Transmission let go on my 1991 560SEL
 

Driving along today in my 1991 560SEL when I accidentally knocked the transmission in neutral. I dropped it back in drive and a couple of minutes later it lost power.

When I pulled over the transmission was smoking badly and I had a huge puddle under the tranny. It seems like something let go but it's doubtful that it's the front cooler lines.

Any thoughts one what to look for would be gratefully appreciated.

That's really rough on the tranny :(. I've done that once before too. Usually they can take it, but if its on the edge....

It was probably going to fail soon anyways.

Check the lines/seals/pan first....seems odd that it would be leaking like that if something internal failed.

If you have to go through it, let me know if you take it some where or if you are just going to DIY. The one in my 300SEL is getting pretty tired and I do not see it lasting to 300k.

Many years back, I discovered that if you pop the 733 tranny in neutral while driving down the road, when you move it back into D, it does not shift back to 4th, but instead immediately drops very hard into 3rd, causing quite a jolt, depending on the vehicle speed. This could certainly be enough to cause a problem on an old tranny.

DG

I can go from drive to neutral at freeway speeds and back again with no problems at all.

It will do it. It's just not good for the transmission. ;)

Freddies transmission is where all of the MB mechanics take their transmissions to here in Dallas (at least the ones that I know). Sunny's transmission in Garland is cheap and they did a great job on a turbo 350 tranny. They do work on MB's and had a 99 E320 at the shop when I was there. I asked them how much it was to overhaul the 722.6 transmission and they said that they went through it for $1800 which is pretty decent.

They only charged me $600 to replace everything minus the torque converter on my TH350 including pulling it off the truck.

I may still have access to the transmission from the 420SEL that you sold me.