:

heres how you can embed photos in the main body of text:

attach the image file you want to use
click the 'Preview Post' button
copy the URL of the attachment while in the preview
click the "Insert Image" button to embed the image in the body of the post
repeat with additional images if desired

[DMC5180]

Andy,

Have you figured out why the Capacitor (yellow wire) is located in that spot. I think it normally sits next to the coil. The Red and Green wires in the harness look a little odd too. Have you opened the Relay compartment yet. (checked for hot fuses and general condition). I sure you know the routine (clean all electrical contacts and grounds) The car looks relatively clean of corrosion in the Engine Compartment. It still might not hurt to do a VOD check before you change the coolant.

[DMC5180]

good progress so far! :thumbup:

heres how you can embed photos in the main body of text:

attach the image file you want to use
click the 'Preview Post' button
copy the URL of the attachment while in the preview
click the "Insert Image" button to embed the image in the body of the post
repeat with additional images if desired


You can select several images at once to insert. Then you will need to separate and space them with captions in the working window.

[82DMC12]

Andy,

Have you figured out why the Capacitor (yellow wire) is located in that spot. I think it normally sits next to the coil. The Red and Green wires in the harness look a little odd too. Have you opened the Relay compartment yet. (checked for hot fuses and general condition). I sure you know the routine (clean all electrical contacts and grounds) The car looks relatively clean of corrosion in the Engine Compartment. It still might not hurt to do a VOD check before you change the coolant.

The yellow wire and capacitor are in the correct place. I too have a Jan '82 and that's where my capacitor was wired as well. I'm not sure about earlier cars.

The red/green wire - I haven't traced it yet. It runs down near the alternator, over the engine, and into the grommet under the ballast resistors where the white/yellow plug is usually stuck. I'll see if I can figure that one out tonight.

Andy

[DMCMW Dave]

Andy,

Have you figured out why the Capacitor (yellow wire) is located in that spot. I think it normally sits next to the coil. .

That is correct on the later cars (the one on the coil is still there). Radio noise suppression, in that case the idle microswitch. It probably caused pops in the AM radio, not that anyone would notice.

IMO you need to remove the intake and clean out the valley. Barn cars as always full of mouse nesting and food in there, and once you get it started it will stink. You also want to find any block rot issues before you spend a bunch of money on the engine (or other stuff like door struts and headliners!).

[Delorean Industries]

Block rot is a big deal these days and viable engines are becoming an issue. We are outright selling excellent condition replacement blocks along with building in shop and our supply is decreasing faster then I can replenish. Plenty of perfect 3.0 blocks though.

[82DMC12]

After speaking with Julee at dmcmw I will be diving into the valley now too.

I tried to order a new fuel sending unit but they are unavailable. The new one piece units with pump and sender together are shipping in a week or so, so I opted for that package instead. I'll be reviewing the new unit in this thread as soon as I get it so stay tuned!

Andy

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

[jawn101]

I'll be reviewing the new unit in this thread as soon as I get it so stay tuned!


Great news, I've been dying to hear how those turned out.

[82DMC12]

Andy,

Have you figured out why the Capacitor (yellow wire) is located in that spot. I think it normally sits next to the coil. The Red and Green wires in the harness look a little odd too. Have you opened the Relay compartment yet. (checked for hot fuses and general condition). I sure you know the routine (clean all electrical contacts and grounds) The car looks relatively clean of corrosion in the Engine Compartment. It still might not hurt to do a VOD check before you change the coolant.

Red/Green wires go to a low-voltage switch mounted by the dash dimmer which I believe is for turning the battery on and off. There's a cut-off thing mounted to the rear engine cradle.

I tried to blow out the fuel meter pin with some compressed air but it's really stuck solid. I put the FD back in the bowl in mineral spirits. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

Anyone have any good tips for getting it out (without using vise grips LOL)

Andy

[DMCMW Dave]

Use vice grips. It is very hard steel.

[82DMC12]

Use vice grips. It is very hard steel.

Not sure there is enough sticking out to grab.

Andy


Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

[DMCMW Dave]

Not sure there is enough sticking out to grab.
Andy


You need pointier vice grips. This doesn't always work, but it's worth a try.

[82DMC12]

Day Three:

Got a lot done today, but still tons to do. I started by taking another look at the fuel distributor. The pin is stuck so I tried Dave's suggestion with needle-nose vise grips. Unfortunately there wasn't quite enough to grab, or at least I couldn't get a good enough grip. After messing with that for awhile I got the idea to set the FD right-side-up in my bench vise with the tip of pin in the vise (see pic below!). I then used a pair of large flathead screwdrivers to gently pry upward on the FD body. That worked a couple millimeters at a time. Once I got the pin out I cleaned it in acetone and wiped it dry with a microfiber towel (no lint allowed!!). Then I dipped it in spirits and worked it into the FD back and forth until it slid smoothly. You know it's clean and good if you put the pin in, hold the FD straight up, and the pin will very slowly slide out because the fit is so tight and it creates vacuum behind it. Things are looking good!

I then looked at the injectors and removed the old clips and seals. I wiped them clean with acetone and blew them out with some compressed air. The patterns looked pretty iffy so I'll be putting them into some acetone for awhile too.

Next I decided to pull the plugs. Cylinder 5's spark plug showed some signs of severe moisture damage and corrosion. Looks like I'll be replacing plugs. The car has NGK's in it and they were all gapped a little wide. Good thing I checked them.

I then started doing some general engine cleaning and wiping all the dirt and dust off all of the fuel and A/C hoses, vacuum hoses, and electrical harnesses. I like working with clean stuff so I always take time to get the surface dirt off.

Next I figured now was as good a time as any to start getting into the valley of death. I started by removing the W-pipe, then the air meter housing. All of that came apart pretty well. I removed the vacuum advance valve and left all the hoses plugged into that. I removed the throttle bracket by removing the three 11mm screws and left the rest of it intact. Also removed the throttle arm by popping off the ball from the base of the throttle spool. BTW, the throttle arm is attached with C-shaped clips just like the door struts.

Once I had all that stuff off I figured I'd go for the intake manifold. I was a little nervous about this because I broke a bolt on my personal car the last time I went in there. This time I took a long 3/8" extension and a mallet and tapped each of the four bolts a few times to hopefully loosen them. The first bolt wasn't very tight at all so that was encouraging. The next one came out really easy too. The third didn't budge with the same pressure. I re-adjusted and applied more pressure slowly. It cracked and started to turn but it felt tight. I switched direction on the ratchet and re-tightened it, then loosened it, then tightened, back and forth a few times, tapping with a mallet every two changes. Once it was about halfway out it came out easy. Whew! The forth screw was a little tight also but wasn't a problem.

Removing the manifold, I was glad to see the valley wasn't too bad. It was at least dry and showed no signs of moisture. The valley compartments were full of dirt and some mouse droppings. I vacuumed it out so I think it's looking pretty good.

I decided to stop for the next at that point. It took me about 3.5 hours to do all of this.

I'm going to get a friend to help me flush the clutch out next since now is obviously a good time to get to the slave cylinder!

A few pics below!

[Bitsyncmaster]

If your clutch fluid looks nasty when you bleed it, replace the slave (or rebuild) it. I did the same thing and about two weeks later had to go back in and rebuild it.

I hope you get the Y pipe bolts out. I broke one but those are not as hard to drill out as the water pump bolts. Your doing your best by slowly working the bolts back and forth.

[DMCMW Dave]

Your next test will be getting the Y-pipe off without breaking the bolts. If it passes that one, it's officially not a rustbucket engine. . . . .


If your clutch fluid looks nasty when you bleed it, replace the slave (or rebuild) it. I did the same thing and about two weeks later had to go back in and rebuild it.


On a car like this just plan on replacing the clutch master, slave and line (if not braided already, and I can guarantee it won't be). Also replace the brake master, and rebuild the calipers and replace the hoses. Don't shortcut this stuff, it will just bite you later.

[David T]

Be sure to pressure test all of your work BEFORE reinstalling the intake manifold. Carefully examine the threads in all of the bolt holes and the bolts themselves to see if you pulled the threads out. if so you need to place a threaded insert to repair the hole. You need all of the holes to be fully threaded so you can pull everything tight so you have no vacuum or coolant leaks. Stick rags or tape the ports on the cylinder heads so you don't drop any hardware or dirt into them. You should be replacing the water pump at this time in addition to the clutch cylinders.
David Teitelbaum

Forgot to add, if the F/D was that bad, soaking the injectors in Acetone is not going to be enough. They will have to be cleaned in an injector/tester. All you will be able to do with the Acetone is get the outside clean. You probably also need new seals for the injectors.
David Teitelbaum

[82DMC12]

Your next test will be getting the Y-pipe off without breaking the bolts. If it passes that one, it's officially not a rustbucket engine. . . . .



On a car like this just plan on replacing the clutch master, slave and line (if not braided already, and I can guarantee it won't be). Also replace the brake master, and rebuild the calipers and replace the hoses. Don't shortcut this stuff, it will just bite you later.

Hey Dave,

ACTUALLY... this car has a stainless braided clutch line! There is a notebook in the glovebox recording it was replaced 7/5/91. Any idea how long that fix has been around?

Also... do you guys have the stainless braided brake lines? I have them on my car but I don't remember where I got them... Marty? Do you guys rebuild calipers if I send them out? How much? You can PM me if you want.

As for the Y-pipe and all that, I'm not sure if the owner wants to go that deep. I'm currently talking to them to see what all they want to do. They at least want the engine running and all the fluids changed. I would also recommend water pump kit, Y-pipe service, complete coolant hose kit w/heater valve, cap/rotor/wires/plugs, clutch slave and master, and brake master replacement. I can get the car running no problem, but without this stuff you won't want to drive out of sight of a tow truck! The car is in great shape, but this is one of those times where we are already this far.... might as well go all the way!

Andy

[82DMC12]

Looks like my first wave of parts (minus pump/sender kit) should be here tomorrow! Love ordering from DMCMW... I get the parts in two days!

[DMCMW Dave]

ACTUALLY... this car has a stainless braided clutch line! There is a notebook in the glovebox recording it was replaced 7/5/91. Any idea how long that fix has been around?

Also... do you guys have the stainless braided brake lines? I have them on my car but I don't remember where I got them... Marty? Do you guys rebuild calipers if I send them out? How much? You can PM me if you want.


Not sure about the line, but it was a known problem from the beginning so it probably happened very early.


I know Marty used to sell the braided brake lines, we have them now (via DMC Europe).

Call me about calipers - generally we only sell the rebuild kits OTC. But we might be able to work something out. In the shop we get the castings replated and rebuild them.

[dmcerik]

Hey Dave,

ACTUALLY... this car has a stainless braided clutch line! There is a notebook in the glovebox recording it was replaced 7/5/91. Any idea how long that fix has been around?


When I bought my car in 1999 it had a solid clutch line. Looked just like a solid brake line. Over the many years it was on my car before I bought it the flexing of the frame really did a number on that line.

[82DMC12]

I've never seen one like that. This one is stainless braided. When I get underneath the car I will check to see if it is the same as the ones currently available.

[DMCMW Dave]

When I bought my car in 1999 it had a solid clutch line. Looked just like a solid brake line. Over the many years it was on my car before I bought it the flexing of the frame really did a number on that line.


I've seen a hard line installed in that location but I can't say I care for it for exactly the problem mentioned. Eventually the movement of the engine will crack it.

[82DMC12]

OK so I haven't had much to report in the last week because I was waiting to hear from the owner as to how deep I should go into this thing. Looks like I'll be doing a Y-pipe service, new water pump, all new coolant hoses front to back, clutch master/slave, brake master, ignition tune-up, and whatever else comes up. I just placed a parts order so I think sometime next week I'll be posting up some more pics and updates.

The car also needs new tires - what's the best solution right now?

Also... the car needs new carpet. It's a gray interior - does anyone have a spare passenger side carpet in good condition?

Andy

[dmc6960]

Also... the car needs new carpet. It's a gray interior - does anyone have a spare passenger side carpet in good condition?

Lets see, new carpets are $795, so I'll sell you my passenger side for say, $600?

[82DMC12]

Let me double check the color and pile when I get home. I don't know if your carpet would be the same.

[dmc6960]

Yea, the 82 carpets are different from the 81. Damn you actually taking me seriously?

[82DMC12]

Well as soon as you said that, I was thinking the carpet won't be a match. As for pricing, I have no clue what carpet is worth, but for awhile certain sections were unavailable, so......

And this car does have the later soft texture light gray carpets. I need the floor carpet and the door sill carpet.

[dmc6960]

Package deal then! All my carpets, freshly shampooed and re-dyed for $700! Then you'll have a matching set for sure.

Lets see what else I can sell off this thing for slightly less than new...

[82DMC12]

Ok so now I want to know why you are selling your carpet? I bet you want that sexy bright orange carpet ... http://store.delorean.com/p-10404-complete-molded-carpet-set-custom-color-reproduction.aspx

[82DMC12]

Day 4.

Not a whole lot to do right now since I'm waiting for fuel pump parts. I decided to start cleaning some of the parts I took off. I took the intake manifold, W pipe, and throttle body/air meter to a machine shop I've used in the past to have them bead blast it and clean it up really nice. They took the intake and W pipe but didn't want to blast the throttle body even though I think it would have been OK.

I took the throttle body home and started to use a pneumatic wire wheel on it, but then found a simple wire brush worked just as well but a little easier to use. Basically I sprayed the whole thing down with brake cleaner, brushed it really well, rinsed in brake cleaner, wiped it off with a towel, then went over it with compressed air, which got all the gunk out of the allen screw heads and other small crevices.

Next I removed the throttle spool bracket from the throttle cable (it was previously just lying on the engine) and used the rest of my brake cleaner on it. It's very grungy so I'm going to take the whole thing to the machine shop and have them blast that too.

All this took a little over an hour.

Fun fact - brake cleaner is basically just tetrachloroethylene with an aerosol propellant. Tet, sometimes also called perchloroethylene, or Perc, is a the most common fluid used to clean clothing in dry cleaning. I manage a multi-location dry cleaning company and production plant, and up until three years ago we used perc in our plant. We abandoned perc cleaning and switched to a green alternative made from liquid silicone. This year perc was classified as a likely human carcinogen and it's very bad for the environment if it gets into the ground. So, be sure to wear gloves and don't spray it on open concrete. The smell of brake cleaner is EXACTLY the smell of a traditional dry cleaning machine drum!

Here are before and after pics of the throttle body -
9695

9694

[dmc6960]

Dont forget to repaint any of the plated steel that got blasted/wheeled.

[82DMC12]

Dont forget to repaint any of the plated steel that got blasted/wheeled.

The only things I would repaint are the gold brackets that hold the air meter to to the intake manifold and the throttle arm. What should I use? Is there a gold paint besides just regular metal paint?

[Morpheus]

Use gold engine paint, so it won't end up flaking with the heat buildup in there. Should be available at any auto parts store.

[dmc6960]

DupliColor Engine Enamel. Its held up good on my car so far.

[82DMC12]

Does engine paint reduce conductivity for grounds? Is it ok to attach ground cables to painted surfaces? I've always wondered what effect that had. Probably pretty bad with multiple coatings of a thick paint.

[dmc6960]

Yep, the paint is an insulator. With my engine lifting hooks now painted instead of plated I need to hook the battery charger up to something else. In my case its a custom aluminum bracket for holding the EFI throttle spool.

[Farrar]

Just have them zinc plated.

[82DMC12]

I would if the parts were large and worth the time to take to a plater. I only have a few bits and pieces so i think i'll save the time and paint them with engine paint. Bare aluminum like the intake manifold looks great once it's been bead blasted clean.

[Farrar]

Some places will do small jobs. I guess it depends on where you live. Anyway, I thought I'd mention it. Doesn't matter as long as the customer is happy.

[82DMC12]

Well I worked on the car all weekend and made some major progress! I don't have much time to do a formal update right now but I did run into a situation. I got the water pump removed just fine, and I got the bolts holding the driver's side of the Y-pipe out no problem. The passenger side wouldn't come loose with the same force and then some. Neither bolt would crack and I'm afraid of twisting the heads off.

I sprayed the bolts with acetone and transmission fluid, also some PB blaster a day later. I tapped on them with a hammer a few times too.

At this point I'm questioning how critical it is that I go in there and risk breaking one or two bolts off. I see no sign of seepage and perhaps I should let sleeping dogs lie. I haven't ever had to do a drill-out and thread repair so I'm a little nervous putting myself in that situation. Basically I have replaced every single hose and intake O-ring EXCEPT these two. Maybe leave it alone until the next 30 year overhaul???

Any good ideas?

Andy

[Bitsyncmaster]

I had one Y pipe bolt break but it was an easy removal (compared to the broken water pump bolt). I think the Y pipe bolt froze on the shank and the treads were not badly corroded.

You won't get the block clean enough to paint without removing the Y pipe. So if your happy with just a quick clean out then leave it in.

[82DMC12]

OK this weekend I got a ton of stuff done! I'll just combine the whole weekend into one post.

I decided to start Saturday by replacing all the coolant hoses. I started by draining all the coolant from the radiator by cutting off and removing the passenger side lower hose. Only about a gallon or two came out, but it was a nice deep green and smelled good. I don't have a hydrometer handy but I'm guessing the coolant was good enough to protect from freezing.

There are LOT of hoses on the DeLorean. Most of them I was able to use a 7mm socket to loosen the band clamps, but 6 or 7 of them I had to use a Dremel to cut the clamp off because it was too rusty or the worm gear came out. I found it easier to remove the shorter aluminum pipes so I could clean the coolant build-up off of them with a pneumatic wire wheel grinder, then pre-install the short hoses. I could then fit the aluminum pipe with hoses attached to the car. The front of the car was pretty straight forward and uneventful. My first snag was replacing the short hoses that are right under the console where the horizontal parallel aluminum pipes diverge to go up the frame in the rear. These hoses are mostly exposed but the hose clamps were obstructed by the gas tank closure plate. There was no way to get in there with a socket, wrench, screwdriver, OR dremel! I had no choice but to partially drop the plate, cut the clamps off, put the new ones on, then put the plate back up. I made sure they are good and tight :-)

Next problem was the short aluminum pipe going up the passenger side frame near the trailing arm. This pipe, on the automatic trans cars, contains the AT oil cooler. On the MT cars the pipe is empty but is a slightly larger diameter than the other pipes. The OEM hoses had one end larger than the other to accommodate this. The new hoses from DMCH are the same diameter on both sides. There was no way to just jam the hoses on so I had to remove the pipe, hammer a 1 1/16" socket into the hose with some grease, let it sit for a couple hours, then quickly remove the socket and push the hose onto the pipe. That worked well enough but I wish I didn't have to take the pipe off. Oh well, this is a once every 20 year job!

The heater hoses behind the engine were a big pain in the ass. Even without an intake manifold they are really tough to get on and lined up just right. I can't imagine doing this with the intake in place. In order to get the long heater hoses replaced you have to remove the passenger side T/A dust shield.

The next day I went for the big engine hoses. The kit came with a new otterstat and seal, which I installed but found that the OEM otterstat clip doesn't fit. In my opinion, DMC should just include the newer, larger clip with the otterstat. I had to add that to a separate order. Of course you want the otterstat oriented downward, facing the floor so that an air pocket doesn't build up. Looking at the inside of the pipe it's very obvious how this happens, so be sure to turn your pipe around if you haven't done so already.

Once I had all the hoses replaced I decided to change the clutch hydraulics. This is pretty straight-forward but a little tricky. There are two bolts holding the clutch slave to the transmission. I was able to remove the pass side bolt from the top with a wrench. However, I had to get under the car to get the driver's side bolt with a ratchet. I'm lucky I'm not a big guy so I was able to get my arms up through the exhaust to do this. Not easy. The metal line that goes onto the slave was also a big pain. I ended up removing it completely from the car so I could clean it with brake cleaner because the fittings were gummy and hard to turn with your fingers to get them started.

The clutch master was pretty easy, but I had to get creative since you need to hold the mounting screws from the inside while turning the nuts from the trunk side. I was working alone so I ended up fitting a wrench on the nut, turning it so it was jammed against the body, then unscrewing the screws out, using the car to hold the wrench in place. Worked great! The next day my dad stopped by so I got him to help me bleed the clutch (with Castrol GTLMA, of course!).

Yesterday I decided to go for the water pump and Y-pipe. I had sprayed the 3 pump bolts and 4 y-pipe bolts with a mixture of ATF and acetone a couple days prior. Also some PB Blaster and I tapped on the screws every time I thought about it with a hammer. The water pump screws came out pretty easily and within 10 minutes I had the pump extracted. The Y-pipe is another story. There are 2 o-rings that should be changed while you are in the valley, which are under the Y-Pipe. Both of the driver's side screws came out easily. On the passenger side, I gave them as much force as I felt comfortable with before risking breaking them off. They won't crack loose. I have never personally drilled out a broken screw and I don't think I want to try. At this point I think I'm going to leave the Y-pipe alone and just replace the driver side screws. There are no signs of leakage and I really don't want to complicate this project by having to learn how to drill out a screw on someone else's car. I think the risk is too high for the preventative maintenance reward.

So basically right now I'm waiting on the new fuel pump kit and a water pump. There isn't much else I can do right now until they get installed.

Oh yeah, I got the intake and throttle bracket back from the machine shop (see pic). I'll be painting the bracket, then greasing it before reassembly for nice a smooth gas pedal.

I also picked up a Harbor Freight inspection camera for $80 (from the thread in Product Reviews). It seems to work OK; I bought it just to screw around with and maybe use to check my own VOD to see if my restoration in the early 2000's is still holding up. I was showing to the girlfriend last night trying not to think of a dirty way to use it and the LED lights were flickering, so I think I'm going to exchange it. It's probably got a bad connection somewhere.

Yesterday I picked up two gallons of Mobil Delvac 1300 15w40 oil and a gallon of Valvoline 80w90. Going to change the oil and tranny fluid tonight.

97649763

[David T]

[If you have a torch you heat the heads of the difficult bolts up to cherry red and let cool. If that won't work you can either cut the heads of the bolts off or break them off. You cannot get any liquid to the area where they are stuck. I found it easy to assemble the heater valve with all of the hoses and then slide it onto the car. Using some anti-freeze on the hoses helps to make them slide onto the pipes easier. You really should get the Y pipe off. Before reinstalling the intake manifold you should pressurize the cooling system to check for leaks. Usually you remove the fuel tank plate to do the hoses. With the plate removed you can remove the pipes to clean them. You will probably need an adapter to get the plugs out of the transmission.
David Teitelbaum

[82DMC12]

David, if I break the heads off, how would you recommend removing the shanks? I imagine if the Y-pipe were out of the way I could spray some blaster where the threads go in and it might actually penetrate.

Should I be worried about the heat from propane torch on aluminum Y-pipe? I don't own an acetylene torch.

Andy

[sdg3205]

I've had a lot of luck with adjustable impact wrenches on stubborn, stuck bolts.

[82DMC12]

I've had a lot of luck with adjustable impact wrenches on stubborn, stuck bolts.

I have a single speed impact. Probably not recommended for a small bolt like this.

[sdg3205]

I have a single speed impact. Probably not recommended for a small bolt like this.

I found a medium duty attachment that fits on any drill/cordless drill.

It's from a Canadian store but I bet there is an american counterpart.

about $30.

[82DMC12]

Well, good news! I decided to hit the Y-pipe again because hey - I take pride in my work and that's a proper job that's needed.

This time around I aimed the propane torch at each bolt head for a couple minutes and got them nice and hot, then tapped with a hammer. Went in, changed clothes, and put my ratchet on the tall one. This time the bolt cracked and slowly came out until I realized it was about 1/3 of the way out and just started spinning!! I was able to move the Y-pipe so I knew it was no longer in the threads. Then I went for the short bolt and promptly broke the head off. After cussing and images of drilling into water jackets flashed through my head, I assessed the situation and found that the shank of the bolt was seized to the Y-pipe but it would turn as I rotated the Y-pipe. I could only move the pipe a few degrees so I couldn't get it out without unfreezing it from the Y-pipe. I spent probably two hours hitting it with a hammer, using the torch, trying to cut a groove so I could hold it with a screwdriver, and manhandling the thing until I decided to try drilling it out. Finally I got the pipe off! I was able to easily turn the shank out with a pliers. Lots of work but worth it.

Next I drained the coolant from the block by removing the coolant drain plugs. The passenger side one is located right above the oil filter. The driver's side one is hard to see but it's between the cat and the exhaust manifold. While that was draining I took a screwdriver and started cleaning out the valley.

Things are looking up! I have everything taken apart (the hard part!)... now just to put it back together!

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[82DMC12]

Once again, I had a pretty productive weekend. I'm pretty bad at remembering to take pictures because I get pretty busy doing what I'm doing, plus my hands are pretty dirty.... lots of excuses! Once I get some clean parts back from the machine shop I'll take some more pics.

Anyway, every time I change a fuel accumulator, I tell myself "At least I probably won't be doing this again for a really long time" and then I wind up doing one. How do people with big hands do this job? Luckily I have small hands and don't have much trouble getting up in there, but it still took a couple hours. Luckily everything was nice and clean and easy to deal with. Hardest part was getting the old soft hoses off the nipples. The rubber was easy to cut but the plastic line underneath was very tough and it's hard to use a razor blade in the small area.

Here is a list of something of things I got done since last update:

1. Change oil with Delvac 15w40 and new Bosch filter from DMCMW
2. Change MT oil with Valvoline 80w90
3. Change Lambda sensor
4. Ran my inspection camera into the muffler to check for mice. Doesn't look like it!
5. Sent Y-pipe to machine shop for cleaning. Also gave them the idler pulleys to put new bearings in.
6. Changed broken pass side upper muffler bracket
7. Cleaned both rear grounds
8. Replaced all vacuum hoses
9. Re-tapped all intake, Y-pipe, and water pump threads
10. Ordered all new screws and washers for intake/Y-pipe/water pump
11. Painted some brackets and the throttle bracket/spool with gray engine enamel
12. Hooked up heater core hoses
13. Replaced fuel accumulator

Here is a list of what still needs to be done:

0. Put throttle spool together and grease it
1. Get Y-pipe and idlers back from shop and install them
2. Install water pump and pump hoses (on backorder)
3. Fill and Pressure test cooling system
4. Install new fuel pump/sending unit combo (on order)
5. Flush fuel system out and change fuel filter
6. Install intake manifold and throttle body
7. Jump pump and verify injectors have good spray pattern
8. Install injectors and new spark plugs
9. Fit air cleaner housing
10. Install battery and turn key!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!!?

Once the car is running I need to replace the passenger side carpet and do an assessment of the electrical system. Everything is pretty clean so I'm hoping it doesn't need much.

I also need to replace the tires and check out the brakes. I have a new master cylinder but I don't want to install it until I know the condition of the caliper pistons. Feels like they are dragging a little when the wheels are up in the air. This will be a major expense and I'm waiting to find out from the owner how deep he wants to go with the brakes.

So far I'm about 40 hours into this project and nearly $2,000 worth of parts. None of it is in upgrades - it's all the old crappy stuff that goes bad from sitting, or stuff that shouldn't be on the car anymore even if the car hadn't been sitting.

I'm guessing by the time I'm done this would have been somewhere around $8,000 to have done at a 'real' mechanic and probably not done as well as I'm doing (unless it were a DMC vendor of course!).

I like doing this stuff and it's going to be fun to see if it actually starts right away!!

Andy

[82DMC12]

More nice clean parts! New bearings in the idlers too. Ignore the belts. They are for a commercial textile dryer!

http://img.tapatalk.com/a6fa60cf-bd97-55b3.jpg

[82DMC12]

Well, I got a lot done since the last update. Car starting is eminent now. Let's see, this week I did all this:

- Installed Y-pipe and O-rings
- Build up water pump and install. This was a little tricky. I had the pump half-installed before I realized the front plug wasn't in it because I forgot to transfer it over. No problem... I got the old one out with a deep well socket, then tried to put the plug in the new pump... the socket was too thick to go on the plug because of the very tight clearance. Hmm... I fought with it for a few minutes before I had the socket banged on it enough where I could get it tight. I never did get it cleanly on the plug. Not sure if the paint is too thick or if the new pump is a little different. At any rate, it didn't leak.

- Install all new pump hoses and hose clamps
- Installed the intake manifold
- Installed the throttle body and air meter housing
- Installed throttle spool bracket. Took it all apart and greased it well with lithium grease.
- Adjusted linkage
- Installed new drive belts and idlers
- Filled system with antifreeze. Rented a pressure tester from O'Reilly's and pumped the system up. Found the water pump bleeder is kind of hard to stop leaking. Really tight now. Also found a leaky hose clamp on the bottom of the radiator. Tightened that up and all is well. I'm glad to see the Y-pipe wasn't leaking. I left the system pressurized for about 3 hours. Still had 10 psi at that point, so I'm going to consider it tight.

- Installed new Bosch silver plugs, with anti-sieze
- Replaced cold start valve O-ring

So at this point the engine is pretty much built back up. I just need to get a fuel pump installed so I can flush the lines and check the injectors. I don't want to put the plug wires on the plugs or install the idle motor until I have that one. It will be a lot easier to put the driver's side wires and injectors back in without that in the way.

At this point I figured it wouldn't hurt to put the battery in and crank it over a couple times. I disconnected the coil wire from the coil and turned the key. It cranks really nice and sounds great. I'm sure it will start as soon as I have fuel!

I also checked the electrical and found these problems so far:

- high beams only work when you flash them. They don't come on when you push the stalk forward. Not sure why that would happen.
- power locks don't work, even though the lock module is plugged in.
- windows work but are pretty slow and sound like they could die any time
- power antenna doesn't work
- ignition cylinder is very stiff and hard to get the key in and out. I sprayed some wet graphite in it so maybe that will help.
- Passenger side wiper doesn't work. The post turns but the wiper must not be attached. I tried for a couple minutes to get the arm off but to no avail. I'll have to look at that later.

That's about it. I'm pretty excited to start this car and take it for a test drive!

Here are a few pics showing the progress:

[82DMC12]

Not a whole lot to report this week. I did, however, get one of the first DMCH pump/sender combo kits though! Read about it here:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?3824-NEW-Integrated-pump-sender-combo!&p=54121#post54121

I was all set to start the car on Monday, but after re-pressurizing the cooling system I found a bad leak in the radiator. At around 13 lbs the cap on top starts leaking like a sieve. Dave says it can sometimes be fixed by taking the cap off, cleaning it, and replacing, but at this age, I'd rather just replace the radiator so the owner knows his car is reliable. The original radiator has plastic tanks which will probably just start leaking soon anyway. I got the new radiator in the mail today! Thanks Julee!

After installing the pump and fuel filter, I was ready to check the injectors. At this point I had a totally clean tank, blew out all the fuel hoses, got the pin moving in the fuel distributor, and cleaned the idle motor. Unfortunately, when pressing down on the pressure plate the injectors were so bad that they didn't fill any jars equally and they weren't atomizing. Even after soaking them in acetone and trying to blow them out with low-pressure air. I didn't even try to start the car because I knew it would just run like crap and foul out my new plugs and Lambda sensor. So now I have new injectors on the way. Hopefully once I get them and the radiator replaced this weekend I'll be ready to start the engine!!

[jawn101]

- high beams only work when you flash them. They don't come on when you push the stalk forward. Not sure why that would happen.


I know why! Mine had this problem too. Someone pushed the stalk TOO far forward at one point and bent the little tab contact so the switch doesn't close the circuit. Take the steering canopy off and find the contact behind the headlamp stalk, then bend it towards the steering wheel so the circuit activates with the stalk pressed forward. Easy peasy. Or if the contact snapped off, you might be in for a new combo switch.

Great progress so far! The owner will be thrilled with your work.

[82DMC12]

Big update!

I received a new radiator from Dave and Julee on Thursday and installed it yesterday. Took about 4 hours. Last time I changed a DeLorean radiator I had the car on a lift and it really sucked. This time I had it on the ground, jacked up, and it sucked even more. I got through it though and only broke a few studs - looks like I need a new rock screen!

Got the fuel injectors replaced and installed. I primed up the fuel system then turned the key - it pretty much started right up! Slightly lumpy, then settled into a nice idle. Very awesome!!! I ran it in my garage to get the temp up so I could make sure the fans come on. I also needed it to run so I could bleed the cooling system.

To bleed it, I let the car run to get warm and turned on the heater to max hot and low fan. I had the cap off and made sure the coolant stayed full in the overflow. It started to bubble quite a bit so I put the cap on and went up front to pull the bleed hose off the new radiator. It was already spraying coolant as I tried to get the hose off, so I let it spray out (about half in a bucket, half on my floor) for a few seconds then pushed the hose back on and tightened it.

Then I went back to the engine and it was getting pretty warm so I shut the engine down. It got about halfway between the first mark and the middle mark and the thermostat hadn't opened up yet so I knew it was air locked. Once the engine was off I slowly opened the bleeder on the water pump and let the steam out. Once it started to dribble a little coolant, I opened the overflow and saw it was almost empty. I started adding more coolant and as the tank filled up coolant came out of the bleeder in a steady stream. I closed the bleeder, topped of the tank, and put the cap back on. Then I started the car back up and let it run until I felt the big left hose get hot so I knew the thermostat was open. I ran it that way for a few minutes until the fans came on.

At that point the girlfriend was pretty hungry and waiting for me to take her to dinner so I had to stop playing around :-( But I came out this morning and the tank was still full so I think we are in good shape. I fitted the air filter back on and put the rest of the engine trim on. Not sure if I'm going to put the de-ice kit back on. I think it looks ugly and it precludes working on the throttle.

Today I went to Sears and ordered new Falken Ziex 512 tires. Tonight I'm going to start taking the brakes apart and get them rebuilt.

Now that the car is running so well I'm feeling really good about this project. The owner of the car is going to get a car that runs well, is tuned up, has a clean fuel system, all new cooling system, all new brakes, and lots of other little details that a 12-year-long owner like myself pays attention to.

Kind of vindicating knowing I took a car out of a barn, tore it down, built it back up and replaced all the usual parts, and it started right up! I was giddy all night!

By the way, I'm up to 50 hours of my time and $3,500 worth of parts and supplies, including tires for $408. Hopefully this can serve as an example of how much it takes to takes to bring a dead D back into the sunlight.

Here's a few pics I took with the car relaxing in the North Dakota sun.

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[82DMC12]

Almost forgot - here are a few items I noted that need work still -

1. A/C doesn't work (obviously). Going to see if I can find anyone with R12 around here.
2. Mode switch hisses and doesn't work too well.
3. Antenna works but makes noise going up and down
4. Power locks don't work but they do work manually. Has original module, haven't tried to figure that one out yet.
5. Still need to look at the high beams.
6. Need to put passenger side carpet in.
7. Really hard to get the key in and out of the ignition cylinder
8. Passenger side wiper doesn't work but the stud moves so I think it needs a wiper arm. Haven't looked at it yet.
9. Probably needs a steering bushing but I sprayed some liquid graphite on it for now and it doesn't squeak anymore.
10. And of course the car needs a thorough cleaning inside and out. I might get the engine steam cleaned and carpets shampooed professionally. There is a place that reconditions auction cars and they don't charge too much for that.
11. When you have the clutch in and engine running, there is a noise that sounds like a wheel bearing going out. Pretty sure that's a throw out bearing? Well I'm not pulling the transmission out. I don't really have the facilities to do that. The shift action is nice and smooth though! Maybe the bearing will get better as it gets driven?

[dvonk]

Kind of vindicating knowing I took a car out of a barn, tore it down, built it back up and replaced all the usual parts, and it started right up! I was giddy all night!

you, sir, are a badass. props on a job well done! :headbang:

[82DMC12]

Ha, thanks! I just kept right at it this evening and stripped the brakes from the car. I followed this thread: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1939-Rebuild-Your-Brake-Caliper and the instructions were more or less right on! I have the brakes all taken apart and I'm going to send them to DMCMW so they can clean them up and get them plated. Then I'll replace the pads, install a rebuilt kit for each caliper, grease the pins, replace the master cylinder, flush the fluid, get the rotors turned, and BOOM - perfect brakes!

At that point and once the new tires are installed I think this car will be road-worthy!

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[DMCMW Dave]

10. I might get the engine steam cleaned and carpets shampooed professionally. There is a place that reconditions auction cars and they don't charge too much for that.

11. When you have the clutch in and engine running, there is a noise that sounds like a wheel bearing going out. Pretty sure that's a throw out bearing? Well I'm not pulling the transmission out. I don't really have the facilities to do that. The shift action is nice and smooth though! Maybe the bearing will get better as it gets driven?

10 - Don't steam clean the engine or you'll be doing all your electrical stuff over again. Brake Cleaner to degrease, WD40 to clean up the aluminum.

11 - Yep. It's also chewing up the fingers on the pressure plate, but since you generally replace both parts anyway you can wait. Eventually the car will get hard to shift, at that point you need to fix it or you'll be breaking transmission parts. It will not get better, the grease is long gone and it's not coming back all by itself.:sad30:

[82DMC12]

Hey guys,

Long time since I last updated this thread. I got to working on a lot of messy stuff which means I didn't take a lot of pictures. That made me keep postponing this thread. After a while i decided I'd just wrap it up when the job was done... and that time is now. I'm waiting for 11114's owner to come by and pick up his car!

For those who don't want to read the thread from the beginning, back in March I agreed to help an out-of-state owner get his car back on the road again. It was stored in east central North Dakota on a farm with another DeLorean owned by a guy in Fargo, whose car I also worked on a couple years ago. 11114 belongs to his sister and her husband who live in Illinois. When I got the car it was on a flatbed and hadn't been running since around 1991. It has about 24K miles on it and the angle drive still works!

Here is a list of most of the things I ended up fixing or replacing.

Clean gas tank
6 lift kit
Fuel accumulator kit
SS header bottle
Radiator cap
Oil filter, air filter, fuel filter
Lambda sensor
Fuel Dist o-ring
Injector seals and clips
Intake O-ring kit
Complete cooling system hose kit
Thermostat and gasket
Drive belts
Bosch Silver spark plugs
Distributor cap and rotor
Clutch master cylinder
Clutch slave cylinder
Brake Master cylinder
Idler pulley bearings
Castrol GTLMA brake fluid to flush all lines
Changed engine oil, tranny oil
Bead blasted intake manifold
Replaced passenger exhaust manifold bracket
New exhaust mounts
Otterstat
Replaced heater control valve and heater hoses
Cleaned out the valley
Replaced all vacuum hoses
Cleaned all grounds
Replaced pass side carpet
Thermostat bleeder
Replaced water pump
Replaced all bolts and washers for intake manifold and water pump parts
Cleaned and greased throttle linkage
Replaced fuel injectors
Replaced Radiator
Installed new-design fuel pump
Removed all brakes calipers, sent out for cadmium plating
New brake pads
All new brake hardware
Replaced tires with Falken Ziex
Rebuilt A/C mode switch
Replaced front wheel bearings
Turned rotors
Adjust parking brake
Diagnose power lock problem - replaced module with digital module
Replaced DS tail light board
Used fuel pressure gauge to diagnose poor cold drivability
Replace 3 A/C panel lights
Replaced A/C compressor
Both long hoses
High pressure hub
Receiver/dryer
Variable orifice valve
Low pressure switch
Vacuum and charge with 134a
Replaced worn hood latch
Fuel gauge in cluster was bad - replaced it with a used one
Installed SS trailing arm shield brackets
Replaced alternator
Replaced oil light switch
Replaced DS headliner and rear headliner
Thorough vehicle cleaning

The AM/FM and display died in the ASI stereo so I sold and installed my Alpine CD player from 11596 (which I then replaced with another Alpine that pairs to my phone with BT)

Not to mention countless nuts, bolts, screws, etc.


Total parts (nearly all from DMCMW) was $5900. I had about 80 hours labor into it (I charged a very low hourly rate), which I think was pretty good since I had done all of this before at least once. I might not have known every trick but I didn't spend much time stumped. I did take the time to clean anything I put back on the car, I made sure everything was routed properly, I double-checked my work, etc etc. I'm very confident that this car is solid and ready to drive. I've put about 100 miles on it without a single hiccup.

The only problems I can't fix is it needs a throwout bearing (no good way to pull a tranny in my garage) and the passenger side door sill carpet is no longer available. I recommended to the owner that he should bring the car home and get to Chicago and find some really good restoration shop who might have some matching carpet.

One of the things I wanted to get across with this project is just how much work goes into a "Barn Find". This one was lucky! It didn't even have any serious problems when it was parked. Most Barn Finds are parked because something broke and the owner doesn't know how to fix it. Yes I went "the extra mile" in that I didn't just do the bare minimum to get it running. But when you do that, you usually find yourself stranded a few weeks later. The owner and myself, after discussion, agreed it was best to do it right the first time, which is exactly what we did.

On one hand I'll be sad to see it go because I really like the car and all the time I put into it. It's a great D and I know the owner will be thrilled with it. Hopefully he will join the list so I can hear about the fun he has with it.

I also have to give a HUGE THANKS to Dave and Julee Swingle. They had most of my parts orders out the same day and in my hands two days later. It was really helpful to have a stready stream of parts ready when I needed them. Julee is as always a pleasure to speak with and Dave provided a lot of very helpful advice on email, often times going back and forth with me late in the evening or on a weekend. We are really lucky to have a supporting vendor and friends like these two (and all the staff) at DMCMW. Thanks guys!

Now it's on to the next project....

Andy

[82DMC12]

Here are a few pics of the car in-progress that I haven't posted yet..

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[82DMC12]

And finally here are some pics of the finished car!

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[dvonk]

nice, it looks great! no doubt the owners will be very pleased. :thumbup:

[82DMC12]

The owners just came by to pick it up. We went over all the work done and they seemed very thrilled! I encouraged them to look us up online! They take it home to Illinois in a few days.

[dmc6960]

Driving it to IL or towing it?

[82DMC12]

Driving it of course! Should be a fun trip.

[Morpheus]

Great Job! I love threads like these.

[82DMC12]

A pic of the happy owners driving away while I wipe away a tear ;-) http://img.tapatalk.com/46c603cc-125e-0065.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/46c603cc-127f-d178.jpg

[82DMC12]

Owners drove it back to Illinois on Wednesday and wrote to me when they got home that everything went great and no issues! Very satisfying knowing my hard work paid off.

[dmcerik]

Owners drove it back to Illinois on Wednesday and wrote to me when they got home that everything went great and no issues! Very satisfying knowing my hard work paid off.

That's got to be a pretty good feeling. Glad to hear all went well.

[TTait]

see my post #4 here...

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?1740-4-gallons-of-varnish-for-Sale&highlight=Berrymans

and this is how to find a cheap fuel pump:

I went to a parts store and talked with the guy behind the counter, and had him do a computer search for fuel pump, sorted by price low to high, and we found an electric pump for about $12 out of some pickup truck...

I just did the same thing on ebay, and found this as the lowest price buy it now electric fuel pump currently listed:

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/mazda-b2200-...p2047675.m2392

for those looking elsewhere or in the future, that happens to be the pump from a Mazda b2200 pickup truck, and is selling for $14.

[Ethan Rode]

Raising this one from the dead!

I got up close and personal with 1114 in November 2016. My uncle was a GM dealer in DeKalb IL. In 2011 he sold his dealership, but kept the building; a cavernous old barbed wire factory. He stores cars and stuff for people, so there's always something cool to see. Lo and behold, parked next to an Olds Achevia coupe, was 11114, looking stunning under a thin veil of dust. The frame and engine were exceptionally clean, which makes sense given the amount of work put into the car. I spent most of the day drooling over the car. Out of respect, no attempt was made to start the car, but the battery did have some charge My uncle estimated that the car hadn't moved in about 18mos. I had been casually looking for a D at that point, and left a note for the owner if they ever wanted to sell.

I did end up hearing from the owner in the summer of 2017. They were taking the car to DMCMW for an inspection, and were thinking about selling. We settled on a price, but a friend of his beat my offer by a considerable margin, and was local to him. Not sure where the car ended up, of course. Here's hoping she's being enjoyed!

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[lazabby]

That is correct on the later cars (the one on the coil is still there). Radio noise suppression, in that case the idle microswitch. It probably caused pops in the AM radio, not that anyone would notice.

IMO you need to remove the intake and clean out the valley. Barn cars as always full of mouse nesting and food in there, and once you get it started it will stink. You also want to find any block rot issues before you spend a bunch of money on the engine (or other stuff like door struts and headliners!).

59951
This got my interest because as long as I've owned my car there has been a lot of noise on the AM side of my radio. It picks up engine noise. I don't recall seeing such a yellow wire in my engine. I don't have the original Craig radio but it looks like one from the early 80s. So this wire and capacitor is needed to suppress the engine noise? Does someone have better pictures of this?

[DMCMW Dave]

59951
This got my interest because as long as I've owned my car there has been a lot of noise on the AM side of my radio. It picks up engine noise. I don't recall seeing such a yellow wire in my engine. I don't have the original Craig radio but it looks like one from the early 80s. So this wire and capacitor is needed to suppress the engine noise? Does someone have better pictures of this?

Is it spark (static) noise or (alternator) whine? AM radio noise is really hard to get rid of, especially since it's essentially a plastic car (no shielding between the engine and the antenna) and the antenna is often right over the engine (Not Good). Static noise is almost completely bad plug wires or plug gap too wide, and/or running non-resistor plugs or non resistor (read "high performance (sic)" plug wires. Later cars actually had a very heavy shield on the coil wire as an attempt to fight this. Didn't help much.

All those little capacitors were for was to stop the occasional "pop" noise on switch actuation, specifically in this case the idle microswitch. If you hear a pop that coincides with going on or off idle this will fix it. It won't fix anything else.

[82DMC12]

Raising this one from the dead!

I got up close and personal with 1114 in November 2016. My uncle was a GM dealer in DeKalb IL. In 2011 he sold his dealership, but kept the building; a cavernous old barbed wire factory. He stores cars and stuff for people, so there's always something cool to see. Lo and behold, parked next to an Olds Achevia coupe, was 11114, looking stunning under a thin veil of dust. The frame and engine were exceptionally clean, which makes sense given the amount of work put into the car. I spent most of the day drooling over the car. Out of respect, no attempt was made to start the car, but the battery did have some charge My uncle estimated that the car hadn't moved in about 18mos. I had been casually looking for a D at that point, and left a note for the owner if they ever wanted to sell.

I did end up hearing from the owner in the summer of 2017. They were taking the car to DMCMW for an inspection, and were thinking about selling. We settled on a price, but a friend of his beat my offer by a considerable margin, and was local to him. Not sure where the car ended up, of course. Here's hoping she's being enjoyed!

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Hi Ethan,

Really interesting timing, considering I don't get on here much anymore. I still have my DeLorean (drove it to work for the first time TODAY in 2019!) and needless to say I was surprised to see an old thread of mine on the front page. Very cool for you to run into that car, and I enjoyed reading the thread again! It was a lot of fun to work on and was during a time of my life where I had the free time to do so. Since then my interests have shifted and I'm not so involved in the community, but I have a tough time deciding if I should sell my D. I didn't think I'd be coming up to my TWENTY YEAR OWNER ANNIVERSARY (!!!) when I first took 11596 home the year I graduated from high school. These days I keep mine on a trickle charger and it starts up every time I need it. I haven't put more than $100 into it in the last decade.

Curious how much the Dekalb car sold for....!?

Cheers and hope you get your own DeLorean soon!

Andy Lien