Tranny Emergency - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

asti84 · #1 12-21-2002, 08:55 PM

NEED HELP FAST...I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GO OUT FOR SOME PARMESIAN CHEESE THE WIFEY IS MAKING SOME AWESOME SPAGETTI WHEN I BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE I NOTICED A POOL OF TRANNY FLUID. THIS AFTERNOON I CHECKED MY FLUID LEVEL AT 80 degrees WHILE AT IDLE, AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS LOW SO I ADDED SOME MORE ABOUT 3/4 QUART AND CHECKED THE LEVEL WHICH REGISTERED JUST OVER THE FIRST LINE ON THE STICK. WHAT CAUSED THIS KIND OF SEEPAGE. I SUSPECTED I HAD A TRANNY LEAK (ONLY WHEN IDLE IT IN THE MORNING, IT LEAVES A TINY POOL OF DROPS) DO I....

1) Have it towed to the mechanic ( so I won't damage the tranny)
2) Drive it around till it reaches the right temp and then check the level again?
3) What is the right level when it is cold ( which marks correspond to the dipstick)

THANKS I WILL NOT DRIVE HER TILL I HEAR FROM YOU GUYS...JUST TO BE SAFE...

'AND THE HITS KEEP ON COMING....
1984 300 DT- 266k

kweimer · #2 12-21-2002, 09:13 PM

Go ahead and drive it around and after it is hot, add ATF to top line---then check it for the next few days. Note if ATF drips from the transmission or either of the lines that connect to the radiator. If fittings at radiator and transmission are tight, you likely have a front seal going bad---if so, you will see ATF dripping from the slots under the transmission bellhousing. I'm not sure where level is when cold and idling---I check mine after I have been driving and fluid is hot. Top up the fluid and go on out and get that parmesian cheese for the wife.

P.E.Haiges · #3 12-22-2002, 01:06 AM

You won't hurt the transmission by driving it as long as it has enough fluid in it.

P E H

#4 12-22-2002, 01:53 AM

You won't hurt the transmission even if it does not have enough fluid in it, it just won't move, or it will slip badly. Bring a couple quarts of ATF just in case.

RG5384 · #5 12-22-2002, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by turbodiesel
You won't hurt the transmission even if it does not have enough fluid in it, it just won't move, or it will slip badly. Bring a couple quarts of ATF just in case.

I tend to disagree, a friend's LTD had it's radiator broken(and tranny fluid leaking out, long story) and we didn't realize it. Tried to move it for a few minutes and we finally figured out what had happened. Once the rad was replaced the tranny was burnt up and ruined. If the tranny has no fluid it will burn itself up, at least from what's happened in my experiances. I thought i remembered reading somewhere that the tranny clutch is made of paper?? if that's the case, i wouldn't want to try it w/out fluid. However, just being a little low shouldn't cause damage IMO.
Ryan

kweimer · #6 12-22-2002, 09:40 AM

You definately do not want to run your transmission if fluid is low enough to cause slipping or not pulling at all. Two clutch assemblys each have four clutch discs which are coated with a material very similar to the coating on a conventional clutch, except that this material is very thin---would not take long at all to wear this material down to bare metal if transmission is slipping. This is for the 722.1 four bolt pan transmission---but most all automatic transmissions are quite similar.

Wasuchi · #7 12-22-2002, 09:54 AM

Does it just leak when it's been sitting? Or do you have to start it up before you see any leak? If it leaks sitting overnight I would start suspecting the torque converter is about to give up.... leaking back into the pan and overfilling it. Hopefully you just have a leak in one of the lines somewhere. Good luck.

asti84 · #8 12-22-2002, 05:15 PM

Thanks guys for your input.. Last night I ran the car to get it to 80 degrees and checked the level and by divinr providence it was right on the first line of the dipstick. I did not add any more but I will check it again this afternoon. AND YES i did have a leak overnight(approx. 6 in. diameter pool of ATF)...first time to see it really...i put a pan under the tranny belly last night...hopefully its from the gasket from a bolt being overtight...when I had my last tranny change the tech mentioned the FRONT SEAL was leaking a bit...but input from this forum suggested that instead of just fixing the front seal just go ahead and get the whole tranny changed beacuse of the cost difference. I will continue to observe the leakage problem and see if I could still wing this problem on adding a bit of tranny oil every so often AND LOTS OF PRAYER POWER (that always works for me) Last night the tranny was acting fine normal ...no big slippages or stalls...
Again thanks and Merry Christmas to all!

1984 300DT -266k

kweimer · #9 12-22-2002, 06:28 PM

"......instead of just fixing the front seal just go ahead and get the whole tranny changed because of the cost difference." Cost difference? Depends on whether this is a DIY or shop job....if DIY, pulling the transmission is the hardest part---replacing the seal should take you all of 10 minutes---and the seal is a $3.00 part.
I would think there would be a significant price difference between changing a front seal and changing the whole tranny even if done by a shop.

190D22 · #10 12-22-2002, 08:44 PM

I don't think you have any seal leaks. I did the exact same thing you did, checked it, saw it was low, added some, now it's leaking. Well it's not actually leaking, you overfilled it and it is venting it out. When a transmission is overfull they vent out the excess to prevent damage to seals. You can blow your seals with too much fluid. I got my fluid to the correct level. no more venting fluid and normal transmission operation.