The RPM relay shuts off the fuel pump if it doesn't sense the engine running within a limited time frame. By turning the ignition off and then retrying you start the cycle again and the pump runs again for a short time. If the car has sat for a long time a couple of short bursts of the starter with ignition off in between will work while continual cranking won't. I wouldn't keep a maintainer on the battery myself as the constant electrical current coupled with the variety of dissimilar metals in the engine could create an electrolysis condition that could work at corroding the engines interior castings. A battery cutoff switch would be much better in my oppinion. Bruce Benson >Subject: [DML] Delorean Cold ..er..."Ocassional" starting > Had a tech question - My car seems to run fine...once it gets > running. I have to admin I don't drive it a whole lot, and I usually > keep it on a maintainer when it's in storage. However, if it's > sitting, for say a few weeks... I go to start the car, it turns over > just fine, but it's as if it's not getting enough gas. Giving it > gas or just letting it crank doesn't do anything beneficial... But > if you turn the ignition, let it crank for a couple seconds, then > shut if off, then crank for a couple more seconds, and repeat > several times, eventually it gets happy, starts to sound like it's > trying to actually start up rather than endless cranking, and > eventually 'catches' and starts running where it goes into a nice > smooth startup cycle, and idles and runs cleanly after that. > Pete