Topping up trans fluid.

[SIMid]

The problem with filing down a socket (or adapter) is that they are case hardened. It is a thin surface that is heat treated to make it wear resistant. If you grind the part you will remove the surface treatment. A better way to go is to get some 5/16 square stock, bend it into an "L" shape and file (or grind) the short end.
David Teitelbaum

That's true David.

Snap-On in Australia do sell them for $35 + PH!!! WTF? Must be a rare tool for them to shift.

I'm better off getting one from DMC, support the company, and probably cheaper to buy it from them and mail it to me!

http://www.delorean.com/store/p-9097...ug-socket.aspx

[Ron]

The problem with filing down a socket (or adapter) is that they are case hardened. It is a thin surface that is heat treated to make it wear resistant. If you grind the part you will remove the surface treatment. A better way to go is to get some 5/16 square stock, bend it into an "L" shape and file (or grind) the short end.
David Teitelbaum

FYI, usually:
"Square stock" is not case hardened. It is cold-rolled and its surface treatment is with zinc to protect it from oxidation.
Yes adapters are case hardened for wear -- And they are forged to be bend/twist resistant.

[David T]

I didn't say the square stock is case hardened, the sockets and adapters are. The square stock will not be as hard or as strong as an adapter (no forging or case hardening) but for limited use it can be used. The Snap On adapter is expensive, especially if you only use it once. Maybe you can borrow one? Or just have a shop remove the plug and replace it with a more standard type. Could be cheaper than buying the adapter. Another way is to get a square head bolt, cut the thread off it, and weld the head to a handle. None of this will ever be as strong as the proper adapter but it may be enough to get the plug out.
David Teitelbaum

[Ron]

Nobody even implied you said that part.
Let's not talk about putting people on the defensive, or why you offer all of these other suggestions here now instead of in the ~2/3 of your previous post used to knock sockets (and adaptors)...

Instead, please tell us why you say square stock is a better way to go when the square stock will not be as hard or as strong as an adapter.

[David T]

I didn't say square stock is the way to go, I only offer it as a suggestion to someone who is not able to get things as easily as we can here in the US.

Square stock" is not case hardened. It is cold-rolled and its surface treatment is with zinc to protect it from oxidation.
Yes adapters are case hardened for wear

I wasn't getting defensive and took no offense, I just wanted to make clear what I said. Since the original poster is in Australia he must find that he often must "cobble together" what he needs or wait until he can make a large purchase since shipping is such a big issue. I have seen in the past where PO's have made up "tools" out of square stock and I myself have done it when necessary but it is not a very good option, square stock is usually pretty soft so you can work it easily. And it doesn't harden very much. In rare cases the plugs are in so tight you will never get them loose with soft materiel like square stock. Sometimes I have to put a pipe on a breaker bar with my adapter, square stock will just twist and round off. But when you are desperate you start trying all sorts of things!
David Teitelbaum

[Ron]

I didn't say square stock is the way to go,

Agreed, you didn't say "the way", but no one implied that, either.

I only offer it as a suggestion to someone who is not able to get things as easily as we can here in the US.

That is not what you had offer-ED it as, when I asked. You offered it as,

.... A better way...

like what I said you did.

Since it's so hard, I'll answer for you- It's not.
Now I can find some something more productive to do like...um......kick my dog??

[Jonathan]

Question, where's the final drive plug, is this located on the driver's side, in front of the drive shaft? Im looking at the parts manual. Sec 4- sub-5 grp-7 part 20? If it is, does it just screw off? I read on the old forum (i think it was about the final drive) that the level should be just below the plug hole?

Kind of a follow-up to an older thread.

Simon mentions looking for the location and then in his next post mentions finding it. I would love a photo or something more specific than what I've come across so far if someone has one.

I have my rear end in the air, but only at home on jack stands and it's not a lot of room to work under so wanted a pretty good idea of what I was getting into before getting into it.

I think I did see where my leaks are coming from though. The gear oil one may be from the drain plug which begs the question: do the drain and fill plugs on the final drive require a copper crush/sealing washer like other spots similar (pan plugs for example)? It seems to make sense that they would but I wasn't sure.

I think I also see where at least one of the ATF leak spots is. I had this photo on my computer showing the trans cooler connections and sure enough, I can see a drip just below the hose clamp on the one side but no wet spots anywhere else. Might just be a bit loose, which would be a pretty simple fix.

This is the photo I meant:

Leakers.jpg

I would bet Dave likely put this photo with labels together for someone if I had to guess...

[DMCMW Dave]

I have my rear end in the air, but only at home on jack stands and it's not a lot of room to work under so wanted a pretty good idea of what I was getting into before getting into it.

I think I did see where my leaks are coming from though. The gear oil one may be from the drain plug which begs the question: do the drain and fill plugs on the final drive require a copper crush/sealing washer like other spots similar (pan plugs for example)? It seems to make sense that they would but I wasn't sure.

I think I also see where at least one of the ATF leak spots is. I had this photo on my computer showing the trans cooler connections and sure enough, I can see a drip just below the hose clamp on the one side but no wet spots anywhere else. Might just be a bit loose, which would be a pretty simple fix.

I would bet Dave likely put this photo with labels together for someone if I had to guess...

There are three plugs with crush washers on the automatic. - the ATF drain, the gear oil drain, and the gear oil fill.

The cooling hoses often leak, if you look at the hose end you'll see that the rubber is cracked. Often the addition of a hose clamp just behind the crimp clamp will help for a while, but ultimately you need to replace the hoses. If there are already worm-type clamps on the hose ends someone has already tried this.

Common Leak points on automatics:
ATF:
Cooler hoses
Governor Connections (O-rings)
Pan Gasket
Dipstick Tube (O-ring)
Shift Cable internal seal (replace the whole cable)
Torque converter seal (luckily pretty rare)

Gear Oil:
Differential drain plug
Axle Seals

The problem is that ATF goes everywhere. Hose leaks are pretty easy to identify, but the shift cable and dipstick tube will appear to be pan gasket leaks.

The best advice is to waste a can of brake cleaner and completely degrease everything. Then watch for leaks over the next day or so WITHOUT running the engine. If you don't see anything (not likely) then run the engine. The reason for this is that some items will leak all the time, and some only with the engine running.

If you find ATF inside the frame near the fuel accumulator, that's the shift cable as the oil will follow the cable to the open end inside the frame.

[DMCMW Dave]

To answer the original question - run the car until the trans is warm. This is a few miles of driving. Then park it with the engine running in "park" and let it sit like that for a few minutes, maybe as long as 5-10 minutes. Then check the level a couple of times on the dipstick. If you check it without the engine running it will look way over full, and if you check it too fast after you stop driving it, there will be oil in the dipstick tube and it will be hard to get a clean read on the stick. This is also the problem right after you add oil, you need to let it run down and settle a bit before checking it again as you just poured oil into the tube, it will make a false reading on the stick if it is still sticking to the sides of the tube.

[Jonathan]

There are three plugs with crush washers on the automatic. - the ATF drain, the gear oil drain, and the gear oil fill.

The cooling hoses often leak, if you look at the hose end you'll see that the rubber is cracked. Often the addition of a hose clamp just behind the crimp clamp will help for a while, but ultimately you need to replace the hoses. If there are already worm-type clamps on the hose ends someone has already tried this.

Common Leak points on automatics:
ATF:
Cooler hoses
Governor Connections (O-rings)
Pan Gasket
Dipstick Tube (O-ring)
Shift Cable internal seal (replace the whole cable)
Torque converter seal (luckily pretty rare)

Gear Oil:
Differential drain plug
Axle Seals

The problem is that ATF goes everywhere. Hose leaks are pretty easy to identify, but the shift cable and dipstick tube will appear to be pan gasket leaks.

The best advice is to waste a can of brake cleaner and completely degrease everything. Then watch for leaks over the next day or so WITHOUT running the engine. If you don't see anything (not likely) then run the engine. The reason for this is that some items will leak all the time, and some only with the engine running.

If you find ATF inside the frame near the fuel accumulator, that's the shift cable as the oil will follow the cable to the open end inside the frame.

Thanks a lot for that explanation Dave. It really helps me visualize what's going on underneath. The view from under the car is never quite so clear when you're only able to get it as high as your jack stands or ramps will allow.

You are right about the hose clamps on the cooler lines. I expect this has been tried before by someone. This is an older photo, but still pretty close to the current condition. Maybe not where the leaks or wet spots are right now, but the hoses or clamps would look the same.

Slide1.JPG

I also for some reason thought the final drive fill plug was on the passenger side, and was not sure why it was so hard to see. I got around to the other side and realized it is on the driver's side. Just to confirm, this is the final plug, right?

Slide2.JPG

Interesting you mentioned ATF following the cable into the fuel accumulator access area. I had been wondering what this small drip of oil/ATF was on the bottom of the accumulator itself as it didn't look at all like fuel. Is this about what you meant by the shift cable leaking comment?

IMG_3502.jpg

And thanks for mentioning the crush washers on the three spots on the auto trans cars. I have a half dozen extras and assume they are the same size as the auto trans pan/engine oil pan drain plug ones?