E270 CDi Coolant Leaking into Torque Converter

[frankd Doran]

Has anyone experienced this problem?
Local MB agent are quoting between £3k and £6k to repair depending on whether it requires replacement radiator, torque converter, gearbox or all three!!

 

[television]

You are being cheated.

Yes the car will need a new rad, and that was the reason for the failure. It will need a new torque converter, that average price is £1350 pounds to do this. MB have been helping towards the cost.

We have many threads on this

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=27886&highlight=valeo+problem


Please do a search "Valeo problem"

 

[frankd Doran]

Thanks for that, much appreciated

 

[AndrewDB]

Hi I have had the problem with the gearbox juddering and slipping, I have changed the radiator and the gearbox fluid, the gearbox is better than it was but on an uphill run, if I hold the throttle steady, or use cruise control, the engine revs fluctuate up and down to maintain speed, I have been tols by MB that the Torque converter is sealed and can't be drained and refilled, have been looking on ebay and there are several Gearboxes and Torque Converters for sale, does anyone have the part no of the box handy to cross ref. as it is difficult for me to rummage around under the car would have to get garage to do it.

 

[television]

Many get the converters reconditioned at a cost of £500

 

[AndrewDB]

Thanks Malcolm, I know this sounds funny, but my girlfriend was driving the car earlier and as she drove past me I could hear a kind of woo, woo sound coming from the transmissions, don't take the pi** thats the best description I can think of, does that strike a chord with anyone?

 

[television]

Yes the humming and droning are a symptom of this fault when the clutch faces are raised

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

I have posted similar on other threads with customers with this issue. By using non genuine but high quality parts you can get this repaired for in and around a grand.

You will definately need a new radiator, TC and flush of the gearbox.

New rad from GSF or ECP £200
New rad clips £30 (clips on non gen rads not so good but complete kit available from Benz)
Recon TC (Genuine TC just reconned from gearboix specialist)£300-£350
Gearbox oil, filter and gaskets £100
Labour £450

Do not be sucked in by your main dealer. I do at least one of these a month and never have issues doing it this way and customers save £££. I have only had to overhaul a gearbox once and that was one of the worst contaminations Ive ever seen, the overhaul was about £650 at a gearbox specialist.

 

[bigt]

Was it just the ML320 that was vulnerable here or was any ML fitted with a valeo rad. Any particular model years too?

thanks
trev

 

[television]

There ML is not affected at all by this,,only the 203,211 and 209 to 30-09-03

 

[w211newby]

See here:

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=70901

Cost me £2K to resolve, not thro dealer ! more like 4-6K there