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  #1  
Old 10-27-2019, 07:11 PM
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Transmission Leak Repair Questions

My 87 300TD tranny leaks a little. It has for years. So I add fluid. The car and tranny run just fine. I've been changing the tranny filter/seal kit per MB schedule.

Is there some approved elixir that swells the old seals to choke off a slow leak? I understand that a tranny removal per book takes about 6 shop hours. And at that point what else should I consider (tranny issues besides leak: it doesn't hold park, and it requires shifting into Park to engage Reverse. It has a 1+ second lag response time to engage). None of these cause me pain.

Besides the seal, anything else that should get rebuilt while it's out? Or find a donor to swap in (donor cost plus 6 hours). So any insights into how to approach an old MB tranny leak repair?

Last night the odo passed 391k and the Engine Coolant Warning Light light was flickering and on - as it has been doing - even though the engine doesn't have a coolant or Temp issue. Does Coolant Warning Light have to do with the tranny, too?


Last edited by johnscars; 10-27-2019 at 07:50 PM.
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Old 10-27-2019, 08:11 PM
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Mine has been leaking since 2007. Back then some were recommending Lucas Transmission Fix which is about $13 a quart out here. The claim is it stops leaks, hard shifts, controls overheating and renews worn fluid (I am reading this off of a sticker on the bottle). There is more on the actual bottle.

It never stopped the leak on mine but it significantly reduced it did help with some shift issues also but nothing spectacular.

Subjectively it reminds me of STP but pink. Perhaps all it really does is make the Transmission fluid thicker which of course would make it leak less.

Since I can do that myself at some point I should pull the transmission and replace the seals.
However, I replaced as seal on a chevy gasser and that worked for about 6 months and it started leaking again. I was looking for a reason why the new seal was not working and I pulled the transmission I also pulled off the front pump and I found that the front bushing was loose. So the reason the seal was leaking was likely the bushing not supporting the shaft and too much pressure was getting to it.

The more I took apart on it the more I found worn out. I ended up rebuilding it myself but there is a lot of information on the transmission used in a chevy astro van compared to the ZF transmission.
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Old 10-27-2019, 08:38 PM
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Yeah, at mega miles I figure there's got to be more wear throughout.

And with the Lucas did you do a quart fix - so I'd remove a quart first. Or does it want full strength (6+ quarts)?

I think the tranny has a long internal dip stick holder that goes all the way to the sump. So a topsider could vacuum out the fluid. Do you know if that's so? I'm looking hard at getting a Topsider for family's oil changes, and this could push me over.

I'd also like to know what you'd rebuild or replace when "rebuilding" yours.

Last edited by johnscars; 10-30-2019 at 11:49 PM.
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Old 10-27-2019, 11:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnscars View Post
Yeah, at mega miles I figure there's got to be more wear throughout.

And with the Lucas did you do a quart fix - so I'd remove a quart first. Or does it want full strength (6+ quarts)?

I think the tranny has a long internal dip stick holder that goes all the way to the sump. So a topsider could vacuum out the fluid. Do you know if that's so? I'm looking hard at getting a Topsider for family's oil changes, and this push me over.

I'd also like to know what you'd rebuild or replace when "rebuilding" yours.
In my case the lucas reduced the leak and helped with some of the shift issues.
You said it leaks and I think you likely know when it is a quart low. I waited till mine was a quart low and that is when I added the Lucas.

I can only help on the rebuilding issue if you are rebuilding a chevy astro van transmission. Note only by inspection did I find out what was wrong with my Chevy transmission.

There is some threads on it but around 2010 I stopped reading the transmission rebuild threads. So I don't know what is available.
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Old 10-28-2019, 12:23 AM
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Lucas isn't used full strength, add one to two bottles.

Topsider for oil changes...one of the best tools I've purchased buy one ASAP. I bought the Mityvac 8 quart version that works stand alone without an air compressor.

Good luck!!!
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Old 10-31-2019, 12:38 AM
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Thanks, I'll pick up a quart soon. And I'll clean off the parking spot under the car.

Yesterday I found an old tranny I'd forgotten about. I'd swapped it out of my first '87 TD when it died at 175k back in '08. IIRC it just stopped transmitting on the freeway at speed. And every gear became Neutral. I kept it in case I ever needed a rebuild. But at about $2k - here's hoping the Lucas helps it keep going like the energizer bunny.

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