Benzmac: MB Trans????

[Riggermike]

Benzmac, I have gone over this and last years Tech Help and something really jumps out at me! That's the number of questions about MB Transmission problems and it didn't seem to matter what year or which car, they all seemed to be problematic! Is this a MB weakness???
Thanks for your input and assistance!
Mike

[mbdoc]

The MB auto's are a very good trans! In most dealedships there are only a few techs that have rebuilt MB trans. In all american dealers they have a least 1 person that ONLY does auto trans repairs. Since 99.9% of benzes come with autos & it's the most fragile of driveline componets, it's natural that there is much discussion about them. MB doesn't publish very much info on them & it's not a DYIer subject. REPLACEMENT cost $$$$ is a subject unto it's own. Many of the discussed problems are related to high mileage. OF course the most important thing is to service the complete trans every 30k miles. On the newer electronic trans every 60-75k miles.

------------------
MERCEDES BENZ MASTER GUILD TECHNICIAN
ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN
27 YEARS DEALER M.B. Shopforeman
190E 2.3 ITS RACECAR
1986 190E 16V

its not the weakness its how the engines run so long

[ctaylor738]

Respectfully disagree - the transmissions, at least in the W123's and older were simply not of the quality that one would expect from Mercedes. Even when perfect, they are very inefficient and sloppy shifting. We have always had an American car and a MB, and I am amazed at how much better the US transmissions work.

MB DOC is correct in his second observation. The basic design problems are compounded by a large number of fools at dealerships who don't know how to adjust them correctly. It was always a crapshoot as to whether the automatic in our beloved 300D would work better or worse after being serviced!

------------------
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'86 300E 5 speed
'95 C220 (wife's car)
'98 Porsche Boxster
Past: '79 280E, '82 300D (18 yrs), '77 240D,
4 250C's

[Benzmac]

After rebuilding over 30 in my short career, I would say that they are strong as hell. The only time I see them fail is if they are neglected or abused. I have seen it all...I do have some die-hard service customers with well over 300k miles that have the original tranny.

The one thing that is a fact is that if something goes wrong, in many cases, it is just plain less liability to replace than to try to repair because it has been not serivced properly or abused.

I hope this helps.

------------------
Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
1991 GMC Syclone
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

[mbdoc]

To Chuck Taylor, sounds like the person working on your older Benz transmissions were of the sort that have no idea of correct adjustments on W123 trans. Almost all of these transmissions shifted so hard that your teeth would shake, not "sloppy" as you have described. Since I worked as "trans" technician at the south's largest MB dealer for 2 years I can tell you that these transmissions are some of the toughest made. I have driven 1000's of different Benzes & almost all have original trans after 10 years. That is Quality!!

------------------
MERCEDES BENZ MASTER GUILD TECHNICIAN
ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN
27 YEARS DEALER M.B. Shopforeman
190E 2.3 ITS RACECAR
1986 190E 16V