'Sealed for Life' gearbox is leaking!

[bahram]

As Malc above, if it fitted correctly and all the bolt are tighten as they should be, then how can a rubber gasket leak, Sarahs car (Missy D) has never had, as far as i can see from the records, a gearbox oil and filter change, that has done 140000 miles in 20 years and is still dry!!!!! hence i have to do it now!!!!!!

Yes I completely see your point. If it was subject to wear and tear it would be service item.

One possibility is that the car may have had atf change and at that time the gasket was not fitted correctly. I don't know if it has an atf change in the past. I will ask the dealer.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Yes I completely see your point. If it was subject to wear and tear it would be service item.

One possibility is that the car may have had atf change and at that time the gasket was not fitted correctly. I don't know if it has an atf change in the past. I will ask the dealer.

Problem is, you cant really fit the gasket wrong!!!!

 

[television]

Yes I completely see your point. If it was subject to wear and tear it would be service item.

One possibility is that the car may have had atf change and at that time the gasket was not fitted correctly. I don't know if it has an atf change in the past. I will ask the dealer.

If the car had been on assyst then the fluid will have been changed once at 37k miles

 

[bahram]

If the car had been on assyst then the fluid will have been changed once at 37k miles

This car has full MB service history so the dealer should be able to tell me if there was atf change at 37K miles / four years. I will ask them.

 

[bahram]

Malcolm do I ask if there was atf in the ECU as you were saying before? Do I ask them to check for that?

 

[television]

This would only happen if the pilot bush was leaking

 

[dieselman]

As Malc above, if it fitted correctly and all the bolt are tighten as they should be, then how can a rubber gasket leak, Sarahs car (Missy D) has never had, as far as i can see from the records, a gearbox oil and filter change, that has done 140000 miles in 20 years and is still dry!!!!! hence i have to do it now!!!!!!

Surely it should have done as it was advised/scheduled to be done every 36k miles.
It's probably had new rubber gaskets when being done.

 

[Jonathan Lingham]

Mercedes Chelsea told me that I needed the automatic gearbox oil and filter changed on my W203 220CDI, alongside the forthcoming "A" service, as the car had now done over 37,500 miles. The cost for this would be £240. But when I checked with MB HQ they confirmed that it was a "maintenance free" unit, and an ATF change was unnecessary. They would be writing to MB Chelsea to put them right.

Anyone know of any problems arising by not having the ATF changed?

 

[Naraic]

Change the ATF and filter...it is the received wisdom.

 

[television]

Surely it should have done as it was advised/scheduled to be done every 36k miles.
It's probably had new rubber gaskets when being done.

This has never been a service item to change the fluid on a 722.6 box, if the car was on assyst then it got changed once at 37k miles.

 

[television]

Mercedes Chelsea told me that I needed the automatic gearbox oil and filter changed on my W203 220CDI, alongside the forthcoming "A" service, as the car had now done over 37,500 miles. The cost for this would be £240. But when I checked with MB HQ they confirmed that it was a "maintenance free" unit, and an ATF change was unnecessary. They would be writing to MB Chelsea to put them right.

Anyone know of any problems arising by not having the ATF changed?

It is just not good expecting to use the same fluid for life, tiny particles floating around are not good in a systems with valve blocks and pumps etc, not all but many report back with much better smoother changes once it has been done

 

[bahram]

It is just not good expecting to use the same fluid for life, tiny particles floating around are not good in a systems with valve blocks and pumps etc, not all but many report back with much better smoother changes once it has been done

Yes I can confirm 2 weeks after the ATF and filter change that gear changes are much smoother specially when atarting from cold (e.g. first thing in the morning). OK in my case there was a small leak which wasn't helping but even when I compare to when it was initially topped up after they found the leak it is much smoother now.
So all in all atf and filter change is well recommended.

 

[mb.newbie]

auto box oil change

I resurrect old tread in hope it may help someone. I purchased 2001 w203 220cdi last sunday with only three gears 1 2 3. Going further was only plenty of revs and no drive. I had to slow down to 30mph to catch 3rd gear again. If I put lever left so that display on dash shows 3 then I could go even 70mph. When tried to do 4th gear then no drive. I came prepared for gearbox oil change with pela suction pump and dexron (or dextron?) 3 atf fluid. So after doing several miles and about 200 miles from home having warmed gearbox oil and so on I have sucked out around 4 litres of dark brown sludgy yucky (hope You get the point) fluid. I have replaced it with pretty much the same amound (maybe a bit morelikehalf a litre) and came back just in case off the motorways back home doing italian tune up as well. Gearbox problem solved.

 

[television]

I resurrect old tread in hope it may help someone. I purchased 2001 w203 220cdi last sunday with only three gears 1 2 3. Going further was only plenty of revs and no drive. I had to slow down to 30mph to catch 3rd gear again. If I put lever left so that display on dash shows 3 then I could go even 70mph. When tried to do 4th gear then no drive. I came prepared for gearbox oil change with pela suction pump and dexron (or dextron?) 3 atf fluid. So after doing several miles and about 200 miles from home having warmed gearbox oil and so on I have sucked out around 4 litres of dark brown sludgy yucky (hope You get the point) fluid. I have replaced it with pretty much the same amound (maybe a bit morelikehalf a litre) and came back just in case off the motorways back home doing italian tune up as well. Gearbox problem solved.

Do get the car up to 80c and check the level of the fluid, you can use a piece of curtain wire where the fluid should be 7cm up the wire.

 

[stwat]

And do change it again at least another two times to make sure you flush all the gunky fluid out.

 

[star]

I resurrect old tread in hope it may help someone. I purchased 2001 w203 220cdi last sunday with only three gears 1 2 3. Going further was only plenty of revs and no drive. I had to slow down to 30mph to catch 3rd gear again. If I put lever left so that display on dash shows 3 then I could go even 70mph. When tried to do 4th gear then no drive. I came prepared for gearbox oil change with pela suction pump and dexron (or dextron?) 3 atf fluid. So after doing several miles and about 200 miles from home having warmed gearbox oil and so on I have sucked out around 4 litres of dark brown sludgy yucky (hope You get the point) fluid. I have replaced it with pretty much the same amound (maybe a bit morelikehalf a litre) and came back just in case off the motorways back home doing italian tune up as well. Gearbox problem solved.

Job only half done tho, if the oil was that dirty then your filter will be partially blocked too and would need replacing.

 

[mb.newbie]

a little bit: agree and disagree

I agree about the filter, as to the fact that the job is only partially done, but speaking about the filter: how tranny fluid goes through it ? More like through sif or more like through engine oil filter ? I ask cos I have never seen one. Another question: where is it and how to get to it and how much i$ it and where best to get it from?
Would You advice to change it at around 180k?
My previous experiences with vw golf mk4 (jatco 5 speed tiptronic autobox) the filter there is more like sif than engine oil filter and to get to it You need to split the tranny apart, so as not so easy to change no one was replacing it (members from tdi forum in america). On the other hand earlier golf4 had filter accesible from bottom of box through the pan (diffrent gearbox, auto as well but not tiptronic).
Ps. I like Your smart from picture, nearly as nice as My 450cdi
Ps2. I just got new maf sensor (thats at least I think what it is located near air filter,
part number a 611 094 00 48) and My other 220cdi coupe is like rocket now. It was not revving freely above 3000rpm and was auto changing gears around 2000rpm. I'd say it had less power than smart cdi
Ps3. Thank You for Your speedy reply.

 

[mb.newbie]

did not notice other replies

Thanks to stelevision and twat: I do indend to change oil couple more or maybe even few more times as it holds 8litres if I am right and I only got out around four.
I was wondering how to check level. Will do as said.

 

[television]

Its a gearbox sump off to change the filter, but do take care with the very low torque settings for the screws.

 

[mb.newbie]

220cdi auto box pan torque settings

16nm ? I do not really like "hand tight" as it reminds me the story where someone was asked to do hand tight and then two other blokes had to muscle the bolt off with three feet long extension bar. So 16nm ? Yes ?
And do I go to slealership to get it ? Eventhough they give "free" coffee I do not think they feel that much comfortable of Me coming for part (and coffee) in the middle of the job wearing My greasy clothes, although service today at Swindon merc was spot on and I saw some nice blonde seat covers that would fit perfectly in My new to Me merc