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+--- Thread: Delorean won't start (/showthread.php?tid=4910)
Delorean won't start - Theflyinggeordie999 - 15 Feb 2015
Delorean won't start!!!, it seems to be getting fuel. Fuel pump is running, I've cleaned all the contacts to the coil and the blocks in the right hand corner. It turns over strong and on the odd occasion tries to start but won't fire up completely. I'm at a loss now please help!!!!
Re: Delorean won't start - MikeWard - 15 Feb 2015
Check the connections going to the ballast resistor (the white thing on the left on the back wall of the engine bay).
Check the contacts are clean and the crimps are in good order.
Re: Delorean won't start - 88mph - 15 Feb 2015
I may not be much help, if it were a old VW engine I might be some more help, but why do you say "It seems to be getting fuel".
How have you tested that?
Have you removed air filter & tried squirting carb cleaner straight in & have someone try and start it?
If it then wants to start, you'll know it is a fuelling issue.
Hope that is some help. Karl.
Re: Delorean won't start - Theflyinggeordie999 - 15 Feb 2015
I've cleaned all the connections to the ballast, the fuel is getting as far as that t piece placed next to the oil filler, the one that feeds directly from the top of the fuel injection system
Re: Delorean won't start - TheOriginalMrP - 15 Feb 2015
88mph Wrote:Have you removed air filter & tried squirting carb cleaner straight in & have someone try and start It?
Just be careful going down this route.
I've seen a delorean Chuck flames out of the top with air filter assembly removed, and that was running normally.
There are safer ways to check it's getting fuel than risking your engine compartment and eyebrows lol!
Check all fuses, relays, and all the usual stuff. It's almost certainly electrical I'm sure. Keep us posted.
Re: Delorean won't start - Theflyinggeordie999 - 15 Feb 2015
Yeah, chris Williams has advised me in the past not to use easy start. In terms of electrical, what are your thoughts. I've bridged the fuel pump relay and cleaned the connections to the coil. Any fuses that would stop it from firing up? I did sort of splutter a couple of times which why I thought it might be a furlong issue
Re: Delorean won't start - Theflyinggeordie999 - 15 Feb 2015
Bloody corrective text. I meant... It did splutter a couple of times and fueling issue!!!
Re: Delorean won't start - TheOriginalMrP - 15 Feb 2015
Start with obvious.
Is there plenty of fuel in the tank?
Battery fully Charged?
Ballast terminals clean?
Coil LT and HT leads tight?
Fuses all in tact?
Relays all tight in their sockets?
Is fuel system priming when you turn key ? ( Not all D's do but when failing to start they 're-prime' as a rule
Has your car got a working fuel cut off inertia switch? Check this.
These are basics.
Easy start is bad news.... Think of it like a drug dependency. Once your car had one fix of this, it will be all too easy to use it again. Most old engines that have had a squirt of that stuff usually need it forever!
I myself know how annoying it is to have an issue, in fact today I've been playing with my car and discovered the passenger door is locking nice via central locking, but not opening. I put it down to lack of use and low voltage as after I charged the battery and worked the locks manually a few times, it started (begrudgingly) working again!
I've had the locking module apart taking pictures for the previous owner, trust it to act up after I'd messed with it.
Ps Have you done anything out of the ordinary to cause the problem, ie repair something unrelated?
Re: Delorean won't start - 88mph - 16 Feb 2015
Well okay, I'm by no means an expert on D engines, but I was only talking about a light mist/spray, don't go spraying half a can down it, you'll soon notice alittle bit of a pick-up.
But if your worried then don't attempt it.
The reason I mention it is I've spent hours wondering why a VW engine wouldn't start as there was fuel at injectors, but it turned out, a bit of pressure/a few squirts doesn't always mean there is enough fuel to start the engine.
Good luck
PS...... can't be a blown fuse if it is sometimes spluttering.
Re: Delorean won't start - Theflyinggeordie999 - 16 Feb 2015
I've done nothing in the way of working on it. This has happened a couple of times. On one occasion it had a full tank but wouldn't start. Thought it might have been the relay so bridged it and it sparked into life however on putting back the relay, it started fine as well so thought it might have been damp in the coil box in the corner. The other time turned out to be my stupidity as there was a lack of fuel. Had a read of one of your earlier posts regarding starting issues. And figured maybe the one gallon of fuel in the tank isn't enogh after its been sat a fortnight. It usually starts first time!!
Re: Delorean won't start - MikeWard - 16 Feb 2015
Check the connections to the ballast resistor.
A friends car had the same issues as you are describing. And that was sorted by adding new crimp connectors (the old ones had melted), and cleaning up the pins on the resistor.
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Note, the above is not finished (needs a new piggy back crimp)
Re: Delorean won't start - Rissy - 16 Feb 2015
On top of what others have said. Check the integrity of the ring crimps on the small wires on the coil.
Some people here will remember that the little LHS yellow striped (can't remember exact colours) one on my coil looked perfect, but actually wasn't conducting. It took over an hour of fault diagnosis from the tech gurus to catch that one and get LEX running again while we were in Yorkshire in 2013. (Cheers again chaps.
)It's a great engine immobiliser that one! Hard to find. Impossible to start without it!
Re: Delorean won't start - Chris Williams - 16 Feb 2015
Hi Kris
Sorry I missed your call last night (as you know family down) As I mentioned before and has others have wrote, it's usually one off two, fuel or spark. I would check for spark first, Carefully remove one of the plug leads (easiest is L/H side nearest the back of the car) pulling on the boot not the wire. And remove the spark plug, put it back into the wire and a; check the condition b; rest the threaded bit against the metal air intake whilst someone cranks the engine for you, whilst you hold the plug with something non-conductive. That should give you a basis to start on. Or you can use something like this cheap and cheerful that saves having to remove the spark plug: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SILVERLINE-IG ... 5b0b48e7d2
Just remove the plug lead and put this in-line.
Deff got fuel this time?????
Ben,Rissy's and Mike comments above are very good places to start, as I mentioned on the phone you don't need much of an electrical issue for them not to start.
Chris
This is for everyone BTW :wink:
NEVER use easy start on any modern engine, it can cause pre-detonation (and I do go out to cars where people have used it and bent con rods) if you must use something, use carb cleaner/brake cleaner, as 88mph suggested.
Another option join the AA (or RAC if you must :roll: ) for 30quid and let them sort it out for you!: http://www.theaa.com/patrol/80483
Re: Delorean won't start - Theflyinggeordie999 - 16 Feb 2015
Thanks everyone for your help, it's one of the many things I love about being part of this club. Everyone is happy to help. Special thanks going to chris Williams. It turns out my garage is too damp for my D and that's what was stopping it starting.
RE: Delorean won't start - er1c - 31 Aug 2019
Do you have more info on this... These symptoms are exactly what I have at present, its almost starting but not quite.... even stutters a bit after I trying to start it.
With the Inlet manifold refitted she ran great, so I took her to fill up 15 mile round trip.
Came back and replaced the vacuum hose from the charcoal cylinder to the under the W pipe. I had to take the W pipe off to fit it. I had the charcoal filter fully out. I finished that Thu PM and started her up and straight away shut her down happy.
Yesterday I tried to start her and she wouldn't, on the third attempt she kind of started but WOW literally barely ticking over so I assume starved of fuel or air ? repeated attempts failed to even get that far on multiple goes.
I have checked coil fittings/ballast fittings/spark plugs/impact switch etc.... CSV work around no joy.
I cracked a fuel pipe and fuel does come out so I have pressure there to the fuel routing. What I find odd is I don't seem to have fuel on the spark plugs I pulled after repeated cranking. It wasn't even damp so I am thinking fuel is the issue ?
Thoughts ?
I realise any issue could occur at any time so it could be totally unrelated to my efforts and I cannot see how a vacuum hose replaced could cause this and the W PIPE is fairly straight forward ?