Re: [DML] Starting problems... cold, now warm.

["Harold McElraft" <hmcelraft@xxxxxxx>]

Does your fuel pump go into a "prime" run when you first turn on the 
key? It should. You might also want to check out the RPM relay and 
its connections. I agree you problem sounds like fuel if the cold 
start plug swap thing starts it.

I had a similar issue a few years ago and, of all things, it turned 
out to be the spark amplifier relay that turns on with the starter - 
it is mounted on the engine compartment firewall under the resistor 
and feeds an increased voltage to the coil at start. I haven't seen 
the relay in any circuits on any wiring diagrams either. They all 
show a direct feed. The relay and connections are subject to a lot 
more stress in the engine bay so a nice new weather-tight relay with 
connection grease solved my problems.

Harold McElraft - 3354



--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Peter Lucas <lucas@xxxx> wrote:
> 
> The "warm start" issue has come up before, but has never been 
> adequately resolved, IMO.
> 
> I have been plagued with this problem for years. My car starts 
> perfectly when cold and when hot, but there is a small temperature 
> window (presumably in which the engine is just barely too warm to 
> engage the thermo-time switch) in which it just won't start w/o 
forcing 
> the cold-start injector via a plug swap.  My fuel system holds 
pressure 
> very well (by direct measurement), and the problem has survived a 
> complete tuneup (except setting valves) and a replacement of the 
> thermo-time switch.
> 
> My best guesses are
> 1) there is a bad batch of thermo-time switches out there whose 
> setpoint is too low.  (Been meaning to test mine)
> 2) I have a subtle vacuum leak (but if so, I sure can't find it)
> 
> Sure would be nice to get to the bottom of this. In my case the 
> "critical cooling period" exactly coincides with a leisurely 
dinner at 
> a nice restaurant.
> 
> 
> On Feb 20, 2005, at 10:30 PM, Travis Graham wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> > I seem to have traded a cold start problem for a warm start 
problem!  A
> > good trade? I don't think so... This one's a bit lengthy, but I 
want to
> > get all of the facts out on the table.  Thanks in advance!
> >
> <snip>
> 
> > Yesterday I started up my DeLorean (and it started right up with 
no
> > hesitation after sitting for a week!) and went for a good 
drive.  I
> > parked it for about an hour, then went to leave and it wouldn't 
start!
> > It cranked and cranked but had no intention of firing up.  The 
fuel
> > pump was working, as I noted its usual hum after letting off of 
the
> > key.  After three rounds of this, I jumped the cold start valve 
using
> > the control pressure regulator's wire and it started right up.  
I drove
> > straight back to its garage, turned it off, and then immediately 
tried
> > starting again.  It fired right up.  And 30 minutes later, it 
once
> > again fired up with absolutely no hesitation.  Unfortunately I 
had to
> > leave before it had cooled off enough to be in the "warm but not 
hot"
> > zone... and I haven't had a chance to resume experimentation.
> >
> 
> <snip>
> 
> >
> > Given my symptoms and known factors, (and without having a 
chance to do
> > further investigation), I would assume that my most-likely 
problem is a
> > bad fuel accumulator.  Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never had a
> > problem with hot starting before and I've owned this car for 8 
years
> > and put 40k miles on it.  So, here are my questions for the 
group:
> >
> 
> --Pete Lucas
>    VIN #06703








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