OldSchoolC240

So I did the DIY full transmission flush & filter change a couple of months ago on my C240 wagon. The car ran and shifted well during the intervening months until this past Friday when my wife, who is the principal driver of the car told me that it was stuck in 1st. I verified that it was in limp home and of course came here for answers. My wife admitted to spilling a large iced tea on the console so I naturally jumped to conclusion #1 and replaced the shifter assembly with a NEW one. Still stuck in limp home.
Took the battery to Advance Autoparts for a test. Battery checked bad. Conclusion #2, here I came. Replaced battery. Still stuck in limp home.
Following advice from other threads here, I checked the area under my passenger carpet and pulled the TCU plugs and checked the harness and vicinity. No fluid anywhere near it. Conclusion #3 (thank God) not the issue.
I intend to connect an OBDII scan tool tomorrow so that I can avoid throwing more $$ at this guessing game. Did I mention that I have a CEL lit? I'm starting to think that limp home is NOT due toa transmission issue but rather something else. Suggestions, sympathies or soothsayers welcome.
Car has 130K miles, full 12 qt. flush done in August. Sent a sample of the old fluid to Blackstone and the report showed no glycol. Known ESP error due to steering angle sensor that I don't feel like replacing, known SRS error from replacing window regulator attachments on rear passenger door illuminates on the DIC plus the relatively recent CEL.

Glyn M Ruck

Post codes & it will stop the guessing. We might have a conductor plate problem but it could equally be something simple.
Good luck!

OldSchoolC240

Codes are P0715 and a "pending" P02214.

NYFlapjack2

From:
http://www.buellwinkle.com/MBOBD2.html
P0715 Input/Turbine Speed Sensor Circuit Malfunction
Can’t seem to find (google) the P02214 with much success….
The below are generic and not MB specific but sometimes handy
http://www.obd-codes.com/faq/obd2-codes-explained.php
"Pending" injector issue? Extra digit MB specific?
http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/

samaritrey

You really need a star computer so you can get rid of the srs light so your airbags actually go off in a crash. As for the limp mode a star computer would be a great asset to test everything fully and not just have a code.
BTW if you are willing to drive to NOVA I have one
That said stuck in limp that would suck so where in MD are you I have to drive up there this weekend and would not mind helping a fellow member out.
Just pm me

OldSchoolC240

That's got to be one of the most generous offers I've ever gotten from a forum member - so many thanks Samaritrey! Unfortunately, getting to NOVA in limp home might cause some consternation on the beltway. I really do appreciate the spirit of your offer though. I'm up in western AA county near Ft. Meade so getting to me wouldn't be trivial. After I root my Navy men on in the big game, I'm going to do the pilot bushing tomorrow. If that doesn't get 'er done, I'll likely be hiring a flatbed to take the 240 to Silverstar in Annapolis. What a great place this is...

samaritrey

Well let me know the offer stands. Good luck tomorrow have fun! Keep us updated we like to know how it goes.

OldSchoolC240

Samaritrey - PM sent to you only to advise you of private contact information. Back to the public side.... I've removed the pilot bushing and am struggling to get the new one in. The 7mm screw doesn't seem to be grabbing the threads and I'm wont to baby it as the threads are pretty fine. I'm assuming that the fresh o-ring on the new piece is doing it's job and resisting compression hence standing the screw off from its intended home. Think I'll pull the O2 sensor for additional access and keep going...

OldSchoolC240

So this dang bushing just does not want to go in. When I remove the o rings from the pilot bushing it goes in like a dream and the 7mm screw engages the threads without issue. When I put even one o ring out of the two back on, it stands off too far for the screw to pick up the threads. The rings have plenty of ATF providing lube and the bushing is definitely engaging the keyways, it just isn't going in far enough. I checked the area where the socket came from for the missing o ring that did not appear when I removed it this morning. I'm starting to think that this job has been done before and the last poor s.o.b. just decided to not put the lower o ring in when he buttoned it up.

If anyone out there has a tip for me on how to press the o ringed bushing into the hole for the socket I would greatly appreciate it. I was going to remove the O2 sensor to give me more room but that thing is seized up on the exhaust pipe pretty well.

Glyn M Ruck

Are you remembering to give it the twist with the tab?

OldSchoolC240

The tab twist as I interpret your meaning is done when securing the plug back into the socket. My problem is in setting the socket back into the hole in the transmission housing. The new o ring closest to the bottom of the socket is beefy enough to keep the screw from reaching the threads. Thanks for checking in Glyn. I'll get it yet...

Glyn M Ruck

With ya! I suspect the problem is firm new O rings. Try warming them a little. If you continue to have trouble PM C230 Sport Coup. He might have a trick up his sleave.

samaritrey

That is a good idea glyn It is around 40F outside so the rubber won't be very forgiving.

OldSchoolC240

Good thinking Glyn. I have my propane heater running full blast out in the garage and the o rings are resting not too far away. I will be making one last run at it after dinner and will let you know if it's successful. At least Navy beat Army so the day won't be a total loss!

mleskovar

You need to look into the socket to make sure none of the pins got caught and are bending and missing their respective female hole. That happened to me and I was REAL careful to straighten it and it went right in. Unless you really force it I don't think they'll bend to breaking point but you don't want that to happen. I had the car up high (use jack stands!!) and was actually able to look straight into the hole.

Glyn M Ruck

Good advice Mark!

OldSchoolC240

Mark, thanks for joining in to help this old wrench turner figure out the fiddly bits on his Teutonic project. I verified that the pins were straight by removing the o rings and snugging the PB down with ease. As it turns out, the o rings needed to be heated up to be malleable enough to seat. It is now put together and holding fast. Unfortunately, the limp home condition has not been remedied. I think I will have to break the emergency glass and call on Trey to lend me a few minutes on his STAR rig to identify the real issue. I am afraid this may be at minimum a conductor plate but would prefer to be forearmed before delivering the "Swarze-Wagen" to the shop.
Many thanks to all of you who have already lent me your time in this episode. I'm committed to returning her to the road but am loathe to allow the dealer carte blanche in the process.

mleskovar

That's how I figured mine were bent

+1 good luck.

No access to independent mechanics?

OldSchoolC240

Mark, if the pilot bushing seats fully without o rings then the pins must be able to bore through the holes in the socket. If a pin were bent less than 90 degrees, it seems to me that it would impede the socket from seating with or without o rings. My background is in electronics design and integration and while I've bent a pin in my day I don't think that was the issue.

Thanks for the good wishes.



I have the same access to indies as anyone but I don't have any experience with same in this area. If someone would like to suggest a reliable technician near Annapolis or Baltimore I would be grateful.

samaritrey

Glad you got it back together. Let me know if you break the glass.

Glyn M Ruck

P0715 = Input/Turbine Speed Sensor Circuit Malfunction as above. So it's either the speed sensor itself but more likely the conductor plate.
P2214 = NOx Sensor Circuit Range/Performance. You have one of the upstream O2 sensors getting lazy & cycling too slowly.

OldSchoolC240

Thanks Glyn. I'm looking into getting the car to an indie that can do the repair without killing my Christmas budget and can push the VIN information to a new conductor plate so I don't have to make an additional stop at the dealer. Is there anything else I should consider doing while they have the pan dropped?

Glyn M Ruck

Get the Indy to check out the valve body & make sure it is the conductor plate. He can check speed sensors & solenoid valves. Other than that it's just fluid & filter unless he finds a pan full of friction material which would mean a clutchpack had failed.

Hopefully the issue is the conductor plate messing around and giving implausible speed sensor data to the TCU & causing it to trigger limp.

OldSchoolC240

So by way of an update I'd like to wish all of my MBWorld friends a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I took my C240 Wagon (2003) to my local Silverstar shop and had them replace the conductor plate. That fortunately fixed the problem.
I used the help that I got here from Glynn, Trey and a few other helpful members to develop a "not to exceed" quote from Silverstar for the r&r of the conductor plate. Their quote was $975 for the parts, labor and shop consumables and I took it. They also replaced the pilot bearing o rings while they were in there.
The car drives well and shifts perfectly now and I've taken a few weeks off to take care of my Avalon, my daughter's Jetta and my son's S-10. My next assignment on the W203 is to clear the CEL and SRS errors. I'm pretty sure the CEL is the upstream OxSensor and the SRS is likely my own doing from replacing the window regulator. I bet I didn't get the rear door airbag wire plugged back in right. DOH!

Thanks again for all the help and for taking time out of your busy lives to help diagnose this issue - even offering to drive an hour to assist. I'll try to repay that courtesy here as soon as I have a chance.

Glyn M Ruck

Pleased she's fixed. My 2003 C240 missed the conductor plate problem. I think you got a fair deal.