[DML] Re: Delorean Choice of PRV

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Certifying an engine for US emissions was a very lengthy and involved
process (remember the scene at the beginning of the movie "Rainman,"
where Tom Cruise couldn't get his imported cars past US emissions?).
As I understand it DMC did not have time or resources to do that.
Since the PRV was already approved for Volvo's 260 platform, the
decision was made to go with it.

The PRV catches a lot of flack, but it is a legitimate sports car
engine. Renault used it to great effect in the Alpine. US emission and
fuel economy restrictions took a lot of bite out of it however,
rendering the version we know and love. I have posited in the past,
and maintain to this day, that there's room for improvement even in
the PRV's low compression form. Doing so probably violates every EPA
rule ever written, but let's be honest: how many miles do our Delo's
really rack up (especially compared to daily drivers)? Up north they
spend half the year parked. One or two thousand miles in a
de-emissioned vehicle, especially one that exists in numbers as small
as Deloreans, isn't going to blow a hole in the atmosphere. Lawnmowers
and leaf blowers are surely a much bigger threat.

Speaking of Volvo PRV's: Volvo factory literature excels far beyond
the Workshop Manual in this area. For example, their engine rebuilding
manual is lavishly illustrated with actual photographs (annotated with
arrows and pointers) of each step. They have individual manuals
devoted to nothing but CI, CIS, and Lambda. Later manuals even include
revised PRV parameters, such as the switch from 10W40 to 10W30 oil. I
highly recommend augmenting the Workshop Manual with some Volvo
manuals (you can even get high quality green logo plastic notebooks to
keep them in).

Regarding the 85 MPH speedometer: This was another US mandate. No cars
built for sale here were allowed to show more than 85 MPH on the speedo.  

Bill Robertson
#5939

>--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Oliver Holler <thehauntfactory@...>
wrote:
>
>   Bill Robertson wrote:
>   Unless I'm wrong, DMC selected the PRV for ready US certification, not
>   performance. <snip>
> 
> Throughout the years of talk about the engine, both good and bad, I 
> like Bill's take on it the best.
> After all, the speedometer only goes to 85mph.
> Seems to me, the engine was/is well suited for the circumstances and 
> purpose.
> Oliver Holler
> 10694
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>




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