Gearbox flooding

[emma hyatt]

Hi everyone.

Can anyone offer a solution to this problem please

Just over a year ago I had to have a new gearbox for my SLK 1997

Then in March of this year same thing happened and I was asked if I had had my radiator replaced. No...I had not. Why? Because the gearbox was flooded. Second new gearbox.

Today same thing happened and same question. I have no idea why it is flooding with water and three gearboxes in two years is financially not great. Anyone have any ideas as to why this flooding recurs or where the water is coming from ?

I would be so grateful

 

[mattkh]

I would be so grateful

You poor thing.
Some gearboxes need water to cool down. When the water pipes corrode, the coolant enters the gearbox.

 

[emma hyatt]

You poor thing.
Some gearboxes need water to cool down. When the water pipes corrode, the coolant enters the gearbox.

Thankyou so much. I heard that the water circulates to cool the oil in the gearbox or something similar. I really appreciate your help

 

[LostKiwi]

The bottom of the radiator contains a transmission oil cooler. In the past these have cracked internally causing water to leak into the gearbox and oil to leak into the coolant. Sounds like yours has done that.
The good news is once done it's unlikely to need doing again.

 

[emma hyatt]

The bottom of the radiator contains a transmission oil cooler. In the past these have cracked internally causing water to leak into the gearbox and oil to leak into the coolant. Sounds like yours has done that.
The good news is once done it's unlikely to need doing again.

 

[emma hyatt]

Thank you so much. I am very grateful

 

[Jim2]

Thank you so much. I am very grateful

Begs the question as to why the cooling radiator , which is a known fault, was not replaced to prevent it happening again...

 

[emma hyatt]

Begs the question as to why the cooling radiator , which is a known fault, was not replaced to prevent it happening again...

Indeed! It’s going between two excellent garages but…….

 

[Craiglxviii]

Indeed! It’s going between two excellent garages but…….

But… they might not now be so excellent…

 

[emma hyatt]

Thank you so much fir all the advice. Now looking fir a garage near Hates where my car is stuck, to fit a new radiator. May I ask for recommendations of garage or mechanic as my garage is too busy to take it and the car is in with a gearbox specialist who can’t fit radiator and the car is unable to move! Thanks

 

[EmilysDad]

..... and the car is in with a gearbox specialist who can’t fit radiator and the car is unable to move! Thanks

Unable or unwilling? I'd have thought that someone capable of rebuilding a gearbox would have the capabilities to fit a simple radiator.

 

[Srdl]

Thank you so much fir all the advice. Now looking fir a garage near Hates where my car is stuck, to fit a new radiator. May I ask for recommendations of garage or mechanic as my garage is too busy to take it and the car is in with a gearbox specialist who can’t fit radiator and the car is unable to move! Thanks

Did you mean ”Hates” or was that autocorrect? If you mean Hayes, then Wayne Gates at Harrow are highly regarded on here.

 

[emma hyatt]

Unable or unwilling? I'd have thought that someone capable of rebuilding a gearbox would have the capabilities to fit a simple radiator.

That’s what I thought too especially as they are fitting torque convertor. Have to have it towed twice which is no joke…it’s crazy

Did you mean ”Hates” or was that autocorrect? If you mean Hayes, then Wayne Gates at Harrow are highly regarded on here.

I did. Thank you for spotting that!

 

[Jim2]

Unable or unwilling? I'd have thought that someone capable of rebuilding a gearbox would have the capabilities to fit a simple radiator.

For sure, fitting a new rad would be the easier and simpler of the two jobs...something stinks to high heaven here.....

 

[Botus]

the gearbox was flooded - is an unusual term.

As written above some valeo radiators where build wrong and may cause some ingress of engine coolant into the gearbox (via the engine cooling radiator's integral transmission cooler). But if the gearbox was overwhelmed by coolant, the engine ought to have run a bit warm and maybe show signs things weren't right, and the car should have needed some antifreeze and they should have twigged at that point....

a competent garage shouldn't just accept the gearbox play up - they should resolve the route cause - and legally they have a responsibility to give you back a safe car...

with coolant in an auto box the gear changes should have become strange enough the driver can feel something isn't right.... sadly the coolant makes a nasty mess of the insides of an auto box - but then the garage on dropping the sump of the gearbox upon initial investigation should have yet another clue that coolant damage is the issue....

unless the car got caught in a real "flood" and rain water is the issue - I guess if you hit both issues at the same time a dim garage that doesn't do much work on a Merc might have slipped up

 

[emma hyatt]

For sure, fitting a new rad would be the easier and simpler of the two jobs...something stinks to high heaven here

the gearbox was flooded - is an unusual term.

As written above some valeo radiators where build wrong and may cause some ingress of engine coolant into the gearbox (via the engine cooling radiator's integral transmission cooler). But if the gearbox was overwhelmed by coolant, the engine ought to have run a bit warm and maybe show signs things weren't right, and the car should have needed some antifreeze and they should have twigged at that point....

a competent garage shouldn't just accept the gearbox play up - they should resolve the route cause - and legally they have a responsibility to give you back a safe car...

with coolant in an auto box the gear changes should have become strange enough the driver can feel something isn't right.... sadly the coolant makes a nasty mess of the insides of an auto box - but then the garage on dropping the sump of the gearbox upon initial investigation should have yet another clue that coolant damage is the issue....

unless the car got caught in a real "flood" and rain water is the issue - I guess if you hit both issues at the same time a dim garage that doesn't do much work on a Merc might have slipped up

Thanks for this. I actually returned to the garage that fitted the gearbox because something was not right but was told it’s ok!! I don’t know enough- maybe I should go on a course!

 

[Craiglxviii]

Thanks for this. I actually returned to the garage that fitted the gearbox because something was not right but was told it’s ok!! I don’t know enough- maybe I should go on a course!

No, not a course. But you should definitely find a better garage!

 

[Mr Greedy]

If there was indeed the well know fault with the radiator coolant leaking into the gearbox, and that has not been resolved and the garage has just chucked new parts (expensive gearbox in this case) at the repair, then they have 100% failed in my view to rectify the issue and should be sorting this out free of charge. However, I fear a small claims court process to get that sorted.
An equivalent analogy might be that you only seem to be getting 20 miles out of a tank of petrol, and the garage you ask to fix the problem just tops up the petrol and sends you on your way. Failing to realize petrol is lashing out of a split pipe under the car.

If coolant has got into the gearbox, even and idiot might wonder why coolant was in the gearbox in the first place, and not just replace the gearbox on the hope that the magically appearing coolant won't magically appear again. And again.

As others have said, Wayne Gates is the place to use in your area. Don't bother with anywhere else would be my view. You have a 100% well respected independent Mercedes specialist who thrives on their excellent reputation.

Welcome to the forum, good luck and sorry you've had this bad experience.

 

[Paul Garrett]

Hi Emma welcome to the forum, so sorry to read about your gearbox troubles, as said in previous replies, you need to find a garage to trust to look after your Merc, sadly there are garages who look upon lady drivers as an easy meal ticket to make more business from and just take advantage of.

 

[V6Matty]

If you can get it recovered then there is also @alexanderfoti of AMFautomotive just down the road a little