It's the 4-speed. Nothing actually wrong with it except the league, but I guess it just makes sense to go ahead and do a rebuild while it's out of the car, considering it's age
'93 Shadow engine work
- Thread starter WylieCoyote
- Start date
Update: they put in a master rebuild kit and a new torque converter in the transmission. This includes pump seal and gasket. It's going back, this time on their dime. Converting to manual is looking more and more attractive. 
Unfortunately fixing it will still be cheaper than a new car
Heard from the shop today. The new trans pump seal is defective. Should be ready by Thursday.
Got the car back on Friday. This time he drove it for two days before giving it back, so he could catch it if it leaked again. Unbelievably, this latest leak was a combination of a bad fluid pump seal and a cracked, brand new torque converter. I've run some errands over the weekend and I'm happy to say she's dry.
Two things that were a little concerning about this major repair, that thankfully I was able to correct myself:
I was in the process of changing idlers and the tensioner when I took it in for all of these leak repairs. When I got it back the first time (the timing belt job was complete), when I went to change out the final idler, the bolt wasn't even finger tight, and without belt pressure, you could wobble it with your fingers. I went ahead and swapped in the new idler, and all is well with that.
Before I took the car back to him still leaking, I also asked him to look for a new "thumping" noise that seemed to be louder when cold. It was still thumping as of this morning, so I started looking around for it myself. It seemed to be coming from inside the timing cover. I pushed inward on the timing cover and it struck the pulley with a loud SCRAPE. When I released it, it resumed thumping. So I backed the bolts out, and bent two attachments points outward by a couple of millimeters, and reattached. Thumping gone. The timing cover was rubbing on a single spot on the cam pulley. It appears the timing cover was reattached with a little too much vigor.
Hopefully this is the end of the major stuff for now. Every seal and gasket has been replaced on the engine, and the transmission has had a master rebuild. Next up: it has an appointment at the body shop on June 14th to get the hood, front bumper, and right front fender de-single-staged from a fender bender that was fixed on a budget years ago. Can't wait til she's done!
Ahhh.... Dry.
Two things that were a little concerning about this major repair, that thankfully I was able to correct myself:
I was in the process of changing idlers and the tensioner when I took it in for all of these leak repairs. When I got it back the first time (the timing belt job was complete), when I went to change out the final idler, the bolt wasn't even finger tight, and without belt pressure, you could wobble it with your fingers. I went ahead and swapped in the new idler, and all is well with that.
Before I took the car back to him still leaking, I also asked him to look for a new "thumping" noise that seemed to be louder when cold. It was still thumping as of this morning, so I started looking around for it myself. It seemed to be coming from inside the timing cover. I pushed inward on the timing cover and it struck the pulley with a loud SCRAPE. When I released it, it resumed thumping. So I backed the bolts out, and bent two attachments points outward by a couple of millimeters, and reattached. Thumping gone. The timing cover was rubbing on a single spot on the cam pulley. It appears the timing cover was reattached with a little too much vigor.
Hopefully this is the end of the major stuff for now. Every seal and gasket has been replaced on the engine, and the transmission has had a master rebuild. Next up: it has an appointment at the body shop on June 14th to get the hood, front bumper, and right front fender de-single-staged from a fender bender that was fixed on a budget years ago. Can't wait til she's done!
Ahhh.... Dry.
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Update: Back in the shop for an engine oil leak.
When it rains it pours
I'm sorry I helped you diag the transmission, you would've moved it along and not had to suffer
This car doesn't understand pay it forward
It's actually fine, any leaks for the next year is on their dime. It's been leaking on their driveway from a week, so I'm okay with that.When it rains it pours
I'm sorry I helped you diag the transmission, you would've moved it along and not had to suffer
This car doesn't understand pay it forward
Still in the shop. Says their workflow is really slow because it's so hot. I guess that means there's no AC in their garage. Finally asked the question yesterday if there is a status. Says he's determined it's a fuel leak vs. an oil leak and is looking into it. I've almost gotten used to life without it.
Update: Says it's 2 fuel injectors. This is new territory for me since I've never seen them leak externally. I've seen them cause starting issues leaking inside the intake manifold, but never this. Replacing them all. Says the injectors could get there as early as Monday, installed by Tuesday.
it looks like the mechanic is really just doing what he's asked to without looking left or right /
Didn't smell a thing. My skepticism is building, but won't know if this is true or false until it does or does not drip on my driveway again.
So, its in the shop for another engine leak that you couldn’t smell but you visually saw? they called back and said injectors leaking. I could see that being an issue from recent engine work, but what about the original leak? Details don’t make sense.
The original oil leaks were rear main, both head gaskets and transmission pump. Opted to get the timing set and water pump done along with this. Being that extensive of a repair, they pulled the engine. After I got it back from that repair, it was still leaking transmission fluid. Turned out the new torque converter had a crack, and the pump seal was defective. Got it back, and it was dry for a while but then developed a small drip off the front of the engine oil pan. Looked like oil to me, so didn't dig, as any oil leak repairs going forward were on their dime. It is strange to me that it turns out to be fuel, but I can't rule out that it's picking up filth and oil on its way down. The engine is going to get a thorough degreasing and washing when I get it back. If it's still leaks, there's really nothing else they can blame it on besides themselves. Not really upset about getting rid of those 30-year-old fuel injectors, I should have done them with the original teardown.
Update: Fuel injectors came in earlier this week, the story now is that one of them leaked, so they're ordering a replacement. Supposed to have arrived today, which I guess means I'll get my car back sometime next week, if I'm lucky. I've lost track of how long they've had it, until I looked back through my texts and realize that it's been at that shop since July 17th. When I get it back, if I get it back, they'll never see it again.
