E280 Gearbox problems

[AMGeed]

Hi all. Hopefully somebody can point me in the right direction to a big problem with my '98 W210 E280 that occurred yesterday evening.

Wife drove me to the pub and on leaving the car, I heard a strange "whining" noise as she pulled away. Ten minutes later I got a call saying she had barely made it home with the car just losing drive on the way. Only way to get a gear back was to switch off the engine and restart.

I tried to replicate the problem when I got home, but due to being over the limit, could only drive up and down my driveway to test.
The car shifted into gear and moved forward and back a couple of times, then lost all drive in both directions. Engine off, and a restart got it moving again.
I didn't see any warning lights on the dash. The same has happened again this morning.

I did a forum search for my problem, but too many variables are being thrown up and the more I read, the more confused about it I'm getting.

Would I be correct in thinking that the oil level is perhaps too low?
I did intend taking the car to MBS shortly for a full ATF change anyway,(its done 150k now) but my problem is I don't fancy even trying to move the car off the drive as it is now , let alone driving it 30miles to MBS.

Any suggestions to the problem and a fix?
Also, has anyone any experience of Star Tech in Poole? I may be forced to take my problem there if the car hardly moves.

 

[MD5]

Just had my 96 E280T serviced and a radiator replaced there yesterday (I'm in Westbourne!), and I've been using them for about three years. Fully equipped, Matt, Dez and Tony are all ex Jacksons, along with John who was in Jacksons parts department. Very helpful, friendly and knowlegeable guys, and I put them on a par with PCS (and vice versa), who I used a couple of weeks ago with another car.

Most indies don't work on gearboxes, but they will change/top up gearbox oil or help diagnose. The gearbox specialist they use is here.

 

[GP801]

Have heard good things about Startech in Poole. Noy used personally but have spoken to others who have and all very positive.

 

[AMGeed]

Thanks for the info gents

Well I have added a little oil to the gearbox, around 0.5lt,and the car appears to be back behaving as normal. Taking it for a short test drive shortly and calling MBS on Monday for a full fluid change and filter ASAP. The car is due for a service anyway, so may as well do the lot at once.

 

[AMGeed]

I'm afraid the oil top up didn't cure the problem Got about 500 yds and the whining started , and drive just faded away. Just like a slipping clutch in a manual. Took about 2/3 minutes for drive to return on restart.
No chance of getting it to MBS in Southampton, so a call to Star Tech in Poole on Monday.
Hopefully a full transmission and torque converter oil change may cure the problem.

 

[AMGeed]

Got the car booked into Star Tech first thing Wed's morning where they will check for fault codes and advise. I just hope its only a transmission and torque converter fluid change and nothing more serious. If its a gearbox overhaul, I think it may be time to part with it as its just not economically viable.

 

[AMGeed]

Well its bad news. Star Tech hooked the car up and found a couple of fault codes, but basically, the gearbox needs an overhaul which isn't financially viable on a car of it's age and worth. Will be sorry to see it go and I'm not quite sure what is the best way of disposing of it?

If any member could use a 1998 W210 E280 Avantgarde violine(metallic purple) colour with excellent body and engine for spares or repair, let me know as it will be very cheap. It would have to be trailered away unfortunately. I'll put up a few photos later for anyone interested.

It is taxed and MOT until Feb 2012, 150k miles with 4 very good tyres, 18" alloys, almost new water pump and a Blaupunkt single CD/Radio.

One final thing, Star Tech I found very good, didn't charge me for the check, and I would recommend them.

 

[Grahamcol]

Been following this one with interest. Why not consider a good used autobox ? Maybe contact a good breaker like Three Pointed Parts. I'd be loathe to scrap an otherwise good car.

 

[AMGeed]

Been following this one with interest. Why not consider a good used autobox ? Maybe contact a good breaker like Three Pointed Parts. I'd be loathe to scrap an otherwise good car.

I did think of this, but the cost would be prohibitive. I'm guessing a decent box would be around £3-400 plus around £200 fitting and that is half the value of the car. It also needs a service and new front discs and pads soon.

Got a few photos below of the car.

 

[AMGeed]

Only 3 photos per post??
Here are the other 3 .
I will look into a replacement 'box to get an estimate.

 

[GP801]

It looks too good to scrap for the sake of spending a few hundred on it. What else are you going to replace it with for that money. If the body is good and rust free I would be tempted to fix it up.

 

[Grahamcol]

Well, it's up to you obviously but it looks far too nice to throw away. I really would be tempted to spend £600 / £700 on getting the box replaced and this may well prove cheaper in the long run than throwing it away and buying another, even adding disks etc into the equation I'd still do it. Buying something else you'd just start again and you don't know what you've got until you've lived with a car for a while. Good luck with whatever you decide to do

 

[300CE]

I agree with the above chaps, car looks far to good to be put on the scrapheap - if it were me i would ring around and see what cost you are looking at for a replacement/fitting.

 

[Stempies]

Surely got to be worth a fluid change & clean filters etc!
Autos have quite a complex valve system, may just need a flush out!!

 

[AMGeed]

Surely got to be worth a fluid change & clean filters etc!
Autos have quite a complex valve system, may just need a flush out!!

I was also hoping a fluid change and filters would be the cure, but Star Tech told me otherwise. They say it needs an overhaul and quoted£1900+VAT from a gearbox company they use locally Far too expensive for me.

I am making enquiries about the cost of a replacement and fitting of a gearbox first before I do anything rash.

 

[AMGeed]

Managed to find a couple of reasonably priced gearboxes and my local auto gearbox garage say they will do a swap for £300+VAT.

Ordering the gearbox tomorrow and hopefully will have the Merc back running by next weekend.
Thanks for the comments and I did have a rethink. The car is just too good to throw away and I just don't know what I'd get for the £700 odd it will cost to have the gearbox done.
Will keep you updated once the job has been done.

 

[jefrs]

£300 well there you go.
I've spent more for a slush box overhaul than that.
You also have to think what car you can purchase for the price of its repair.
Spend the money on another motor or fix this one? Better the devil you know...


Did you find the root cause of the problem?

Btw £1900 seems rather steep for an overhaul.
I paid about £1000 for a complete rebuild on a Volvo's Aisan-Warner.

 

[AMGeed]

£300 well there you go.
I've spent more for a slush box overhaul than that.
You also have to think what car you can purchase for the price of its repair.
Spend the money on another motor or fix this one? Better the devil you know...


Did you find the root cause of the problem?

Btw £1900 seems rather steep for an overhaul.
I paid about £1000 for a complete rebuild on a Volvo's Aisan-Warner.

Yes, that was my thinking in the end. Maybe the car is only worth £1200-£1500 but its worth more to me. £700 could buy me a heap of trouble.

Star Tech said that the fault codes thrown up all showed the 'box needed stripping down and overhauling. A change of fluid wouldn't cure the problem
How the price of £1900+ was reached I have no idea. That quote was for a complete strip down and overhaul using new parts where required. What I couldn't fathom was how do they know beforehand exactly what needs replacing?

 

[jefrs]

They know pretty much which parts need to be replaced and which don't.
On the Volvo box re-build (not a simple overhaul), the sump had been holed and water had got it. That meant that the clutch plates had become unstuck because they use a water based glue (it runs in oil which dissolves solvent-based). The clutch plates are how an auto box changes gear cogs. On the Volvo they were operated hyraulically by sophisticated fluidics mechanism. There were also various bearings and other parts that wear to replace. The work must be done in an extremely clean environment. One of the hardest parts of the work was removing all traces of the water - unpleasant solvents.

 

[AMGeed]

It's all gone wrong

The replacement gearbox arrived yesterday, delivered directly to Automatic Gearboxes (Poole) and it was arranged to strip out the damaged 'box and fit the replacement. I had a phone call at 3 30 saying the box had been fitted, but there was still a problem!

It appears that in spite of me telling the parts supplier the exact model and year, they have supplied me with an E Class W210 'box with different gear ratios. The car pulls away in 1st and changes up to 4th where it locks out and won't change up or down again until the engine has been stopped. I can however select reverse.

I'm waiting until the rush hour traffic dies down to take the car out and find a steep hill to see if it will pull away. I'm so annoyed after spending £360 labour to find the wrong box has been supplied.

And there is my next problem. Reading the attached terms and conditions from the supplier, who I won't name yet, I find that any labour costs will not be covered in the event of the wrong part being supplied.

What do you think is my next step now?
To return the 'box to the supplier means more labour costs taking it out again, and sourcing another correct gearbox in the meantime. Quite frankly I can't justify spending another £360 labour plus another more expensive gearbox from somewhere else.

Any suggestions? Can the gearbox software be reprogrammed to accept a different gear ratio? Its my only hope I think.