Re: I might be in trouble....

["Jim Reeve" <ultra@xxxx>]

I dont know what a failing water pump sounds like (could actually be 
several different sounds), but I am personally 90% sure your problem 
is with the pump. The reason for the drop in volts and the squealing 
was the pump probably seazing up, thus causing strain on the 
alternator belt, dropping the volts. When the pump freed up again, 
the alternator was able to turn again. I would definately replace the 
water pump, or at least remove the intake manifold and inspect the 
condition of the rubber hoses on the y-pipe and the heater line. I 
replaced my original water pump this spring. Nothing was wrong with 
the old one, I just didn't want to take the chance of somthing like 
this happening while I'm out on my usual drives. I'm sorry that this 
had to happen.

Jim Reeve
MNDMC - Minnesota DeLorean Club
DMC-6960

--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Jack Stiefel" <stiefel@xxxx> wrote:
> It is abit late to call Rob Grady, so I decided to throw this out 
to the
> list. I haven't run my D for a few weeks due to a fundraiser I was 
having
> at my home and the need to prepare for 150 people. Today I had a 
cruise in
> about an hour from home and decided to bring out the ol girl and 
have a
> drive. Well it ran fine until I got to my parents house. I let it 
run a
> bit while I talked to my father, and it overheated a bit. Only a 
very
> little bit came out before I shut down the engine and let it cool 
off.
> After a bit, I started it up and it ran fine, but was a bit on the 
hot side
> all the way to a stereo shop I had to stop at on the way to the 
show. There
> I let it cool off again and filled up the resevour -- it took quite 
a lot.
> 
> It ran just fine all the way to the cruise in and on the way home it 
got hot
> a few times, but cooled off ok until about 15 min from home when it 
started
> acting real funny.
> 
> 1st off it would almost reach the 1st red hash mark on the temp 
gauge, then
> the volts would drop to almost 8 or 9, then we heard a squeel from 
the
> engine and the volts would come back up. SOmetimes the temp went 
back down
> and sometimes it didn't.
> 
> Well not wanting to let the temps get real high, I decided to run a 
bit,
> then shut down the engine and coast. We did this for about the last 
3 miles
> home. I was then able to take a look at the engine.
> 
> Inside the compartment, there had been a leak somewhere of coolent, 
and a
> sound emmenating from what seems like the middle of the engine, of 
sizzling
> and puffing sounds.
> 
> I was thinking that maybe the water pump gave out, does seem 
logical??
> 
> Help!!! :)
> 
> Jack & Virginia Stiefel
> '81 DeLorean Vin 03461 Aug.1981 NYS Lic:1981 DMC
> '97 Red BMW Z3 Convertible 6 cyl, not the baby 4
> '99 Ford Expedition 4x4 Eddie Bauer Edition
> '01 Black PT Cruiser Limited w/Flames
> Visit us at www.sacketmansion.com