New owner help

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxx>]

Spend some quality time with wiring diagram & tech manual. You'll
discover car isn't engineered as exotic as it looks. And familiarity
gained will serve you well when car does act up. Am very lucky that my
initial trips went smoothly. Know the little car pretty well now, but
didn't then. Side of the road is not best place to start understanding
how your DeLo works.

Am a big fan of doing your own mechanicing. Takes very deep pockets to
pay someone else. And "professional" mechanics (NO, that isn't a
slight against Rob Grady. Have found him invaluable myself) sometimes
do job less carefully than you would yourself. Of course you need to
know your limits. But don't be afraid to push them reasonably.

Use all resources available. Would be silly not to. In addition to
online groups are: owner clubs, generic foreign car mechanics,
DeLorean gurus (including Rob Grady. Buy something before picking his
brain), fellow owners, magazines and newsletters (predecessors to
online groups?).

You'll notice many owners log thousands of miles in their cars.
Occasionally something breaks, but they quickly diagnose and usually
repair just as fast. Couldn't do this if DeLo's were truly pitiful or
hopeless.
In your immediate situation: next time engine stops, methodically look
for cause. Guarantee there's one waiting to be found. Start by jumping
RPM relay (pic of jumper location on John Hervey's website). If pump
spins but engine won't start, pop out an injector (#3 is my favorite
for accessability) and activate air sensor plate to ensure entire fuel
run OK. If pump doesn't spin, most likely has lost its ground. Could
be as simple as kicking inertia switch on driver's firewall. Problem
could also be in ignition. Ensure high voltage electricity is reaching
plugs (timing light is safe way to do that). Can lay a plug on block
and actually observe quality of spark. A volt meter will tell you if
enough voltage is entering coil (location of DeLorean ignition
resistors subjects their connections to weather).

Are some emissions related issues I can not advise about, but others
on list can. Don't know if they'd actually kill engine or just make it
run badly.

Even when my catalytic converter stopped up car still ran -- barely.

You've bought an old car with issues common to all older vehicles. Of
course you've got some proprietary ones too, but all marques have
those as well. Big difference between old cars and new ones off
showroom floor. Personally, I wouldn't own anything but the first.

Bill Robertson
#5939 (one of 8 vintage cars, ONLY cars, in stable)