Is my transmission going bad?

Hi,

When I accellerate agressively, RPM go up and then catch and car motion seems appropriate to RPM after catch (rpm and speed normal again at this point). When i gently accellerate. I do not get this clutch slip like action? What is this?

Thanks Karl

[J.HIDALGO]

If it has been a while, I would change the fluid and filter. What color is the transmission fluid? any smell? Hope for the best!

[93300E]

Karl,
When my 93 300E started acting the same way I took it into a shop and they said it was fine after a test drive, suggesting a fluid/filter change. Then they opened it up and clutch material fell out. I had it overhauled at a price of $1900. Check the fluid first, low level can cause slippage, and as suggested prior, check for the smell of the fluid. Techs can tell you more about this, but often an adjustment to modulator pressure can help, or changing the shift points via the adjustment on the bowden cable (something I am currently dealing with) since your problem is at low shift points. If it was me I would do a fluid and filter change, especially if you are over 90K miles and/or it has been awhile. If been a while it cant hurt. If you DIY you can check it, or have the shop check it while it is open for problems, should be under $150.
Good luck!

[gidpor]

Just drove my 300SE (1987) home tonight from the shop - after having a rebuilt transmission installed. It drove real nice for a while and then started slipping.....
What do you think ? a poorly adjusted Modulator ? or plainly a poor rebuild ?

[J.HIDALGO]

Just make sure you don't have a leak somewhere. You should have some warranty with that job. Take it back!

[93300E]

if it started slipping soon after being fine, sound like a leak or adjustment, or they put in a used tranny that was near the end. Mine needed cooling lines replaced right after an overhaul, sometimes coincedences happen.

[jsmith]

93300E

Why did you need new cooling lines? My car had a tranny replacement (dealer) about 30k miles ago. I think it was a shoddy job because it doesn't really shift 100% correct (suspect VB) and there were leaks when I first got it 10k miles ago. The cooling lines are known leak points specially if tranny service has been performed because they obviously have to be disconnected. In my case we found that the seals on both sides were the wrong size causing leaks. My mechanic said that he had done exactly the same thing on some other customer's 300E the week before and replaced mine for free - no more ATF on the floor. Of course, I had established a customer relationship worth a couple of thousand bucks with him on account of my head gasket and wiring harness jobs plus various maintenance items. Don't know if I'm lucky but I did look around quite a bit for someone I could trust before I settled on this guy...

[joe p]

Which shift is flaring? There are avaulble "counter measure" accumulator kits for k2 and k3 (3rd and 4th shifts) for flares. I've got one in k2 in Toms 88 300te with 190k. It had a bad flare into 3rd and the spring kit took care of that.



Joe

[93300E]

Joe,
The cooling lines were leaking right after my overhaul. When I brought it in for the required fluid change for honoring the warranty they checked for leaks when I asked and found the cooling lines leaking. I had to pay for it to the tune of $200 on top of the $2000 I already paid for the rebuild. Not to mention the 3-4 shift ongoing problem they "could not feel" on test drive. Yikes, have I been taken?

[jsmith]

Originally posted by 93300E
Yikes, have I been taken?

I would not pass judgement that easily but what I told you is just my experience and I do know that some shops will not hesitate to do this bit of "padding"...

[gidpor]

got my car back again after the shop worked on it foe a couple more days ""adjusting things"
the car now shifts very smoothly - so they must have adjusted well...
thanks all for your help