Re: [DMCForum] Walt... aircon & springs

["Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxxxxx>]

> How involved (time-wise) is doing that conversion?  What
items do I
need to buy?

That all depends on how thorough of a job you want to do.
Depending on budget, I have done complete system overhauls
versus doing the absolute minimum.  The nice thing about
doing the work yourself (or watching me do it) is that you
know what you are getting.  I have seen too often people
drop their cars off paying for work that was never done or
not done properly.

The minimum that I would suggest for getting the car to run
on R-134a (whether it was previously using R-12 or already
converted by a previous mechanic to R-134a) is to replace
the orifice tube (either with another orifice tube or
upgrade to a VOV), buy a bottle of Ester-100 oil, flush some
of it thru the compressor to see what gunk comes out, leave
a proper amount of oil in the compressor, heat the
accumulator while pulling a vacuum and then charge the
system.  BUT this procedure is taking drastic shortcuts.

On the other end of the budget spectrum, you replace all the
old rubber parts with modern barrier style hoses & R-134a
compatible o-rings, replace the accumulator, flush
everything but the accumulator, risk damage to the
evaporator & condenser (because moisture left in the system
from a previous mechanic can cause corrosion that makes
separating parts very tedious.)  If you really want a
first-class job, you should pull the aircon box out of the
dash, clean all the rust from the flapper doors, paint,
replace rotten foam & add a few modifications to correct
poor design (add insulation & seal the seams to prevent
condensate from dripping in the passenger foot well.)  I
have the tools for assembling hoses on the car.  Buying
pre-assembled hoses is no good unless you want to bend the
frame or lift the body off.  If you are into bling-bling,
you can cover the hoses with stainless steel overbraid,
powder coat the ends, etc.

> Also how hard is it to check/adjust the timing?

It was hard for me the first time I did it, but once you
know the procedure, it is quick & easy.  The hard part is
getting access to the nut to make the adjustment and fitting
your hand in there to turn the distributor AND keeping it
still while you tighten the nut back.  To do a thorough job
you need a hand vacuum pump and a timing light with a
tachometer.  Then you can verify that your vacuum and
mechanical advances are working properly.

> On a side note I finally ordered the eibach springs from
DMCH today.

I am curious to learn how those are different from the
earlier 4 spring setup I bought from them.  They were
claiming these were custom manufactured to fit the DeLorean
application.  Now the Eibach ones are even more custom &
appropriate?  Well this is just what I have been hearing 2nd
hand.  If the Eibach springs are truly made to factory
specs, then why do they bother with new rear springs?
Wouldn't they be the same as OEM?  At present I have
mix-matched springs on my front.  One side is DMCH; the
other PJ Grady.  Yeah, it's stupid to drive that way, but
I'm just doing some short trips on the back roads around
little traffic.  So far I dont see any difference from one
side to the other except that the DMCH side is about 1cm
lower.

I am still not comfortable with the spring compressors I
have.  I got the one that DMCH recommends and claims to use.
I have not tried it on DMCH fronts, and I'm not sure it
would be a good fit anyway.  It will not fit on PJ Grady
springs (fronts only) as they have more coils in the same
space which makes them harder to get a compressor onto.  I
cannot get what PJ Grady uses because it is a custom
contraption.   The DMCH springs (at least their older ones)
have fewer coils.  Is more better?  They handle the same as
far as I can tell.  So far it looks like the best bet for
spring compressors is what Martin Gutkowski (DMUK)
recommends.  But because they are twin external compressors,
they can (and do) shift which can be very dangerous.  For
the fronts, I would like to find something that fits
internally.  If I ever got set up with a lathe & milling
machine, I would probably make a bunch along with several
other cool DeLorean specific tools, but then I dont have a
reputation for getting things done. ;-)  If you are game,
let's get my barbell weights out and measure just what those
new Eibach springs are like.  I am working on measuring the
K values for all the springs I can get a hold of.  When I
compare what everyone has then we will know what is best.
So far all the springs I have tested do no not have variable
K values, i.e, compress at the same rate.  I'm feeling like
a Consumer Reports guru.

> I am thinking of going to ronnie setzers on saturday night
(even
though I cant stand the guy), if you are interested.

I'm game but am jaded by all the same questions & comments.
I need to wash the car and keep the doors closed cuz I still
have my rear quarter trim panels out.  I have no idea where
Ronnie is meeting now.  He hasn't been at the old spot the
last few times I have looked.  Tampa really needs a nice
cruize-in, and it's a pitty someone has to ruin it by
playing obnoxious music and yelling at the children. :-P

Walt

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