Oil in transmission control loom - CLK W208

[DelBenz]

For information - anyone needing to buy the gearbox end connector with seals the part number and price is A 203 540 02 53 £14 from MB. I dont have means of getting under the car o will be giving it out to a garage to have changed this week.

Question : How do you clean the loom of ATF in situ ?
Can the Transmission control unit be opened and cleaned of any ATF that may have gotten in there ?

 

[Xtractorfan]

The loom can be cleaned by using electrical contact and switch cleaner..just spray liberally around the contacts on the loom..use in a well ventilated area..the ECU can be cleaned by removing it from its siting and pouring lighter fluid into the connection blocks, when it is half full shake vigourisly ..the ecu..not u...and empty out the spoils redo this operation again..you can then allow it to dry naturally or blow it out with an airline..refit and hey presto.. oh and if that method dont work blame malcolm tv...

 

[DelBenz]

The loom can be cleaned by using electrical contact and switch cleaner..just spray liberally around the contacts on the loom..use in a well ventilated area..the ECU can be cleaned by removing it from its siting and pouring lighter fluid into the connection blocks, when it is half full shake vigourisly ..the ecu..not u...and empty out the spoils redo this operation again..you can then allow it to dry naturally or blow it out with an airline..refit and hey presto.. oh and if that method dont work blame malcolm tv...

You forgot to add " Do not try this at home"
Thanks XtractorFan

 

[DelBenz]

What next ?

Booked car in with a garage to change MOT ( sailed through ), service and change the connector at the gearbox end. Problem is still there after cleaning loom, clearing codes in ecu etc. It will go into drive only after a bit of flicking between N and D. What else could it be ? Between the selector and Transmission Control Unit are there any other likelu culprits. Unfortunately swopping out the TCU is not a viable option.

 

[DelBenz]

722.6 automatic transmission saga continues

Amazing how one becomes conversant in an unknown territory when the need arises ! I've been trawling the web and forums and have discovered that my gearchange issue is the silent epidemic for MB owners. Anyway it was my intention to trade-up to a 4 door 'E' by the end of May but this niggly problem has thawrted those plans. The position as it stands is this :

(1) will always engage from cold. but after 2 or 3 changes between 'R' and 'D' will not go into 'D' without flicking back and forth a few times.

(2) Problem only affects the forward gears.

(3) Loom has been degreased and the gearbox connector changed.

(4) I am now losing drive when I go over speed bumps ( not always ) - stopping, switching off and restarting cures it

(5) It will go into reverse when the selector is at 'N' or 'R' - when the fault is present.

(6) It will resist going into 'P' once the problems appear.

I saw on another forum where another W208 owner removed the selector and cleaned it before putting it back - is this worthwhile ? Taking it to the dealer is the last thing I want to do. Haven't seen any threads on this forum where anybody has done this or a procedure

Now I've spent on ATF change, Oil and filter service, MOT and road tax its un economic to sell for a few months now - especially if I have to get this problem sorted, unless I part ex'd.

 

[vijilants]

Try getting the codes read from the ECU.....it may show something.

 

[television]

The gearbox ECU can always be washed as a long term prevwntiv measure, though oil doe not affect the box. To me it sounds like a bad connection on one of the plugs and they should be cleaned with a good non drying switch cleaner.

I would also try driving the car with the ECU exposed so that I could give it a whack when driving to see if I could reprduce the fault

 

[television]

The gearbox ECU can always be washed as a long term preventive measure, though oil doe not affect the box. To me it sounds like a bad connection on one of the plugs and they should be cleaned with a good non drying switch cleaner.

I would also try driving the car with the ECU exposed so that I could give it a whack when driving to see if I could reproduce the fault

 

[Xtractorfan]

The gearbox doess need to be reset following any episode of incorrect or jerky gearchange..the box will only follow instructions from the misprogrammed ecu..so have it read and reset on a star diagnostic..as malcolm suggests the oil will not harm the electrics. but it does have the ability to insulate and interrupt signals ...

 

[MB TECH WARRINGTON]

Amazing how one becomes conversant in an unknown territory when the need arises ! I've been trawling the web and forums and have discovered that my gearchange issue is the silent epidemic for MB owners. Anyway it was my intention to trade-up to a 4 door 'E' by the end of May but this niggly problem has thawrted those plans. The position as it stands is this :

(1) will always engage from cold. but after 2 or 3 changes between 'R' and 'D' will not go into 'D' without flicking back and forth a few times.

(2) Problem only affects the forward gears.

(3) Loom has been degreased and the gearbox connector changed.

(4) I am now losing drive when I go over speed bumps ( not always ) - stopping, switching off and restarting cures it

(5) It will go into reverse when the selector is at 'N' or 'R' - when the fault is present.

(6) It will resist going into 'P' once the problems appear.

I saw on another forum where another W208 owner removed the selector and cleaned it before putting it back - is this worthwhile ? Taking it to the dealer is the last thing I want to do. Haven't seen any threads on this forum where anybody has done this or a procedure

Now I've spent on ATF change, Oil and filter service, MOT and road tax its un economic to sell for a few months now - especially if I have to get this problem sorted, unless I part ex'd.

losing drive sounds like low atf, did the garage who changed the fluid have the correct dipstick?????????????

 

[DelBenz]

Interestingly the garage that did the MOT,Oil service and changed the connector said the box didnt smell (?) like it had a atf change and the colour of the small amount of atf lost when the changed the connector didn't look recent either. Needless to say I would be extremely ****ed if I was 'had' but it was was over 1000 miles ago and would be difficult to prove. I will have to pop it into a different dealer or indie to have the levels checked and codes read at some point. Still drivable but can be irritating when one wants to make a swift getaway but spends 2 minutes trying to get 'Drive'

 

[DelBenz]

Unresolved

There is no closure to this thread to date - due to the fact that I collected a Renault Clio in the rear recently and so I have been distracted. His was a sorry mess - V shaped bonnet, vanished front end etc. the most obvious damage I have is a few paint scuffs on the bumper and the back exhaust box eventually fell off - now welded back on for £30. The garage couldnt see any damage beyond the obvious but the insurance approved repairers were talking way in excess of £2500 ... is everyone on the make these days ? I will probably sell it as it is as I am now hankering after a V6 4 door saloon 'C' or 'E'

 

[davidsl500]

You haven't been having any weird transmission problems since the shunt have you ?

 

[Xtractorfan]

The repairers are just relieving the insurance company of some money and if they are willing to pay out..well their problem.. tho you could take cash in leiu of repairs and get yourself a few grand for your trouble,, help towards the new motor

 

[DelBenz]

Great Minds...

The repairers are just relieving the insurance company of some money and if they are willing to pay out..well their problem.. tho you could take cash in leiu of repairs and get yourself a few grand for your trouble,, help towards the new motor

well I have 5 months tax and 11 months MOT and a recent service on it and its really a nice looking motor... just this gear shift issue that spoils it but its intermittent ( depressing he brake pedal very firmly and saying silent prayer does seem to have a calming effect on it ). I will be taking the cash and using it to offset whatever I get for the car through a part ex or EBay. The common 'C' classes are plentiful and cheap on autotrader and I might pick up a low miler ( under 60K) C240 quite easily for under £3K - credit crunch an all. In the meantime I am quite happy driving it as it is ...

 

[19657]

My question is: where is the control box located usually?
I am about to do a gearbox service in my W168 A170cdi automatic, and would like to clean this control.

Thx

 

[television]

Hello and welcome Why not start a new thread and say what the piece is that you require or need to find

 

[Cole@MBS]

Dont, the 168 dont have the above fault!!

 

[19657]

I should have present myself right.
I will do it.

I was talking about the controlbox for the automatic gearbox.
I am facing this:
R, brakes on, and car try to run each 2 seconds +-. It tries to, not able releases, then again then release... If I press slightly acelerator don't feel this no more. I have 150km and will do full oil change and new sump also ,a s MB aprts dealer so advised me to be able to fit the filter.....
I feel no sleepage at all.

Nuno
99A-Klass170cdi aut

 

[jibcl500]

My question is: where is the control box located usually?
I am about to do a gearbox service in my W168 A170cdi automatic, and would like to clean this control.

Thx

The the W168 auto box is very different to any other mercedes, what year is yours?

The control unit for this box is bolted to the valve chest inside the box, there are also several modified parts for your box, sump is bigger, there is a magnet now that needs to be inside the sump, and 6 litres of AFT.
If you dash displays F then there are several parts that could need replacing, speed sensor, shifter valve and or selector valves, the control unit itself is coded to your chassis and costs £960 + vat and has to come from germany where they are coded. They can be repaired for about £400.
To change the valves the valve chest has to be removed which requires some 28 bolts to be removed as the chest drops the micro filters drop out and once out its difficult to know where they go without the help of WIS also the selector cog can be a fiddle as once moved it affects the position of the selector in the car IE, R = N this requires the valve chest to be removed again.
Also time on diags!!!.

So unless your really good at home mechanics then best left alone.

jib