Options to Replace my 500E Tranny - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

aldedmon · #1 07-16-2003, 01:04 PM

The Shop has given me the following options
Option 1= Used 500E Tranny ~$1250( 1 yr warranty)
Cost to me $0(Wynn warranty covers all)
Option 2 = Rebuild my Tranny to spec ~$1300( 1 yr warranty)
Cost to me $0(Wynn warranty covers all)
Option 3 = Rebuild my tranny to "Super"(mod.clutch packs,planetary's etc) =~$2300(they bacically only use the case)( 1 yr warranty)
Cost to me $1200(Wynn is covering $1300 for Tranny RB)
Option 4= Factory rebuild bought from MB ~$2450(2yr-24Kmi warr)
Should already include all upgrades/modification to "super"
Cost to me $1200(Wynn warranty covers all)
Help me out here guys. Its my $$. I need a little guidance here. Which way did / would you go?

ItalianBenz · #2 07-16-2003, 10:44 PM

Al. I'll tell ya. have it rebuilt. From my experince. The factory rebuild. Have excessive play in the trans. with the clutch paks. I see alot of tranny guys. Who do the rebuilding, get a factroy exchange, that people are not happy with, take them apart,and beef up the clearances. I dont like mine , shiftsnot real firm. Its a exchange unit. When I purchased the car they had it install arouind 70K. It had a factory ext warr on it at the time. Well I have a 1st gearr start,and a mdified, vacuum modulator. It still doesnt shift as sporty as my partner 500E. He had his rebuilt from one of our tranny techs @ work.

I think you should go the rebuild reroute. I am not sure what there doing for an extra $1100.00. Super mod, hmm not sure what that all entails.

Keep you OEM trans if you can.

good luck guido

Daesun · #3 07-16-2003, 11:46 PM

Guido, I never asked you. What did you install in my car? Was it an updated version with the SL600 clutch packs?

By the way, the car is running great, I can't thank you enough.

ItalianBenz · #4 07-16-2003, 11:57 PM

No just a Factory exchange unit. For the E500. The SL 600. Takes a different one. We installed brads big brake kit. It came out awesome. I get mine next week .Are you interested.

i dont have any pics yet. But it looks dame good. did you get any new wheels yet?

See ya gudo.

run.exe · #5 07-17-2003, 12:00 AM

No complaints, here...

aldedmon · #6 07-17-2003, 12:31 AM

That's my phrase. He called it a Modified rebuild. The standard clutch packs/drums have 4 clutches and ~2"brake bands. The modification calls for 5 clutches/pack and a wider drum/brake band(~2.5"), different planetary gears to handle the harder inpact shift and a different pump to keep it all sumped. from what i understand, the late 93 / 94 500E/E500 tranny and factory rebuilds should have same/similar updates/modes. the one interesting thing about the tranny wa the valvebody(that's how he dated the tranny) Aparently the 93-94 valve body can be modified for the 1st gear start by going into the valve body and doing some majic. The 92 valve body cannot be thus modified. Now i'm clearly not saying anything contrary to the Bergwerks 1st gear apparatus. I'm speaking of a direct mod to the valve body which is a permanent mod. At ~$150(since the tranny is already accessable) its the most cost effective solution yet. Did I mention that this guy was the Houston area authorized Renntech guru....He talks the talk, Seems nice enough and as you see above, clearly gives you enough choices to worry the hell out of your self.....I like

Daesun · #7 07-17-2003, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ItalianBenz
No just a Factory exchange unit. For the E500. The SL 600. Takes a different one. We installed brads big brake kit. It came out awesome. I get mine next week .Are you interested.

i dont have any pics yet. But it looks dame good. did you get any new wheels yet?

Oh man, I'm dying to see those brakes, maybe I'll stop by your work and check it out. How's the performance? I may want a set later, but I gotta do the wheels first obviously. I'll probably get wheels before the end of the year. I've been busy trying to find a car for my parents. They almost picked up a '99 CL500 we found at Beverly Hills Ltd., but the rear suspension was a little funny and they wouldn't replace the shocks under Starmark so they backed out.

run.exe · #8 07-17-2003, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aldedmon
Aparently, the 93-94 valve body can be modified for the 1st gear start by going into the valve body and doing some majic. The 92 valve body cannot be thus modified. ... I'm speaking of a direct mod to the valve body which is a permanent mod. At ~$150(since the tranny is already accessable) its the most cost effective solution yet.

I would like to have this 1st gear start mod applied to my (spare) OEM 1993 500E valve-body.
Please e-mail the details and your tech's contact data to: nemo@nemonis.net (or post them here).

I assume my 1993 first gear start modified valve body will work in a 1994 E500...
if so, I may decide to hook up Byron Horter with this solution, since he expressed an interest.

What does a new/refurbished OEM 500E/E500 valve-body cost at the dealership?

RSVP

aldedmon · #9 07-17-2003, 01:19 PM

Scott, my car is 93 build date = 5/93 yet still it apparently had the 92 style VB. That's the whole thing. Had mine been the latest iteration, I might have decided to get it rebuild like everyone else, but since this was clearly an older one, I could not. To verify 92-early93 VS late 93-94 he took the VB apart and upon doing so could tell that whatever mod he needed to do could not be done because the VB was the old style. I'm sure that there is some build date/ Nin number thingy that will tell which cars have which motors / transmissions.
His info is
Juergan Steiner
Mobil 1 Service
713-683-8605

www.memorial1imports.com

email: memorial1imports@aol.com

run.exe · #10 07-17-2003, 01:29 PM

I will contact Mr. Steiner and see if he can identify my OEM valve body's candicacy for this mod by reviewing detailed digital pictures.

Kind regards,

stummala · #11 08-04-2003, 08:24 AM

Although a first gear start modification to the valve body is possible, keep in mind that it is PERMANENT. Also, one is now changing various control pressures throughout other passages of the valve body. A valve body (and transmission) that has been used to a shifting pattern for thousands of miles has now been modded to take on different shifting patterns. Different sets of springs, valves, and checkballs that normally aren't active are now active.

I've found that many first gear start modifications to V8 valve bodies often have peculiar outcomes in the long term. Keep in mind that a newly refurbished valve body from Mercedes-Benz is around $800.

There's absolutely no question that an electronic approach to first gear start is the best way to achieve such a mod.

1. It can be reverted to stock; therefore not permanent
2. It can be moved to another MB
3. It does NOT affect the shift spring, check valve, check ball setup in the stock valve body
4. The cost is similar considering that modding a valve body also entails draining the transmission, pulling the pan, then the valve body. Talk about mess!
5. It is fully programmable to 1-2 upshifts and 2-1 downshifts

Satish