[DML] Re: engine fire hazards

["darryl@xxxx" <darryl@xxxx>]

Thank you Joe, Dick, and Paul for your comments. Let me begin by confirming
that I love DeLoreans and drive one every day that I can, and have for the
last 13 years. I wouldn't do so if I thought they were unsafe. Period. I
certainly don't want to start a paranoia about driving one, and I apologize
if it sounded like that. But as someone who has been working on these cars
for years, I have to admit that I am greatly concerned by the number of fire
totalled ones out there. Two Pacific Northwest DeLorean Club cars (out of a
membership of 70-80 at the time) were lost to engine fires. I purchased one
of them plus 2 others for parts; plus I have personally seen 2 more that I
didn't acquire. Add to that the dozen or so photos I've seen in the last 13
years, and that's a lot of fire damaged DeLoreans. In that same time
period I have not seen any other '81-'83 cars that had burned. I totally
agree with Joe that the number one problem is probably the unskilled
mechanic, but the engine design, with all those fuel lines over the ignition
distributor, leaves a lot to be desired. 

No, lets not be paranoid. But we had better be very careful. Inspect your
engine compartment regularly for any sign of fuel leaks, especially after
anyone including professional mechanics has worked on the motor. One of the
PNDC cars mentioned above was on its way home from a repair shop.

As for DOA, they refused to even acknowledge my request for input. They
didn't even have the decency to tell me I was wrong. I'm hoping that by
discussing this openly in the DML we can stir up enough diligence to make
this potential problem unworthy of further concern.

By the way Dick, and others who may wonder, I sell DeLorean parts. I do not
operate a repair shop for several reasons - I recently moved to the
boondocks and don't have a new shop built yet; I already have a full time
job; and mostly I don't consider myself qualified enough to deal with some
of these issues which relate to owner safety. But I do speak from the
knowledge of having owned 6 DeLoreans, and having been in contact with
hundreds of other owners over the years from selling parts.

Darryl Tinnerstet