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  #1  
Old 10-28-2017, 01:34 AM
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Unhappy Now I Killed my Transmission?! (all the sadness)

ATF leaking from line... WHAT PART IS IT? 300D

I did not repair it quickly enough, and thought that as long as the ATF level was okay, a leak here was ok to drive with.

I had to pick my kids up from school and figured I'd limp home and repair it tomorrow. It never ran out of ATF. But now I see it lost too much pressure.

To be honest, I mistook the shift hesitation for a need to diesel purge. I went and bought LiquiMoly and was about to run that when it suddenly stopped shifting altogether. (I haven't driven it in 2 years, it sat there and I apparently forgot what is what.) Fixed the leak but still cant even get in reverse.

So I didn't replace the line fast enough, and now I have no car and need to replace my transmission?

This is a hobby, not just transportation. This is an education, and those are never cheap or easy. BUT DAMN. I just know when I get the quote for fixing this, I'm going to consider junking the car even though I just bought 4 new tires and did the motor mounts. I go through cars faster than I go through shoes. Third one this year.

BUT SERIOUSLY (pitiful rant ensues), how dare the car (or anything! or anyone!) have any limits!? When I was an (even more foolish) kid, I sometimes ran my 300TD without oil or ATF and hauled a house worth of concrete and bricks and moved 5 times with that beast, and it took 10 years of my abuse before that tranny slowly failed. I had no mercy on it and total confidence. I'd drive down to the beach, or into the middle of bad parts of the city at night alone, no fear. The 300D gets a tiny crack in a line that seems to have been made out of soft squishy thin tin, and thar she blows! I always believed this sedan was inferior, but I thought that was due to my irrational preference for wagons. AND WTH CAN'T I FIND A MANUAL TRANNY 300? Who decided to put whiplash-shifting automatics in these things? Let me shift it myself! I can shift like butter!!!

I decided the best word to end this on is: butter.

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  #2  
Old 10-31-2017, 10:38 PM
1983 300CD's Avatar
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I can answer the 300D manual transmission question. If you're in the U.S. there aren't any unless you find one that someone converted or find one that was imported. The only time I've heard of a "whiplash-shifting" automatic transmission was when it was out of spec.

It's a long shot but if a trade school that teaches automotive repair can use your car for teaching they might cover the labor. Some high schools even do it. The spin I'd put on it is the W123 chassis is the best selling Mercedes ever produced.
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  #3  
Old 10-31-2017, 10:50 PM
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Location: Wichita
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I had an alternator belt take out one of the trans cooler hoses, and I drove it home till it wouldn't move anymore. Put a new hose on and refilled the trans, still works great. Remember, if the pump can't pick up fluid because the level is too low, it cant move the car, so it kind of protects itself.
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  #4  
Old 11-01-2017, 08:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by resto108 View Post
Remember, if the pump can't pick up fluid because the level is too low, it cant move the car, so it kind of protects itself.
That sounds right to me.
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  #5  
Old 11-01-2017, 09:32 AM
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That is true to a point. The fluid does provide cooling and lubrication for the moving parts in addition to providing the mechanical force to actuate the bands and clutches that transmit the power.

Sudden total fluid loss, the transmission loses pressure and just shuts down, probably ok
Chronic low fluid level, accelerated wear due to lack of cooling and lubrication, maybe not
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both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

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  #6  
Old 11-01-2017, 10:10 AM
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Dump in some fluid and see wht happens.

I had the exact same thing happen with a ferd auto, it was just fine once refilled.
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  #7  
Old 11-01-2017, 12:47 PM
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Location: Toronto, Canada
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Maybe instead of JB welding and patching you should have properly fixed it. Running a 300TD without oil while towing?

Learn to treat the cars with respect and follow OEM stardards/repair and maybe your transmission wouldn't fail.
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  #8  
Old 11-01-2017, 02:54 PM
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Sell the car to someone with the good sense to take care of it. Got pics?
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  #9  
Old 11-01-2017, 06:57 PM
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Location: Knoxville, TN
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240D 4 speed bolts right up to an OM617, I've done it. linkages and driveshaft have to be shortened 4 inches.

I've also got a complete automatic with torque converter, flex plate and everything. no use for it at all, my wife wants it out of the garage, nobody around here seems to want it.
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1982 300D (w123, "Grey Car")
1982 300D (w123, "Blue Car")
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Previous Vehicles:
1995 E300D, 1980 300SD, 1992 Buick Century, 2005 Saturn Ion
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  #10  
Old 11-01-2017, 09:44 PM
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I can take care of it. $400 as is and I'll fix it and sell it back to you for $2k.
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  #11  
Old 11-02-2017, 11:23 PM
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where are you located??
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  #12  
Old 11-03-2017, 09:16 AM
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I have never heard of an auto tranny failing because of low fluid. Are M-B trannys that wimpy? Did you try adding more fluid? Don't judge by the stick since some transmissions can splash onto the stick when low to give a falsely high reading.
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  #13  
Old 11-03-2017, 04:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BillGrissom View Post
I have never heard of an auto tranny failing because of low fluid. Are M-B trannys that wimpy?
I wouldn't think so, the 2nd MB in my family my dad bought from a junkyard for $300. they said the previous owners drove it in from about 30 miles away and said the transmission felt funny.

by felt funny, they meant they had to drive around on with the engine on the governor to get it to move at all.

we put 2 quarts of fluid in, cycled through gears, put 2 more quarts in, cycled through gears, and i believe another 2 or 3 quarts, and it started moving quite well.

couldn't see any leaks, so we took off down the road.

The trans flared very badly during the drive home but cleared up after 50 miles or so.

My dad drove that car for years after that. Never needed another drop of atf, didn't leak at all. probably was just about dry for the entire trip to the yard and then to its parking spot in the yard.

Also to OP: Put your location (or at least vicinity like I have) in your profile, chances are there isn't much wrong with your trans and a forum member would gladly help you out for much less than any shop would charge.

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1982 300D (w123, "Grey Car")
1982 300D (w123, "Blue Car")
2001 Ford F150 "Clifford" (The Big Red Truck)
1997 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
1996 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
Previous Vehicles:
1995 E300D, 1980 300SD, 1992 Buick Century, 2005 Saturn Ion
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