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300SDL transmission

My 300sdl with 286,000 miles on it is starting to have transmission trouble. When the transmission is cold, it will come out of 3rd gear but not go into 4th. It will just start over revving the engine. If you give it heavy throttle to make the transmission kick down into

3rd, it will usually go into 4th, but not as smooth as it should. And when going slow at times, the shifting in lower gears is not smooth. You can feel the rear end hit when the gears shift. My regular Mercedes mechanic has told me that Mercedes transmissions cannot be rebuilt, replaced only. He said he could get a used one with 100k miles on it from a newer car and total price installed would be $1300 ($400 of that being labor). My previous MB mechanic priced a new trans installed (18month warranty) for $2850. I have seen prices online for (i assume ) factory rebuilt transmissions from ADSITCO for $1400 and GERMANTRANSMISSIONS.NET for $1150, another on-line dealer was $2050. Whith such a range of prices, what is close to correct? TIA, Shannon 86 300sdl 286k miles 80 450sl 218k miles
Reply to
sdp1s
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When was the fluid last changed? Is the fluid up to the correct level and not over it? Is the vacuum system in good shape?

When are you going to get a mechanic that knows the kind of car you are driving?

JJ

sdp1s wrote:

Reply to
Jeremy

fluid was a t correct level when i had a transmission cooler line replaced 5000 miles ago. It was completely changed last week when it was serviced. All vacuum settings were checked.

What do you mean?

Reply to
sdp1s

MB transmissions have a lot of different things that can go wrong with them that do not require a full replacement, especially the old 300 diesels. Any mechanic that just throws up his hands and says "new tranny" does not know what kind of car you are driving :-)

Did the screens get changed with the service? Have you checked the fluid level today? Your symptoms could be clogged screens, or an unintentional over/under fill. Did you follow the correct procedure for checking the fluid level? It has to be when the transmission is at operating temperature.

There is a secondary list of potential trouble shooting to go through before considering changing anything actually in the transmission, but they are pointless to pursue until the first checklist is completed.

Sorry if I bit a little hard, but I am tired of so called mechanics going the replacement route rather than fix something, or even check to see if it is a simple problem.

JJ

Reply to
Jeremy

also check:

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Reply to
T.G. Lambach

also check:

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Reply to
T.G. Lambach

That was after all services and testing was done on it.

Having been trained and working for over 15 years in the only certified Mercedes repair shop in all of East Germany, owning his own Mercedes specialty and restoration shop for 20+ years, and rebuilding other components (power steering box) that other Mercedes specialty shops said were replacement only, if he says the tranny is toast, i'll take his word for it.

Reply to
sdp1s

I got a rebuilt trans for my 91 350SDL from Sun Valley.. It arrived in great shape and was very reasonable. Here is their website...

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Reply to
GHCjr

Sorry, I will shut up, you obviously think this guy infallible despite the outrageous statement in your first message.

"My regular Mercedes mechanic has told me that Mercedes transmissions cannot be rebuilt, replaced only"

I would run, not walk, away from any mechanic saying that even if he had helped Daimler design the first one ever made. Not that I know much about old Mercs

Good Luck

Jeremy

89 560 SL (89,000) 76 300D (400,000) 78 300D (310,000) No Replaced Transmissi>

sdp1s wrote:

Reply to
Jeremy

When the transmission is acting like it is now, yes-replaced only.

Reply to
sdp1s

I have had those symptoms three times, once was an underfill, once was choked screen and dirty fluid and one was vacuum related. 100,000 miles later the transmission is still going strong. It is your money, your call, I was just trying to help. JJ

Reply to
Jeremy

I posted previously that the transmission was just serviced, including screens and that all vacuum checks were satisfactory. Of the

3 other MB shops i have called related to this, all have said (from past experience) it needs replacement. Some have said if it had only 100-150k miles on it that tearing into it might be cheaper, but with 300k, it has had a good life. Alberts Imports Fayette Imports Lauck Motors German Classics
Reply to
sdp1s

Anytime a transmission has trouble immediately after a service, I look for the one thing that may have caused it to start having trouble. People are not infallible and can over/underfill easily, can leave off a vacuum hose or split it when reattaching. If you do not want to go through the check list that is fine, your call, but do not think that just because someone tells you that it is broken that it is necessarily so.

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Reply to
Jeremy

It had the trouble before the service, which is why i had the service done. It has no change in it since then. I told you several posts ago that all tests and vacuum checks have been done to it.

I am not resistant to an easy fix, but no one that has seen the car has found one! Everyone that has seen it or that i have told of the trouble says there is no easy fix. They all agree. Why are you so resistant to other mechanics opinions?

I work on machines all day long. It is what i do for a living. I am in no way afraid to get dirty or to damage the manicure that i don't have. But i am NOT a transmission or Mercedes specialist. Why do you think most general mechanics do not do transmission work? Most general mechanics are lost on MB as well. Both usually require a specialty shop. I work what i can and i look for someone who can work on what i cannot. With three other cars already in the shop, i am NOT looking to throw money away. It has to make the rounds for these others so i am looking to save where i can all the time.

Reply to
sdp1s

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