Should have bt an S-Class! Schucks! - they don't make a wagon. So, anyone out there that has had a wrench on those two top bolts? On my 280SL there is a hole in the transmission tunnel to stick a wrench thru.

Looks like I can join the clicking in reverse transmission club.
I guess it was just a matter of time before the transmission was going to give me trouble. Seems to be par for the course on the later 124's.
I suppose I should count my blessings...another member didn't have his transmission make it to see 166k miles. I think his didn't even make it to 100k miles. Nice job MB bean counters! (not).

__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Hi Larry: It appears that every 722.3 transmission has this problem. I educated myself a little on the subject. The reverse laminar brake is anchored to the case and to the rotating core. While it is only energized during reverse, the discs make some contact during regular driving and that wears them thin. When the stack becomes thin, the piston that compresses the stack in reverse, begins to bottom out. The piston has radial ridges. What you hear is each ridge touching. At first, it happens only when the transmission is cold. If you replace the laminar plates at that time, no damage has been done. If you wait, you get metal debris that migrate and you have to completely overhaul the transmission. The nice thing about it is, that you get a warning. Are you going to do the job yourself?
Please note: If there is anyone who finds that my understanding is wrong, please correct me !

Attached Thumbnails

 

Thanks for the insight!
I don't think I will do anything myself on that transmission. I have a mystery leak as well, and this is just the icing on the cake that I needed to push me into looking for a transmission. I don't know of any shops around my area that I would trust, so I will likely be buying one from a rebuilding shop out of state.

__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

If you are planning to get a rebuild unit there would be no reason to do anything now. You can go for years with a clicking noise in reverse with no performance issues whatsoever, forward or reverse - unless you just don't like clicking for some reason. These are very stout transmissions - way better than the 722.6s and later.

It took me years to come to this conclusion: When you have a Benz you had better be doing all the work yourself. Whenever I get my hands on a used one - and I can't afford new - I find that wherever mechanics have been, there are broken or missing parts or screws overtightened or not tightened or cross threaded. It never fails. And I have watched them: They will not clean an engine before they work on it and not repair/replace things that now are accessible because they have taken something off. (like the radiator). I bought a car that had "unrepairable" oil leaks. The previous owner had it at two repair places and it still leaked a lot. He sold it, to end his problems. I found - after spending a lot of time - a loose screw. It looked ok, but wasn't. I really hate to remove that transmission, I really do. But I'm convinced that the shop would screw up. Furthermore, I'm convinced that many other guys have had the same experience.

Yes - an old thread - but I wanted to tack on my experience thus far to an existing one that had a post that might be relevant to my situation. See above - post #11 in this thread.

Yesterday I was returning from a 40 mile drive. Backed into the driveway as I always do. Transmission obviously in REVERSE. I'm hearing a clicking sound as I roll down my driveway - slightly downward incline. Sound reminiscent of a playing card hitting bicycle spokes. For the younger crowd who may not be familiar with this - kids used to hook up a playing card to a spot near the wheel spokes and let the spokes run across the card. 50s era entertainment.

So I drove up the driveway and backed down several times - each time hearing this clicking sound. First time I've experienced this. Internet search brings up all sorts of bad news.

I took the car out again this afternoon for another drive and on return rolled down the driveway with foot off the gas this time. I usually feather the brake pedal a bit. No clicking sound. Repeat - up and down the driveway many times - foot off gas - no clicking sound.

I then went thru a series of backing up feathering the brake pedal. Each time I'm hearing the clicking sound when feathering the brake. Let the car roll down w/o braking and no clicking sound.

In the days ahead, I'll pull the transmission pan and check for chunks of things that don't belong. As with many of these older MB sedans, there is a slight delay going from PARK to REVERSE. Maybe a secs. - has been doing this for many years.

Will also examine Emergency braking system and the brakes in general. All fwd. gears are smooth including shifting from one gear to the next.

If I find anything worth mentioning - I'll report back to this thread.

__________________
Mike Murrell
1991 300-SEL - Model 126
M103 - SOHC
"Fräulein"

The trans have more numbers that 722.3 Like 722.3xx Is any of this specific to those later numbers xx?