I have an 85 300D...would like to get 500,000 miles out of this...but I have heard that the transmissions generally need work well before then.

I run synthetic trans. fluid, and do filter/fluid changes, including torque converter, every 25,000 mi. (annually) hoping to avert repair work. Fluid is alway pristine when I drain, with no residue in bottom of pan.

Can anyone share your knowledge/thoughts on the general longevity of these transmissions, types of early symptoms of problems, maintenance/adjustments, etc.

This is a great site...thanks to all

Mark

Mark I have almost 230k on my 1980 300td.The trans has never needed even an adjustment.I hope some of the really high mile owners reply.good luck Michael.

TXBill,

I noticed you mentioned something about hesistation or delay between when you put the shifter in "D" and when the gear actually engages. I have this a little. It's a momentary delay, maybe 1.5 or 2 seconds, but it's definitly not as instant as in my other cars that go into gears as the shifter is being moved down. Is this normal? Does everyone have the same phenomenon? I always just attributed it to the design and age of the car. It's been like this for as long as I've driven it. Thanks!

Alex

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1983 300D (parked for four years)
2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual
2001 Miata SE
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside

DieselHead,

My 1977 300D has the same behavior. When putting in D or R, it thinks about it for about 0.5 sec, and then we're good to go.

It has been that as long as the car is old. I;ll be interested in TXBill's response as well

Here is how mine works -
1985 300D showing right at 230k miles.
Absolutely no complaints in the tranny dept BUT it shifts funny. The car is in high gear at 30 mph. I have tightened up the Bowden cable pretty tight just to see what was happening and the only thing that did was make it go into gear REAL FAST as soon as you moved the selector - you could feel it kinda jerk. I put the Bowden back where it was and just gotten used to it - I consider it a GOOD THING because it prevents that sweet diesel from having to rev very high. It is almost like a CVT trannys.

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Jim

I think I may have been exaggerating a bit about the delay. It's not quite 2 seconds but it's definitely not like my Toyota or Volvo and there is no hesistation or slipping, ever.

Alex

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1983 300D (parked for four years)
2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual
2001 Miata SE
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside

Mine had regular service and not a very hard life and I made it until almost 300,000 miles before mine went. I opted for converting to a manual which is the best thing I ever did for mine. From what I hear from many other MB owners, if you make it to a quarter million miles with the automatic transmission, you've done well.

No real symptoms for mine. All of a sudden one day it just wouldn't go more than 5 mph and would just rev and rev if I gave it more fuel.

Len
'83 240D 322,000 miles

sokoloff

I dont think your trans was really done for. Usually these things put up ALOT of fight before they quit. Flaring, slipping, you name it. They dont go out quiet.

What may have happened to yours is your filter broke apart and got stuck in some passeges of the transmission. This happened to my 83 300D and it would not shift at all. My mechanic pulled out the peices, changed the filter and fluid and I was good to go.

John

384,000 on my original auto trans. Fluid changes every 30,000. Thats it.

Good for you Eric. I think you're the exception rather than the rule. Wonder if that great Southern California weather makes a difference?

Len

I thought for a moment there I might get into to BIG numbers but I see that there is clearly one with more miles! I have an '84 300TD-T and before my estranged wife killed it, there was 376k on the engine and tranny. Someday I hope to regain possession of the car and see just what happened to it. All I know is that she was at a stop sign and evidently the car can read because it did! I see there is a MB on ebay right now that has the same problem, the seller states that the car was running right down the road and quit. At least mine was at a stop, idling ( smoothly they tell me) and quit. I would hate to be running at highway speeds and have something like that happen, at least I'm holding out some hope that mine can be fixed! Tom