Time to think outside of the box!!! Problem started when replacing fuel filter, did not exist before. Problem now resulting is often a symptom of a faulty accumulator, allowing fuel pressure to bleed off faster than normal. Sure, its possible the fuel accumulator may have failed, but I like trying the easy fixes first. Check/tighten all of the fuel line connections on the fuel filter. If one of them has a very very small leak, it could easily bleed off rest pressue in time for a hot/warm start issue. Since this is the part of the fuel system that was just opened up, its the first place I would look. At least checking this first means if it is the problem, you dont have to buy anything! I've heard fuel accumulator is a pain to replace. Couldn't tell you personally though, as my original one has never failed! Over 75,000 miles (total) and daily summer driving since August 2000! Jim Reeve MNDMC - Minnesota DeLorean Club DMC6960 --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Travis Graham <tgraham@xxxx> 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! > > First I had a lingering cold start problem - after sitting overnight, > my DeLorean would have very hard cold starts. It would crank for a > bit, then slowly (5 seconds or so) sputter to life. After getting > started, it would run fine and would always fire right up when warm to > hot. Installing a new fuel filter seems to have solved that problem > before I had to break out the pressure gauge. That was last weekend... > > 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. > > Known variables: fuel pump = replaced in late 2000, thermo-time switch: > less than a year old.. and the cold start valve seems to be working > properly - I pulled it out a few weeks ago to check. Fuel > accumulator... ? It could very well be the original. > > 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: > > 1) Is there any possibility that I have killed my fuel accumulator > simply by swapping the filter? That seems odd... > > 2) Can a faulty fuel accumulator be sporadic? Or, assuming that it's > bad, did I just get lucky with my timing since it's gone bad? It would > seem to be to be more of a binary, broken or not-broken, part to me. > > 3) Is there anything else besides the check valve on the pump that > could be the culprit here? > > Thanks for any ideas. > > Travis Graham > #06344 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/