Did my mechanic just say that?

[Abadjay]

I was picking up the 300CD Turbo at my uncle's shop the other day when I asked him a question regarding the leaks on my 300SDL. When I came to the topic of the Transmission leak, he said it was normal. He told me that it tends to drip when not in use. Of course there's no maxipad for a car and it leaks red fluid everywhere at a slow rate.

The transmission shifts hard at the beginning of the day, but give it time to warm up and it's smooth and correctly timed (shifting at the proper intervals).

Is there anywhere on the car that I could check to see if there is a screw loose? In other words, something that I can fix easily?

Also, do the 300SDLs come with a topographical control? Meaning if you're rolling down a hill with no foot on the accelerator, you won't shift?

[superbeast1098]

If the transmission is the same as the one in the 300SD, then I would say that a leak in your transmission is NOT normal. I know that the transmissions on the 300SD's are tempermental. The one in my brothers 82 300SD tends to flare and shift kind of hard until it warms up.


Usually it would get worse until he had the fluid and filter changed. Then it would shift normally. But have the leak checked out.....

[Jeremy5848]

Transmissions do not "normally" leak.

[BodhiBenz1987]

I'm not the resident expert, but I would say that is not normal. It might not be disastrous or urgent (maybe your mechanic meant it was common, not normal), but it suggests worn seals, which generally don't heal themselves. Obviously if you're leaking any fluid you need to be vigilant of the the fluid level and not let it get low. My 300D leaked tranny fluid for a while and I just kept track of it ... but after a while I just had my indy do the seals and it hasn't leaked a drop since (knock on wood).

Hard shifts can be a number of things, but the first thing I would do would be make sure you have the right level of ATF, if you haven't done that already.

[pawoSD]

Leaking is 100% not normal. Its caused by worn or dried out seals. My trans leaked pretty bad when I got my car, had the trans re-sealed....and its been 65k with not so much as a drop leaking.

When adjusted properly the 300SD/SDL transmissions shift quite beautifully. Mine does.

[Oracle12345]

Originally Posted by Abadjay

I was picking up the 300CD Turbo at my uncle's shop the other day when I asked him a question regarding the leaks on my 300SDL. When I came to the topic of the Transmission leak, he said it was normal. He told me that it tends to drip when not in use. Of course there's no maxipad for a car and it leaks red fluid everywhere at a slow rate.

The transmission shifts hard at the beginning of the day, but give it time to warm up and it's smooth and correctly timed (shifting at the proper intervals).

Is there anywhere on the car that I could check to see if there is a screw loose? In other words, something that I can fix easily?

Also, do the 300SDLs come with a topographical control? Meaning if you're rolling down a hill with no foot on the accelerator, you won't shift?

An automatic tranny will leak if sitting for some time since the atf is just sitting in the pan and needs to go somewhere. As for the second that is correct

my 77 300D tranny is leaking some atf since it has been in my shop for about 5 months and not been running.

[pawoSD]

My dad's 300SD sits for months at a time in the garage not running during the winter and never leaks a drop. A trans should never leak.

[Oracle12345]

Originally Posted by pawoSD

My dad's 300SD sits for months at a time in the garage not running during the winter and never leaks a drop. A trans should never leak.

you havent been around many cars or worked on many, if you were then you would know its normal.. A small leak is normal is but not a large leak. Ive been accepted into mercedes and vw tech training programs so I think I know what Im talking about.

[Abadjay]

In my particular case, he told me it wasn't urgently necessary. He told me that the seals are replaceable, but at an expensive cost. There was also something he said about the ATF being better on the lower side than on the higher side. He also did tell me if I didn't drive it for a while, the ATF would leak. However, it's been my daily driver for quite a while and it still leaks.

When you fellow members refer to seals in the tranny, do you mean the seal around the pan?

I was thinking about doing the ATF change along with a new filter (Hope this solves it although I feel that it won't).

[pawoSD]

Originally Posted by Oracle12345

you havent been around many cars or worked on many. A small leak is normal is but not a large leak.

My family has 7 cars total......only two of them (minivan and 300D) leak a few drops here and there of trans fluid. The others leak nothing, as in, the pan is dry and dusty. Even my uncle's 130,000 mile 13 year old cavalier leaks nothing at all, not a drop.

Maybe you just have leaky cars!

[Oracle12345]

Originally Posted by pawoSD

My family has 7 cars total......only two of them (minivan and 300D) leak a few drops here and there of trans fluid. The others leak nothing, as in, the pan is dry and dusty. Even my uncle's 130,000 mile 13 year old cavalier leaks nothing at all, not a drop.

Maybe you just have leaky cars!

Ask anyone who works on cars for a living,you will get a different answer

[Abadjay]

Here's another thing. I also brought this to my Uncle months ago. He tightened a screw on the SDL and it stopped leaking for a while.

[pawoSD]

Originally Posted by Oracle12345

Ask anyone who works on cars for a living,you will get a different answer

Ok ok, fine....I understand that a typical car will leak a few drops here and there, and that it is not cause for concern.

[Doktor Bert]

My 300SD sat in the shop from April 21, 2006, until this weekend and leaked not a single drop...but, I rebuilt the 722 transmission myself.

Only leak I have had was stopped by 'snugging' the pan up with a nutdriver by hand. I also have no leak from the rope rear seal. I worked on these things for a living and in my professional opinion, they shouldn't leak at all if sealed properly...Robert

[compress ignite]

SOMETHING needs replacing!

A Properly assembled and serviced Mercedes transmission will have ALL the
ATF Evaporate from the tranny vent, BEFORE it will leak.
(AND you're talking Centuries there)