How to maintain your Delorean for less than $500 a year and put 10,000 miles on it

[stevedmc]

Actually, the stainless itself is not ferrous enough, so the magnet is attracted to the steel roof cage underneath it.

Steve isn't very intelligent.

[Dangermouse]

Stainless is made out of metal. Magnets stick to metal. I can demonstrate at DCS if you would like.

When I completed Magnets 101 at magnet school I learned that magnets don't stick to SS (or paper, plastic, small animals and a host of other items).

Funny story - my cars PO was part owner in an Irish pub. To celebrate St Patricks Day, he commissioned a bunch of large magnetic signs with the pub's name on them intending to park his Irish car outside with these themed magnets adorning it. Needless to say, it wasn't a great success.

Actually, the stainless itself is not ferrous enough, so the magnet is attracted to the steel roof cage underneath it.

Didn't think about the roof cage. Good point, though the antenna magnet must be pretty strong.

[stevedmc]

Tonight I took a little ride out to get pizza with some friends. After idling in traffic for a few minutes i noticed the temp gauge was crawling past 220 even with the fans running.

To avoid over heating I only ran the engine as needed to escape the traffic. I immediately pulled into the Holiday Inn parking lot and abandoned the car in order to go get pizza.

When I got back I put one gallon of coolant in the system. I was unable to spot any leaks due to rain so I replaced the coolant tank cap with an el cheepo spare I bout from Autozone about a month ago.

My total cost tonight was $8 for coolant and $6 for the cap. I'll update the running total next time I am on a computer.

Hopefully the issue was just related to the coolant cap. I'll go for a joy ride tomorrow to see how the cooling system performs.

It's amusing how I had zero problems on the 700 mile drive here.

[stevedmc]

Total expenses to date: $788.4332 Miles Driven: 5,841
Expense #1 (Radiator Leak) - January 7, 2012 - 44,079 Miles - Total Cost: $117.83 (including tax)
Expense #2 (Radiator Leak) - January 15, 2012 - 44,386 Miles - Total Cost: $7.40 (including tax)
Expense #3 (Replaced windshield wipers) - January 15, 2012 - 44,386 Miles - Total Cost: $17.54 (including tax)
Expense #4 (Oil Change) - January 21, 2012 - 44,643 Miles - Total Cost: $24.4616 (including tax)
Expense #4 (Reinstalled steering column bushing) - January 22, 2012 - 44,693 - Total Cost: $1.35 (including tax)
Expense #5 (bought coolant and water) - February 20, 2012 - 45,000 - Total Cost: $11.88 (including tax)
Expense #6 (replaced rear interior light) - February 23, 2012 - 45,500 - Total Cost: $31 (no tax and free shipping courtesy of Farrar)
Expense #7 (replaced heater control valve) - March 4, 2012 - 45,766 - Total Cost: $10.39 (including tax)
Expense #8 (bought more coolant/water) - March 7, 2012 - 45,766 - Total Cost: 23.65 (including tax)
Expense #9 (glued rear view mirror to windshield) - March 16, 2012 - 45,772 - Total Cost: $1.57
Expense #10 (604 Manifold and Shipping to Captain Carburetor) - March 22, 2012 - 45,840 - Total Cost: $179.65
Expense #11 (7mm Helicoil Kit) - March 23, 2012 - 45,840 - Total Cost: $49.25 (including tax)
Expense #12 (throttle cable) - March 23, 2012 - 45,840 - Total Cost: $4.20ish (I lost my receipt)
Expense #13 (new wire connector) - April 14, 2012 - 46,123 - Total Cost: $0.25ish (part was laying around)
Expense/Deduction #14 (removed 604 manifold/carb) - April 15th, 2012 - 46,200 - Total Cost: -$179.65 (selling it)
Expense #15 (installed new crimp on throttle cable) - April 16th, 2012 - 46,220 - Total Cost : $1.51 (including tax)
Expense #16 (alignment) - April 21, 2012 - 46,700 - Total Cost: Free (I have a lifetime alignment plan)
Expense #17 (reinforced black lip of binnacle with black screw) - April 21, 2012 - 46,725 - Total Cost: $2.32 (including tax)
Expense # 18 (installed adjustable alternator bracket) - April 24, 2012 - 46,873 - Total Cost: $55.90 (including shipping from McMaster)
Expense # 19 (front wheel balance) - April 26, 2012 - 47,002 - Total Cost $23.92 (including tax/fees)
Expense #20 (oil change) - April 29, 2012 - 47,238 - Total Cost $24.4716 (including tax)
Expense #21 (LCA Brackets from DMCMW) - May 2, 2012 - 47,461 - Total Cost $361.78 (including shipping)
Expense #22 (Shift Linkage) - May 5, 2012 - 47,640 - Total Cost $0.00
Expense #23 (Weather stripping glue, CB Radio, Cigarette Lighter, Fixed some rattles) - June 12, 2012 - 49,219 - Total Cost $2.50
Expense #24 (Filled coolant and replaced coolant tank cap) - June 14, 2012 - 49,920 - Total Cost $15.26

As mentioned in my previous post, I had a coolant issue shortly after arriving at DCS. The car began to overheat in traffic and the temp gauge did not move down. Upon inspection I was unable to find any leaks and both of the cooling fans were operating fine. I did find wear on the radiator cap and that the coolant was extremely low. I topped off the cooling system with one gallon of coolant and replaced the radiator cap with a $6 el cheepo cap from Autozone. Both the new radiator cap and coolant were already with me since they were part of my emergency parts I carry with me at all times. Now I need to head back to Autozone to pickup a new spare cap. That same evening I went to Walmart and purchased some spare coolant to replace what I used in the car. I estimate that I spent $8 on the coolant I used to refill the system that night.

[Dracula]

In keeping with the theme of this thread and the possibility thereof, I put a little over 3,000 miles on my car this trip and the only problem I had was that in Chicago traffic, the fuel system got too hot and the car wouldn't run until it cooled down. Keep in mind that I'd been running the car, only stopping for gas, since I left Orlando, and the first place that it had issues was Chicago.

Those issues have me contemplating a carb swap, as the fear and anger that come from being stuck in downtown Chicago with a non-running car can ruin a trip.

[Ron]

Those issues have me contemplating a carb swap, as the fear and anger that come from being stuck in downtown Chicago with a non-running car can ruin a trip.

Now THAT would be taking the dark side thing too far!

[Dracula]

Now THAT would be taking the dark side thing too far!

Hardly. My area of expertise is '70s cars; it's about 75% of my business, after all, and I can service the system on the go with ease. Right now, I'm wondering why it HASN'T been done on my car already.

[Ron]

Hardly. My area of expertise is '70s cars; it's about 75% of my business, after all, and I can service the system on the go with ease. Right now, I'm wondering why it HASN'T been done on my car already.

I have a taste for those and even older cars myself...it's just that for a semi/daily, I would of thought a six pack of Webbers, or, perhaps MegaSquirt would be more to your taste ;-)

[Nicholas R]

I used to always get overheating fuel pump issues. I almost didn't make it to DCS 08 because my fuel pump got so hot. ~500mi drive. I was able to borrow a hot air dam for the drive back and it went a lot better, though the drive back wasn't nearly as warm out. I'm just not a fan of that fuel pump. I think if I ever got another DeLorean, I'd probably start experimenting with other fuel pumps. Its not like other high pressure pumps arent out there. This is what I'm using now (it has a custom sleeve on it and is inside the original boot)

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/MSD-In...ump,31226.html
And it's only about $100.

Flow is higher than the original but fuel distributor should be able to regulate the pressure.

[Ron]

That's wierd....Summit shows the MSD 2225 having a "Maximum Pressure" of 40psi, 43gph, while that link shows it to have a "Pressure Rating" of 85psi, 43gph.