I,m having transmission issues as well on my 1987 300D. This morning leaving home and climbing a hill I heard a clunk and the car would not pull so I coasted to a safe place to park. The car will not engage in Reverse nor any forward gear. When trying to place it in Park I hear a grinding noise and it appears the car is really not engage into Park so I chalked it with blocks to keep it from rolling. I hearing it could be flex discs... Any suggestions are helpful.

Ok, at least is creeps, so that rules out the Torque Converter for now. You also have sufficient oil pressure at idle also. This does not rule out seals though. It also does not rule out worn clutch packs.

Did you see how much gunk was atthe bottom of the pan when you changed the tranny fluid and filter? Also what color was the tranny fluid before you changed it? Was it brown? Did it smell burnt?

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

Have you looked under the car yet? Flex disks can be an issue, but they will not keep you putting the car in Park, but if a flex disk gave out, Park will not hold the car anyway. You will need to use the emergency brakes.

Do you hear the grinding noise only when the engine is running?

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

What all is involved in replacing these?

There didn't really seem to be a whole lot..it was actually quite clean.

Yes, and unfortunately....yes.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

I see the miles listed on your car. Was it the original transmission? Was is ever rebuilt? If it is the original and has never been rebuilt, is may be a good idea to bite the bullet and get it rebuilt, or swap out with one one on the bench.

To replace seals and clutch packs, the tranny has to be removed.

Brown and burned fluid is not a good thing. Was it having problems before you changed the fluid?

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

The transmission was rebuilt at one point in time, but not sure how long ago. It started slipping heavily one day, and I barely made it home (in hindsight, should have towed it). That's why I changed the fluid.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

I had an old Pontiac Bonneville convertable that did the same thing. I was able to drive it by manually shifting from 1-2-D. It quit after about a week and slipped like crazy. The slipping just managed to wipe of all the paper/metal particles on the clutches, making them just smooth slippery steel.

I had to then have it towed and the tranny rebuild, since the shop did not have a TH400 on the bench. Good thing too, since all the numbers matched on the car.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

CHECK YOUR AXLES This is what my 84 was doing to the PO. I Looked under and all 6 bolts on the flex disk were backed all the way out. I got a cookie that says this is all it is

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81 Mercedes 300SD 289k.......SOLD
82 Mercedes 300CD 252k......slow ride

82 mercedes 300 SD...mi Unknown
83 Mercedes 300D ????ksniff..gone too
84 Mercedes 300D 148k........SOLD
85 Mercedes 300TD 386k and holding some one elses project

Okay, treat me like I'm two - what am I looking for with this flex disk, where is it located, what should be happening or what should I be seeing.

Thanks.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

There are two flex disks under the car. One that hooks the driveshaft to the tranny and the other connects the driveshaft to the differential

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

Gotcha...I'm teaching tonight, but I'll try to check those out.

Would those account for the burnt fluid?

__________________
79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

Okay, I finally got a chance to check out the drive shaft. Tach isn't working, but I figure the rpms have to raise at least 1000 before it starts turning. Looks like flex disks to me, or would it not turn at all if it was those?

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

Flex discs arent going to cause a slipping. It would behave like a broken U joint. How cold is it up there? Really cold weather will cause hard seals shrink and bypass fluid causing a slip condition. If you can leave it in a heated garage overnight and then test drive.

Hooped. I love that word!

Awww crap. So if the flex disk goes, you're saying it goes completely?

Not cold at all right now...above freezing for the past three days.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

from what i hear if the flex disks go the underside of your car and the drive shaft tunnel go but your tranny will still be the same.

i am currently having my tranny rebuilt. it is costing me about 2K but it is warranteed (sp?) and i think it is worth it.

__________________
-Trevor

OBK #12
1980 300SD 333,XXX miles - Totaled
1986 Mazda RX-7 212,XXX miles - impounded and auctioned off
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited 33,000- SEGR, Provent, Fumoto