News from Mechanic: 190D transmission totally shot
 

So I did receive that news today, which is sorta disappointing but at the same time good because he didn't have to take it off the car and take it apart to figure it out, saving me money for labor costs. He is going to remove it from the car and take it to a Mercedes certified rebuild place and see how much they will give him for it then perhaps buy a rebuild from them (as you guys said, probably over $2000). My other options are to buy an automatic transmission from a forum member that's about 2-2 1/2 hours away for $250, supposedly has 100K on it and was taken out for a manual conversion, or I can do a manual conversion, with parts ranging from $1000 to $1500 from what I could tell.

Better ask him to be more specific. Many have condemned the trans when it was something accessible while installed.

X2
Trans places make money rebuilding transmissions, not fixing them.

It was my dad that took the call so I don't have much info but I can talk to the mechanic about it someday if I can get over there. I trust my mechanic but with this much money on the line and me not having much in the first place, probably a good idea to ask him about it.

Be glad
 

it ain't one like this. MB 8 speed automatic.

Talking to the mechanic that was pulling it out (along with the engine) the rebuild cost was $16k. This application was in a big crane that you can drive over the road.

It is no consolation to the OP.

I was reading the other post that you knew the tranny had problem when you pulled the trigger to buy the car. You HAD to assume the worst and factored in $2.5K for a replacement unit. You best bet is to get a replacement unless you are going to wrench it yourself. No cheap MBZ comes cheap.

Good luck.

Ouch. Well I would assume industrial equipment might be costly to maintain.
Thanks. I do have the money if it requires me to spend $2500 to replace it but I am of course going to look at my options before making a decision, especially if I only have to fork over $800 instead of $2500. I might start looking into wrenching it myself as I do have this resource and friends to help, along with my mechanic wanting to train me a bit. I shall learn more in the coming days about what my mechanic thinks we should do and will discuss options.

If you want to do a manual conversion, best to look for another 190 with a blown motor or an accident. But get one thats a diesel if you can. The gas 190 tranny gear ratios arent matched right, and neither is the diff, and you cant use your auto diff, its geared to high. With another car alongside to take apart, youll easily know what to do on your own.

Best to replace the slave and master as well as the clutch, and maybe flex discs too if they look at all aged.

if you feel like driving to Charlotte, you can have the trans in my 93 300D for $50, it's high mileage, but it was driving when the timing chain blew...

Not sure what diff comes in a 190D auto '87 2.5L n/a, but I've got a 190D '85 2.2L n/a that I'm looking (over 1 year now) for a manual. The auto diff that's in the '85 is geared really low such that 70 mph is spinning just over 3500 rpm's. My understanding is the gaser 5-speed has an OD of 0.87 which would drop my 2.2L to about 3050 rpm's at 70 mph with the ex diesel auto diff. I believe that will prove to be nicely geared for my needs. The 2.2 is reasonably robust once it gets above 2200 rpms or there about. Going from memory, gears 1 to 4 in the gaser 5-speed are pretty close to gears 1 to 4 of the auto tranny so the overdrive is the main concern. The gaser diff ratio from a 2.3 liter 8V is 3.23 and I believe spins at around 2600 rpm’s at 70 mph. This might be too low for a n/a 2.5 making 5th gear only useable on flat ground. I suspect the 2.5 diesel auto diff is higher than 3.23 but I’ve never run across a list of the different differential ratios offered in the W201 models.

Since your car is not running, you don't have the opportunity to get some real time experience with how your particular car revs at highway speeds to gain confidence that the overdrive gear of a gaser will be appropriate for your differential. Some internet research to assemble the different gear ratios of the diesel and gasser auto and manual differentials along with the gearing of the different transmission would most likely allow you to pick the proper option without driving your car....plus I'd like to see such list myself

Good luck!

Symptoms?

Why is it dead?

Well I went to the mechanic today and had some good news and some bad news.
Lets start with the good. He thinks the engine is very strong and the shape of the car is excellent.
Now for the longer list of the bad, most of which was expected.
There is some rust at one of the jack points. Not much and nothing major but it's there. For now we aren't going to do much for it except treat it with a rust removing product.
All fluids and filters need to be replaced.
Brake calipers look good but rotors have rusted and need to be replaced.
Valve Cover seal is leaking, doesn't have to be addressed but he thinks it should. I didn't notice this leak at all when I first looked at the car (can really only see it from the bottom) but it looks pretty bad.
Transmission. He said he could only get it into reverse, and couldn't shift it forward. The torque converter was brand new so it will be salvaged. This is where I have two options. I can either buy a remanufactured transmission with pretty much everything but the housing being brand new, done by a Mercedes certified rebuild place for $2200 (ouch) or buy one of the ones I have been offered for here. My mechanic said he would be wiling to install a used one but believed it wasn't the best idea.
vstech, how many miles are we talking?

Anyway I expected a high bill but not this high. For parts and labor, for all the work needing to be done, he quoted $4050. I feel his labor charges and the parts costs were fair but I can't afford getting a rebuilt transmission. Well this goes to prove the point that there is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes :D.
This does make me question whether or not I should put the money into the car or resell it for parts but I think I will attempt to go ahead with the repair using a used transmission.
Thanks for you guys help though.

"Transmission. He said he could only get it into reverse, and couldn't shift it forward. The torque converter was brand new so it will be salvaged."

Isn't this a symptom for a B2 piston? This is what happened to my transmission until I replaced the B2.

I'll tell him to check it out.

I would be checking the salvage yards pricing for an MB transmission. Or have vstech strap that $50 trans. to a pallet and have it shipped freight collect.

I would not pour another $4,500 in a 26 year old, rusting MB with 311K miles on it. Once I saw the rust, (the kind you described) the relationship would be over. BTDT.

The car in question isn't worth $2,500, IMO, much less $4,500 with rust.