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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / February 2007

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79 300TD 123 auto trans?

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Stupendous Man - 18 Feb 2007 05:07 GMT
The 79 300TD sedan i picked up has a funny problem with the automatic
transmission. The manual on CD I received last week is a Mitchell, nowhere
near as useful as a factory manual, but cheap.
The transmission, when first put into 'Drive' takes up to a minute to
actually move the car, but after the initial morning startup it operates
fine for the rest of the day. Fliud level is good, no funny smells, clean
and red. What is going on here, servo seals or bands or what?
Signature

Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

biodieselbob - 19 Feb 2007 07:16 GMT
> The 79 300TD sedan i picked up has a funny problem with the automatic
> transmission. The manual on CD I received last week is a Mitchell, nowhere
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Stupendous Man,
> Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

Hey!  A problem I have actually encountered and dealt with.  I have 2
other vehicles, non-mercedes, which don't want to move on the initial
startup just like yours.  I do not know what the actual problem is,
but while your car is warming up, idling, put the selector in
neutral.  It was explained to me as this: "the tranny fluid is not
being moved around much while in Park, and nothing gets tranny fluid
to it to make anything move until the gears are changed.  If the
tranny is put in neutral whilst warming up, all the fluid is being
moved by the internal tranny pump and putting fluid where it needs to
be so it can be ready to go."  I tried it and it does work (for my 2
other vehicles).  The routine I've come to use is that when I first
get in the vehicle, I start it, shift it to neutral, keep my foot on
the brake, adjust the tilt steering wheel, find the seatbelt and click
it, check my four corners, shift into forward or reverse, and go!
Stupendous Man - 21 Feb 2007 02:36 GMT
Thanks, Bob.
This morning i started it up and without my normal waiting for warmup, I
dropped it into low and it pulled away instantly. Whatever is wrong doesn't
cause problems, I hope. I guess i'll call a transmission specialist I know.
Hey, has anyone experimented with processing used engine oil for fuel?
Tiger - 21 Feb 2007 15:27 GMT
Then this sounds like valve body problem.
Wan-ning Tan - 22 Feb 2007 06:14 GMT
So what to do?  Can valve body be replaced without dropping the
transmission?  How difficult (or what skill level) is this?

> Then this sounds like valve body problem.
Stupendous Man - 22 Feb 2007 13:56 GMT
>> Then this sounds like valve body problem.

It seems as though a leaking O ring or seal is allowing fluid to drain back
internally somewhere. I drove the car about 400 miles over a few days and it
operates normally once I get it moving in the morning and pressure is built.
The valve body can be removed once the pan is off, but just replacing it
blindly (with what?) is not a good solution.
Tiger - 22 Feb 2007 19:08 GMT
Yes, valve body can be removed without dropping tranny.

However, the valve body should be rebuilt by someone who knows all about
it... Otherwise, you really need a factory manual and a kit to rebuild it.
Wan-ning Tan - 23 Feb 2007 15:23 GMT
Thanks, Tiger.  I am not planning any rebuild.  I know there are some
places rebuilding valve body and providing exchange.  There is one in
Georgia, specialized in MB, though I am not sure if my problem is indeed
in the valve body.

It is a 89 300TE.  The reverse gear needs extra long time to engage.
Occasionally it shudders before engagement.  But it works fine once
engaged.  All forward gears work smoothly.  I suspect a leaking or
sticky seal somewhere hence the pressure could not build up.

When I mention skill level previously, I meant the skill level to
replace the valve body.  I assume it is bolt-off/bolt-on, but how tricky
it is?  I know some American transmissions have balls inside and I don't
want the balls falling everywhere or misplaced.  Does MB use balls?

> Yes, valve body can be removed without dropping tranny.
>
> However, the valve body should be rebuilt by someone who knows all about
> it... Otherwise, you really need a factory manual and a kit to rebuild it.
Tiger - 23 Feb 2007 17:46 GMT
No balls or anything to fall out. In your case, I would say you need a
tranny rebuild. It is cheaper to swap a rebuilt tranny than to try to fix
repeatedly that will leads to a rebuild.
Wan-ning Tan - 25 Feb 2007 05:42 GMT
Yeah, I will consider the swap when the time is up.  At this moment, it
is an inconvenience rather than a break-down.  If I plan well, I can
avoid the need to back up in 99% of time.  This should give me enough
time to decide if the car is worth to keep/fix.

> No balls or anything to fall out. In your case, I would say you need a
> tranny rebuild. It is cheaper to swap a rebuilt tranny than to try to fix
> repeatedly that will leads to a rebuild.
Stupendous Man - 27 Feb 2007 01:20 GMT
In my case I bought the 1979 300SD very cheap (looks and runs great but
needs a lot of small things) thinking it would make a good parts mine for my
81 TD wagon, but almost none of the parts I need are the same, so i will be
selling the 79 as is once the pink slip arrives.
Thanks,
Signature

Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty


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