My Sad 240D Story

[elcaBob]

The continuing adventures of Lorelai the Benz:


Walter (the mechanic) finally got all the parts in to replace my engine mounts. Great. I had a 7:30a Monday appointment to drop her off.


Saturday, I decided to go ahead and change the transmission fluid/filter as there has been shifting problems. So, I got all my parts, jacked up the car and started working. I spun the torque converter to get the drain plug facing down and got it drained. Then, I drained the transmission pan and removed it. I took the pan in the house and cleaned it up really well. I came back out, put the pan back on, the drain plug, everything... then I saw the new transmission filter lying beside the car...


I took it all apart, swapped the filters and started to put it back together. I reached for a bolt I'd dropped and.... spilled ALL the fluid I'd just drained. Now, I'm lying there.... completely drenched in nearly two gallons of old, burnt transmission fluid. I tell five year-old to have her mother go to the store and buy LOTS of cat litter. Surprisingly, she did with only a little attitude; mumbling something about what I'd done to her driveway.


So, I go ahead and finish putting it back together. This was not easy at this point as even old transmission fluid is SLICK. I get done (including removing my soaked shirt and getting a towel for the seat) and roll the car off the jacks and into the street. I crank it and... there was NO transmission activity at all. None. I rolled her to the side of the road and got out. There was transmission fluid everywhere.... everywhere. Nice, new, expensive transmission fluid. So, I go in the house, tell wife to call Geico and have it towed. I get my extremely messy self into a shower.


Meanwhile, my next door neighbor (retired cop) believes that the tranny fluid is going to run into the storm drain, so he's talking about calling the fire department. So, I'm off to the store to get MORE cat litter. I get THAT cleaned up and the tow truck arrives.


Now, when Geico was called, they were asked to take care of a 77 Mercedes-Benz. When the driver arrived, he had orders to tow a 77 Mercury. Yup, you guessed, the Geico rep typed 77 Merc. So, after talking to Geico people and, eventually having the tow truck driver talk to Geico people (and having him confirm with Mama tow truck dispatcher), he was able to take the car to Walter.


Now. on Monday morning, I have to face Walter and tell him what I did. You see, Walter came to the U.S. from Germany in the 50's specifically to work on Volkswagens. He quickly branched out and now knows EVERYTHING in the world about old Benz cars. So, I explain what I'd done and he shook his head and said.. "$50 dollar fix becomes very big problem. Give me the key. I'll call you".


So now I wait. I don't wait well.