Re: [DML] Re: Hot Start Problem

["Walter" <Whalt@xxxx>]

The thermo-time switch and the cold start valve have NOTHING to do with hot
start problems.

The purpose of the cold start valve is to inject a little squirt of fuel
into the engine to help it start ONLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD and ONLY WHILE
THE STARTER IS IN THE PROCESS OF CRANKING THE ENGINE.

If the thermo-time switch senses that the engine is warmer than 95°F (35°C)
then it disables the cold start valve. Also, if the starter has been
cranking the engine for more than several seconds, then a heater inside the
thermo-time switch warms it up making it think that the engine is already
warm. This disables the cold start circuit so that the engine won't flood.

The thermo-time switch went bad on my car. It was stuck in the 'on'
position. It caused the cold start valve to open whenever the starter was
engaged whether the engine was hot or cold. This was more of a fire hazard
than anything else. Outwardly, there were no symptoms. I only discovered
this problem while trying to learn how this circuit operates so that I could
diagnose a different problem.

If you unplug the cold start valve and try to start the engine while it is
cold, the engine will be VERY hard to start. If you unplug the cold start
valve while the engine is warm, it won't matter because the thermo-time
switch will disable it anyway.

The Delorean engineers made provision for a hot start relay thinking that in
extremely hot weather (hotter than 35°C / 95°F) that a cold engine could be
fooled into thinking that it was already warmed up because the ambient
temperature would be hotter than a cold engine. However, this situation is
rare, so hot start relays were never made (except by John Hervy :) I do not
recommend installing a hot start relay in your Delorean unless you find
yourself having trouble starting a cold engine after your car has been
sweltering in +95°F / 35°C weather.

Hope this clear up some misconceptions...
Walt Tampa, FL

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Rooney <DMCVegas@xxxx>
To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxx <dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, November 09, 2000 8:58 AM
Subject: [DML] Re: Hot Start Problem


>It sounds like you may have a bad thermo-time switch.