Automatic Transmission Filter - newly made and previously very rare.
After over 30 years the automatic transmission in the DeLorean sports car now has a filter replacement available. After almost a year in development, a small run of these have been reproduced using the dimensions from the original factory filter. They have been tested and driven to ensure perfect performance. The filtration element used is less dense in comparison to the original unit, which results in improved throttle response as the clutches are less starved at idle while in gear.
Due to the low demand for these filters a limited number have been produced. According to the factory owners manual, the filter should be replaced after the first 1,000 miles, then every 15,000 miles. Even DeLoreans that are considered low mileage are now seeing 5 digits on the odometer.
History:
In 1982 when DMC fell into receivership, Renault's last production of these filters had the filter mesh and reinforcement plate reversed, which allowed the fine metal screen to be sucked up into the valve body. Once this error was realized, DMC was now defunct and no more filters were produced. Aside from a few obscure Renaults in the late 70's, and a few Zimmer motor homes of the same period, the Delorean was the ONLY car that used this filter. There were still pockets of NOS available until the late 90's, but now they are unobtainable. Most of the Renaults of the day were manual transmission so demand was low even during production. There were only a few options avaliable to owners who wished to keep their auto box healthy.
The first was to carefully grind and cut the original filter apart and clean it as good as possible. Using a very small copper tube sliced in half longways (easier said than done) the filter was reassembled and crimped together with the split tube and secured. This was a lengthy process and the cleaning was not considered adequate due to the filter mesh properties.
The second was to just run without a filter altogether! If you have ever done a service on these cars, you know how much material the filter and the magnet catches. Metal shavings and debris caught on the filter screen and magnet are normal but running that material through the gears and clutch packs is certainly not! The thinking was this is the lesser of two evils. It would be better to run dirty fluid than to have the filter clog up from never being changed and starve the transmission completely. Neither option is acceptable when it comes to keeping a DeLorean roadworthy long-term. Most people who have gone this route in the past have since sold their cars to unsuspecting buyers. Chances are your transmission is missing it's filter.
Each filter kit sold includes one 103703 O.E. cork mounting gasket, one 103051 ceramic magnet for the filter and one modern silver N35 neodymium magnet to put in the pan.
