Transmission leak stopper? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

loepke72 · #1 01-13-2011, 12:46 PM

Your car is over 30 years old; forget the additives and do a reseal of the transmission. You'll find many seals that have become rock hard and have to be broken out of their places and no stop leak additive will help with this.

Hit Man X · #2 01-15-2011, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loepke72

Your car is over 30 years old; forget the additives and do a reseal of the transmission. You'll find many seals that have become rock hard and have to be broken out of their places and no stop leak additive will help with this.

This.

deanyel · #3 01-15-2011, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loepke72

Your car is over 30 years old; forget the additives and do a reseal of the transmission. You'll find many seals that have become rock hard and have to be broken out of their places and no stop leak additive will help with this.

Please people, stop giving forum advice you wouldn't take yourself. It's transmission fluid seepage on an old car. There's a 95+ percent chance that an $8 can of stop leak will stop the leak for years without harming the transmission in any way. Lucas Oil has an NFL football stadium named after them - somebody's buying the stuff and using it. A person would have to be nuts to pull a transmission on a 30 year old car to do a reseal. Pretend it's your money at stake.

Hit Man X · #4 01-15-2011, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deanyel

Please people, stop giving forum advice you wouldn't take yourself. It's transmission fluid seepage on an old car. There's a 95+ percent chance that an $8 can of stop leak will stop the leak for years without harming the transmission in any way. Lucas Oil has an NFL football stadium named after them - somebody's buying the stuff and using it. A person would have to be nuts to pull a transmission on a 30 year old car to do a reseal. Pretend it's your money at stake.

I just resealed the trans in my '85 BMW, I guess I do not take my own advice.

This would be the same as using something to thicken the oil to help a leaking front or rear main. Just change the damned thing.

emerydc8 · #5 01-16-2011, 12:23 AM

I agree with Deanyel: If the transmission is only leaking a bit--not slipping or failing--I would give the Lucas a try. I don't have the tools or expertise to pull and reseal a transmission, not to mention set it back up to where it shifts at the correct points. My transmission has been leaking for over a year, but transmission fluid is less than $4.00 per quart. As long as it's only a slow leak, I will continue to throw a quart in every 1,000 miles.

lee polowczuk · #6 01-16-2011, 08:21 AM

a qt per 1k seems like a lot.

i would try the sealer

deanyel · #7 01-16-2011, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit Man X

This would be the same as using something to thicken the oil to help a leaking front or rear main. Just change the damned thing.

That's not the same at all. If it required engine removal you could argue it was similar.

loepke72 · #8 01-16-2011, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deanyel

Please people, stop giving forum advice you wouldn't take yourself. It's transmission fluid seepage on an old car. There's a 95+ percent chance that an $8 can of stop leak will stop the leak for years without harming the transmission in any way. Lucas Oil has an NFL football stadium named after them - somebody's buying the stuff and using it. A person would have to be nuts to pull a transmission on a 30 year old car to do a reseal. Pretend it's your money at stake.

And just how do you know I wouldn't take this advice myself? There's a 95+ percent chance the front pump O-ring is rock hard based on what I have seen in all four Mercedes transmissions I have overhauled. That O-ring is way past the point of a seal conditioner being able to be of any help. My experience with the "quick fix in a can" stuff has been that at best it's a temporary "fix", and at worst you threw your money away for something that did nothing and end up having to do the repair work anyway. Having your name on an NFL staduim doesn't mean diddly squat except the company paid for the name rights. When my money is at stake I prefer to do the job right to start, and that means overhauling a 30 year old transmission to insure it's good for the next 30 years hopefully.

lee polowczuk · #9 01-16-2011, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loepke72

And just how do you know I wouldn't take this advice myself? There's a 95+ percent chance the front pump O-ring is rock hard based on what I have seen in all four Mercedes transmissions I have overhauled. That O-ring is way past the point of a seal conditioner being able to be of any help. My experience with the "quick fix in a can" stuff has been that at best it's a temporary "fix", and at worst you threw your money away for something that did nothing and end up having to do the repair work anyway. Having your name on an NFL staduim doesn't mean diddly squat except the company paid for the name rights. When my money is at stake I prefer to do the job right to start, and that means overhauling a 30 year old transmission to insure it's good for the next 30 years hopefully.

if you can't do this job yourself....what would one expect to pay... that may answer the question

deanyel · #10 01-16-2011, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loepke72

And just how do you know I wouldn't take this advice myself? There's a 95+ percent chance the front pump O-ring is rock hard based on what I have seen in all four Mercedes transmissions I have overhauled. That O-ring is way past the point of a seal conditioner being able to be of any help. My experience with the "quick fix in a can" stuff has been that at best it's a temporary "fix", and at worst you threw your money away for something that did nothing and end up having to do the repair work anyway. Having your name on an NFL staduim doesn't mean diddly squat except the company paid for the name rights. When my money is at stake I prefer to do the job right to start, and that means overhauling a 30 year old transmission to insure it's good for the next 30 years hopefully.

You are of course free to do as you please. I was just pointing that the advice was utterly inane. Beyond the pale. Stop leak products work and they often work for years, especially on small leaks. They are inexpensive and VERY popular - for good reason. Your philosophy - fixing things for a 30 year planning horizon - is a perfect recipe for an economic disaster for a 30 year old car. It is appropriate for a car with market value - such as a Gullwing, 111 cab, etc. - not an old sedan.

JamesDean · #11 01-16-2011, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deanyel

Your philosophy - fixing things for a 30 year planning horizon - is a perfect recipe for an economic disaster for a 30 year old car. It is appropriate for a car with market value - such as a Gullwing, 111 cab, etc. - not an old sedan.

I don't think theres anything wrong with fixing a 30 year old car so that it lasts a good amount of time.. 30 years or 10.

You're a fool if you think its cheaper to buy a new car vs buy a decent used car and perform maintenance. You'll always come out ahead if you do your homework and everything properly.

I don't think the OP quite needs a trans reseal or anything that drastic, it could be something as simple as a loose line or pan bolt or even the gasket it self..

The additive will only temporarily fix the problem, not cure it.

loepke72 · #12 01-17-2011, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deanyel

You are of course free to do as you please. I was just pointing that the advice was utterly inane. Beyond the pale. Stop leak products work and they often work for years, especially on small leaks. They are inexpensive and VERY popular - for good reason. Your philosophy - fixing things for a 30 year planning horizon - is a perfect recipe for an economic disaster for a 30 year old car. It is appropriate for a car with market value - such as a Gullwing, 111 cab, etc. - not an old sedan.

Sorry, but I still disagree with your words "utterly inane". If one cannot do a significant amount of DIY or has very deep pockets then it makes no sense economically to have a 30 year-old daily driver of any make or model. My experience with "fix in a can" products obviously differs from yours. For me they never did anything. The only kind that ever came close to working was radiator stop leak and that wasn't a lasting "works for years" kind of thing since the leaks came back anyway. More like gets you to the next paycheck. As far as I'm concerned, the only reason these things are popular is because many people are looking for a cheap way to keep a car on the road. Car parts fail for a reason, and the best thing to do is fix it right whether it's an old Mercedes or a 1996 Putney Creach with 300,000 miles.