When I first bought my wagon (87 TD) it had a serious transmission fluid leak which turned out to be the main seal that is on the inside of the bell housing (where the torque converter slips in). My mechanic replaced that seal and all has been dandy for the last 2 months or so.

Well the other day I park my car at work after driving 20 miles and I have a huge transmission fluid leak. Don't know how long it was leaking, but judging by how fluid was under my car, it probably wasn't leaking too long. Long enough to coat the entire underside of the car with ATF, including the tailgate/bumper.

So I get it towed to the shop (I don't have time or experience to be pulling the transmission on my daily driver) and the leak is coming from somewhere behind the seal I mentioned above. I told my mechanic how I'd been feeling this light vibration when taking off from a stop, around 10-15mph, but it would disappear after a second or two. I actually thought that my drive shaft was out-of-balance. That led him to think that the torque converter might be bad (out of balance), which would explain why I've torn through yet another trans. seal.

Anyone have experience with this type of stuff or advice for me? I'm a little concerned that my mechanic didn't catch this problem the first time, and am really dreading paying another big bill for practically the same problem. This shop is the only recommended shop in town, so I don't have much of a choice beyond taking it to the dealer, which I'd really like to avoid.

One other thing, when I mentioned the driveshaft possibly being out of balance I asked if they balance them and he said "no, they only replace them, nobody balances these driveshafts". Is that true?? Surprising if it is.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

My first guess is that the mechanic didn't properly torque the flex-plate bolts, it is possible that there is now seal and bearing damage.

Get a second opinion, the first mechanic might owe you a trans rebuild, be careful.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I'd hesitate to speculate without seeing the transmission pulled from the car and the state of the main front seal along with innards of TC fluid after a kerosene rinse. When your mechanic had it off the last time he should have done this and replaced the TC if there were any metal particles in there.

Given that, I second babymog's motion to get it checked out somewhere else if you don't trust the mechanic to fess up if he made a mistake.

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1982 300TD 210K miles ("The Replacement" aka "The Anvil") - SOLD
1979 300SD 245K miles (never ending project)
2007 Pinarello F3:13
1995 Ducati 916 (SOLD, sniff)
1999 Ducati 900SSie (SOLD)

So my trans is already pulled and sitting on a stand. The main seal (the one you can see when the TC is off) looks to be in good condition, my mechanic was suggesting that some inner seal blew out.

This shop is one of the only two recommended MB shops in Austin. The other one does not focus as much on diesels as this shop does. What am supposed to do, just ask for my tranny and take it to another shop while my wagon is still up in the lift at this shop?

Seems like I'm sorta SOL at this point in terms of choosing a new shop. Not to mention the fact that I don't know another shop I can trust.

Austin people, where do you go?

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

he did the radial seal but not the front pump seal when it was out??

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I'm in San Antonio, but my sister in Austin takes her Benz to a place called "Ben's" I think and has nothing but good things to say about them - they are near downtown on the west side somewhere.

John

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John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

I'm familiar with the shop, they had a piece of junk 87 300TD they were trying to sell a while a go and I went there to see it. When I was trying to figure out if it was a shop worth going to, I was talking to the guy who works the front (I think he is the owner's son) and he literally told me "we try to avoid working on those diesels".

That was enough for me to decide to never take my car there.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Just back from the shop, he has my transmission all apart and has found the source of the problem to be water in the trans fluid. Obviously the only place for water to get into the trans fluid is through the radiator (unless somebody poured water in my trans fill tube), so it looks like I need a new radiator.

The shop is being very helpful I feel he is being honest about not seeing this problem earlier when they were replacing seals. That being said, he's going to give me a huge break on repair costs/parts for this job due to the fact that he just had the trans out of the wagon less than 2 months ago.

Water in the transmission fluid, how many of you have seen that??

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

man, thats a tough break. goodluck.
i have seen only one case of tranmission fluid/water mixing, and it was from a cracked radiator as well. have the radiator pulled and take it to a shop that can clean/pressure check it.

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1980 300D