Farrar's car blog

[sean]

You gonna take it off?

Ha! Farrar's got enough problems.

[stevedmc]

Ha! Farrar's got enough problems.

If he gives me his crank shaft pulley he would never have to worry about driving his Delorean again.

[sean]

If he gives me his crank shaft pulley he would never have to worry about driving his Delorean again.

This assumes you can get it off.

[stevedmc]

This assumes you can get it off.

If I can't get his nut off I'll screw up the pulley so bad that he still won't have to worry about driving anymore. Its a win/win situation for him either way.

[Ron]

If I can't get his nut off I'll screw up the pulley so bad that he still won't have to worry about driving anymore. Its a win/win situation for him either way.

Now that's a win-frustrated and a useless D...

[Farrar]

Since you no longer seem to need it, would you be interested in selling your crankshaft pulley?

I didn't say I was going to let the car rot; I said I was going to not drive it unless I have to. The next time I have to drive the car is tomorrow.

The weird thing is it sounds like a vacuum leak, and yet there are elements of my problem which don't seem -- to me, anyway -- to behave like a vacuum leak. For example, the last time I had a vacuum leak the engine wouldn't idle below 750-800 RPM; it would simply die. And yet I can back off the curb idle screw until it's not even touching the throttle and the engine will run, at 500 RPM:



(Here's the whole video for the morbidly curious.)

For testing purposes, I also did this.



As I mentioned before, I've got brand new O-rings under the intake manifold -- and the intake manifold bolts have been torqued so much that they're beginning to round off at the top. (Don't worry; I have extra intake manifold bolts.) I pulled a vacuum on every line and they all held 25 inches of mercury. I just don't see how it could be a vacuum leak. Nor do I see any problems with ignition -- I get a steady pulse on each spark plug wire when I check with a timing light.

So it runs and does not die, does not have air conditioning (or a blower motor which will run above speed 1), and leaks oil from the top of the timing cover down into the engine valley and down the back of the engine. I will have to live with that for now, driving it only when I need to.

Farrar

[Ron]

I just don't see how it could be a vacuum leak. Nor do I see any problems with ignition -- I get a steady pulse on each spark plug wire when I check with a timing light.

It sure sounds a lot like a vacuum leak (or carb) and ignition to me. There is a miss so bad I can here it from here...Forget the timing light, it only tells you that the spark is getting to ground (a shorted wire, on the plug end, or bad plug...or even missing piston will not show). Try pulling your plug wires one at a time while it is running and listen for a change in the engine (no change is a bad cylinder...check its intake o-ring well. you may have to idle it up some depending on how warm it was/is).
Also, sloooooowly close the choke or do it with your hand at hot idle. If the RPMs raise you have a vacuum leak (or bad carb/adjustment).

-have at it!!!!

[Farrar]

It sure sounds a lot like a vacuum leak (or carb) and ignition to me.

Me, too. And although I have done everything I know to eliminate the possibility of a vacuum leak, I have been wrong before.

There is a miss so bad I can here it from here...

That was partly why I made the video(s). I have also been communicating with Bill; he it was who suggested running the engine with no idle air mixture and throttle plates only. As you noticed, the idle got worse. And at that point it sounds even more like a vacuum leak.

Try pulling your plug wires one at a time while it is running and listen for a change in the engine

Isn't that dangerous? I have a 45,000-volt ignition coil. I don't want to electrocute myself tomorrow morning.

Also, sloooooowly close the choke or do it with your hand at hot idle. If the RPMs raise you have a vacuum leak (or bad carb/adjustment).

I thought if you closed the choke at idle the engine would die because it can't breathe. Do I have this backwards?

Speaking of vacuum, I have used a vacuum gauge with the engine running and the level of vacuum looked good and steady to me. But that was when the engine was idling better, so I will connect the gauge and get some readings again tomorrow morning. In order to read full manifold vacuum I generally connect the gauge in line with the brake booster.

Once upon a time, I used to use the vacuum gauge to adjust the carburetor; I would simply idle the engine and adjust the air mixture screws until the vacuum reading was highest. Boy, those were the days.

Farrar

[TTait]

Me, too. And although I have done everything I know to eliminate the possibility of a vacuum leak.

You sprayed all around with WD40? sorry, just tuning in.

[Farrar]

You sprayed all around with WD40? sorry, just tuning in.

Carburetor cleaner. I don't use WD40 for anything, so I never have it on hand.

In the morning, I will remove the intake manifold, check the O-rings, then replace the intake manifold and do the test again. I am out of carb cleaner but I have brake cleaner. (I thought about using water, but everyone recommends I use something more flammable. I will have the fire extinguisher on standby and videotape the test. Perhaps Jammer96 will be able to spot a YouTube video of a DeLorean catching fire.)

Edit: I have the urge to buy an AutoMeter vacuum gauge and install it in the engine compartment. Anyone know if they're meant to withstand heat like that, or if they'r meant to be mounted inside the car?

Farrar