[DMCForum] Re: very frustrated!! - starting problem

["cruznmd" <racuti1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Brian,

You're getting there. 

You're killing the battery and it needs charged. I don't think you 
have an ignition problem. Even though the voltage reads 11.8, that's 
not under any load. You've been working with the doors open, courtesy 
lights on and cranking for a while. It needs a boost. Not to mention, 
who knows how old your battery is.

Yes, the relay gets warm during normal operation.

I don't advocte using a paperclip. It's pot-metal with poor 
conducting qualities. Get a scrap of wire and crimp some male spades 
on each end. Yes, sorry: pins 30 AND 87 of the RPM relay socket.

Dude, don't give up. This is a simple problem and I don't want to 
hear that "I-need-a-professional" junk. That's cool if you own a 
Toyota because there's a dealership around every corner. DeLorean 
owners are more resourceful because -good- service like PJ Grady or 
DMCH is a long way off. The last thing you need is a local grease 
monkey dorking your car up worse than it already is.

You have indeed, likely isolated the RPM relay as the bad component.
The pumps don't all make the same sound. I've heard many that are 
more quiet than mine and it's only a year and a half old. If your 
pump is buzzing then that's a good sound.

Next test: Make a -good- jumper out of some 22 or 20 (preferably 20) 
gauge wire and crimp some flat, male spade connectors on it. Get a 
good charge on your battery. Jumper the RPM relay and try to start 
the car. It should run. The Lambda system will be inoperative because 
you're only jumpering the fuel pump part of the circuit. You can 
drive like this but I don't recommend it.

If the car won't start, give it a shot of starting fluid. If it 
starts, we're still working on a fuel issue. If it doesn't start 
we'll work some more electrical issues.

Rich A.
#5335

--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Brian" <TK581@xxxx> wrote:
> Thanks,
> 
> For whatever reason I was able to redo the relay test you 
prescribed 
> earlier and got new results.  I assume 'buzzing' to life means that 
> I can hear it?  I had the voltmeter hooked to the pump connectors 
as 
> I did the test.  With the relay in place the pump got no juice...it 
> went down to 0.0.  with the paperclip in place at 30 and 87 I got 
> sparks as well as a hot paper clip.  The voltmeter read a 
consistent 
> 7.5 at the pump.  Can I isolate this to the relay then?  Even so, 
> the pump doesn't actually hum or anything.
> 
> Another thing I notice is that the car wont even bother to try and 
> turnover.  I think my battery is going dead or do you think it 
could 
> be the coil?  I can't find the battery charger so I didn't get a 
> chance to charge the battery up yet.
> 
> Thanks again!!
> 
> 
> --- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "cruznmd" <racuti1@xxxx> wrote:
> > Ah, good question. Sorry :)
> > 
> > At the inertia switch, you need to do a "continuity" check. The 
> > ground wire from the fuel pump is black/purple, it goes to the 
> > intertia switch. Clip one ohm meter probe to the ground wire on 
> the 
> > pump, then clip the other one to the black/purple contact on the 
> > intertia switch plug. If it reads "open" your fuel pump is 
> grounded 
> > elsewhere and you need to find it. It's probably fallen off. If 
it 
> > reads "short" then the b/p wire is attached to the harness as it 
> > should be.
> > 
> > Also, inspect the BLACK wire on the inertia switch plug to make 
> sure 
> > it's grounded properly. Just touch the one probe to the black 
wire 
> > contact and the other probe to the body or frame somewhere. 
Again, 
> > short=good, open/resistance=bad. If the pump is grounded at the 
> > switch but the -switch- ain't grounded you'll still have the 
> problem. 
> > 
> > Lastly, (regarding the inertia switch) remove and inspect the 
> black 
> > box. Look at the contacts. Is the plastic melted around them? The 
> > older style were a point of failure. They were underrated. You 
can 
> > also put your ohm meter on the contacts and pull the plunger to 
> make 
> > sure it's operating properly. Plunger down= short. Plunger up= 
> open. 
> > This is the correct mode of operation.
> > 
> > I'm really pushing this grounding issue because you jumpered your 
> RPM 
> > relay and still only had 00.00 volts (flashing 7v). That clears 
> the 
> > relay from the problem. BTW, I think your jumper was probably 
fine.
> > 
> > Oh hell, I just remembered. DeLoreans use the European habit of 
> > switching grounds on and off, not power. Definitely follow the 
> steps 
> > above, but also jumper the RPM relay again, and measure for 12v 
on 
> > the white/purple wire but do it with a ground OTHER than the 
> ground 
> > wire on the pump. Use the body or frame somewhere. 
> > 
> > If you have no voltage, go back to the inertia switch and touch 
> > white/purple, and an independent ground again. (Frame/body).
> > 
> > If you have no voltage THERE, go back to the RPM relay and do it 
> > again! Unplug the relay and touch W/P and an independent ground. 
> The 
> > seat belt mounting bolts make a good ground I think. You're 
> tracing 
> > the flow, finding the break in the pipe.
> > 
> > Electricity is just plumbing. Electrons flow instead of water and 
> the 
> > pipes are really tiny.
> > 
> > Post your findings when you can.
> > 
> > Rich A.
> > #5335
> > 
> > --- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Brian" <TK581@xxxx> wrote:
> > > > Ok, two or three people have told you where the interia 
switch 
> is.
> > > 
> > > What exactly am I supposed to check here?  It's pluged in and 
> it's 
> > a 
> > > black box... :)
> > <snip!>

---

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