what can i say?
i'm not always so good to my cars
i have a 1985 MB300sd with 181K on it
lovely car
not so long ago i was driving from wisconsin to ohio in the middle of the night
it was late and i was tired and wanted very much to get home
my tranny started to slip
i kept driving
it got worse
still kept driving
about 100 miles
got so bad i was only going about 35-45 on the interstate
or less
got home
slept
checked in the morning and found that my fluid was very low
leaky trans oil pan gasket
replaced the oil and it seemed to be all good
2 weeks pass
it's started doing it again
reverse is fine
starts out fine
1-2 is good
2-3 lags
winds out really far unless i drop my foot off the gas pedal
then it shifts but has little power
3-4 same thing only worse
trans oil smells burnt
i know this is bad
a friend said to take the tranny off and just start looking for bad parts and replace them
it feels like the clutch plates are glazed except that it's an automatic
is it fixable by a competent amateur?
is it fried?
if it means a replacement i can do it if i can find a not stupid expensive rebuild
any ideas?
my thanks

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1985 MB 300SD
1982 MB 300SD
1977 Jawa 634 California w/ sidecar

The shifting sounds like modulator(s) problems. However and in view of the clutch plate situation, the fried plates (bands) could also be causing the same problem. I would guess they are toast.

Unless you have extensive working knowledge of MB auto trannies, I would not recommend attacking this particular problem yourself. If you ever need to come as far as Cincy for a good repair, I can recommend Precision Motorcars.

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Don't Chrome them; polish them

I think auto transmissions are "high dark magic". I have no idea how or even why they work. And I think that is true of most people. Good luck.

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Toblin

'79 300D, "Liesel von Diesel", 235K

I kid proofed the house....but they still get in

I have one, if only you lived closer.... I would just find a used one and swap it.

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside

when it was slipping you burned the clutches up - and if you have never been inside of one than get a junk yard unit and swap it out == jz

IF it's a 722.31X series, it's not all too complicated internally as far as automatics go and ...

IF you are competent and confident in your abilities, have a spotlessly clean area to work on it and can get the ATSG book on your trans, it can be done at home. I helped a friend rebuild a Chrysler 3 speed but we had all the manuals and parts at hand. It's still going but it's not a daily driver.

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1987 300D (230,000 mi on a #14 head-watching the temp gauge and keeping the ghost in the machine)
Raleigh NC - Home of deep fried sushi!

you could say your tranny bleed to death & then you tried to refill the dead corps with fresh blood. Much easier to just replace it with a good one. Its not worth the effort to try & rebuild one thats been run out of oil. Who knows what damage has been done. When you get another one, they may require the old one as a changeover. If not use it as a boat anchor.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

I am closer and I have one for you, if you want one. I'm not sure of it's operation, though. I drove the car, but only about 15 mph. It felt fine, but I'm not an auto guy, only one of our five cars is auto. PM me if you want it.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

Im 15 minutes west of Cleveland if you want a lead on a tranny, PM me. I know of a few.

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1981 300 SD 213k miles "Stock for now"
1999 Super Duty 7.3L 113k miles
1981 300 SD 180k miles "Heavily modified" SOLD

LOL! I have TWO spares - but you live just as far from me.

A good bone-yard unit is probably going to be your best bet for a reasonably priced repair...

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1984 300 Coupe TurboDiesel
Silver blue paint over navy blue interior
2nd owner & 2nd engine in an otherwise
99% original unmolested car
~210k miles on the clock

1986 Ford F250 4x4 Supercab
Charcoal & blue two tone paint over burgundy interior
Banks turbo, DRW, ZF-5 & SMF conversion
152k on the clock - actual mileage unknown

I've bought entire cars for the price of a used transmission. Maybe go that route, sell some other parts and get a free trans?

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79 MB 280 SEL Euro 133k
77 MB 450SL 154k
05 Mustang GT Vert (3) 104k
12 TSX Wagon Tech (66k) (192k)
06 Subaru Outback base (135k) 164k
16 Acura MDX (109k) 111k
18 Silverado 2500 LTZ Midnight (212) 56k
97 Ford Ranger 163k
11 RAV4 154k
01 Escape 173k
04 Honda Pilot 292k
1967 Mustang (Resto Project)
1968 Mustang (Parts Bin)
00 Ford Ranger 124k

actually that is what i would like to do
i need too many little things around the inside of the car
if have seen rebuilt trans for around $1400
that hurts
anyone near NE ohio have a parts car they wanna get off of?
i am exploring as many routes as possible

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1985 MB 300SD
1982 MB 300SD
1977 Jawa 634 California w/ sidecar

I know of a gent in Ithaca NY with a parts car with an automatic transmission. I'm not sure of the quality of it however

Best wishes to you my friend. I'll keep this in mind when I am driving and I start hearing a problem.

Edit: Are you in Ashtabula?

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

If you're game...

Drain the fluid, drop the pan, remove the filter and the valve body.

Have a very clean work area.

Take sharp pictures of everything from multiple angles before and after taking each section apart. Don't rely on your memory.

Slowly take apart the valve body -- taking pictures -- and clean everything. The key thing is to locate all the little ball bearings and other tiny parts and springs back into their proper places.

I hope that will get you moving again at least for a while. Worth a shot.

If you do a search on the site there are links to manuals with exploded views of the valve body. I found, though, that the diagrams did not exactly match how mine (300 sdl) was set up, hence the numerous photographs.

Take your time.

It's not in the valve body.....

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)