Low oil pressure

[DMCMW Dave]

I'd see what a quality external oil pressure gauge says before tearing into anything. It's like getting a second opinion.

This 100%. The DMC setup is notoriously inaccurate. Extra resistance in bulkhead connectors and dashboard connectors/ground will throw the reading all over the place.

[Jakub]

There is an "easy to overlook" (I did) o-ring between the block and middle section of the engine (piece with the engine mounts). It is part of the oil pump passage. When I reassembled, there was very low pressure until the oring was installed. Just something to check...

this O-ring would be number 19 here?
Getting back there would be taking whole engine apart again, not a job for fainthearted,

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[Jakub]

So it took me a while but I did checked oil pressure with external gauge.

It’s about 1 bar in Roman Catholic terms or 15 PSI in Church of England units. On idle. With 2000 RPM it’s about 35-40 and above 3000 till end of scale it’s 40 PSI.

Interestingly, when I started from cold it was 50 PSI on idle.

Other cars I own usually when cold it goes till the end of scale, not so much here.

Talking with other DeLorean owners there and observing comment by Tommy rich there seem to be to possible culprits: missing O-ring between sandwiched between engine block upper and lower elements or chain tensioners.

Please any ideas or comments are welcomed. I am not really very keen on doing engine disassembly again.

[dn010]

You are forgetting about the spring in the oil pump as being a possible culprit as well, I'd check that first before separating the block from the lower crankcase.

[Jakub]

Reply to my own question. The culprit has been found when taking engine apart. To cut the story short the main crankshaft covers got mixed up during previous engine assembly. Only when engine was dissembled and engine block send to machine shop, measurements of crankshaft and diameter and bearing covers have been taken it became apparent that there was a mixed up. It has taken four month of pandemic time but it's running again. And running pretty well let me add.

[Rich]

Thank you. It's always nice to see a final summary from the OP on a problem so others can learn from it.

Even nicer when it has a happy conclusion like this. Enjoy the driving soon.