Very informative article Chris P ----- Original Message ----- From: <senatorpack@xxxx> To: <dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, February 19, 2001 4:31 AM Subject: [DML] Renault Engines? Alpine A310, cousin of the DeLorean. > > > The Renault Alpine A310 is the cousin of the Douvrin V6 powered DeLorean. > Some say that the Esprit is the brother, however the DMC and older A310's > have similar versions of the 2.8 liter 2849cc alloy Renault V-6 PRV. (They > have different compression ratios, horsepower and fuel injection systems.) > Look closely for Volvo stamped on the engine wiring harness on both. > The engines were assembled in the City of Dieppe, France. The PRV engine > was a cooperative effort by the three car manufactures to produce a fuel > efficient, reliable engine for the upper end of the three European car makers > models. > The PRV has proven to be very reliable in the DeLorean. Based on what I > have experienced & read, the added on stuff like the Bosch fuel injection > components and subsequent accessories i.e. Duceiller alternator (pronounced > Duce-a-lay) in the early DeLoreans, are what give DeLorean cars a bad > reputation for reliability. > When the diagnosis is fuel contamination from bad gasoline, and the > required fuel parts replaced, the DeLoreans will return to reliability. > Generally, these fuel parts go bad just from sitting for who knows how > long... > However, the block and valve train are rock solid, IF the engine is > maintained properly and is not overheated. Overheating can attribute to blown > headgasket's and warped heads. (pressure test your DeLorean coolant and > remove any air from the cooling systems and keep a close eye on the > temperature gauge). > There was an update in early 1981 for the PRV, which did not apply to > production DeLorean automobiles. The early PRV versions before 1981 had a > premature camshaft wear and oil flow problems. This was corrected before t he > DeLorean went into production. This information was substantiated by a > retired Chrysler/Eagle engineer and P1800 collector I know. > > There are several versions of the engine. Volvo B28F & B280F, Renault > Alpine & R30, Peugeot 604, Eagle Premier & Medallion all used the PRV engine > in the United States. > The Eagle cars of the USA used the PRV in the Medallion. The Eagle's are > Renault cars, tagged as AMC/Eagle (when Chrysler purchased AMC/Renault in the > 1980s). However the Eagle's are electronic fuel injected, where the DeLorean > is mechanical injection. Additionally, there are different displacements & > subtle differences for each car that the PRV engines was used in. > I remember talking to John Truscott at the DeLorean Factory in Ireland > about the PRV. He did some extensive research on the PRV engines and their > differences. Evidently, the version used in the DeLorean was the Renault PRV > V-6, and the only car to use this exact Renault version. This makes the > DeLorean PRV engine very unique. > A good friend, fellow car collector & DeLorean owner here in the > Washington, DC area, was interested in the Renault use of the PRV engine. He > explained how Bill Collins (DMC chief engineer) wanted to use the complete & > available Renault Alpine A310 chassis, suspension and PRV V-6 engine for the > DeLorean. (This would have made the DeLorean's arrival to the American market > much earlier.) The Alpine weight is much less, is slightly longer, not as > wide, with both having similar weight distributions. > John DeLorean contracted Lotus to do the reengineering of the > prototypes, and you know the rest... > Lotus did win the 1978 world Grand Prix with Mario Andretti driving. Team > Lotus put a Renault V-6 normally aspirated & turbo charged engine with > Renault running gear in the Lotus Racing cars. Renault was a big racing > sponsor and supplier of transmission to Lotus Esprits. > Eventually, DeLorean Motors purchased several of the Renault Alpine A310 > cars for evaluation and comparison of the engine and transmission. DMC had > one of the Alpine switched to an Automatic too. These cars were auctioned off > at the DeLorean Factory Auction when the plant closed. > While I was in Germany and Switzerland, I became impressed with both new > and older versions of the Renault Alpine. Throughout my stay in Europe, I > encountered and was passed by several Renault Alpine GTA V-6 factory turbo > and A310's. > While I was in Europe I was driving a new 2001 BMW 723i. The 723i is the > German version of the 740il USA. I was running flat out between 210 - 215 km > on the Autobahn. The Renaults passed me like I was stand still. > > You can see more at: > > http://www.alpinerenault.com > and > http://www.renault-alpine.com/ > > Mike Pack > VIN 3713 > > > Before posting messages or replies, see the posting policy rules at: > www.dmcnews.com/Admin/rules.html > > To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: > moderator@xxxx >