Banging missing 1st gear

[howlingwind13]

Hey all,

Just drove my car (vin 2723) for the first time in 10 years...it was off being restored due to the previous owner being a hack and doing more damage than good with his work. So 11k later in engine, front end and brake work, along with misc. work, it came back to me and the water pump was shot. So I replaced that and it fired right up.
I've taken it out a few times this weekend...here's the issue...

Automatic trans...Works fine in reverse. I put it in drive and when I hit the gas it hesitates and sometimes squawks the tires, bangs then kicks in and drives.
It does it every time I take off from a stop. Hesitates then takes off...seems like it starts in second...maybe, I'm not sure. But it shifts through all the gears real rough.
It never did that before, but it has been sitting for a long time.
I checked the fluid and nothing was on the stick, added a half qt. and checked it again later seems fine now.
I am really not a car guy or very mechanically inclined, I helped a friend do the water pump but with all this stuff I'm pretty lost. Any opinions on the trans issues?

thanks Mike
Long time d owner...not along time d driver.
vin2723

[DMC5180]

Hi Mike.

Who did all this previous service work? Seems kind of strange to just be out of the shop and have this happen. But it IS a Delorean so anything is possible.

Btw: what is your City, St. ?

[howlingwind13]

Hi Mike.

Who did all this previous service work? Seems kind of strange to just be out of the shop and have this happen. But it IS a Delorean so anything is possible.

Btw: what is your City, St. ?

Well, it isn't just out of the shop...after all the work was done by Lawrence's delorean repair, the water pump went we he pulled it up in the driveway...2 years ago. But he was moving his shop so didn't have time...I didn't have the money so it sat in the garage.

Also Roseville, Michigan is my location...couple minutes north of Detroit.

[Dangermouse]

Hey, another of the awesome 27xx autos, the most desirable combos.

:)

Welcome.

[Dangermouse]

Hey, another of the awesome 27xx autos, the most desirable combos.

:)

Welcome.

Sounds like it is still low on fluid. You know to check it warm while running in neutral, having moved the gearstick through all the gears?

[DMC5180]

Ok, I'm loosely familiar with Lawrence's repair business.

As for the weird or slow shifting. The Most Common failure is the Computer Governor.

But It could be Bad electrical connections or possibly Internal issues. I would guess Governor though.

If low fluid, you have to ask yourself where it went (large puddle on the floor) or I was it never filled properly after servicing.

[howlingwind13]

Sounds like it is still low on fluid. You know to check it warm while running in neutral, having moved the gearstick through all the gears?

I tried that this morning...it now shows good, which is strange because at first there was nothing. After 1/2 qt it was reading good. No signs of a leak. So I will look into the gov. Thanks guys.
It the governor the $60 computer switch or is it the $300 auto trans computer?

Thanks
mike

[Jimmyvonviggle]

Probably this http://store.delorean.com/p-8909-auto-trans-computer.aspx

[DMC5180]

Mike, Since you say you not a car guy. This would be a Job for DMCMW and the work is guaranteed. The remanufactured ( $300 ) Computer governors have proven to be "Bullet Proof".

The kicker is getting the car too there facility will cost extra $$$. Sorry to say this would likely push the repair bill over 1K at a shop.

Is Lawrence still doing DMC work? He has been quiet for a while, at least on this Forum.

[howlingwind13]

Mike, Since you say you not a car guy. This would be a Job for DMCMW and the work is guaranteed. The remanufactured ( $300 ) Computer governors have proven to be "Bullet Proof".

The kicker is getting the car too there facility will cost extra $$$. Sorry to say this would likely push the repair bill over 1K at a shop.

Is Lawrence still doing DMC work? He has been quiet for a while, at least on this Forum.

I think Lawrence is still doing some delorean work, heard he moved on to trucks...but he moved his business from my area to Tennessee.
I think my friend who helped out with the water pump and I could repair it, but his time is sooo tied up. It took 3 weeks to do the water pump just doing it 1 hour here 2 hours there.
But thanks for the info guys, I will check into all that stuff.

mike

[David T]

I think Lawrence is still doing some delorean work, heard he moved on to trucks...but he moved his business from my area to Tennessee.
I think my friend who helped out with the water pump and I could repair it, but his time is sooo tied up. It took 3 weeks to do the water pump just doing it 1 hour here 2 hours there.
But thanks for the info guys, I will check into all that stuff.

mike

From the description of the symptoms my first guess would also be low fluid. You need to get the car warmed up, on level ground. Move the shifter through all of the gears at a stop and then check the level in Park. It should be near the add line but in any case it must be between the add and full marks. My next step would be to check the line pressure and probably clean the filter and pan. I would not suspect the shift computer yet although it could also have problems but banging off a start is not usually from the shift computer. I would be very careful driving the car this way, it is VERY hard on the internals and you will damage something inside if you keep driving it like this.
David Teitelbaum

[DeLorean03]

I had an issue kind of similar to this.

Last summer, I would be in first gear coasting in a parking lot at about 900 RPMs, and I would go to give it gas only to have the tachometer rev and the car would act like it was in neutral. If I revved it hard enough (I don't recommend that), the trans would catch with a solid "bang", and the car would behave normally. Took it to DMCMW, and when I say took it, I mean I drove 7 trouble free hours to DMCMW. The hydraulic gearbox was having an issue, a pump for first gear was starting to go bad if I recall correctly (could be wrong, Dave from DMCMW could chime in here as the work is less than a year old).

My two alternatives: 1. Have a new gearbox installed (I believe part # 100106 = $$$$) or have an entirely new transmission installed (expen$ive).

I am not saying this will be your case, but I am saying I had DMC's digital governor and plenty of fluid, and the symptoms were similar - not identical to yours - but similar. I opted for them to install a new gearbox rather than an entirely new transmission.

And I will say that DMCMW's work was extensive, beautiful, and held to the highest standards. Been a wonderful trouble-free year so far. The work came out to about a round estimate of $4000.

I am not saying, by any means, this will be your path. I am just telling you my story and what it could mean. Hopefully, yours will be low fluid.

[Farrar]

Is the vacuum connection to the transmission good? It sounds like you have more than one problem, but hard shifting can also be caused by a lack of vacuum to the trans.

FWIW, I also have Jeff Angwin's shift computer and it works beautifully.

[Ron]

I agree with David on the GC not causing it to bang from a stand still.

Clean the filter out and then check the line pressure.

[howlingwind13]

Well, I check the fluid again today and nothing on the stick...but no leaks. But it was good the other day which I will attribute to fluid still in the tube getting on the stick. So I added 1 and half qts. Took it out and it ran and drove like a brand new car! I will check it again tomorrow. But having owned this car for over 10 years this was the best ride I have had in it.
Drove, accelerated and shifted beautifully...feel like a fool having just be a fluid issue, but with the way my luck and this car has gone in the past, I sounded the alarm a bit early. Guys I might actually be a delorean driver now and not just a garage kept owner.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in I appreciate it. Sorry my first post had to be a cry for help, but again appreciate it.
I will monitor the trans fluid, but it looks like we might be good here!:thumbup2:
mike

[Farrar]

Maybe it just wasn't hot enough the other time you checked the fluid? Anyway, glad to hear it's all better now! Happy motoring! :)

[DMCMW Dave]

Now check the fluid level and color in the differential.

[howlingwind13]

Now check the fluid level and color in the differential.

Will do! Thanks
mike

[David T]

Will do! Thanks
mike

My recommendation when you do any work on the auto trans is to go over ALL of the external On-Car adjustments. While you do that you are also looking over everything underneath. Check both fluid levels and regularly check the trans fluid till you know it's OK. When you check the level you should also be checking the fluid for smell and feel. If it smells burnt or feels gritty you should have the transmission power flushed. Make sure all of the wiring to the shift computer is secured and not near anything that could damage or burn it.
David Teitelbaum

[DeLorean03]

I see a lot of people state to "check the line pressure" - do we have a write up for this? What specialized tools/gauges do we need, how do we do it, what are the stock ranges, where do we check, under what conditions, etc ?

Not trying to be an ass, but if someone suggests to me to do something, I would like to know the tools and the process first to be successful in my endeavor.

[DMCMW Dave]

Not to be a smartass back :hihi: but RTFM page G:05:03 "Transmission Fluid Pressure Adjustment". Figure 13. You need a generic oil pressure gauge with a 1.0M fitting on the end of it (about 1/4 NPT but metric).

[DeLorean03]

Not to be a smartass back :hihi: but RTFM page G:05:03 "Transmission Fluid Pressure Adjustment". Figure 13. You need a generic oil pressure gauge with a 1.0M fitting on the end of it (about 1/4 NPT but metric).

Thank you :).