Greatkatuna

My 99 C43 is making grinding noises in first gear. I just dropped it off for a professional diagnosis. I live in Carlsbad, CA and wondered if any of you have experience with transmission repair shops (including Hoehn MB) in the north San Diego county area? Thanks in advance for your input.

AMGJared

Well I'm in NY so I can't help you. Hope for the best though with your transmission. Looking at your cars its funny we both drive a honda insight and a C43 what are the odds of that?

KA8

Dealer will give you a crazy bill for you tranny or anything! I think it's better that you find a good independent shop to do the repair. I've heard dealers will charge you ALOT for a new tranny for AMG c-class.

One thing I hate about SD is that most shops will rape you as well. In LA there is alot of competition so shops will do a good job at a good price. I hated leaving my car overnight for a brake job in SD. In LA I get my car back in 2 hrs. Good luck

tasho3

my transmition was doin a griding noice too but than was driving fine so i started driving in to my mechanic and halfway there the car stopd moving at all and so i calld the tow and found out that it blew and was beyond reperable so now i m having my mechanic puttin a new one for $4800 labor encluded and torque converter rebuilt too so good luck

ECTurboGSX

Yeah, at this point, find a place and have it towed there. Don't mess with the "I think I can make it" thought process. You're basically driving your bill up hundreds of dollars per mile. Good luck with everything.

MarcusF

You may want to call Sun Valley Mercedes Dismantlers. They've been rebuilding Mercedes-Benz transmissions there since forever. That's a long flatbed from Carlsbad, you may want to rent a truck and take it yourself.

whoover

Actually with this transmission, by the first sign of something mechanical it's too late. The failure is usually the needle bearings, and once they start to break up there's enough metal in the works so that you don't want anybody trying to put it back together.

Greatkatuna

Thank you all for your suggestions. Right now I am awaiting a precise diagnosis from Charlie's Foreign Car Service. I have dealt with him for many years and know him to be honest and fair. I'll let you all know how it comes out. I really appreciate this forum and your input.

tasho3

yeah thats what my mechanic said too the needle bearing broke and took everything with it so and he also said that this problem is very common on the E430's and clk 430's

m a x i m u s

hey guys,

what is this "grinding sound" that some of you speak of with the gearboxes? ive been hearing some slight noise for years now, i am assuming that it is just the gearsets moving around. do i need to be worried?

(she has 76,000 miles total, with trans oil and filter changed at 60,000 and 75,000).

tasho3

i dont think its the sound we are talking about buddy cuz if it was than your tranny would've been blown long time ago....it literally feels like there is a huge geargriding machin in your tranny

C32AMG/02

Early, first production 722.6 transmissions used a bushing, which supports and lubricates the planetary gears; the noise you hear( if coming from the trans.) is planetary failure.

m a x i m u s

hi, is this in response to my posting, or to tasho's? thanks.

ohlord

might help.....
http://www.germantransmissions.com/sc5_mbz.asp
ohlord

Lensolo

Thanks for the link! I called this place for C43s and the actual cost is 3350 incl labor and not the posted 2600. 2600 is shop cost. 3350 is still slightly below the average that i've seen.

MBHustla858

i replaced my trans at around 60k miles, i did the labor myself, paid under 3 grand for hte new trans and control module w/ the latest programming for hte newest valve body. that was shop cost and i paid that much since it came w/ a unlimited mileage/ 3 year warrenty, good luck

i was considering a used trans, but what would i do that when ALL mercedes 98-99 have bad trannies in them...... i figured i'd do it once and do it right.

sprins

Our C43 AMG had the tranny replaced at 90K Km (56K miles) on warranty by the previous owner.

C32AMG/02

noises are hard to diagnose, a mechanics stethoscope will lead you in the right direction. A Transmission planetary gear noise will change pitch as the transmission shifts thru its gears, and no noise in 4th gear with a 1.1 ratio, assuming no major planetary failure.



What type of noise do you hear, my C32 made a high pitch wine on start up in the morning and change pitch with engine RPMs, it was the power steering pump.





722.6 valve bodies have gone thru several design changes for increased driverablity and durability thru its evolution, starting in 1995. Last count was Five.

For durability, when buying a rebuilt transmission make sure you have the latest design valve body, and the transmission control module must also be flashed with the proper soft ware to support the valve bodies’ hard ware.

Militant-Grunt

Man the car is mint, looks sick man.

m a x i m u s

its not a whine. in fact, i wonder if its coming from the engine (valves), but the sound is "similar" to the sound a jeep cj manual tranny makes, definitely NOT as loud though. it also sounds "similar" to a diesel engines "clack clack clack". again, NOT as loud. i always thought that it sounded like the gearsets moving around. and its semi-sporadic. ive had the car in to the mechanic for various tranny work (trans flush, new shift plate), and they never red flagged the noise ... it's been happening for years now.

man, i dont know if its the alignment of the planets or something, but ive been ocd'ing about my tranny like a madman lately! in fact, i havent been even driving it that much lately bc of that!

sprins

Thanks. I agree though It was overhauled thouroughly when I bought it by MBenzNL. He also figured out the tranny had been replaced in Germany under warranty.

MBHustla858

if ur tranny hasn't been done yet, it will need to be done. its just a time bomb

John-in-Dallas

If the tranny issues are ultimately related to a needle bearing, or set of them, and failure is just a matter of mileage, has there been any thought to the economics of changing those bearings, or, in essence, rebuilding the tranny before the needle bearings let go and mess up the rest of the works?

John-in-Dallas

sprins:

LOVE your black Estate. Wish we had those over here in the US of A.

C32AMG/02

Have you asked your tech to diagnose that specific noise, if it were transmission relayed you would have been walking home long ago. For those intermittent problems I ask the customer if I can drive the car, for a couple of days. Good luck.