I bought a 91 300D 2.5 Turbo in September. Beautiful car, but clunked badly when shifting. Spent $1300 at an independent shop to get engine and transmission mounts, and differential bushings replaced, and got work done on transmission vacuum controls. Still clunked a little.

Two days ago the tranny suddenly started slipping in first gear. Took it back to the shop. They say it needs a new transmission, and they found oil in the coolant. They think it is coming from the transmission oil cooler.

Is this a reasonable theory? It seems more likely to me to be from a bad head gasket or cracked head. Engine oil looked fine last time I changed it. There is no sign of coolant in the tranny oil.

The shop wants $4600 to install a rebuilt tranny and new radiator. I can't afford that, so I think I'll have to park it until it stops raining out here and install a rebuilt or used one myself. I really hope I don't need a new head also...

Thanks for any info..

Max Behensky

82 240D (slow but steady)
91 300D 2.5 Turbo (beautiful, fast, and nothing but trouble)