RE: [DML] Help!!!! Brought 06859 home today from ebay purchase

["Jeff Friday" <DeLorean_Type304@xxxxxxx>]

First off, good read.  I really like your personality.  You made some funny 
comments and I'm sure you'll make lifelong friends real quick in the 
DeLorean Community.

Second, I know it seems to be alot to take in right now but don't worry,  
ALOT of new DeLorean owners don't understand fully the "qwirks" of this 
prestigious and timeless automobile so it can be a bit scary in the 
beginning.

I'll try to address as many of your issues as possible.

The Parking Brake.  It most certainly needs service.  Most local auto shops 
can do the work if you do not live close to a major service center but I 
would HIGHLY recommend a DeLorean Service Center if it's possible.  However, 
be wary of anyone working on the car who does not appreciate the uniqueness 
of the DeLorean.  If you have competent mechanical skill you may be able to 
do the work yourself as braking systems are very similar in design for 
various makes and models.

The Racing RPM's.  I'm positive it is either VACUUM or FUEL related.  Vacuum 
is highly likely.  Check all your hoses for snugness and tears.

The "Just Married" sound.  I suspect it is fuel metering.  I just serviced a 
car in Charlotte last week and while the owner drove around the parking lot 
I could hear the exact sound you described coming from his exhaust during 
light deceleration.  I made a small manual fuel adjustment and the car ran 
perfectly without the sound of cans behind the car.  This needs to be done 
by someone familiar with the car and the Bosch Fuel Injection.  It really 
isn't that hard and the service manual describes the procedure.

The Banging Hard Left.  Possibly a Tie Rod End or wheel bearing

The Oil Presssure Gauge.  If it's original replace with a new upgraded unit. 
  You're probably fine and it's a gauge problem if you think the pressures 
too high.  However, my DeLorean (well, my old DeLorean) and another one here 
always show close to or around 80lbs on the gauge.  Our engines are properly 
filled and do not leak...everythings fine.

No Door Marker Lights.  Check the switch in the door jamb near the dash.  
These had bad connections and may just need a cleaning and or tightening.  
Also check the appropriate fuse.  I worked on a car that blew the fuse 
everytime you plugged it in and we traced the fault to the engine 
compartment light.

The Stainless Finish.  Don't worry...it's SS and it can be fixed!  DMCH does 
EXCELLENT regraining of the Stainless.  Dings are apparent in almost every 
DeLorean I've ever seen if they had a couple of years outside.  If it has a 
good grain it hides the dings in most cases and they are only visible at 
certain angles.  A friend of mine has a FLAWLESS grain finish (done by DMCH) 
and it turns out after 2 years of seeing him and his car I spotted a small 
ding.  He always knew it was there but I never saw it.  It was that good of 
a finish and the ding really wasn't that big anyhow.

The Steering.  It takes some getting used to.  It will feel very loose once 
you're moving.  Most auto critics regarded the DeLoreans handling as one of 
it's BEST features.

Personally Nate, I woulda walked home or waited for another ride.  I'm not 
knocking the car because it is a DeLorean and can ALWAYS be brought to 
glory.  If I was under the assumption that I was buying a car in excellent 
condition and saw that it was not up to the standards of how it was 
represented I woulda backed out.  There has been an overwhelming amount of 
DeLorean EBAY scams or misrepresented cars this year.  I've been reading 
about them quite a bit here an in other forums.  Everyone reading this who 
is thinking of buying a car online BE CAUTIOUS...with any vehicle purchase 
online.  It isn't just EBAY...the scams and misrepresented cars have shown 
up on other online car sites.

I can however, understand why you bought it aside from the pressure.  The 
really are beautiful aren't they?  Just to touch the Stainless...it'll 
always take me back to better days :)

We're all here to help you out so don't be afraid to ask questions even if 
you think they sound dumb.  We've all been there and I think it's all been 
said.  I find the DeLorean Owners really do become like family.  Once you 
meet you have a whole new group of friends.  My favorite part of being an 
owner was that when we all got together for a big cruise we were our own 
club and the most popular wherever we went.

You'll know what I mean when you go to your first DeLorean Cruise in or car 
show.

Welcome to the fold :)

Jeff in NC
>From: "delorean6859" <tmadsop@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [DML] Help!!!! Brought 06859 home today from ebay purchase
>Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 02:03:45 -0000
>
>Alright, I picked up #06859 this afternoon that I won in an ebay
>auction (auction # 4566780231).  The car was described as excellent
>condition inside and out and was owned by a mechanic, so I
>thought....this is the one.  Well, I'll cut to the chase and say that I
>need help.  If anyone lives in the DC/Maryland area or more
>specifically near Calvert County, I need you.  I'll get into the
>specifics about the transaction below, but the car has some major
>issues that I'm going to need help with and would appreciate it if
>someone could take it for a drive and look at it and tell me what you
>think the problems are.  Here are the major issues so far that I have
>uncovered:
>
>First, the parking brake will not engage.  This is major because it
>won't pass a Maryland inspection.  The parking brake light will go on
>if you pull the brake up one notch, after that, it goes out and the
>brake will not hold.
>
>Second, and probably more serious, I suspect a fuel system issue.  The
>idle is racing.  When I sit at an idle (with or without
>airconditioning) it revs between 500 and 1100 RPM.  It is constantly
>reving almost like I am tapping the gas pedal every second.
>
>Also, which may be related, when I lift my foot off of the gas it
>sounds like I've got a trail of "Just Married" cans being pulled behind
>the car.  It's not quite a backfire, but it isn't what you would expect
>a fine automobile to sound like.
>
>Also potentially related is the fact that the car makes a loud banging
>noise whenever I take a hard left turn.  I saw a posting some time this
>week that had someone with this sound whenever they made a hard turn
>and they suspected a suspension or bearing issue and it turned out to
>be something with the fuel system. I don't know what forum it was, but
>I'll be looking for it tonight.
>
>Another issue is that the Oil Pressure gauge seemed to function
>normally during the three hour drive, but about half way through it,
>the gauge went all the way past 80 and was point to the "I" in Oil.
>After a while it went back to normal.
>
>Now before you suggest I go buy the shop manual, that was one of the
>things the car was SUPPOSED to come with.  However, integrity seems to
>be lacking in the individual that sold me this car.
>
>None of the marker lights on the doors will light.  I haven't even
>tried to track that issue down.  This could be anything from a
>pulled/blown fuse.....I think I'll get to that one last.
>
>The body is not in the excellent condition that it was described to be
>in either.  The stainless isn't too bad, but there are several dings in
>various spots and a deep scratch across the grain of the steel on the
>hood.
>
>A brand new steering rack was installed this morning and it feels a
>little loose.  I have no experience with cars without power steering,
>so maybe it is supposed to be this way, which brings me back to my need
>for someone to drive it who is "in the know".
>
>Now before you say, Nate, why did you even go on with the transaction.
>Well, that is funny you should ask.  The racing idle issue was
>immediately apparent.  However the clunking sound when you take your
>foot off of the gas and when you make a hard left turn were not
>immediately apparent.  The dings aren't THAT noticable (the utter lack
>of any weatherstripping was though!)  But the main reason was that I
>met this guy on the Jersey Turnpike so I didn't have to drive all the
>way to Yonkers (I'm one of those federal law enforcement types working
>a midnight shift with no days off in sight).  My wife (who I must thank
>because she rarely says no to me .......outside of the bedroom, anyway)
>had to make an appointment at 2:30 and the knucklehead was late showing
>up.  So I got left at the rest area in New Jersey like cheap luggage.
>The Delorean had now become my ride home with no back-up.
>
>So the moral of the story is this:
>When buying on ebay READ BETWEEN THE LINES!!!
>When it says "headliner recently replaced" look into the fact that the
>guy has a Johnny Bravo type of hairstyle that requires 15 W 50 to keep
>it up. The headliner again needs to be replaced bacause I don't want
>people thinking that crap came from my head!!!
>
>When it says interior and exterior in excellent condition.....well that
>one is kind of like my single days at the Federal Law Enforcement
>Training Center and the rating system for women there.  A "6" in real
>life was a FLETC "9" when you factor in the pool of applicants and the
>last time you actually saw a female.  I'll rate this car a fair as it
>sits now.
>
>Anyway, I'd probably be a lot more upset right now if it wasn't for the
>fact that I know that Delorean owners are a rare breed and take care of
>each other.  I'm hoping I can restore this girl to her original glory
>with your help!!!!
>
>Thanks,
>Nate
>AKA "Really mad I sold a perfectly good Porshe Boxster for this car"
>
>
>
>--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "delorean6859" <tmadsop@xxxx> wrote:
> > Hi Joey,
> > I'm picking up (hopefully) my Delorean tomorrow.  I live in Calvert
> > County Maryland and my inlaws live in Baltimore (which basically
>means
> > I try to avoid Baltimore at all costs!)  I won mine on ebay about 2
> > weeks ago and it currently lives in Yonkers, NY.  The owner is a
> > mechanic and is having the rack and pinion steering and alternator
> > replaced with PJ Grady's.  Feel free to reach out to me if you need
> > anything and pass along any other owners you know of in our area.
> >
> > Nate #6859(hopefully....if it is as described)
>
>
>
>
>
>
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