help! C43 gearbox

[jaymanek]

VMTP are the dogs on gearboxes.. we have used them too.

However if you want to save cash by just replacing the broken parts.. take it to Transmission Technology in Knowle/Solihull.

 

[Stratman]

£1300 doesn't seem too bad.

Mrs. Stratman had a Peugeot 205 auto many years ago and a rebuilt box for that was £750 at a local factor

 

[BTB 500]

The rebuild on our 1996 Audi was £1209 (3D Transmissions in Reading) nearly 2 years ago.

Camberley Audi quoted £2484 for a recon. gearbox ... excluding labour (considerable) and VAT!

 

[clk208]

Sorry to hear about your woes. It is interesting that I have read a few times about people's merc gearboxes blow up shortly after a fluid/filter change.

Coincidence or is there something about flushing through new ATF which dislogdes a load of gunk in the gearbox or something?!

I had my ATF changed over summer and no problems as yet (touch wood!).

 

[timk]

VMTP are the dogs on gearboxes.. we have used them too.

However if you want to save cash by just replacing the broken parts.. take it to Transmission Technology in Knowle/Solihull.

I'm very glad to hear that VMTP are ok - not spoken to them today but no doubt it's all in pieces by now. Having said that - their L reg Corsa courtesy car leaves something to be desired. I've left it outside my house and hired a new Focus as I can't stomach a car with no airbags in this kind of weather on a motorway commute to Redditch everyday

Sorry to hear about your woes. It is interesting that I have read a few times about people's merc gearboxes blow up shortly after a fluid/filter change.

Coincidence or is there something about flushing through new ATF which dislogdes a load of gunk in the gearbox or something?!

I had my ATF changed over summer and no problems as yet (touch wood!).

Well I've also read quite a few threads about gearboxes going bang after fluid changes - I'm starting to think there's something in it, maybe it's coincidence and whilst I can't prove anything it seems odd it went bang 4 weeks after a gearbox service.

 

[jaymanek]

There is a theory that a good gearbox flush will actually get all the old bits of debris into the wrong places and can cause big problems such as this.

My suspision is that the level was either low or you had a leak somewhere.. normally at the gearbox electrical plug.

VMTP arent a main dealer and dont have a shiny glass showroom and so I wouldnt expect a decent courtesy car.. however im sure they will get your problem sorted quickly.

Thanks

Jay

 

[timk]

There is a theory that a good gearbox flush will actually get all the old bits of debris into the wrong places and can cause big problems such as this.

My suspision is that the level was either low or you had a leak somewhere.. normally at the gearbox electrical plug.

VMTP arent a main dealer and dont have a shiny glass showroom and so I wouldnt expect a decent courtesy car.. however im sure they will get your problem sorted quickly.

Thanks

Jay

Level should not be low after a service and surely they should have checked for leaks at the same time? I'm going to interrogate VMTP about the cause of failure although they are quite 'friendly' with WDM it seems...

 

[Alps]

timk, sry to hear about your prob, i had my gearbox go in my c36, and was quoted similar quotes, i opted to get a brand new (not refurb unit) from mb at a cost of somewhere near £1600 + vat for the gearbox alone. after changing the gearchanges were still not smooth and told the controller may be the problem that screwed the initial gearbox, so i changed that too... still the same....1/2 litre of gearbox oil and it was smooth again!

regular fluid changes are good, and you risk the same if you dont change the fliud also!

best of luck in getting it sorted.

 

[jaymanek]

yes ive heard that most refurbished auto boxes from the main dealer come in at around £1500. Not bad but then fitting is a major cost.. If this is not done at the main dealer and there are any problems after, it becomes complicated... hence why refurbishment is usually a better option.

 

[timk]

Update:-

The box has been stripped down and a bearing has failed causing the selector mechanism to fail and all the gears have blown themselves to bits

It is getting a full rebuild with a new gear set and torque converter. Hopefully ready tomorrow. They did comment that the signs should have been picked up at the recent g/box service i.e. metal filings in the gearbox fluid, and disaster could possibly have been averted.

Can't prove anything really though so unlikely to pursue with the outfit who 'serviced' the transmission.

 

[timk]

Just picked the car up, wallet is now lighter to the tune of £1800
Nice little warranty booklet and instructions with it though

It's going back 1000 miles later for a free service and checkover. I must drive it 'conservatively' for the next 1000 miles.

 

[buccal]

Sounds like money well spent really.

Unfortunate but at least its sorted quickly

 

[jaymanek]

they are unbelievably quick those guys at VMTP... it does cost though

 

[timk]

they are unbelievably quick those guys at VMTP... it does cost though

They were quite pleasant to deal with, lots of other mercs there (W202s and slks) and they gave the car a good clean.

Time will tell whether the gearbox is now problem free but at least there's a warranty to fall back on for 12 months.

 

[umran9]

Just had the gearbox pack in my c43 around 4 weeks after a fluid change! Ive read somewhere else that they tend to let go after a fluid change...

 

[jaymanek]

a flush can cause debris to lodge in the wrong places...

 

[Gridlock]

So now I'm scared to get it serviced... great.

Best to get Olly to change, drive, flush, change, repeat?

 

[AndyPCD]

Just had the gearbox pack in my c43 around 4 weeks after a fluid change! Ive read somewhere else that they tend to let go after a fluid change...

When you say it has packed in what has happened??

I have seen this happen a few times before once the oil has been change the box just gives up

 

[jaymanek]

So now I'm scared to get it serviced... great.

Best to get Olly to change, drive, flush, change, repeat?

Unlikely to cause a problem on a routine service..

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
My C43 had its first gearbox service done by Olly at approx. 118,000 miles, no probs at all, will be getting it done again at its next service in 2500 miles, i,m planning to do it every 20-25,000 miles from now on.