W124 Transmission Ready for Rebuild Pics
 

I finally brought my car out of storage today. The car was parked for the last 6 months in the same spot. I noticed that there was some transmission fluid under the car. The day that I stored the car there (back in 0ct-Nov 2004), I had replaced the transmission fluid.
I took the car to the garage immediately afterwards and had the transmission removed from my car. My mechanic noticed that there was a leak was coming from a bolt. Here is a picture:

http://img207.echo.cx/img207/8601/dsc029483oi.jpg
Has anyone had a leak from the transmission from this bolt? Do I need a new bolt?

I didn't have time to test it. I had to package it up and make all the transport arrangements to ship it to the rebuilder. It was picked up for delivery today. What a relief!

Here are some pics that I was able to take while packaging it up:
http://img207.echo.cx/img207/9743/dsc029678dj.jpg

http://img207.echo.cx/img207/4039/dsc029687oa.jpg

http://img207.echo.cx/img207/5937/dsc029694vp.jpg

http://img207.echo.cx/img207/4250/dsc029705qj.jpg

The bolt looks like the drain plug for the oil pan. It probably needs a new copper crush washer. Given what the bolt head looks like, it might be a good idea to replace the bolt too.

Perfect! Thanks for your help.

that pic looks like the engine oil sump, not the transmission. Are you sure you weren't leaking engine oil?

Chazola is right. I should've been more clear - that is the ENGINE oil pan, not the transmission oil pan.

Sorry guys, I made a typing mistake. It should have read:
Has anyone had an oil leak from this bolt?

I was tired and made a mistake. You are all right. It is the oil pan in the picture and that is where the leak is from. Initially, I thought the leak was transmission fluid when I looked at the stain on the floor.

Does anyone have the part numbers for the bolt and washer?
1989 300ce.

Thank You

Not offhand, but you should be able to get them off Fastlane up at the top. When I started doing my own oil changes, I bought a new bolt from here because I knew my old one would get mangled trying to get it unstuck (it did).

If for some reason you can't find it, e-mail Phil.

This screw you can buy at any auto parts store. It is 14mm X 1.5mm X 25mm.

All you need is the new copper seal, should come with a new oil filter. In the mean time, just loosen a bit and retighten, this will probably cure the leak.

Also, if you did have tranny fluid on the floor, likely the torque coverter leaked down. On a Benz, this will overfill the tranny body and cause fluid loss. Check the tranny fluid when you get a chance, it may be a bit low. Only cure is to start the car occasionally to refill the torque converter.

Peter

Update on the transmission
 

Update on the transmission

I called the transmission rebuilder today and he told me the following:

-"the reverse clutches were worn clean"
-"plates were locking up"
-"clutch material was all jammed up"
-"reverse band was locking"
-"forward gears were binding"
-"normal wear caused the failure"
-"nothing unusual just as expected. This is what we see all the time"
-"life expectancy on a 722.3 is close to 120,000 miles"

He is supposed to ship it out tomorrow. I will update you when I have more news.

Regarding the oil leak

I bought the copper washer from my aftermarket source, since I had to buy a distributor rotor from them anyway (saved $21.00). I wasn't sure which size I needed so I bought the 2 sizes they had available.They didn't have the drain plug. I went to the dealer afterwards, and they didn't have the drain plug in stock either. The service manager at the dealer told me that they replace the copper washer with every oil change. I never knew that.The Mercedes part number is 007 603 012 113 for the washer. Here is a pic of the 2 washers I bought.
http://img49.echo.cx/img49/953/dsc029913us.jpg http://img49.echo.cx/img49/7236/dsc029901mo.jpg

I think his life expectancy is quite poor... I expect 200+ out of a 722.3 that has been properly maintained. I know of some 'softer' drivers who has seen over 300K out of their original boxes.

Perhaps he's going on MB's new lifetime fill notion;-)

Jonathan

Is it possible up North we get less mileage out of our transmissions due to weather conditions?

I would be amazed...My 116 280SE lived on Long Island till a few years ago..it has over 220,000 on the original box.. The last 15-20K were more akin to 45-60K the way I drove it :eek:

Jonathan

I'm not sure if weather has as much to do with tranny wear as opposed to maintenance and driving style. I think 200k+ is pretty reasonable for this trans, our '91 is on the original box and, except for a short delay going into reverse, still runs pretty well. The '87 was rebuilt at 170k, but that was because the front seal was leaking and it was rebuilt while it was out.

Today's Update

The transmission has been shipped back. The rebuilder said that it tested well on the dyno and it shifted fine. All updates were done. So I should receive it on Friday.

If I had a W116 I might drive it like Ronin since they can handle the abuse. I have noticed that many owners of 1990 and up Mercedes complain of tranny problems more so than 1990 and under. Is this me or is this a fact? Has the reliability declined?

I have 185k and I was changing the trany fluid an filter every 30K with MB fluid. Is still shifting like it is new. I am sure I will get another 100k out of it.

Believe it or not, the MB dealer where I live never ever had MB transmission fluid in the 10 years that I have been going there. I think they use Valvoline. I bought the synthetic Amsoil for my new tranny and hopefully I'll get a good life out of it. Maybe my original was a bad one or something. I don't get it.

Go to www.taylorautomotive.com and you can get Bilstein fluid (nonsynthetic) or you can get synthetic oem MB doing a seach for a car 98 or newer.

his is the link for Syn http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/taylor/quote.jsp?partner=taylor&year=1998&product=Z8001-107773&application=000473841&clientid=taylorautomotive&cookieid=1HW1A0T9Z1IF0ZAREW&baseurl=http://www.taylorautomotive.com/
or
http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/taylor/wizard.jsp?partner=taylor&clientid=taylorautomotive&baseurl=http://www.taylorautomotive.com/&cookieid=1HW1A0T9Z1IF0ZC6X3&year=1993&make=MB&model=300-E-003&category=Z&part=A%2FT+Fluid

I am using the syn one even though is only for the newer electronic transmissins . Mine shifts perfect even better when I changed to syn. at about 150k

I already bought the Amsoil a while ago. If the Mercedes 722.607 fluid is better, I'll get that instead. I did some research and the Amsoil seemed to be the most impressive, that's why I bought it. I never saw a good comparison between all the fluids. I usually see Mobil 1 and Amsoil and Redline being compared.

Hey, after all your research, what updates did you do to your tranny?

Did you install the first gear start like 1992 and later 300E's?

I went with the original 2nd gear start. I asked many Mercedes service consultants about the 1st gear start and every one of them suggested I don't do it. I lost confidence.
The only updates were to the internal parts. Some parts improved over the years and so those were the updates.
The best thing I could have done was convert to a manual, but I share my car so that was out of the question. Otherwise, that would have been my only option.

don't do it?! FGS is one of the Best mod's available for MB's!! That and a steeper diff... On well, maybe next time;-) I'm Really curious as to what their logic/rationale is behind that notion.

Jonathan

The person who rebuilt my transmission is old school. He said it was never designed to be that way and recommended against it. I didn't feel comfortable going against his judgement since I've never been in a car that started out as 2nd gear start tranny and was converted to a 1st gear start. It was a tough decision for me. So many people thought it would be "cool" but the question is how "good" is it really? I played it safe and went the traditional route.

Here is a link to where my transmission was rebuilt. Take a quick minute to read who he is:

http://www.mbcanada.com/forum/index.php?act=Search&CODE=show&searchid=07f6bee3a6295737dba9463afd9ce6b4&search_in=posts&result_type =posts&highlite=switilek


If the link above doesn't work, take a look at this thread:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=862156#post862156

In 1991, MB themselves "modified" these transmissions to start in first gear. It was a simple change to the valve body and was arguably really more of an UNmodification than a modification. Our '91 300E starts in first gear and I find it preferrable.

***Update***
 

Got the transmission today finally! It's installed and works great! My mechanic loves it and said it works like new. All the parts for the rebuild used were oem Mercedes and even the box it came in was a Mercedes box that was made in Germany. Here are some pics:

http://img113.echo.cx/img113/908/dsc030059ul.jpg

http://img113.echo.cx/img113/6229/dsc030117jp.jpg

http://img113.echo.cx/img113/1103/dsc030140ui.jpg

Transmission on car and almost ready
http://img113.echo.cx/img113/8602/dsc030209pg.jpg

He installed the rear pump eliminator kit, which is a good update. He did not install a rebuilt converter, that’s a no no in book.

Good luck with it..

Thanks.

All I know is that he flushed the converter. I'm not sure if he did anythig else to it and he said that 99% of converters for this model don't fail.

BTW, what is a rear pump eliminator kit?

How much?
 

How much did it cost to rebuild?

$1100 Canadian ($886 USD) + shipping

The secondary pump is on the rear of the case, driven by the governor when the engine is off and the car is rolling or pushed. It has a dual function, it allows the car to be push started, it also supply’s lubrication oil to the planetary gears, thus allowing the car to be flat tow for 50 miles with out fear of destroying the gear train.

The secondary pump likes to engage at the wrong time doing damage to the governor gears and governor. MB made an eliminator kit. There is a way to eliminate it without the kit.

As to the torque converter, not only does it contain most of the oil in the transmission and it’s also a dirt collector. The torque converter is a under drive toque multiplicator and fluild coupling. The torque converter can transmit the engines torque to the transmission at a ratio of 2:1 in its toque multiplication mode. That is a lot of energy and that energy can do a lot of damage.


The toque converter is a seal unit you can not see inside. The fact that he flushed it is fine. I am not trying to knock the guy and I know every one has different standards. In my mind using the same used converter is not a quality job. Sorry, ask him for a rebuilt TC

Damage

converter

Thank you for that quality post! That makes things much clearer.

2 questions:

a. Well how much should a rebuilt TC cost roughly?
b. To remove and reinstall a rebuilt TC, how much time are we talking here?

Check around, likely there is a specialty shop around that does torque converters. We have one in Evansville -- the machine the coverter open, repair anything that needs work including replacing pump or turbine blades and replacing the over-running stator clutch, etc, then weld the body back up and balance. A very nice job, quite inexpensive for what you get!

They built a new convertor for my brother's bulldozer when the attaching flanges broke off. That particular shop does all the convertors for the tranny rebuilders in town, usually on an exchange basis.

Peter