Hi Guys,

This for a friend '99 E320 with 80K miles. The car kind of hesitate getting into 1st gear, then it does like a backslash when it gets in gear. When getting to a stop, close to the very stop, it grinds like a manual transmission when half clutch released and getting into gear, that grrrrrrrr sound. There is no tranny oil leaks.

The stealer says he needs a new tranny and went down from $5,800 to $4,000. I have heard a tranny is in the neighborhood of $7,500. This is the same stealer that quoted me $2,800 for a new steering rack when my indy found it the leak was not PS fluid but the front differential center seal which he fixed for $170. Every time you go to this stealer, they have new SA and new techs, like a real big turn over.

Does a new tranny sounds right? Could it be the Flex Plate, or Torque Converter? Does any of these going bad will ruin the tranny? The SA will not give him any more details than "you need a new tranny".

I just want to see if some had a similar experience and what the outcome was. I just want to help a friend.

Tomorrow we will take the car to my indy and hear his opinion. My indy goes by the book, and has the proper software. He is just 70 $/hr vs. the stealer at 105 $/hr, so the difference is not significant, but he is a very long time MB tech with a lot of experience.

Thanks,

Rene

Forgot to mention, it is not sliping. The grrrr sound comes before stop and when moving the lever to P.

Thanks in advance for any previous experience.

Rene

The transmission can be rebuilt at a good (MD qualified) shop for less than $3000 total (R&R etc.( with a warranty better that the MBZ one. It 'sounds' like a bearing on the mainshaft or the internal torque convertor (scuse me --fluid coupling) is gone. A grinding sould that changes with car road speed is on the output shaft. One that changes with engine speed only is on the input shaft. One that changes with TQ slippage (like in D at a stop) is the TQ internal bearing. 'Some' whirring noise that fades away is 'normal' when shifting from D to N or P when at a stop light/sign. This is merely the TQ output turbine speeding up to match the input(engine) side and the internal bearing will whirr. And the input mainshaft of the tranny will also accelerate from 0 rpm to engine speed when gear lever is moved to N or P from D.

I have a 1999 E300TD
The transmission was acting up, hard down-shifts and a real fast 2-3 up-shift...
I got some estimates...........THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY!!!
Any way ….. I drained it and pulled the pan to see for myself.
At 100,000 miles it was rather dirty and brown looking.
So I took a chance and renewed the fluid and filter.
So far so good…..Smooth shifts and overall great operation.
I think that this is NOT “lifetime” fluid.
You know come to think of it ...the grrr sound could be caused by a cloged filter
The pump could be gasping for oil.!! The intake is a very small slot on the front-side of the filter.
And .....
Dont think for one minute that the S/Dealer is any better than an Indy.
There is lots of great Techs out ther that wont rip your eye sockets out....
Defiantly have it checked out. I know for sure your fluid is dirty.

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2003 SLK 230 (85000)
1999 E300 Turbo Diesel (388,000)
1991 350SD Turbo Diesel (185,000)