I have a 1989 560 SEL. The tranny is toast. No point in even thinking of repairing. I want a good rebuilt and a torque converter. Willing to pay a little extra if I know it won't need to be replaced again. There was an old forum post that warned to stay away from ADSITCO. Is that still the opinion? Any other shops anyone wants to plug?
Anybody know what the shop time is on a r and r? I have heard anywhere from 6-10 hrs.
Anyone have an opinion on adding an external tranny cooler? I had a guy recommend it who knows me and understands that alot of heat is created when you drive a tank at high speeds. The car is driven hard.
Thanks for your advice.
Newbie

A MB rebuilt wii cost you about 3K, add another 1K for a torque converter. I think the labor cant be more than 4 hrs. your tranny has a cooler. I would immagine new cooler lines and transmission mount would be in order. MB did mine with 2 year 24k warranty
Have not heard very good things about Adzit

The transmission cooler is in the radiator.

Explain why a rebuild is pointless?

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

There was a total meltdown. I just can't imagine there is anything in the tranny worth saving. I would rather start with a tranny that has been completely re-done than tear it open and hope that everything that needs to be fixed gets fixed. Wouldn't make much sense to do a half arsed job on the tranny and put a rebuilt long block in.

I know the cooler is in the radiator. explanation. I have built muscle cars and I have built trucks to haul. I have beat up alot of machines and never had a tranny do this to me. I don't have to worry about a tranny melting if it is adequately cooled. No one ever put on an external cooler? Never mind.

I think it would be an upgrade to install a secondary independent trans cooler, either in-line with the existing one, or as a replacement.

Granted, it is not as much of an upgrade then if you install a trans cooler on a car that does not have one to begin with.

Now, I am sure Mercedes-Benz properly sized the radiator and transmission coolers sizes when they designed the car, but we all know that as radiators\coolers age, they begin to loose their maximum cooling capacity. due to a number of factors.

Since the trans cooler is built in the engine radiator, it has to share a bit of the heat built up with the engine coolant. By installing an isolated unit, you eliminate a huge amount of this shared heat.

Options:
1. Leave the cooling components alone, put in a rebuilt unit trans with new cooler lines.
2. Source either two small units to be placed near the FL and FR of the car, or one larger unit to fit near the radiator/AC condenser. (Custom mount brackets would be needed.)
3. Part out the car!

I think Option 2 would be really neat. You could have the hot fluid from the trans enter an small isolated unit near the FR of the car (assuming that is the closest unit to the trans oil supply line). Then after going through that unit, it could go through the stock section of the radiator. After it passes through the stock section, it enters another small unit near the FL of the car before coming back to the transmission.

While you are in there, you could also install a temperature sending unit in-line at both the entrance to the system before the FR unit and at the exit of the system after the FL unit. Hook up some gauges and see just how effective your new system is!

FL = Front Left
FR = Front Right

__________________
2006 BMW M5 "Heidi" @ 109,000 miles
2005 MBZ C55 AMG "Lorelai" @ 165,000 miles
1991 MBZ 300E "Benzachino II" @ 165,000 miles
1990 MBZ 500SL "Shoshanna" @ 118,000 miles

(On the hunt for a good used M103 engine as of 6/10/23, PM me if you have one to sell!)

I've actually had a reman Adzit tranny in my 300D for over 300k miles without any problems. Most of the issues I've heard have more to do with customer service than hardware. YMMV.

You still haven't actually said what went wrong. How can we help if you simply give vague responses?

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

I used Sun Valley. http://www.mercedesdismantlers.com/
A year and a half, so far so good.
Anybody else have experience with them?

__________________
1987 300E

When I finally put one in my 400e, I'm going with these guys:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/722-3-TRANSMISSION-92-93-MERCEDES-400-4-2L-RWD-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3ca839c6d6QQitemZ260520396502QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccesso ries

$1250, $400 IIRC for an upgraded "beefier" torque converter. 30-month warranty. I have a shop here who will install for $600. Total cost for rebuilt trans, better than OEM, with warranty? $2500

__________________
former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

fix your information- where are you located?

There are good shops around but shipping a tran is expensive. If I were close to Atlanta- Jono, Denver stu ritter's shop, California Sun valley etc.

If there has been any major problem- a clean higher mileage core the shop should be able to buy for $150 or so.

I think it's R&R + if the shop does pressure tweeking after installation- 10 hrs.

Michael