i'm also running rich!

[Soma576@xxxx]

List,

i have been reading the current conversation about cars running rich. i have 
a similar problem with only one hang-up - my car starts every time and runs 
well!

usually the car starts right up and begins to seek, after about a minute, the 
seeking is done and the idle is fairly stable. however once i start to drive 
and i arrive at idle, i am usually seeking quite a bit up and down. 
sometimes the needle will dip so far down my oil and charge lights will 
flicker until the RPMs go back up! but it never dies during this or runs 
strangely. 

i'd just leave it alone but my car ALWAYS smells like terrible exhaust 
especially right when i start it up with thick dark smoke coming out of the 
pipes for a bit. also i only get about 130 miles to a tank of gas. i had no 
idea i was so crappy on milage until another owner (who probably drives about 
the same as i do if not a little more aggressively) gets at least 200 miles 
to a tank. obviously something isn't right here.

i have replaced most of the fuel system and whatever wasn't rebuilt was sent 
to grady for testing and cleaning. the ignition system is all new (coil, 
cap, rotor, wires, plugs, battery), and i have a cat eliminator installed as 
well as a K&N air filter. i have replaced all vacuum hoses and any other 
questionable parts. my car has acted like this since i bought it in late 
2000, so i hardly notice the rich exhaust but everyone else does! 

can anybody give me any ideas on where to look? 

and with the cat eliminator pipe, should i have my timing adjusted? how much 
and in which direction?

Andy

Soma576@xxxx
1982 DeLorean DMC-12 VIN#11596
Fargo, ND 58102


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