Yikes! Stay safe!Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
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Yikes! Stay safe!Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
I'll do my best. I don't live in a flood-prone area, and the storm looks like it is pretty weak, wind-wise. But its path will take it directly over my place (slightly north-west of New Orleans), and it is slowing, which means more rain. Although we've been in a drought for a while, this much rain at once is not going to help! :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by sean
Farrar
Since I can't do anything outside (for obvious reasons), I decided to "bench test" (in my case, "floor test") the new cooling fan circuit. I had some scraps of wire and connectors lying around, as well as a blinking red LED. In order to test "fan failure" I simply disconnected the relays for each fan in turn.
First, a test to see if the bulb lights when both fans have failed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJy4_jp605s
Next, a test to see if the bulb lights when one fan has failed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxBURS6n4gU
And a test to see if the bulb lights when the other fan has failed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd3VRKB50EQ
And finally a test to see if the bulb lights when both fans are working:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpFRHr1i7k0
Looks good to me, and I learned a few things about wiring relay sockets while I was at it, so it was a good thing I did this test.
Now I just have to wait for the storm to pass...
Farrar
I know I did not see you turning the set screw that presses against your throttle plates (twice)....
Actually you do have a *LITTLE* bit of wiggle before you expose the spark advance barb. Just don't open the throttle plates so much that the spark advance barb is exposed, otherwise you will be shooting that 23 inches of vacuum you're so proud of to the distributor, which can makes things exciting when you shut the engine off.
Bill Robertson
#5939
Yeah, that can make the car backfire when shutting the engine off. This is another thing j know from experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
That is how I set the curb idle.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
If you're referring to dieseling, then yes -- I have experienced this once or twice. There's a fine line between this and having the engine idling too low, but I've managed to straddle that line pretty well so far. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
Farrar
The rain is finally tapering off, and the high temperatures are supposed to get no higher than the mid-80s for the next few days. Looks like I may finally have a chance to finish working behind the passenger seat later this week.
Farrar
...and that is exactly what I will end up doing, because I decided to try to start the car today and, even with the booster battery connected, I got ne'er a click when I turned the key.Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
I am now convinced that I have an electrical problem, and making sure all the relays have good contact is as good a place as any to start.
Farrar
That's why you have a solenoid wire in the engine compartment....
Bill Robertson
#5939
That works, but it's embarrassing to have to start the car from the engine compartment all the time. More annoying: the key SOMETIMES works, which means that the problem is intermittent... or at least it was intermittent until this week.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
Farrar
There's to much to read through here but has the starter mod been done to your car and did you do your relay socket replacement yet?Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
You just need to get in touch with your inner Redneck.
Bill Robertson
#5939
There are four brown wires on my blower motor circuit breaker, so I assume so.Quote:
Originally Posted by sean
I haven't had a chance to work in the relay compartment yet owing to the foul weather.
I am about to get in touch with my inner caveman, thanks to the frustrating problems that appear again and again and again.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
First recurring problem: a leaky carburetor. (Cue Martin Gutkowski howling with laughter.)
Attachment 4900Attachment 4901Attachment 4897
Second recurring problem: wet floor on the passenger side after a hard rain.
Attachment 4895Attachment 4898Attachment 4899
(The driver's side floor, amazingly, is dry.)
Attachment 4896
I'm going to have a glass of lemonade to calm my nerves, then go put some Damp-Rid in the car so it can work its wondrous goodness while I am at work tomorrow. I should be able to start working on the relay compartment tomorrow evening before dark. Leaky carburetor and wet floor notwithstanding -- I just want to be able to DRIVE the damn thing and fix the problems as I go like I was doing before my fuel pump woes started.
Farrar
I'd still, for kicks, follow that brown wire from the breaker to the relay. Also make sure you got juice at the breaker, sure you do thourgh.Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
This sucks. Is your headliner dry? Once it gets dry out again you're gonna want to get a buddy to hose the side of the car down while you sit inside and try to see where it is making it's way in. Your roof wiper seals good?Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Looks like your needle valve isn't shutting off fuel inlet. Could be trash between it and the seat (or a damaged tip or seat) or...Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Have you wired your pump come on with Main or Aux Relay? If so, have you been energizing that relay while you mess with something else on the car? You can't leave the pump spinning (engine off) and expect the needle valve to keep up. I put a quick connect inline so I can disconnect my pump yet still energize the vehicle.
Bill Robertson
#5939
Make sure your windshield plenum drain is clear, otherwise rainwater will back up into the evaporator box via the fresh air door.Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Bill Robertson
#5939
Headliner's dry, and so is the area around the doors.Quote:
Originally Posted by sean
I stuck my hand all up underneath the dashboard and felt not a drop of water. Strangely, though, as you can see there are a few drops which have collected on the floor mat. That apart, the floor mat is completely dry -- the water has collected on the carpet itself, which makes me think that I have a leak somewhere else.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
Primal scream on standby. :frantic:
Farrar
See if the hose from the evaporator box to your blower motor is wet.
Also pour a bunch of water into the plenum and verify that it comes out the drain hole.
Bill Robertson
#5939
Don't the pumps you guys are using have internal pressure cutoffs?Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
It's possible my float is set incorrectly; I am not sure I bent it in the right place. (I bought a brass float along with my rebuild kit last year, but the float did not come with instructions.)
I can check this tomorrow.
Farrar
Nope. They just push merrily away.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron
As long as the engine is running you're OK.
Bill Robertson
#5939
Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207Looks like your needle valve isn't shutting off fuel inlet. Could be trash between it and the seat (or a damaged tip or seat) or...Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
i had this problem when i rebuilt the 2bbl Carter carburetor on my '58 Buick. the float was set too high and the needle wasnt sealing fully in the seat, causing fuel to continually flow into the bowl. the excess would leak out of the carb and onto the intake manifold.Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Just so Farrar understands: Carters are opposite from Motorcrafts -- their needle valves are upside down (float pushes the needle valve up). If this is the problem, Farrar needs to bend the tab that presses against his needle valve *DOWN*.
Bill Robertson
#5939
Having read this, I am pretty sure I adjusted the float incorrectly: I bent the piece of brass on the float side, not on the needle side. No problem; this is easy to correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
I can't wait to clean up my engine compartment now that I've fixed the oil leak at the timing cover (with a heaping helping of RTV).
Farrar
That's how you adjust a Carter (the needle valve rests between the float and the pivot).
Some people get all scientific with their float settings (that's why they give you that ridiculous little ruler in a rebuild kit). Just set it so the float is level when the needle valve is all the way seated.
It is possible to set the float so high it hits the top gasket and stops moving before the needle valve is fully seated.
Remember also that your wonderful brass float could be leaking and sinking. That's why they went to foam floats in the first place. Submerge the float in a bowl of water and watch for bubbles (turn it around in the bowl so all four sides of the seam have a chance to be on top).
Bill Robertson
#5939
I hope not -- it's not very old yet. It floated when I last had a look in the carburetor bowl, but I guess I can have another look. Fortunately, it takes about two minutes to look inside.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
I do need a new air filter. I guess if I get the thing started, I will head over to O'Reilly and convince the gal behind the counter that I really AM working on a DeLorean.
Farrar
Just buy a generic 10 inch element. I use either STP 184 or 189.
Bill Robertson
#5939
After reading about the negative effects of gasohol on automotive fuel systems, I really have the urge to just get the car started and take it for a drive even as it is. Even going to the auto parts store to pick up an air filter (and maybe a spare fuel pump?) might be a good way to prevent the fuel from causing damage.
Since I moved to my new place in June I have not driven the car enough to fill up the tank yet at my neighborhood 100%-gasoline station, but this fall-like weather means that I can drive it comfortably, even without air conditioning. I want to burn off some of that ethanol that's been sitting in my tank since April.
Farrar
No need to start the engine -- just energize the pump and your carb will apparently spit it out all over the manifold.
Bill Robertson
#5939
No, it will just spit it out all over the inside of the fuel bowl. What is on the outside of the carburetor I gather is what seeped through the gaskets.Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
Farrar
Got absolutely nothing done on the car today. Went from home to work, work to class, class to more work, work to band practice, band practice to home and finally breakfast at 10:45pm.
How I am going to manage full-time job, part-time school, playing in two bands, and owning a DeLorean is going to be a miracle of scheduling and cooperative weather conditions.
(And a patient girlfriend -- who, bless her heart, the last time I took the D out for a spin and it stopped running, actually gave me a pep talk!)
Farrar
Time for Mister "I can pop the top off my carb in just a minute or so" to pop the top off his carb in a minute or so and make sure that clip is in fact in place....
Bill Robertson
#5939
I should have some time this afternoon. But when I leave the apartment at 7:15am and don't get back until 10:45pm the last thing I want is to swat moths away while I'm working on my car. When it's that late, I want sleep!Quote:
Originally Posted by content22207
Farrar
I replaced the screws in the trunk compartment with black nylon. Also the 10mm hex bolts in the engine compartment (power antenna access cover) replaced with M6 black nylon. I wish the rivnuts in the trunk were all M6, but there are a lot of M5 there. Annoying -- M6 fit my #2 philips driver better.
I checked the clip that holds down the needle valve. It snaps in but feels weak; I reused the old one so I have a new one in the box containing the unused rebuild parts from when I rebuilt the carb a little while ago. I will find that new clip tomorrow and give it a try.
I could have got more done, but the mosquitoes were beginning to swarm, my trunk lights had let go (brainstorming another solution shall commence presently), and I had to stew some squash and onions and grill some pork chops before the Saints started their loss to the Packers tonight. :lol:
Farrar
have some before/after pics? :biggrin:Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Before -- no. After -- I can get some tonight.Quote:
Originally Posted by dvonk
Farrar
Here are pics of the black nylon M5 and M6 screws installed in the luggage compartment.
Attachment 4993
Attachment 4994
Attachment 4997
Attachment 4995
I also used four of the M6 screws for the power antenna access panel in the engine compartment:
Attachment 4996
The camera flash really highlights how dirty everything is right now. :(
Farrar
Forgot to mention that I swapped out the carburetor's float clip with one that came with the rebuild kit. It is in there very tight now, but it's too late for me to go on a test drive. (I have had enough of acquiring mosquito bites while waiting for a flatbed.) I will fire up the engine tomorrow morning and see if it will idle for at least 15 minutes before taking it out on the road.
And I still can't find the screws for the glove box lid. Dernit.
Farrar
Just blame it on the Saints defense, or lack there of. Who dat!Quote:
Originally Posted by Farrar
Aw, man. Last night was so disappointing. Sproles was a bright spot -- and in the last 3 minutes of the game I saw what looked like some of that 2009-season tightness and hustle. But the STUPID mistakes killed us! The final straw was what when, with seconds to go, instead of PASSING the ball with a decent chance of tying up the game, Brees HANDED it off (which is what the Packers expected, duh) to someone who had NO CHANCE of crossing the line into the end zone. That was classic 2010 Brees. I miss 2009 Brees. :lol:
Farrar
Sproles was awesome and I ain't a fan of the NFC, but the Saints did make it a game which better than what I was giving them after that first quarter. But it's game one and the offense for the most part looked pretty good, now they need work on stopping the opposition's drive. Rodgers walked all over them. I had to give you a little crap though. :p
Yeah, one of my co-workers put it this way: "On the one hand, it was a very interesting game. And on the other hand, of course, it sucked." :lol:
Hey, Saints fans are used to having a team that ain't great. ;)
Farrar