83 300SD: Changed trans fluid/filter. Now won't go into gear. - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rs899 · #16 05-03-2012, 10:08 AM

^^ You never said you ever had the TRANSMISSION hot (you always said engine) , so my thinking is that you don't have an accurate reading. At this point I don't think it will hurt to add another quart. Then- pull a hose off the rad and check and see if you have pressure.

flainn · #17 05-03-2012, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

^^ You never said you ever had the TRANSMISSION hot (you always said engine) , so my thinking is that you don't have an accurate reading. At this point I don't think it will hurt to add another quart. Then- pull a hose off the rad and check and see if you have pressure.

I actually was vaguely wondering about that -- will running the engine until it's at 80C or above heat up the trans fluid too? Or do you actually have to drive to heat up the trans fluid?

I won't get a chance to look at it again until tomorrow (Friday) evening, but pulling one of the hoses off the radiator has been on my list. Do you know which one is the pressure side and which one is the return?

barry123400 · #18 05-03-2012, 10:21 AM

Just takes a moment to double check. Is the speedometer climbing if you give the engine a little fuel while in gear? While having the rear tires on the ground. If it is the transmission is probably okay.

It is a very remote possiblity for a cv joint to have brought the farm. Yet under no load conditions the rear wheels could turn like up on your jackstands with one bad.

The only reason I mention this to me it seemed strange you heard a rear tire chirp when entering third gear.

First to second is about the only point these five cylinder powerhouses might pull this off I supect. Second to third seems a real stretch. Now if you had a 240d automatic I would not question it.

This really is a long shot keep in mind. Just something I might check as it only takes a minute .

GregMN · #19 05-03-2012, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flainn

... there were some metal flakes present, but not terrible. Not enough to really concern me at the time, anyway. ....

I have no experience inside an automatic transmission. So I am curious. How could ANY metal flakes found in the fluid be OK ? Are there wear items that produce metal flakes and that is what the filter is for ?

rs899 · #20 05-03-2012, 10:28 AM

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will running the engine until it's at 80C or above heat up the trans fluid too?

No, it won't really. Other than a bit of thermal creep from the crank/block to the TC. It might heat the tranny 10 degrees. When I was severely under level the car would not GO. As I added more it went better.... but it was still not right until I had 8 + quarts in there. Hope that's it...

flainn · #21 05-03-2012, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

Is the speedometer climbing if you give the engine a little fuel while in gear? While having the rear tires on the ground. If it is the transmission is probably okay.

Yes. The speedometer climbs (in jumpy fashion) when I have it on the ground and in drive, and rev up the engine.

Quote:

It is a very remote possiblity for a cv joint to have brought the farm. Yet under no load conditions the rear wheels could turn like up on your jackstands with one bad.

The only reason I mention this to me it seemed strange you heard a rear tire chirp when entering third gear.

First to second is about the only point these five cylinder powerhouses might pull this off I supect. Second to third seems a real stretch.

It may have been 1st to 2nd; I am not entirely sure. Regardless, though, I've wound it up just the same way many times and never heard the tires chirp during a shift before. It didn't seem like a particularly hard shift, either.

flainn · #22 05-03-2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregMN

I have no experience inside an automatic transmission. So I am curious. How could ANY metal flakes found in the fluid be OK ? Are there wear items that produce metal flakes and that is what the filter is for ?

I think it's somewhat normal, from what I've read in several places. People have seemed a lot more concerned about burned-looking or burned-smelling fluid than they were about metal flakes.

MB-Owner-in-ind · #23 05-03-2012, 11:01 AM

Did you run the engine without any transmission fluid?

flainn · #24 05-03-2012, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MB-Owner-in-ind

Did you run the engine without any transmission fluid?

No. I drained the fluid from the pan and torque converter, then refilled to the maximum mark prior to starting the engine. Then I ran the engine until it was over 80 C and re-checked the level and topped up with more fluid.

rs899 · #25 05-03-2012, 11:30 AM

Did you not count how many quarts you put in or dead soldiers after the fact?

The marks on the dipstick are really meaningless until you bleed all the air out of the TC and all the nooks and crannies everywhere.

flainn · #26 05-03-2012, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

Did you not count how many quarts you put in or dead soldiers after the fact?

The marks on the dipstick are really meaningless until you bleed all the air out of the TC and all the nooks and crannies everywhere.

I did not. I bought two one-gallon containers of ATF at Wal-Mart (SuperTech Dex III/Merc) and used them. But since I drained and refilled the other evening, I really don't know how much I used last Saturday.

I suppose I can drain the pan and torque converter again, and refill with a known amount this time. I want to check a few other things that various folks have suggested first, though -- output shaft yoke, etc.

rs899 · #27 05-03-2012, 12:29 PM

^^ I am still confused. Did you start out with 2 one gallon Wallys and used them both up in THIS job? If so, then I would say you got it full, unless you spilled 3 quarts....

tangofox007 · #28 05-03-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

^^ I am still confused. Did you start out with 2 one gallon Wallys and used them both up in THIS job? If so, then I would say you got it full, unless you spilled 3 quarts....

In my experience, draining both the sump and torque converter will yield pretty close to 8 qts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flainn

Then I ran the engine until it was over 80 C and re-checked the level and topped up with more fluid.

Simply running the engine will not adequately warm the transmission. You need to actually drive the car for 15 miles or so, which is obviously problematic in your case.

flainn · #29 05-03-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

^^ I am still confused. Did you start out with 2 one gallon Wallys and used them both up in THIS job? If so, then I would say you got it full, unless you spilled 3 quarts....

Ok, let me clarify.

Last Saturday I drained the pan and the torque converter. Buttoned everything back up, lowered the car to the ground, and put in -- I would estimate -- about one gallon of ATF prior to running the engine. I can't tell you for sure what the amount was because I honestly don't remember, but I'm fairly certain it was at least one gallon. The dipstick read maximum at that point.

Then I started the engine and checked the dipstick periodically, putting in additional ATF (I think it ended up being about two more quarts, so 1.5 gallons total) until the engine was over 80 C and the dipstick once again read maximum. I kept wiping off the dipstick each time I'd check, and I took the lower reading each time if there was a difference between the two sides of the dipstick.

After the car had sat for 48 hours, and once we discovered the "won't go anywhere" issue, I checked the dipstick again, and it was still at maximum.

At that point I sucked out about 16 oz of fluid and poured in a 16-oz bottle of Trans-X High Mileage, which after running for a while made no difference.

rs899 · #30 05-03-2012, 12:39 PM

^^ so, if I do all the math, you are 2 quarts low. That's your problem, lady.... (maybe , if you are lucky, and you haven't burned something else up in the meantime)