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SOLVED - E55 w210 -00 transmission problem need advise!!
Hello,
Bought a cheap w210 E55 for aprox 2000 USD with the knowledge that the transmission was a bit wonky. When I bought it usually went into limp mode (lockerd in 3rd) for a while but then started to work, drove the car for a little while, fixed other things, and it stared going into limp mode all the time. So when it was time for the transmission I started with changing the fluid (was brown but didnt smell to bad and didnt have small bits of the transmissions itself in it) , filter, condutor plate and connector. Flushed it at the same time so there is definitely fresh fluid in the system. When I had put everything back together I checked the TCU just to be sure it was dry but turned out to be filled to the top with old fluid... opened it up and cleaned it with electronic cleaner and let it dry. Put everything back together and it was the same as before, locked in 3rd...
I had scanned the car just after I bought it with a cheap OBD scanner and the code P0700 showed up. So after the little transmission job I felt a real scan was needed, turned out that the dealer wasn´t that expensive, even turned out that the dealer is an AMG center! So the codes they managed to pull out from the TCU system was:
110 / The speed comparison of Y3/6n2 to Y3/6n3 is sporadically implausible
119/ Wheel RPM rear left from traction system is sporadically implausible
146/ The transmission has sporadically an impermissible transmission ratio.
147/ The gear is sporadically implausible or the transmission slips sporadically.
148/ Torque converter causes sporadically impermissible wear
So one thing that has always been the same is that the car shifts normally for the first minute or so before going into limp mode, but yesterday when I tried to put the gear lever in 1st gear manually and then shifting to 2nd and 3rd manually it works and you can drive around shifting manually 1-3 gear, but as soon as you put it into 4th gear it goes into limp mode. So im guessing that the solenoid for changing from 3rd to 4th gear might be the villan here?
Any thoughts?
Would love to hear other experiences with the similar symptoms and the solution!
If 2001 you already have ME2.8 and can search for a new EGS52 TCU on ebay. They are cheap thou as you can code it to E55, if Modelyear 2000 you are stuck to EGS51.
I would change the TCU first.
If a Solenoid is faulty its mostly a direct errorcode for the Solenoid.
If 2001 you already have ME2.8 and can search for a new EGS52 TCU on ebay. They are cheap thou as you can code it to E55, if Modelyear 2000 you are stuck to EGS51.
I would change the TCU first.
If a Solenoid is faulty its mostly a direct errorcode for the Solenoid.
greetings, Fabian
From what Fabian has listed you need to find a EGS51 from a 2000. My parts car is a 2002 but I'll check the numbers tomorrow.
Well - all this is well and good - but frankly way overkill - let's step back from the codes for a moment
TCU was "filled with fluid" - not too uncommon since the tranny adapter plug has been internally leaking down at the tranny - and the cable harness "wicked" the fluid up into the TCU. The good news 99.9% of the time TCU can be recovered and does not
Since you have "bad communication" between the tranny and TCU - this needs to be addressed 1st BEFORE any other work,
1. Buy genuine MB or Mopar tranny adapter plug -genuine ONLY - like $13/$14 on Amazon - replace - use MAF spray to clean connector pins in the tranny - air dry.
2. Buy a can of MAF Cleaner at a auto parts store - like $9 - pull TCU - hold the TCU board on the the edge - and flood the board both sides with the spray - you are "flooding off" the contaminating fluid off both sides of the board off the edges - set aside to air dry - NO HEAT. Use MAF spray to clean topside connector - Air Dry - no heat, After the board dries - repeat "flooding again" - air dry.
3. You need tranny codes erased by Star or Star/Equivalent tool.
AFTER your tranny comm is clear - codes erased - then you can see if issues clear up 100% or if you need to replace conductor plate or have further tranny work.
The Problem is not the Oil itself, the problem is the metal abrasion in the oil. I have seen TCU filled completely with oil but working great because the oil in the transmission was almost without any metal... so you can be lucky and the TCU will work again.
That's why you "flood" the TCU - both sides - letting the contamination run off - blow dry - let air dry - then flood again - heck do it a 3rd time if it floats your boat.
I have never "not" seen a TCU not recover - the whacked out thing is WIS only shows replacement...
Okay, so the oil in the transmission didnt have any bits of metal in it. Looked pretty carefully because I was concerned about that when I bought it ( 170,000 miles on the speedo and poor maintenance from the previous owners)
The TCU has been thoroughly cleaned with electronic cleaner and air dried, exactly as described.
I will look at the fault code connected to the rear left speed sensor, maybe the sensor is bad...
So if the TCU works I really think that I need to reset the computers with a MB star scanner to get this gearbox working again.
Been a while now but still haven´t found the problem... I have atleast bought myself a china variant of a real star scanner and it read the exact same codes as the MB workshop. Cleared them and did a re-adaptation of the transmission. Went for a drive and the only code that shows up now is
"147/ The gear is sporadically implausible or the transmission slips sporadically. "
Also tried with a second TCU module and the exact same code came up....
Have read about a few guys that had the same code and sometimes a few more, the answers those guys got was:
the transmission is trash.
But it sounds strange to me, that it worked sometimes when I bought it a while ago, and now it would need a total rebuilt? I haven´t driven it especially much since...
Next up would be check wiring if something is shortcut ( dont know where to check more precisly) and/or change the valvebody. I have found a used one with 31,000 miles fewer. It is probably pretty cheap aswell because it a "pick-and-pay" scrapeyard.
Any further ideas?
Been a while now but still haven´t found the problem... I have atleast bought myself a china variant of a real star scanner and it read the exact same codes as the MB workshop. Cleared them and did a re-adaptation of the transmission. Went for a drive and the only code that shows up now is
"147/ The gear is sporadically implausible or the transmission slips sporadically. "
Also tried with a second TCU module and the exact same code came up....
Have read about a few guys that had the same code and sometimes a few more, the answers those guys got was:
the transmission is trash.
But it sounds strange to me, that it worked sometimes when I bought it a while ago, and now it would need a total rebuilt? I haven´t driven it especially much since...
Next up would be check wiring if something is shortcut ( dont know where to check more precisly) and/or change the valvebody. I have found a used one with 31,000 miles fewer. It is probably pretty cheap aswell because it a "pick-and-pay" scrapeyard.
Any further ideas?
I would still be leaning towards the TCU. I ran my old CLK430 through a wash many years ago and water dumped under the glovebox. Within a day or two it would only shift to 2nd gear. I luckily knew a guy in the svc dept. at MB that was able to get the unit swapped with a new one under my aftermarket warranty. I’m trying to jog my memory because it was 7-9 yrs ago, but I am almost positive he told me they had to adapt it after installation.
My recommendation to you is to first make sure the replacement TCU you purchased is OEM. Also, that it is 100% compatible with your model and for the exact yr. It does appear the replacement TCU will require pairing after install: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w211...fter-swap.html.
At some point it might be in your best interest to have the dealership charge you an hr or two diagnostic fee before you throw more money at the problem. It hurts, but I had to do it not too long ago because the trans on my CLK 55 w/ SC was not shifting. It turned out to be the connections in the throttle body harness had worn out from unplugging and reinserting during the SC install. I ended up spending $400-500 for two visits. They tend to have the required equipment to diagnose things like this that most shops do not have.
Run your diagnostics on the transmission. The results will tell you pressures, actuations, etc. Go to Control Units/Drive/ETC/Adaptations.
The W210 diagnostic is not as clear as the W211 diagnostic but it is still better than nothing. Do an internet search on "W211 transmission clutch pack wear determination bbirdwell" and you'll find some more photos of what the diagnostic system can do. You could just have a bad conductor plate.
Okay, Thanks! Will do that later next week when im home. How do I know if a value is bad? Is it very obvious?
As for the TCU, the other one I tried was from a car that was manufactured like 10 weeks prior to mine, EGS51 of course and a -00 E55.
Can buy the TCU from the same scrape car I’m thinking about taking the valvebody from(-00 pre facelift E55 aswell), it will be cheap so might be worth a try. So if the code is still there after a 3rd TCU is tested, it feels like the TCU isn’t causing the problem.
Started the week with a scan to look at the clutch packs as suggested by bbirdwell and they seem perfect.
But what I did find odd is that the Modul. Pressure control valve and shift pressure control valve values were way to high, like double... will try to post pictures of this. If anyone knows what this means and can explain what is causing it I would be more than happy bc it doesn’t seem right.
Also in the Motor electronics menu, it said something about oper circuit but look around in the harness and can’t see anything obvious. ( attached a photo what the menu looked like)
Next day went to the dealer to buy oil dipstick because I didn’t trust the one I bought on eBay.
Was like 35$ and will probably need it for future cars...
Compared them and they were a little bit different but not much.
But when I checked the level with the MB one it was to high, over maximum.... very strange since I checked this very carefully when I changed the oil but could be the Ebay one with quality issues.
coolant level isn’t lower and I haven’t filled the gear box with oil since last oil level check...
So sucked out some oil and checked the level at both temperatures using my Star scanner so now it should be exactly between 25C when cold and exactly between 80C when fully warmed up.
Felt like it started working for a while and I felt like I had figured everything out, but after some driving, limp mode in 3rd again...
Also tried to drive the car when only shifting in “manual mode” between 1-3 and then check the codes. Well guess what, no codes.
But as soon as I put it in 4th, limp mode.
Checked the resistance in conductor plate using the Manual for the 722.6 trans and also checked the voltage at the gear lever module and all the values are excalty as they should.
Feels like the only thing I haven’t checked or tried with another piece is the valve body.
Update:
found a cheap valvebody(with only 7000miles on it) , bought new oil, oil filter and pilot bushing.
Drained the oil and this is what came out:
first pic is in comparison with new oil.... it’s been maybe 1200 miles since I changed it from the brown skunk that was in it when I bought it.
What do you guys think? Im thinking coolant.... when I stirred my finger in it it became more clear that something is mixed with the trans oil...
The coolant level is the same as before at least what if think and can see. Maybe it is a very small leak but the question is whether the gearbox is shot bc of this. I’m going to a cooling workshop to pressure the system so that I can see if there really is a leak.
I am running out of ideas more than the gearbox itself( if this turns out not to be a coolant leak) which is kind of frustrating...
It was the rear differential ratio. Someone put a 2.65 diff without reprogramming the computer.
Disconnected both front speed sensors and now the car shifts just as it should!
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