[quote=Dhood;7138423]
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinkering
1993 TransSport 3.8L
These door mechanisms are a poor quality design....
I totally agree and would go so far to say that the whole car is a poor execution of a great design. I love the design and engineering, just wished they had fabbed better parts.
I took my 1994 latch out and welded the hole and redrilled, its really soft metal, then welded a washer onto the push rod to more evenly distribute the force. Did that 10 years ago and its still working, albeit, it's not working like a Swiss watch.
I'm started going over the whole car again trying to restore, and almost there but then trans started slipping today.....might just transfer the title to someone with a little more energy.
|
I like your description, "...a poor execution of a great design." They were a great vehicle in many ways though. They leave a lot of room for guys to execute our reverse engineering talent.
I tried washers down in there to try to extend the travel of the rod but wasn't getting any success so I reverted to my flintstone logic and bypassed all of that junk. It sounds like you nailed it. The dealer wanted $500.00 for two door mechanisms! LOL
LOL... not! Over the years I have developed an attraction to the 'functionally fashionable' (my phrase). When the bicycle cable breaks, I will tie a new one in there, VOILA.
We had the tranny rebuilt maybe 10 years ago. I always wondered if it would last because of that incessant pump whine, just like it did before the rebuild. It has hung in there though, except for a couple of lousy slamming shifts after coming down from a high speed kickdown pass on the highway. I have a new modulator valve to put on there; that might be the problem, and it's easy to change.
If the rest of your TS is in good working order, maybe it is still feasible to find a reasonable tranny rebuild job, and keep it available to drive; consider how much some folks spend
per month on leased vehicles.
I know exactly what you mean by transferring the title to someone with more energy; my son has voiced that he might like to take over. The trouble is at the moment the van has laid down for a rest. While I am away it developed a lifter clack that apparently got fairly loud. Maybe it just needs some extra attention; I was letting the routine maintenance slide. I will see how loud after I replace the starter which let them down but fortunately right in front of the house! There are other things to look over too before I evaluate if it is worth keeping it around anymore. I have so many other vehicles and other jobs beckoning my future attention. If it goes I will miss it. That fiberglass body is bulletproof. Who can complain with 400,000 km on that 3.8L; what a good motor they designed there. Too bad they stopped building them; maybe the quality was getting in the way of sales quantity.
I still want to get it back on it's feet even if it is to pass it on to someone else. I don't want to sell that thing but then again sometimes you have to face logistics. I came across a phrase the other day, that I got chuckle out of, "You can't polish a turd."
Thanks for the reply. Post your developments on the old girl; tranny/no tranny. It would be interesting to start a thread solely to discuss the subject of when it is time to let the old TransSport girl go (or not).
......
......
