Hey guys,

I am trying to detach the engine from the trans on my 88 190e. FYI..Engine and trans are out of the vehicle. So I removed all 8 bolts around the assembly. Then it started to come apart but only about 1/2 inch or so. I can t seem to seperate any further and i didnt want to use a crobar or something to pry for fear of breaking something.

What am i missing here? Coverter bolts maybe, but i thought that wouldnt matter.

Thanks a lot!

Josh

I hope you were planning to replace the flex plate because yours might be a little bent by now. Don't worry, they're cheap

Yes, there are 6 bolts holding the torque converter (stays with the transmission) to the flex plate (stays with the engine). You get at them through a little window on the lowest end of the forward face of the bell housing.

Don't forget the AT cooler lines, dipstick tube and Bowden cable.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

I find it easier to remove the torque converter bolts. Even with the engine out of the car. So much easier to reinstall everything. The idea is to have the torque converter in the transmission at removal & reinstall. Free the torque converter by removing the bolts and then try to get it freed from the flex plate with a screwdriver or such. If it tries to come off at an angle, its likely to get stuck in the flex plate on the nub that centers it. As sixto says, the cooler lines & dipstick, and Bowden cable should be disconnected too.

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Brian Toscano

Back to the original thread, I don't know why the torque converter didn't slide off the input shaft as you expected. Maybe...

Some cars also have a lock on the bellhousing so the torque converter doesn't fall out of the tranny. I don't know if this is a shipping and handling lock or if it should be in place at all times (thanks to MB for NOT making tranny service info available to the public!). It can stay in place because it doesn't intefere with torque converter rotation. The torque converter has to slide quite a bit along the intput shaft before it hits the lock. I don't know which cars have a lock and which don't.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

Thanks for the input guys!! So it should be easy enough to remate the trans and engine enough and then crank by hand to get the bolts visible from where that plug is under the engine. But... my engine is seized, so thats out of the question. So where should I move next on this thing. I guess i will keep looking under neath for some type of lock? I am kinda stuck here, theres got to be a way to get this thing off, what does one do when the engine is seized, scrap the trans too? I doubt it.


Many thanks as always!!!


Josh

ok i see a plastic (looks like plastic) stopper sticking up through the trans housing and it is bend over from the torque converter pulling against it as i was trying to pull engine from trans. So i guess i will try to remove this. Maybe this is whats holding the torque converter from sliding off the shaft.

I forgot about that little plastic piece. Yea, you will want to move it out of the way. I don't have a clue why that plastic piece is there. Oh yea, have you reviewed the "procedure" for insuring the torque converter is engaged with the pump when you slide it back on? I would suggest going ahead and replacing the front/rear tranny seals too.

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Jim

That plastic piece is frequently tossed in the trash.

I'd suggest replacing the front seal on the trans as well.

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Brian Toscano

Yea that stupid plastic peice was it, so i removed and the trans slid off just fine.

Now about this "procedure" for insuring the torque converter is engaged with the pump. Thanks for the heads up, and where do i find this procedure?

Thanks again guys.

The procedure is to make sure the TC fits all the way in bellhousing. When you push the TC on the input shaft, it will engage and may feel that its as far as it will go, but it probably isn't all the way in the bellhousing. Jiggle it a little and rotate to make sure the inward splines of the input shaft engage the torque converter and it drops all the way into place. I think you'll see its obvious.

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Brian Toscano

Once you do one or two you will know what the "procedure" is. Anyway, when you pull the TC off look at the tabs on the TC shaft and then look down into the tranny where the TC shaft slides into. You will see the slot that the tabs are supposed to slide into. Install it like MD said and you should be fine.

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Jim

That plastic lock helps you know if the TC is fully installed. If you can not get the lock back in then the TC isn't installed fully.

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Mercedes Benz Master Tech - Retired

Thanks RPM55 - I had always wondered about that.

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Jim