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

["mw98gt" <mw98gt@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Is there a middle of the line AC job?  Is it necessary to tear the 
dash apart or is that just to make it prime?  I guess I will do 
whatever it takes to get ice cold AC.  Hopefully just replacing all 
the rubber, the accumulator, and retrofitting R134a will be enough.  
How much are we talking about $$$-wise for that and where should i 
get the parts?

At least you have experience at adjusting timing, I have zilch.  Is 
there anything I need to buy to do this.  I know you have a timing 
light, but do you have the other thing?

As for the springs, you can weigh them down if you wish.

I am not totally sure about saturday night yet, although I miss 
ronnie.  "Hey kid, KID, shut up, i am trying to talk here"

Misha

--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxx> wrote:
> > 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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