Re: [DML] Re: New DeLorean Owner...Old engine blown...Help me make decision

[Steve Stankiewicz <protodelorean@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Brandon.  I'm in the process of doing the Eagle
swap myself.  As engine swaps go, here are some of the
pros of using the Eagle:

1. Same bolt pattern, NO ADAPTER PLATE NEEDED.  (You
will need the Delorean crank case though because the
motor mounts are different.)
2. Larger Displacement (3.0 Liters)
3. Slightly higher compression
4. Electronic Fuel Injection
5. Serpentine belt setup
6. Even-fire configuration
7. Maintains original weight distribution/handling
8. Readily available in salvage yards
9. Retains the PRV heritage of the Delorean (If that
means anything to you.)


There are a bunch of "Cons" applicable to engine swaps
as a whole.  These include cost, complexity, reduced
support network, being shunned by the purists (no,
wait, maybe that's a "pro" ; ) )etc.  About the only
Con specific to using the Eagle is that it's still not
a powerhouse with tons of aftermarket parts available.
 With any engine swap, if you go with electronic fuel
injection, one of your biggest investments will be the
Engine Control System.  You could try to use the
original factory computer, but you'll probably find it
cannot be tuned to accomodate changes in vehicle
weight, gearing, etc.  By using an aftermarket system,
all of these things can be accomodated.  I used the
Electromotive TEC3 which cost about $2,500 if I
remember correctly.  One nice thing about the
aftermarket ECM is that once installed, you've setup
the car to run virtually any EFI engine.  As I recall,
my TEC3 can run anything from 2 to 12 cylinders so if
I were to decide to swap out my Eagle engine tomorrow
for something else, say a Mazda rotary or a Lotus V8,
the same ECM would run it.  It would just need to be
recalibrated, no significant rewiring.

The Lotus would be sweet, but if you do decide to go
with the Eagle, be sure to stick with the 91/92
variant as the 88/90 is a different animal with an
older-style sensor package that will need to be
replced.

Overall though, if cost is a concern, the cheapest and
simplest solution would be to replace your engine with
a good, used Delorean engine.  That's a no-brainer. 
If you're looking for something different than you'll
need to seriously consider you capabilities because
you'll be creating a one-of-a-kind vehicle.  If you
did the conversion yourself, you'll have a decent
chance of troubleshooting it if (when) something goes
wrong.  If you have to pay someone to do the
conversion for you, you could find yourself completely
at their mercy for future repairs because no one else
will touch it.

Feel free to email me directly if you have any
questions about my conversion.

Steve
VIN 02650
www.projectdelorean.com


--- David Teitelbaum <jtrealty@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> The least expensive option would be to go with an
> origional PRV
> engine. Around $5k. It does not have to be the one
> the car was built
> with. There is no "matching numbers". The next
> higher price would be
> with DMCH's performance engine. An engine swap to
> any other kind of
> motor is going to cost at least twice as much and
> take a whole lot
> longer to do. The automatic trans will not live very
> long with any
> kind of upgraded engine, it can't take the
> horsepower. Doing an engine
> swap means a lot of custom made parts, rewiring the
> car, changing the
> weight bias and handling, and on and on. You also
> must document
> everything carefully so it can be serviced in the
> future. If you have
> the time and money go for it but if you have ANY
> doubts it is probably
> safer to stay as stock as you can. Doing an engine
> swap does not
> always make the car worth more. A lot depends on how
> it is done. If
> you do an engine swap do not count on getting all of
> your investment
> back. All of the Delorean venders sell door struts,
> you may also need
> a torsion bar adjustment.
> David Teitelbaum
> vin 10757
> 

<snip -- older quoted material trimmed>







To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address:
moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx

For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com

To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/