[DML] Re: battery voltage loss

["cbl1739" <cbl302@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Re:  battery voltage loss

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "cbl1739" <cbl302@xxxx> wrote:
> One major problem which will finally occur as the battery loses its
> charge is that there will not be sufficient voltage to keep the
> engine running well. What might and possibly WILL happen down the
> road,is that the catalytic converter Could/would be glowing white
hot
> and flames coming from beneath the car.(You Don't want that, with a
> oil based Fiberglass body!!) What had/would happen is the
alternator
> quits, the battery runs down, the engine is not firing on all
> cylinders and the unburned fuel is being burned in the catalytic
> converter! Yikes!!

Yikes again! After writing my post,I had come to a conclusion(after
coming across a old Police Report of a previous Delorean that had a
Engine fire,The Police report Stated:(wording from the Driver)(Female
by the way) When Driving, engine caught Fire!When Driving east on
Route 84 Motor caught fire! Another vehicle notified me of the fire.I
took exit 43 off of the highway,and stopped at red light.fire got
worse By the time the Police and Fire personell arrived,the car was
destroyed.
P.S.Fire was mostly contained in the the engine carpartment sides of
the pontoon area.

Since the car "was" still driveable off the highway,it could not have
been a electrical fire,or from the top of the engine(fuel)It sounds
just like the above problem(being a 81 with the orignal alternator
and 1985)Being that the the major burn was around all 3 sides of the
pontoons,(and the worst part was in the lower area by the catalytic
converter!) Which is surrounded by the exhaust on all sides,if the
catalytic converter was overheating,to the point,that it acutally
caused the exhaust heat to backup,thru the exhaust,causing the
exhaust manifolds,to also glow white,which in turn caused this heat
to be superheated heat to reflect onto the sides of the fiberglass
pontoons,causing the pontoons to melt(liquidate)since this is now a
flammable liquid(liquid resin) which is highly flammable/combustable,
which now combusts!(from the extreme heat) Causing/feeding the
fire.And the more it feeds on the fiberglass the bigger the fire
gets.Again the "hard burn" was around the 3 walls of the pontoon.The
tops had some burn,but you could tell,the fire started low on the
pontoon,and working its way up!When the FD put out the fire.
Sound like a likely cause?
Also this happened on 7/17/85. (clean title after fire)
There seems to be a
car on Gradys site,that seems like the same burn car,(it may not be)
that is being
repaired,on his example repairs page. Correct me if I am wrong,Or if 
it is not the same car it does SHOW EXCELLENT pics,of what I was 
trying to explain above,for reference.Notice on the pics,where the 
major burn was(parts cut off, during repair)notice that right by the 
catalytic converter area is the area that sustained the "burn" on the 
frame.Suggesting high heat(fire) in that area.It goes along with what 
I am trying to explain.. 

Does it sound like a likely case for a D fire.
Also A good reason to get rid of that orignal alternator!

CBL
P.S.Not picking on females--
BUT it must have been a funny sight,since the motor in the Deloreans
are behind you,you cannot "see the flames" or fire or even smell the
fire at speed! It reminded me of the train on BTTF3 all the Black
smoke coming out the stack of the train behind it,(in the case of the
D the engine compartment)Blowing Behind the car,just cruising
along,looking cool,when she sees this (what at first she thinks is a 
psycho)
Screaming at her,at the top of his lungs"lady your car is on fire"!
Then the Moment that she thinks she is gonna cook! That is one time
you pray the door selonoids don't lock you in!
By the way this was her boyfriends car.Again Yikes! I can just hear 
the phone call now,Honey Your "D" burned,while I was driving 
it.Needless to say not that far in the future they broke up.(as later 
he bought my 81 Delorean,and I got his,(burnt car)and we became 
friends) Another story for future reading on my Delorean Sagas,I have 
tons of them.Including videos of most of my restores till my last 
days with ownership of all.

CBL









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