Tranny Problems - '85 190E

[darius]

Heya Guys,

I haven't been around in a long while (stuck in law school) and this morning, my super-reliable 190E had a little problem.

Started car cold at 8am (outside temp was ~25 degrees F.
Almost immediately after starting, I heard a slight "thump" come from under the car. Sounded a little like an internal duct or baffle in the heating system closing hard in the cold.

Let the engine warm up a minute (I normally warm her up by driving her real slow till I get to operating temp) and put the car in reverse. Gave it gas, and nothing. Put it in drive to check, nothing. Put her in park and got out. I was then standing in a growing puddle of tranny fluid, which appeared to be streaming out of the front side of the tranny.

With the engine idling, I can hear a gurgle and the fluid really pours out. With the engine off, it just streams down in drips.

I am poor and in school. I will have her towed to an independent in a few hours. Any advice as to what I am looking for from the mechanic? I had the tranny serviced about ~10k miles ago...never any tranny problems, by the way.

Thanks for any advice,

John

[mbdoc]

Unless the torque converter drain plug fell out you are in for major repairs, Sorry.

Check the lines going from the transmission to the cooler located in the lower part of the radiator. Lets hope it's one of the rubber lines.They are about $12 each and there are two of them. Good luck.
Bill Lewallen Lexington,Ky.

[darius]

Welp, thanks for the info guys - here is what happened:

Took the car to a local independent (no recommendations from anyone, just a hunch)...and I explored with the mechanic when he put the car on the lift. This is a weird thing, but the vacuum modulator for tranny popped off. The mounting bracket was intact, the modulator just blew itself straight off. The whitish plastic piston inside the black plastic piece was sheared in half and dropped out of the car as she was being lifted.

So, one new modulator and 4.5 qts of tranny fluid later and ~$98 total later...the ultra-reliable is back to being ultra-reliable and is shifting smoother and crisper than she ever has.

Now, if this only worked for my old 300D...

Thanks everyone!