Mercedes W210 (E300 TD) Gearbox Thump!

[rjsdavis]

I'd say most of the faults are niggles - I know because I've had similar. You've been unlucky with the aircon but I wouldn't mind betting that the previous owner never used it - this kills lots of AC systems, not just Mercs. This is what I've done in a year of ownership:

oil change & filters
top up PAS fluid
balance rear wheels
buy tools for boot
front ball joints
drop links
leaking coolant pipe
5 new glow plugs
replace diesel spill pipe
replace both fuel filters
2 new front tyres
new shocker for belt tensioner
replace atf, filter and gasket
replace faulty driver's dimming mirror
new belt tensioner and pulley, new belt
new front pads and sensors
new wheel bearing
repair front foglamp
repair headlamp levelling mechanism
repair gearbox W/S switch
2 new rear tyres
lubricated wiper mechanism
new spring for belt tensioner
new spring for throttle position sensor
new key
new rubber feet for ABS box
new charcoal cabin filter
new front exhaust including cat
new bulbs for heater panel
2 new front discs
full laser geometry alignment
clean intake manifold and egr valve
fix fuel leak on shutoff valve
replace fuel pipes as necessary

and coming up:

2 new engine mounts
refill diff and check breather





So believe me mate, you're not doing bad


PS - Do not add any ATF until you know the current level by dipping it. Too much ATF = major problems. If the level is slow, the box will be slipping, not banging.

Thanks for the encouragement - however, it's still defo a lemon. I've remembered some more items;

* New engine mounts
* New gearbox mount
* 6 new glow plugs
* Oil change and filter
* Wheel tracking
* 4x new tyres
* Belt tensioner and poly belt


If this is standard MB ownership - why would I buy another? I've owned the car for 4 months! It takes up more of my time than anything else, and for the money I expect a combination of reliability and performance - I don't get much of either (sob)

What's more - a lamp in the instrument cluster has just popped. Can I PLEASE just drive the car for more than a couple of days without some new problem appearing?

PS - how do you check the ATF level? I've been into MB and they refused to assist - refusing to tell me where to check it, or what the level should be. I can clearly see for myself where the filler / check neck is in the back of the engine bay to the left of the engine (as you look at it) - but unlike the engine oil - there is no dipstick in the filler neck.......

 

[Parrot of Doom]

You've been unlucky enough to buy the car from somebody who didn't look after it. What I've noticed about my ownership is the quality of the materials and components that I've replaced - they're much much higher than anything else I've owned, including Volvos and Audis. Its a shame you're so far away, I'd be quite happy to come around and give you a hand doing stuff on it.

The ATF dipstick tube is at the back of the engine bay, offside. It should have a red cap on it.

There is no dipstick because the dipstick is very long, and cannot reasonably be stored inside the car.. You have to either take it to the dealer for them to dip, or find someone who will sell you one.

I have an image of the dipstick somewhere, if I can find it I'll post it. You could use the measurements to make your own, its not hard. The length of the dipstick tube is irrelevant.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Here it is. You get the gearbox up to temperature (needs to be 80'C), then measure it with the gearbox in park and the engine running.

The level should fall between the two lines at 80'C.

You could just get a bit of sheet aluminium, file the edges, nice and clean and smooth, then use the attached image to make the level markings. All you'd need then would be the coily bit to lower it in. You could even get a couple of old dipsticks from a scrapper and fix it all together. Just make sure its nice and clean, no lint!

 

[television]

I'd say most of the faults are niggles - I know because I've had similar. You've been unlucky with the aircon but I wouldn't mind betting that the previous owner never used it - this kills lots of AC systems, not just Mercs. This is what I've done in a year of ownership:

oil change & filters
top up PAS fluid
balance rear wheels
buy tools for boot
front ball joints
drop links
leaking coolant pipe
5 new glow plugs
replace diesel spill pipe
replace both fuel filters
2 new front tyres
new shocker for belt tensioner
replace atf, filter and gasket
replace faulty driver's dimming mirror
new belt tensioner and pulley, new belt
new front pads and sensors
new wheel bearing
repair front foglamp
repair headlamp levelling mechanism
repair gearbox W/S switch
2 new rear tyres
lubricated wiper mechanism
new spring for belt tensioner
new spring for throttle position sensor
new key
new rubber feet for ABS box
new charcoal cabin filter
new front exhaust including cat
new bulbs for heater panel
2 new front discs
full laser geometry alignment
clean intake manifold and egr valve
fix fuel leak on shutoff valve
replace fuel pipes as necessary

and coming up:

2 new engine mounts
refill diff and check breather





So believe me mate, you're not doing bad


.

Hey Parrot, you have not got any shampo or polish on your list.

Malcolm

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Nah. Still had plenty left over from TVR ownership

I forgot the 4 wheels I just bought this weekend as well as the glow plug relay which was replaced ages ago

 

[Geoff W]

Hi Parrot, can i assume that as you state" The length of the dipstick tube is irrelevant" That the actual dipstick hits the bottom of the box to get the reading?
I would like to know the level is correct even though i have no probs.
Regards Geoff.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Yes, it hits the bottom.

 

[rjsdavis]

You've been unlucky enough to buy the car from somebody who didn't look after it. What I've noticed about my ownership is the quality of the materials and components that I've replaced - they're much much higher than anything else I've owned, including Volvos and Audis. Its a shame you're so far away, I'd be quite happy to come around and give you a hand doing stuff on it.

The ATF dipstick tube is at the back of the engine bay, offside. It should have a red cap on it.

There is no dipstick because the dipstick is very long, and cannot reasonably be stored inside the car.. You have to either take it to the dealer for them to dip, or find someone who will sell you one.

I have an image of the dipstick somewhere, if I can find it I'll post it. You could use the measurements to make your own, its not hard. The length of the dipstick tube is irrelevant.

Hi Parrot

You are a gent indeed - however, you have managed to confuse my small mind! If the length of the tube is irrelevant, how do you know that your home-made dipstick is long enough? I.e. - if you were to pop your dip into the resevoir - and your home made dipstick was too short, how would you know whether the lack of reading was because the level was too low, or your dipstick was too short?

How long is the dipstick in total? - as if I was going to make one, I wouldn't want to louse it up!

What's more - my gearbox is getting worse.... My moby mechanic isn't back until next Monday - and he's going to look at some of the excellent suggestions already submitted on this thread to see if we can finally resolve what this big problem is - however, yesterday, she starting slipping gears whilst going forward - she's never done that before. She was worst going uphill. If I was errant enough to pull off the throttle (to adjust & reduce speed) whilst going up any moderate or steeper hill - when I got back on the throttle she was slipping a gear for a second or two.

It was worse when you combine going over those small square speed humps in the road - as she would both thump on the deccelaration and then slip a gear on the re-acceleration! HELP! I am really concerned that my gearbox is just going to fail on me sometime soon and leave me stranded somewhere.....

Furthermore, I was in a rush to meet a friend last night and was rushing down the M2... There was a new and very odd noise coming from somewhere within my gearbox / centre console unit. It kind of sounded like there was a morse code machine ticking away in there - and the faster I drove the faster and noisier the ticking got..... Upto about 50-60 mph, there was nothing - no noise at all. At 70 - it was intermittent and slight, but 80 - 90 it got really serious..... The noise is 100% coming from somewhere immediately around or just below my gearstick - right in the middle of the centre console.....

The noise itself kind of sounded like the creaking of leather - ie when someone moves their position on the leather seats - but it was an irregular ticking noise - clearly linked to the speed that I was travelling - it was loud enough to be clearly heard over the stereo which is what prompted me to hear it in the first place - with the stereo off - it was really disconcerting.

What's more curious - is that when I reached my friend. The engine was off for more than an hour. When I restarted for another 30 or so motorway miles to home - not a dicky bird - no ticking at all. Despite pushing her upto just over 100 to see if the sound would repeat itself.... Again this morning, as I commuted to work (65 miles - cruising at 80-85 - below 3000 rpm) - no undue sounds or ticking (although she is still thumping like a good'un on decceleration)

My moby mechanic did confirm that as far as he could see, there were no apparent leaks from the gearbox - although that's not to say that there aren't any!!!

I swear I'm going bald - or is it that I am pulling my hair out? If I'd wanted problems like these I should really have bought a Ford........

 

[Parrot of Doom]

The official dipstick is massive. When dipped, the top pokes out of the tube by a good 1-2 feet. Therefore, so long as it isn't too short, the length doesn't matter. So long as it can reach the bottom its fine. All you need to do is make sure that the markings on the picture I posted are accurate, and that they hit the bottom.

As for the noise, all I can suggest is that you do not use the car unless absolutely necessary. If you must use it, pull away the centre console and everything you can, and get a mate to shine a torch in there and try to see where the noise is coming from while you're driving.

 

[television]

Please can I have a longer dipstick, mine will not reach the oil

Malcolm

 

[Blobcat]

Please can I have a longer dipstick, mine will not reach the oil

Malcolm

Malcolm, I didn't realise you have a 16V Vectra Diesel engine

 

[Parrot of Doom]

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.co...del=E-300DT-001&category=All&part=AT+Dipstick

 

[rjsdavis]

Some reasonable news.....

The old lemon's been into the Merc dealer.... I finally succumbed to the extortionate cost that I was going to be charged... Unfortunately, they were the only people that could check all the fault codes on my car - and along with the other problems that i am encountering right now, I was hoping that they might be interonnected.

It would appear that they are. I have a fault report in my hand that is as long as your arm - mostly with over and under voltage problems - which explains a lot of the window / washer / indicator problems that I have had recently.

The engineer then went on a road test with me to check the gearbox, and immediately diagnosed it as a gear selection problem. He came back and checked the ATF level for me, and this apparently is spot on. Having already gone through the fault code reports with me, he was happy to report that the voltage problems were the most likely cause for the gear selection problem, explaining that there are a series of solenoids and relays that control the gearchange under different conditions, and if the voltage is playing about - this will cause harsh and inconsistent gear-changes. The thumping that I have experienced is apparently the gearbox changing down to first / second very poorly with the thump.......

Most likely cause apparently is that the voltage regulator on the back of the alternator is screwed - and he advised me to get down to an alternator specialist to have it checked out. He thought it far more lilkely to be this than the alternator itself. I am glad that he didn't offer to just change the alternator for me at over £500 a pop!!!

Anyway - I need to find an alternator specialist now, and we'll see how we get on - Merc reckoned that if I can get the voltage irregularities sorted out - the gearbox will most likely be sorted out automatically - which is potentially good news.....

I shall let you know how I get on.....

 

[slim_boy_fat]

The old lemon's been into the Merc dealer.... - which is potentially good news.....

I shall let you know how I get on.....

So it might not be such a lemon afterall.

 

[Parrot of Doom]

The regulator is only about £50 ish IIRC - you can actually unbolt it and give it a cleanup if you like. It should be held by 2 bolts on the back of the alternator, you might be able to get to them from the underside.

You could always get one off a scrapper.

 

[Schtum]

The old lemon's been into the Merc dealer.... I finally succumbed to the extortionate cost that I was going to be charged... Unfortunately, they were the only people that could check all the fault codes on my car - and along with the other problems that i am encountering right now, I was hoping that they might be interonnected.

It would appear that they are. I have a fault report in my hand that is as long as your arm - mostly with over and under voltage problems - which explains a lot of the window / washer / indicator problems that I have had recently.

The engineer then went on a road test with me to check the gearbox, and immediately diagnosed it as a gear selection problem. He came back and checked the ATF level for me, and this apparently is spot on. Having already gone through the fault code reports with me, he was happy to report that the voltage problems were the most likely cause for the gear selection problem, explaining that there are a series of solenoids and relays that control the gearchange under different conditions, and if the voltage is playing about - this will cause harsh and inconsistent gear-changes. The thumping that I have experienced is apparently the gearbox changing down to first / second very poorly with the thump.......

Most likely cause apparently is that the voltage regulator on the back of the alternator is screwed - and he advised me to get down to an alternator specialist to have it checked out. He thought it far more lilkely to be this than the alternator itself. I am glad that he didn't offer to just change the alternator for me at over £500 a pop!!!

Anyway - I need to find an alternator specialist now, and we'll see how we get on - Merc reckoned that if I can get the voltage irregularities sorted out - the gearbox will most likely be sorted out automatically - which is potentially good news.....

I shall let you know how I get on.....

A little knowledge goes a very long way. Glad your on the road to smoothness.

 

[rjsdavis]

So it might not be such a lemon afterall.

Didn't you see the earlier list of everything else that I've had to do this car?!?!?! :-(

Even if it is just the regulator - the amount of things that have gone wrong with this baby is unbelieveable......

 

[rjsdavis]

A little knowledge goes a very long way. Glad your on the road to smoothness.

Thanks for the support - but I've learned not to hold my breath when it comes to dealing with issues with this car! She's got a nasty habit of kicking you in the goolies - just when you think you're going smoothly for a change.....

She's kind of like a stray dog that you've given a home to from the sanctuary - who's had a very bad past master - it's like she doesn't trust that you are going to look after her, and just treat her mean like the previous owners clearly have..... I think there's still a fair way to go down the road to recovery!

 

[Tim Green]

I would back up the reply from PC man. The symptoms would suggest that when braking the hub rotates slightly due to a faulty bush, when you accelerate it rotates back with a load thump. Either braking or accelerating more fiercely would make it worse. However, it could be something in the gearbox which is sluggish in actually selecting the correct gear. The delay allows too much power to come on before the gear is properly engaged?

 

[rjsdavis]

I would back up the reply from PC man. The symptoms would suggest that when braking the hub rotates slightly due to a faulty bush, when you accelerate it rotates back with a load thump. Either braking or accelerating more fiercely would make it worse. However, it could be something in the gearbox which is sluggish in actually selecting the correct gear. The delay allows too much power to come on before the gear is properly engaged?

Thanks for the thoughts - this all appears to be highly logical - and was the sort of thing that I had expected or at least understood it to be from my limited point of view.... am investigating your suggestion now....