Garfunkle_W124

Due to my own stupidity, I no longer have a fully functioning transmission in the Benz. I thought it would be cool to roll out to the college parking lot with my buddy, who has a E420 identical to my 300E, and drift around a little bit while the ground was damp. After about 20 minutes of nonstop powerslides I started to smell burning. I quickly stopped and popped the hood to check everything out. After a quick inspection, everything seemed to be fine. On the ride home, I let my girlfriend drive because she was feeling carsick, and I noticed the shift from 2nd to 3rd gear peaked at around 3800rpm's (which is not good). The problem seems to be getting worse, so I am faced with the decision to sell the car or buy a new transmission. Keep in mind I JUST spent $1700 on the car a few months back. What should I do?

AMGfan

What's the damage for the repair?

ohlord

to call it quits,a new trans and labor add up to more then it is worth.
Part it out you will get more then what you will end up selling it with a bum trans.

neanderthal

has the lesson been learned though?

shdoug

Does the fluid smell burnt now? Maybe it just needs changed. 20 minutes of powerslides would get the fluid plenty hot. I take it the other shifts are normal but 2-3 is delayed. If they were all delayed then you could loosen the Bowden cable and see if that helps.

Rio Z Lander

my trany tends to do that if the ATF is low. if you have the know how to change out the trans for your car you might save alot of money

CLJ

Yeh thats what happened to me a few weeks ago.

A valve poped when I was driving my car pretty hard and the transmission fluid leaked out. But if thats the case don't drive it any futher!! Or you will need a new transmision!

But why sell your car? Seems a bit extreme seeing as you can aford rims and a bodykit for it!! Second hand is not that expensive.

Garfunkle_W124

sadly, no.

jlink38

change the fluid and filter. let the current fluid cool off first. just relax.

shdoug

Garf- I'm trying to find the thread from a year ago when I said you should save your cash for repairs rather than fancy wheels and mods and Zorro said I was being old and square like someone's dad.

Your car looks great- light years better than when you got it. I hope you would not have to sell it after putting all that work into it. That would just be wrong.

I can't imagine you fried your tranny in 20 minutes. I unknowingly had a kinked tranny cooler line in a car and drove it 6 months before it finally lost high gear and reverse.

shooter90027

Have your tranny refilled.. Did the same with mine.. they wanted $4.5k for repair at MBZ (Replace Tranny & Labor) took it to my local mechanic. He dipped the fluid level and said I was 2ltrs down.. Had him pull the pan and replace the filter and gasket.. Dropped some Royal Purple synth ATF down the tube and she runs like a bat outta hell... And NO I didn't learn my lesson either.. I still drift my C280 on Mulholland Drive on saturday nights.

Can't Pay, Don't Play

ZedStyle

good luck with getting it fixed...
personally, i would never treat my baby like that, but that's just me

Rio Z Lander

my trany leeks a bit so every 1month to 2 months i have to put fluid in. i drive my car hard and push it to the best of my abilities(most the time that is screaming in my car in traffic)

jeffreyli86

i thought every MB's tranny leaks?
my 30000miler leaks a wee bit whether used or not.. it doesn't drop on the ground but when you put the car on the hydraulic lifts i can see that the pan is wet, but not enough so that it drips.. my sump does it too..

more to the point.. even newer mercs leak.. for example, 2005 CLS500, it leaks, not too bad but just as bad as my 124.. another example, 2006 CLK280, also 7Gtronic, leaks so bad it once left a puddle under the car..

now, i don't baby the cars (except my 124, i mean it).. the CLS had around 10000km (can't be bothered converting it into miles) when it leaked.. the CLK had 14000~ miles..

that's why i thought everyone's leaked.. however, if it leaks so much that you see a trail behind you i'd say it's best you get it checked..

shadowgriffen

If I had any respect for you Garf, I'm having a reall hard time locating it right now.

shdoug

Mine leaked a drop or 2 in a month's time also. I tightened up the pan a bit and it seemed to stop.

battlecat714

berti_00

strongly agree... you should see me driving my benzo lol, like an old lady really i do take care of it alot, never push it or anything

Garfunkle_W124

Different strokes for different folks

Personally, what is the fun in being a car enthusiast if you don't "take the dog for a walk" so to speak.

Garfunkle_W124

Sorry to hear that my online buddy

Saijin_Naib

Haha, I'd have to agree with garf on this one. As my friend todd says, Its more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. So bascially, I punch it in the CE, I push it, and I enjoy every moment of it. Now I'm looking for how to make it a more spirited performer, so I can enjoy my romps a little more.

bjay51d

Now you know the trannies are suspect on the w124...What were you thinking?I didnt even know the had enough power to do a drift

bjay51d

I wouldnt sell if every thing else is good. you just put 17 into it, so another couple grand ought to get you another 80k trouble free miles.

shdoug

Oh, yeah. They will definitely put out when necessary and they love to be pushed. But I, too was afraid to drive mine very hard because of the tranny and everything else that could possibly fail. Mine was almost completely original so the front suspension was questionable but I loved to race people from the light who thought they would just pass that slow green machine up and be done with it. It was funny to see the looks people gave me when they couldn't get around it! It just did not look fast but that inline 6 had crazy torque. If I do it again I will get the 420.

In the Dodge I have to plan ahead if I need to get around someone and sneak by when they aren't looking. It is one of the top 5 slowest cars on the road, no joke. Off the line it's pathetic. It can hardly get out of its own way! People on the Dodge forum tell me I'm crazy; that it's plenty fast. But 0-60 in 10.5 (official posted number) is NOT fast. Oh, well. Soon I will be free to get whatever I want. Decisions, decisions...

bjay51d

Where were you when I had my CE...i had to put my foot through the flood board to get that thing to move.I might have given that dodge a run for its money