PiP,

It sounds like you are already on the path to taking care of the transmission. It's a good thing they are helping you with this because I fix A/T's by trading them for something with a manual. I'm a manual transmission fanatic, and the disease has been passed to both my kids.

It definitely sounds like your vacuum leak is either one of the passenger door diaphragms or the gas tank door diaphragm. It will be easy to troubleshoot with the Mighty Vac. It would be worth the money for a Haynes manual for this car. It is one of the best Haynes manuals they ever did and it has a vacuum diagram.

I have a very good troubleshooting article that I can fax to you if you can send me a fax number. It was published in an IMPCO newsletter about ten years ago. They were an MB parts supplier in Houston that was sold to Performance Products, now in California. I'm sure you will find this article VERY helpful with the climate control system.

Good luck,