Preventing Water In the Fuel Tank

[deloreanernst@xxxx]

In a message dated 1/15/01 7:59:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
jamesrg@xxxx writes:

<< the fuel had water in it, >>

There's a plastic grille along the front edge of your windsheild that has a 
rain drain dead center. With the fuel tank inspection plate removed you 
won't see it, but if you feel along inside the top edge of the inspection 
opening, you'll realize that the spout of the drain is right over top of the 
2 fuel hoses. Nearly over top of the fuel pump as well. Water has likely 
trickled down on top of the fuel pump cover and worked its way down into the 
tank. Some areas to check:
1. See the diagram in the parts manual. You do have all those parts don't 
you? My D had the fuel pump cover loosely in place, not really covering the 
pump, and not held in place by the big hose clamp. You might need a new one 
if the old one is too stiff to fit on properly. Mine was.
2. Be sure the two hose openings are sticking up like little volcanos, not 
shoved down with their openings lower than the outer edge of the cover. That 
way any water can roll off the cover like a pitched roof, not collect there 
and possibly leak down hose openings that are below water level. 
3. It's not a bad idea to put a hose clamp around each hose opening. They're 
not called for in the original but they don't hurt, either. 
4. That should do it... if it doesn't, or you just want to be sure, there are 
plans in a back issue of DeLorean World magazine showing how to construct a 
water deflector. Kind of vaguely like a shovel with no handle that glues in 
vertically against the firewall. Or here's an untested suggestion: I've 
decided to put some wire loom- that corrugated hose people use to cover 
their engine compartment wires- over my tubes to shunt off any trickles. 
Should work, I just haven't gotten around to it.

While you're sitting in your luggage compartment, pull out the fuel pump 
support boot and examine it for cracking and deterioration, which could also 
allow water from on top to seep in. And see if the metal tube and support 
ring are rusted. Could be. The boot can look great on top where it never 
touches gasoline, and be as rotten as a low budget mummy on the lower end. 
Deteriorated parts are readily available thru D shops, and well worth 
replacing.

Good luck!

Wayne
vin 11174
The New DeLorean Manuals Project