Purchased some 12-terminal connectors from Radio Shack, and some 5-minute epoxy from Ace Hardware.
Stay tuned to find out what they were for...
Printable View
Purchased some 12-terminal connectors from Radio Shack, and some 5-minute epoxy from Ace Hardware.
Stay tuned to find out what they were for...
Last time I had mine adjusted, a bolt flew out at a very high speed. Thank god nobody got injured. Respect torsion bars. I do.Quote:
Originally Posted by DMCMW Dave
My mistake. Poor graphics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dangermouse
They were actually set up like this \--------/, where the front of the car is ^
I would be wearing my louvers for referring to my sweetness as "wifey" ;).Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean03
I agree, someone that inquired about my torsion bars said that on 5 parts cars he checked out 3 had broken torsion bars. Sad, really.Quote:
Originally Posted by DMCMW Dave
Shows us how different everyone is. She prefers "wifey" (: .Quote:
Originally Posted by Dangermouse
Examined the rear wiring harness from the DeLorean and played count the splices. Then I tried not to speak ill of the dead since both previous owners are deceased. Why splice one wire 6 times instead of buying a longer wire? And crushing an irreplaceable bulb socket with a pipe clamp is not a substitute for a ground strap.
Maybe this will make you feel a little bit better bro...Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny_Z
As sent to fix:
Attachment 20473
Ouch...yes that does.
That and the replacement sockets are only 10 bucks on DMCH. I wish I would have looked at this harness before my last order. Now I have to pull together some odds and ends I might need to make it worth the price of shipping.
Indeed they are.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean03
No offense intended by my first comment btw. Just that "wifey" is a hot-button word for mine, for some reason.
No offense taken at all, good sir (: .Quote:
Originally Posted by Dangermouse
Didn't do anything to the car today, but Jessica and I did hang this (: !
Attachment 20474
I've already made my fiancé promise that she'll never call me "hubby."Quote:
Originally Posted by Dangermouse
Edit: I just noticed this post is one number away from my VIN! Missed it by a hair! :lol:
I'm taking an air conditioning/water/snack break, but here's what I've done so far today:
I re-routed the disused "brake lights on with key only" power (green) to the headlight switch's illumination bulb (orange/red at the switch). This will help me find the headlight switch button in darkness. I left the original wiring in place, so it can be easily changed back.
I took the HVAC panel illumination bulbs off of the harness and added a pigtail. Now all of those pesky leads are out of the way when I'm plugging everything else back in. I plug the pigtail in last, et voila -- all done.
I added my Y-connector to the HVAC mode switch wiring to turn the compressor on with defrost, heat, etc. Again, original wiring and connectors are still in place, so can be easily changed back.
I re-installed the radio bracket. Those boots for the vents aren't nearly as bad to put back on as people make them out to be. Then again, my radio is not installed. I was able to poke my fingers behind the bracket, make sure everything was seated, and pull the boots back a touch to ensure a good seal. That might not have been possible if I had a stereo head unit protruding back there.
I investigated using JB Weld to put the studs back into my passenger knee pad, but all but one of the studs are missing. Looks like I'll have to go to the hardware store to try to find something compatible. I was going, anyway -- to find stainless screws for the license plate light fixtures.
I left the camera in the garage, so pictures will follow later. Time for a trip to Ace...
Edit: Holy crap! It's post #2613! :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Farrar,
You might try something like this.
Attachment 20475
With the insert installed/glued in if you have too. You can thread the stud into it or Use Compatible Screws. Good Hardware Stores will have a selection of these type of fastener insert nuts.
Thanks, GENIUNE Momo Man! ;) (For some reason that's the first thing I see on your posts.)Quote:
Originally Posted by DMC5180
The deed is already done...
Attachment 20480
...but if this fails, I'll consider some thread inserts plus studs as my next attempt.
In other news:
HVAC panel lights pigtail:
Attachment 20481
Naturally, when I checked to make sure everything was OK, one of the bulbs (an LED, actually) was not lit. First thought: pull and check the bulb. The glass part came off, and the rest of it stayed behind. Grr. I got it out, anyway, and am leaving that socket empty for now. I did, however, check it with a spare (incandescent) bulb.
I have two functioning license plate fixtures now -- Thanks, Kenny Z! -- and they're installed with stainless screws.
Attachment 20482
My fiancé walked by and asked how things were going. "I'm making good progress," I enthused. That doomed me.
The next place I went was in the driver's footwell. I had recently seen a helpful photo of how to attach the bracket which holds the windshield wiper delay box. "Oh, that's easy," I said. After twenty minuts of the usual lying on my back slicing my fingertips open, with my glasses steaming up and sliding up my nose to rest on my eyelashes, I finally shoved the damned thing behind the carpet, which is where it was when I got the car five years ago and where it shall, evidently, remain, until someone who is not me tries to install it properly.
At this point, the passenger door was close and the driver's door was open. Paradoxically, the passenger door lights were on, and the driver door lights weren't. Neither was the dome light on. I opened the passenger door and yanked the wires off the switch. The lights went out. Ah ha! Bad switch?
Wrong. Dave's courtesy light module was saving my battery. The only way to get the lights back is to unplug the module and plug it back in.
I unplugged the module, and plugged it back in. Now none of the courtesy lights were on. I stuck a jumper in the connectors for the passenger door switch. Still nothing. Then I went over to the driver's door and did the same. The lights came on.
Someone with a 1,000-Hz tone box needs to camp out in my garage with their finger on the button whenever I'm in there. At this point, my head was so full of remarkably rude words and phrases, all jostling for release, that I couldn't get a single one out. I had the idea to leave the jumpers in place and put the courtesy lights on a switch. I will then put a sign on the door switch wiring which says "Fuck this. It's not worth it. Move on." Same with the wiper delay module bracket.
I moved on.
I decided to do something easy. I put the HVAC ducting on the driver's side back in place. Huzzah! Feeling better, I wrapped the most vulnerable bits of the wiring harness (now mostly stripped of its Dunmurry Dress) in silicone tape, in what one could call a nearsightedly optimistic belief that the console will go back in tomorrow.
I turned the key. The fuel pump still runs. Previously, the needle valve had become disconnected from the float, so gasoline would just keep flowing out of the carburetor, but I had double-checked that today. There are no leaks in the system. So there is that.
Now it's time for Advil and lemonade.
Ouch... 6? .... man... Guess it is why I call it a "Sports Car"... cause you have to BE a real sport to own it....:hihi2:Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny_Z
My doors have to take twice the force (what seems like an almighty slam) to close than anyone else's doors that I've tried. I got the soft-lift struts to help with the bouncing, but you still need to hang on as they approach the top... so I've been preparing to adjust the torsion on the doors and get this solved. I also suspected a slight bit of roof separation on the RH side.Quote:
Originally Posted by DMCMW Dave
I took off the finishing trim today to have a look at the torsion clamps, bar ends, etc. First bad sign was the screws used to hold the finishing strip on. If I'm not mistaken that's a wood screw, a machine screw, and a metal screw. :facepalm:
Attachment 20483
On the LH side the washer is missing (okay not too big a deal), but on the RH side it looks like the hex socket took a bit of abuse. My 3/8 hex socket also shows a bit of play when inserted.:frown: The RH clamp is also showing some signs in the paint/surface that suggest a bit of rotation (under the left bottom edge).
Attachment 20484Attachment 20485
I don't know if this is stock but the screws look like one of the roof separation fixes I've seen. The screw to the inside of the RH clamp is showing signs of leaning up just slightly (i.e. roof separation). There might be an 1/8 in deviation here.
Attachment 20486
Something tells me this could get exciting :frantic:
Awesome, glad it found a home and that it could be part of your easy part of the day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Yeah, no less than 6 splices and color changes from red to black to brown with a white stripe. I snipped that section out and taped the ends while I wait on a lamp socket from DMCH.
Did you have to do anything special to slide the hub assembly(with new bearings) back on to the spindle? Or did they go on easy?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tillsy
They wouldn't go back on, would wedge a mere millimetre in, insanely tight/precise fit so metal on metal just wouldn't budge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Minkman
Same problem as getting them off, except since they were already now off I could apply a teensy amount bearing grease to the axle and spindle - they slipped straight on with no effort what-so-ever after that :)
Well, today was to be the big day that I turn the key and start the engine for the first time in 13+ years. Everything bolted back together with all new parts. A fresh 4 gallons of gas in the tank, new battery, etc.
I turned the key and she turned over (and over and over...) I tried a handful of times thinking the new fuel system had to pressurize. I threw in the towel until I could get a second person down at the shop with me to start trouble shooting the fuel, air, and spark. I didn’t want to burn up the starter. So maybe next week.
I did manage to put new seats in my jeep after that so all was not lost. Productive day. -Patrick
Started putting the interior, such as it is, back into the car.
Added washers to prevent screws from going through wood:
Attachment 20520
Re-installed the carpet:
Attachment 20521
Attachment 20522
Rear trim piece with added LEDs installed:
Attachment 20523
Rear carpet piece installed -- what's with that gap?
Attachment 20524
Leftmost knee pad lost a stud. Doesn't look factory to me -- a previous repair that failed?
Attachment 20525
Replaced it with a 6mm stud using JB Weld.
Attachment 20526
The legacy of Sparky's water leak is evident, but only until I put the seats in.
Attachment 20527
Getting ground for my footwell lights:
Attachment 20528
Console has seen better days:
Attachment 20529
Looks OK when inatalled, though:
Attachment 20530
JB Weld did not hold the new studs in, but I installed the knee pads anyway. The knee pads and gauge cluster can now flop around in unison while I drive.
Attachment 20531
Attachment 20532
Seats are installed. Passenger seat back is broken, so it doesn't fit right:
Attachment 20519
Still to do: add fresh fuel, check fuel gauge sender, change brake fluid, charge air conditioning.
Ordered a steering column bushing and front swaybar kit from DPNW. Hope to install them this weekend.
Why you may not want to refer to your wife as " Wifey"Quote:
Originally Posted by Dangermouse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wifey's_World
One of the things I did yesterday was disassemble my axles. Boy is that terrible. Worst thing I have done yet, and I have ripped the whole car apart.
You say that like it's a bad thing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lenny
Well, it could be worse but you're on the right track.Quote:
Originally Posted by DrJeff
Yes, your hard-to-close door is a direct symptom of a PO or technician who tried to solve a door droop problem (due to worn lift struts) by up-torquing the door. This often contributes to a roof box delamination and it looks like you have that going on there, too. Further evidence is the pair of pencil marks on the torsion bar head, the ones that are 4-5 splines apart. Given that each spline adds another 14 lb-ft of torque it looks like somebody ratcheted the door up by 70-85 lb-ft and that's excessive.
So you should detorque at least that door as soon as you can manage it.
A bit of play in the head of the 3/8" allen tool is OK. Just be sure that the socket is NOT a 3/8" sq. drive on the back end. You must use a 1/2" sq. drive or you risk shearing the drive, especially at the preload your bar looks like it's set to. It could be >140 ft-lb when it's open. Again, that over-torque is just bad for everything and the distortion of the hex head in the bar goes right along with that. Be prepared.
Based on the photo you shouldn't experience any mushrooming problem getting the bracket off the torsion bar. The head of the bar is beneath the back end of the bracket already. But you never know.
Parts arrived from DPNW today! Front sway bar kit and steering column bushing. The instructions make everything look pretty straightforward, but I'm still nervous -- I've never before dismantled anything so critical to the car's safety. Still, I'm excited. :)
Your safety-related comment is probably aimed at the front sway bar kit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
You probably know there is a How-To for that part - LINK: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?42
Pay attention to all of the torque settings, use the proper retaining nuts/washers. And be sure to double-check everything at the front and back of the bar 100-300 miles after you get it back together just to be sure nothing is getting loose.
I haven't seen the instructions - in case any of this conflicts with what DPNW says pay attention to them, not me.
Finally today after six months we received the soft lifts from Hervey. I ordered the whole set of six for the hood and engine but only received the door struts. Either way today I got to throw the broom stick away and spend about 30 minutes having a ball with the doors. I love these struts. Both doors go up nicely all the way withouth very little bounce. Passenger side is a little harder to close and still had some spring to it without the strut so I will like to have the torsion bars evened out.
While Im at it here's an update. New frame is Freshly welded and POR 15 with the rustolium smoke gray. All thats left is to attach the crumple tubes that are now ready. New engine mounts, motor seals, new engine. Gettin' there...
Thanks, Rich! I hadn't looked up the how-to yet, but DPNW included instructions which dovetail with your warning about torque settings and re-checking after a certain number of miles driven (they suggest 50-100). Wish me luck... :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
I've been traveling for the last 4 weeks and haven't been able to drive the car. I went out turned the key and it started first time it made me smile. Drove it to run a few errands.
Recieved delivery of my D today. turned out to be quite the adventure but very happy :)
Including some fun times where the car decided it needed it wanted to park itself in the Lincoln Tunnel during morning rush hour.
Finished putting the interior back in, except for the steering column surround and glove box, which are broken, and the cargo net and glove box lid, which are missing. (But I think I know where they might be...)
Replaced rear side marker lights with new LED modules.
Changed the brake fluid. What I put in was clear. What I got out was brown and opaque. Yuck.
Put the engine compartment lights on a rocker switch.
Checked the battery. 12.35v.
Turned the key. Crank, crank, crank, crank, crank...
Well, it started just the other day...
Called it a night.
Replaced seized AC idler bearing with one from McMaster (same price as DMCH, but 2 days closer to me for for shipping). Nice to have AC back with the 90+ temperatures we're experiencing.
I had a devil of a time disassembling it. The spacer was seized to the spindle, trapping the bearing in place. It took an overnight soak in Kroil and a hydraulic press to get it apart.
Way cool! Congrats Year? Vin? Where are you?Quote:
Originally Posted by papanoel
Craig
Finished my courtesy light modifications. Pics, or possibly even video, to follow.
Does that mean you solved your issues? Your other thread says things were worse?Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
I postponed solving the problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tillsy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQCvYaLZ25Y
Put my engine compartment lights on a toggle switch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy1JkEBg68A
Parked it beside a Ghostbusters car :D
Attachment 20589