E320 cdi coolant in auto transmission

[hflatman]

Having just purchased a late 2003 E320 cdi I'm wondering does this vehicle become prone to engine coolant contaminating the transmission oil, and if so at what age or approximate mileage may this occur. Would members feel that it's the radiator we should change as I'm sure this would be cheaper than repairing the auto box. This assumes that the transmission oil cooler must be an integral part of the engine cooling radiator.
Replies welcome, thanks

 

[television]

The fault was up to cars built till 30-09-03 , if you have a white sticker on the oil cooler then it has a modified rad.

Why not just add a separate oil cooler, that is not expensive to do

 

[hflatman]

The fault was up to cars built till 30-09-03 , if you have a white sticker on the oil cooler then it has a modified rad.

Why not just add a separate oil cooler, that is not expensive to do

Thanks Malcolm for the information, I'll check it out and cost up a seperate cooler, then there'll be no worries
Harry

 

[wireman]

The reason for the integrated cooler is to heat up the box to somewhere near engine temp ~80C, this gets the best out of the box by stabilizing the temperature of its hydraulics. Without the oil cooler the box could take ages to get warm and then it won't be as nice to drive.

 

[elsabobo]

Hi
Ive got a E320CDI 2003 done 84000 miles went into robinson mercedes cambridge for new radiator & gearbox flush it didn`t cure it it now needs new gearbox & torque converter.

 

[television]

In 99% of cases it needs a new torque converter and not the complete gear box, there is the odd one out, but not very usual.

The glycol only upsets the clutch faces and thats all for the main part

 

[panason1c]

The reason for the integrated cooler is to heat up the box to somewhere near engine temp ~80C, this gets the best out of the box by stabilizing the temperature of its hydraulics. Without the oil cooler the box could take ages to get warm and then it won't be as nice to drive.

ML's have a totally stand alone tranny oil cooler that is fitted in front of the engine radiator..........no 'cold' tranny performance problems whatsoever......the MAIN function of the oil cooler is to do what it says on the box.......cool the oil ......... excess heat is the biggest enemy of an auto box.

I would say that the reason for integrated radiators is for economics of construction (a single dual purpose radiator is cheaper to produce than two separate ones) and also a dual radiator is easier to design into a limited space on a low profile saloon car. ..... All the more thought provoking as to why that ML's have a separate oil cooler...

In the 'old' days, auto transmission oil coolers were rarely fitted as standard and were offered as an 'optional extra' if the car was to be used for towing..

 

[television]

ML's have a totally stand alone tranny oil cooler that is fitted in front of the engine radiator..........no 'cold' tranny performance problems whatsoever......the MAIN function of the oil cooler is to do what it says on the box.......cool the oil ......... excess heat is the biggest enemy of an auto box.

I would say that the reason for integrated radiators is for economics of construction (a single dual purpose radiator is cheaper to produce than two separate ones) and also a dual radiator is easier to design into a limited space on a low profile saloon car. ..... All the more thought provoking as to why that ML's have a separate oil cooler...

Many other cars in the range have a separate cooler too, and this was the norm for years

 

[RANA_1]

Where do you look for this separate cooler ?

 

[television]

Where do you look for this separate cooler ?

There are many firms on the NET doing them, or any gearbox center would do it for you

 

[RANA_1]

Sorry my question wasn't clear, where do I look for under the bonnet ?

 

[television]

Sorry my question wasn't clear, where do I look for under the bonnet ?

The oil cooler is to one side of the rad, if modified there is a white circle on it

 

[elsabobo]

In 99% of cases it needs a new torque converter and not the complete gear box, there is the odd one out, but not very usual.

The glycol only upsets the clutch faces and thats all for the main part

Hi
how do you know it only needs the torque converter & not the gearbox?
Regards David

 

[television]

Hi
how do you know it only needs the torque converter & not the gearbox?
Regards David

The MB workshop manuals and at least 15 post that I have been involved in

One MB engineer says that he has seen a bad box, but there is no reason for this to be tied to the glycol, it is a minuscule amount that gets in.

You cant really say its a bad box until the new converter is in, it is a well known fact that MB say replace it all in case of come back even if it does not need it

 

[RANA_1]

Hi, is there any chance of posting of photo of what to look for please.

 

[television]

The test is done by using a Glycol test stick, and no photos for that.


the modifies cars have a whit sot on the oil cooler

 

[Bizza]

My 53 plate E320 CDI AG auto has started juddering alarmingly when accelerating although things are better when using the "tiptronic" or pushing the car hard but worse when loaded; do people think this is this fault please? Re the radiator upgrade, a local dealership has said that a radiator upgrade is needed and that this is a straight swap for the existing one; has anyone got the part number for the upgrade radiator please, and are any extra hoses needed?? (Currently have a quote of £275 for a "new" item which hopefully will stop the contamination, but I'd like to check the part number...)
Also, once that's done, I have a quote of almost a grand for a new torque converter; I'd prefer to go down the route of getting MY box reconditioned - which will give 12mths warranty from a firm recommended to me in Wakefield, as opposed to paying almost that for a second hand complete 'box supposedly out of an 06 car with 56k on, with 3mths warranty for about the same price, which may just be buying someone else' trouble....comments please? Many thanks in advance; the car is everything I could ever want in a car apart from this problem; I LOVE it

 

[television]

Yes the fault gives a humming or droning when pulling lightly in top gear at RPM of between 1400 to just over 2k.

Your box does not need to be reconditioned, that is a waste of money. you can get a re con torque converter for just over £200 and the new rad. All new rads are OK at this point in time

 

[Bizza]

Glycol contamination in torque converter - further help needed please.

Yes the fault gives a humming or droning when pulling lightly in top gear at RPM of between 1400 to just over 2k.

Your box does not need to be reconditioned, that is a waste of money. you can get a re con torque converter for just over £200 and the new rad. All new rads are OK at this point in time

Malcolm cheers; that's very helpful and encouraging to say the least. Couple of questions;
1. When you say "All new rads are ok at this point in time"...is the repair simply a question of getting a radiator from a newer year W211 - any part number to give me please?
2. Any suggestion of where I can source a recon torque converter?

I'd heard people talk of fitting a separate oil cooler and have heard that these are available for about £80, but isn't the "plumbing in" a bit complicated? It would obviously seem that the cooling side of things needs to be sorted before I attend to the box/converter side of things...is the torque converter swap itself easy enough - box out?

I greatly appreciate your assistance in this as it's spoiling my enjoyment of driving what is otherwise the finest car I've ever owned, and am likely to. Many thanks in advance.

 

[Bizza]

The oil cooler is to one side of the rad, if modified there is a white circle on it

Where's the white dot please malcolm and is the cooler visible viewed from above; standing in front of the car, is it to the left or right of the rad please? I really don't know what I'm looking for; sorry to sound such a dork but there are conflicting reports on whether my car has or has not had the mod already done. I don't want to go down the route of fixing something that's supposed to have already been done - and is there any recourse against Mercedes d'you think, even now, as it would seem to be a recognised design defect> Cheers.