ML270cdi gearbox repair advice

[taffysvan]

Hi all,
Some of you may know I purchased a 2001 ML 270 cdi in Jan to tow my caravan with primarily. Had a problem with slipping gears. A new gearbox seal was fitted and car seemed to be alright. First outing towing the van and the slipping came back good style.
I returned the car to the dealer and they took it to an auto gearbox specialist (not a merc specialist) who said that the 3rd gear clutch had failed and that they have rebuilt the gearbox at a cost of £1500 ish. I am trying to speak to the actual workshop itself but no joy yet.
I was wondering if those with technical know how could advise me if this sounds right?
if this has been done should the car be ok from now on and tow alright?
Should I just get rid of it and buy something else?
In all other ways the car is mint, only 85k on the clock, fsh and very very tidy internally and externally. I really like it but am worried about its ability to perform properly.
Thanks in advance from a slightly frustrated merc owner.

 

[BlackC55]

£1500 is a spot on price.

 

[Buggerlugs]

I think the point you should now be trying to establish is simply this....... After a £1500 rebuild does the gearbox now have a 12 month parts AND labour warranty?

It should.

 

[taffysvan]

Thanks Black C55. The supplying dealer has paid for the repair which I think is very decent. I was just wondering if repaired gearboxes are as reliable as the original. I guess I have just lost a bit of confidence in the car and am not sure if I should stick with it.

 

[taffysvan]

Quick update. Garage used was Automatic Transmissions in Preston and they have told me they have replaced the 3rd gear clutch, resealed the gearbox and fitted a new torque converter.
Does that sound like a good long term repair or a quick fix?
Thanks all.

 

[Buggerlugs]

You could chase this around for weeks and not get the answer I suspect you wanna hear. Hook up the caravan and go give it some beans.........If the fix is good you'll come back with a smile and have no hesitation hooking up and blasting off into the sunset again, if on the other hand it's not.........(Join the RAC or summat before you set off)

 

[horsesuitedfool]

Thats sounds like a standard overhaul. I had similar done in a BMW 535i and it was perfect afterwards.....What is their warranty period on the work?? Just thrash it to within an inch of its life during the warranty period and if its going to break it should do while under warranty!!

 

[taffysvan]

You could chase this around for weeks and not get the answer I suspect you wanna hear. Hook up the caravan and go give it some beans.........If the fix is good you'll come back with a smile and have no hesitation hooking up and blasting off into the sunset again, if on the other hand it's not.........(Join the RAC or summat before you set off)

Well I did follow this advice and gave it a bit of welly today..without the caravan and.... going up a 10% gradient hill in the Lake District it jumped out of gear, shot round to 5000 revs then seemed to re-engage a gear. Limp mode pretty swiftly followed and continued til stop. Strong smell of burning oil on stop.
This happened after about 60 miles. When in limp mode the temperature gauge went pretty quickly up to 100 degrees. Once limp mode reset it went back down to 80.

On the return it went into limp mode once and then behaved pretty well.

Some observations..

• It cant seem to cope with gear changes above 2500 revs.
• It doesnt change up very smoothly,sometimes lurches into a gear.
• Kick down is better since the repair
• Happens when the engine gets really warmed up..after 60 miles or so
• Happens when the gearbox is put under pressure on a hill climb above 2500 revs
• Speed was about 30 - 40

I am now a desperate woman with this car! and would really like to find out what the problem is.
It was better today than before the repair..ie no gear slipping, just the jump out of gear but still limp mode..
All pointers to the repair garage gratefully received where it is being returned to on Monday!

Thanks all from a very despondent Taffysvan

PS Anyone wanna buy an ML?

 

[Buggerlugs]

well, I'm sorta glad for you.......At least you know not to bother hooking up the van at the moment.

My gut feeling is that the gearbox valve body assy. is faulty or it could be as simple as low fluid level. Low fluid is easily sorted, but the valve body is an expensive item, so if it does turn out to be faulty, I'd like to see how that's dealt with.

Please keep us up to speed Taffysvan.

 

[horsesuitedfool]

Better to happen straight after they done the repair than in a year or so!! They will probably fully overhaul it now to avoid any more problems.......It should be fine, just make sure they fix it properly and you dont pay them a penny!!

 

[taffysvan]

Have collected the beast today..interim report

No fault codes showed on the STAR.
All gear changing and other processes showing as operating in normal parameters when hooked up to STAR.
2 Adaption codes hadnt taken from last time so these have been done again and checked.

So.....have to go and test it out and if the same thing happens they are going to look at the valve body and maybe the oil cooler control.

If you see a gold ML on the back of a low loader with a caravan behind this weekend in the Yorkshire area you could hazard a guess it might be me!

 

[Buggerlugs]

2 Adaption codes hadnt taken from last time so these have been done again and checked

Ignore this, it's gobbledygook......

(PS. Oil cooler control IS done by the valve body)

 

[taffysvan]

Does that mean I most probably will be on the back of a low loader tomorrow??

 

[Buggerlugs]

I'd say there's a fair chance. Keep me pinkies crossed fer yer.

 

[taffysvan]

Well folks, didnt end up on the back of a low loader but the car joshed it 25 miles in to the trip. Went into limp again so turned back for home.
During a climb up a hill car jumped out of gear again, free revving, couldnt get any gear and had to come to a stop on a dual carriageway, switch off and restart. This scared the proverbial out of me as not good with the caravan on the back!!
Only then could I engage a gear and we made it home. Back to the garage and the drawing board...

 

[taffysvan]

For those who are the slightest bit interested yesterday we completed a 60 mile test drive towing the caravan SUCCESSFULLY!
Despite the STAR showing no faults after the last time the garage have fitted an additional oil cooler as it was thought it may be the oil getting too hot causing the EMS to sense a fault and go into limp. Clearly not a mechanical fault as mechanical things cant fix themselves just by turning off the engine and restarting.
Anyway, currently its ok...next trip in 2 weeks will keep you posted..if you havent lost the will to live by then!