Transmission Leak & Other Restoration Projects (VIN 1659)

[kdumont]

It's been a while since I posted, but I have the DeLorean out of the garage for a few more projects.

Last year I had the speedometer/odometer fail on me while out on a drive. I replaced the linkage from the angle drive and that fixed the issue, which was great because I was not looking forward to taking apart the instrument panel. Other than that, it's been a fairly uneventful year.

I've had a very minor transmission fluid leak (3-speed automatic). This has been the case for a while, anwe've just been checking the fluid level every few months and topping it off as needed. Over the course of a few months it only loses maybe an oz. However, since I plan on ultimately selling the car, I don't want this to cause any friction (pun intended). In any case, I decide to see if I could narrow down on the leak, so I spend a few hours cleaning the crap out of the transmission area.

It appears to me that most if not all of the leak is from the following connector. Nothing above looks damp after scrubbing it down. Is it possible that the o-ring (Part Number 103732) has failed? Anyone else seen something similar?
(photo is upside down - any way to rotate this inline?)
20180715_204541.jpg

Other Projects:
- AC repair - I put the belt back on the compressor, but there is no charge (not a surprise). My plan is to test the compressor by shorting it to 12V with a series 15A fuse as suggested elsewhere. After that I will likely have another conversation with a shop in town that has come highly recommended for AC work. I expect I will pay to do the conversion to R134a (I expect around $1k :/). Basically, if everything works fine and I just need to recharge it with an R12 replacement I will do that, but if I have to start replacing failed parts I would rather just do the whole conversion to R134 and feel more comfortable with it.
- Wiper fluid repair - Wiper fluid doesn't make it through the system. I can't hear the pump, so I'm guessing I need to replace it. I plan on taking off the cover and taking a look at it, then testing the hoses to see if they're clogged. Will update. Hoping I can do this fix myself.
- Upholstery repair - Drivers side armrest is ripped off and leather is torn. Got a quote from a local shop for $150. Seems reasonable. The fabric on the roof interior is also drooping in the middle.
- Engine restoration - I'm trying to get the engine looking a little nicer. I bought a new fuse box cover and some various fittings. I scrubbed down the turbo fittings with steel wool. The electrical tape on the wiring harness is really falling apart too. Is there a good solution to cleaning this up? I don't want to replace the whole electrical harness, but maybe heat-shrink the key parts? I also haven't decided if I want to replace the coolant reservoir. I like the original one, but I hear it is prone to failure.

Here is a pic of the engine by before cleaning. I'll update when I'm done.
20180715_141442.jpg

Other potential projects:
- Driver's side window repair - The drivers side window works, but is pretty wobbly. When I close it, it doesn't always seat in properly, so sometimes I have to guide it with my hands. Not sure if it is worth taking this on right away.

[Jonathan]

Sounds like you've experienced a lot of the same failures or problems as many of us have (myself included).

That o-ring seal on the shift computer connection, the one above the ATF pan... yes, not unheard of for it to leak. Might be as simple as just replacing the o-ring with a new, fresh one and making sure it is well seated. That'll mean draining and refilling the ATF to do it. Like you said, not a ton of fluid leaking there, but good to resolve for a potential sale of the car.

One other spot higher up that could be leaking is from the shift cable. It's on that same parts diagram you mentioned, ironically, http://store.delorean.com/p-8918-gov...box-cable.aspx Part number 101094. Not an overly expensive part, but from what I understand, a pain in the butt to get replaced. All because of a few pennies worth of rubber seal on the one end. Mine is leaking in this location a little bit and I'm just trying to monitor it and deal with it that way. I would speak to a vendor or someone knowledgeable and experienced with this job on the car if yours is leaking here and you'd like to get it fixed.

With your A/C compressor test, if your system is low on refrigerant, you can test the electrical to see that everything at least tries to come on in a slightly safer way than what you described. With a properly charged system, you should be able to get the cooling fans up front to come on and the compressor clutch to "clack" in WITHOUT turning the engine on. I say this as being safer because it won't actually turn the compressor with the belts, only engage the clutch. If there is no refrigerant in the system, it can burn out your compressor by trying to run it.

To test the compressor electrics, you fake out the low pressure switch for the refrigerant, much like you would with the otterstat if you're trying to test the cooling fans. The low pressure switch is located up in the passenger front wheel well. You can disconnect the switch, jumper the two ends together (the car wiring side of course), and simulate a satisfied low pressure switch. Then, turn the HVAC selector knob to MAX and Temperature to COLD, and then turn the key in the ignition to accessories but don't start the engine. You should hear the fans come on and the compressor clutch clack in. If you do, then your system only needs a refrigerant recharge. Why it needs a refrigerant recharge might be the next thing you have to sort out, but at least you'll know everything else is prepared to work as required.

Your wiper fluid pump not working might just be the electrical connector being disconnected. It is located in front of the driver's front wheel. If not so lucky, it might be that the pump is shot. Not hearing anything at all though gives you some hope it might be something simple on the electrical side that needs attention.

Word of warning on the windows: they aren't quite as simple to work with or on once you get into it. Agreed that both windows being working is a strong selling point, but be forewarned that if you start to get into the door insides, trying to get all the alignment sorted out, including getting the window out or back in, is not a lot of fun. Doable, just have your swear word thesaurus handy.

[kdumont]

Thanks for the help! I took out the windshield washer reservoir and it was full of black gunk. I'm going to soak it in a vinegar solution for a little bit. Otherwise it looks fine. I took the pump out and hooked it up to 12V. After cycling it a couple times it actually started spinning and I ran some water through it, which appears to have cleared out the gunk (onto me and my lab). Although the old pump seems to be okay now I might order a new one anyways since they are only $17.

I was able to run a little bit of alcohol through the hoses so I know it's not completely clogged. I will continue to flush it with a vinegar solution next week. I'll also hook up a DMM to see that the pump is getting 12V when expected. The fuse should be okay since the wiper works just fine. Hopefully that should all go back together no problem. The main thing is I don't want to have to reroute the hose.

As for the transmission I didn't see any oil above that particular connector when I checked. I will call my mechanic to drain the ATF and swap the o-ring since I want to get the car on a lift to take some photos of the underside anyways.

The window I probably won't touch.

[David T]

Whenever working on the automatic transmission you should look at the whole thing and not just the specific problem. What I mean is if one "O" ring is leaking and you want to replace it you should do all of them that you can, clean or replace the filter and pan gasket, flush the fluid, change the final drive oil, and do all of the external On-Car checks and adjustments. Other "while you are there" items can include replacing the C/V boots and greasing the joints, upgrading the shift computer, and adding PJ Grady's external oil cooler fins and cross/over pipe heat shield.

[kdumont]

I was able to fix the windshield washer pump. It actually ended up that the contacts were slightly corroded and not making a full connection. This was actually a good thing because when I took the reservoir out it was full of a kind of primordial soup... Had that run through the system I probably would've had to swap a whole lot more. I ended up cleaning the hoses and tank out with vinegar/water and then seating everything properly. It's worked well for the last few days.

Next, I had a local shop pull a vacuum on the AC system and it held pressure overnight with no measurable drop. That gave me enough confidence to use the two cans of Freon I had bought to charge the system. Blows quite cool now. All-in-all $50 for two 14oz cans of R12 + $65 for the vacuum pump overnight at the shop. I know there's still a chance it could leak, but so far so good.

Still haven't decided how to tackle the transmission. I might try to get under the car and tighten it - see if that fixes it. Otherwise, I'll probably drain the ATF and swap the o-ring. There are a lot of additional things I would like to do (replacing the governor computer would be great), but start's to become exponentially more expensive. The aftermarket oil-cooler fins look like a great add though. I will most likely pick that up.