Gearbox noise -intermittant drive.

[Bazzle]

Driving a long nicely. Stopped at lights, took off, gearbox lost drive a few times and then started making a high pitched whine in concert with engine speed.
Stopped, checked under hood, revved no noise, drove ,

zziiisss from firewall area. then no drive

Stopped. Turned off, restarted and then drive enough to get me off the road.
Had it towed to an MB repair shop where its still sitting until Monday.

I suspect torque convertor.
I had fluid changed 3 weeks ago, they only half filled, I checked went back and they put 2 L in. Dont know if related, hard to make that stick..

Bazzle

 

[Dieselman]

Does sound like the 'verters gone.

If the box was genuinely underfilled then it won't have helped as it will have been creating slippage and excess heat.

 

[Bazzle]

It did run hotter, but only noticed as exp tank was higher than normal so I check fluid.
Will wait for diagnosos on Monday..
I fix EVERYTHING other than bloody auto's

Bazzle

 

[c240yaz]

I had fluid changed 3 weeks ago, they only half filled, I checked went back and they put 2 L in. Dont know if related, hard to make that stick..

Bazzle

Bazzle, After all the advice you gave me on my ATF change, I am surprised that this has happened to you. Surely not related, as you mention above ?

Do you think that they may have used the wrong spec oil also ?

 

[television]

Sorry to hear that, you must have a case for help on this

 

[c240yaz]

Bazzle, I have had a few thoughts on this.

1. The reason for the original shortage of 2 Ltrs of oil, did they dip it with the engine OFF, thus oil would show much higher (full level) on their dipstick ? If they used a dipstick , did they ? You need to find out.

2. Did they admit to filling it 2 Ltrs short ? If so, This can be used in a claim.

3. How many miles had you done, before you noticed the 2 Ltrs short ?

4. What did they actually "do" when changing your oil. Did they also remove the sump and change the filter ? ie. were they "surgical" absolute cleanliness, could they have been negligent in their procedure ?

5. Was it an MB authorised dealer ? If so, I think you are on to a winner in terms of a claim for bad workmanship.

6. What ATF did they use. Correct for the G/Box. MB P/N ?

I know that these questions may not sound symphethetic to your problem, but these are the questions that have got to be asked, if you want to get to the bottom of this. You don't need to remind me that I am not a trained MB technician, but I have changed many ATF, mainly on trucks, but the principles remain the same.

Please keep us up to date on this one.

NB. I am sure the UK MB tech guys will have more questions on this than I do. Mine are basic.

 

[Bazzle]

I dont know why they underfilled. Was an MB Indie.
They had SLK back for 3 days, checked codes (extraneous??)
Drove again, No fault found.
Removed sump, checked for any tell tale signs, non, refilled, drove NFF.

I picked up drove to work (4 k's) seemed ok.
Drove home 12 K's OK.

Drove to work again, slight noise as before. Left work to go home

When it got warm noise came back, car went into limp and eventually no drive.
Took a clean start (engine off, door open , key back, start ) at least 10 times to get me home in traffic..

Sent it to another MB Indie I know who said it will be pump, prob starving.
He rang this morning. Said a blockage was found in oil cooler and car now OK.
I will pick up tomorrow and see.

Bazzle

 

[c240yaz]

It will be interesting to see what caused the blockage.

 

[Dieselman]

And how they found it.

 

[BlackC55]

And how they found it.

That is what I was thinking.

Strange.

 

[Dieselman]

Presumably the pressure in the box went down so they investigated from the pump onwards..

You've got to say, a good find.

 

[television]

Surly an easy test would be to slacken one of the cooler pipes, if no fluid then no pressure , so pump or blockage

 

[BlackC55]

Presumably the pressure in the box went down so they investigated from the pump onwards..

You've got to say, a good find.

Bl00dy good find.

 

[BlackC55]

Whay would it be blocked in the first place?

What was in there?

Very obcsure remedy and unusual.

Suspicious methinks

 

[Dieselman]

Good idea television, but I'm still surprised they went to that first, unless one of the pipes was kicking around as the pressure fluctuated.
Presumably the pump was screaming a bit as well.

 

[Bazzle]

The last place I went to is an MB only shop (Ammstar), even dealers send cars there. There have seen this issue on more than one occasion so were 99% confident.
They removed pan, valve plate and cooler lines. Flushed thru cooler and ran oil thru a white filter rag, little black flakes.
Valve body appeared ok.
From their experience the flakes come from the edges of the clutch bands and not to be too worried ATM.
Sensors in the box detect oil pressures issue and temps so that is why it kept dropping out.
The noise is apparently the pump.

They drove SLK for a day and I have now too
So far so good.

They also stated the filter was dirty and should of been cleaned when the other shop changed the oil . I was originally told is had been.
Evidence seems to suggest otherwise. I can feel a letter coming on to try and get a few $$$ back, probably wont happen

Lesson 1: Do it yourself like I normally do
Lesson 2: Pay someone you trust and have used before

Bazzle

 

[shilzo]

very good to hear your cars back on the road..... hopefully ull have no more problems

 

[BenzComander]

Just a quick update on the problems with my car.

Seems the gearbox in my car, and the SLK I think have problems with the "Cub" clutch breaking down. I may have heard the name wrong, so dont quote me!

Seem's the cub clutch is a type of overdrive device in the gearbox, that comes into action at around 60mph, and improves fuel economy. It is known to fail, and breaks up, but has little effect on the way the car performs, so most owners do not notice the difference.

Only when the particles start to block the gearbox oil filter do symptoms similar to mine and Bazzles start to be noticed.

The filter picks up the particles and becomes blocked, hence the lack of drive. Once the car is switched off, the particles drop away from the filter, allowing drive to be engaged again, but only until the particles are picked back up, and drive will stop. Hence the go 200yds simptoms!

Someone may be able to add to this, or tell me I have been misinformed???

 

[Dieselman]

Sounds like you mean teh torque converter lock up clutch. Might be known as the Hub clutch?

It operates proportional to the speed of the car and inveresley proportional to the load.

 

[television]

I saw last week that there is one mod to the plate where a hole is shamfered to allow more oil in as the B3 valve gets starved, this also cure one of the whisling noises