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Transmission cover plate. An odd thing to find open.

1K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  Hillingdoner 
#1 ·
I had the 560SL jacked up to do an oil change and decided to try to find the coolant leak I've had for a while. It's not a huge leak, just a dribble, but pesky, so I wanted to fix it.

Here's the odd thing I found while looking around under there. It's a cover on the left side of the transmission housing, just behind the steering gear box. It's a small piece of sheet metal with a half circle at the top and a tang with a hole at the bottom where the lower fastener should have been:

Auto part Tire Automotive wheel system Wheel Automotive tire


In this next photo, I've moved it to the closed position so you can see what I'm referring to.

Auto part Engine Metal Fuel line Transmission part


I can see the flywheel inside there. The only thing I can find that in a parts diagram is a "Cover. Starter Motor Opening," part #1072710005. Which is odd to me since the starter is on the other side. Maybe that's where the starter motor goes on a RHD vehicle? That would make sense, since on a RHD vehicle the steering gear would be on the other side where the starter motor it for a LHD car. There is no gasket on the inside, so it may not be a source of a leak. It also does not close up the opening that firmly, so I'm guessing it's just a cover to keep crap from getting in through the starter motor opening.

Why is it open? The bottom fastener is there, screwed into the tranny housing, so it didn't just fall out.

My hypothesis is that a number of years ago when I had the steering redone at my indy shop, that the guy unscrewed the cover to move it aside to get to the steering gear box, screwed the bottom fastener in so it wouldn't get lost, and then forgot to close it back up when he finished.

The real question is, if it's been sitting there open for some 3 years, could it be a source of trouble? I can see rust on the flywheel, though I'm not sure if that could be a problem, since a Google Image search shows MB flywheels with some rust. The good news is that the M6 hex screw to secure the bottom came out easily. I've had problems with stripping those in the past.

It's always something, isn't it?
 
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#3 ·
Yeah, I guess you're right. But, couldn't the same be said of someone who bothers to write a response to a question he deems unworthy of his attention?

And yeah, I shouldn't worry much about any possible problems with an extremely expensive Mercedes transmission which could leave me stranded way out in East Bumfuck, Oregon, which, by the way, contrary to popular belief is not at the end of the earth. But you can see it from there.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Yeah, I guess you're right. But, couldn't the same be said of someone who bothers to write a response to a question he deems unworthy of his attention?
And yeah, I shouldn't worry much about any possible problems with an extremely expensive Mercedes transmission which could leave me stranded way out in East Bumfuck, Oregon, which, by the way, contrary to popular belief is not at the end of the earth. But you can see it from there.
I think the same could be said of someone who responds to an irrelevant post that responds to a question deemed unworthy of attention with a picture that is also irrelevant. My picture is of a Lincoln transmission servo cover plate that I just replaced a few days ago. It leaked for decades. I closed it up and moved on.
 

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#6 ·
Tom, thanks for being a good sport about the snarky critique. I think the general protocol is to allow seven or more replies before engaging in the sport of irrelevant drift. I think it is great you took the time to post pictures, as that is the first thing requested when describing a cover on the transmission. No I have not seen it before and it makes sense to close it.
 
#7 ·
therling asked a question .The way i see it is this forum is for people to find out more about their cars , and engines is it not?
So the poster wanted to know about a item he found and wanted to know more about it .
My thought to this is , if your unable to help ,then dont post . Or if you think its stupid question you dont need to post to it
If your in need of help , you dont need an inquest on the problem . Just a simple answer will do.
 
#8 ·
I can see the flywheel inside there. The only thing I can find that in a parts diagram is a "Cover. Starter Motor Opening," part #1072710005. Which is odd to me since the starter is on the other side. Maybe that's where the starter motor goes on a RHD vehicle? That would make sense, since on a RHD vehicle the steering gear would be on the other side where the starter motor it for a LHD car. There is no gasket on the inside, so it may not be a source of a leak. It also does not close up the opening that firmly, so I'm guessing it's just a cover to keep crap from getting in through the starter motor opening.

Why is it open? The bottom fastener is there, screwed into the tranny housing, so it didn't just fall out.

My hypothesis is that a number of years ago when I had the steering redone at my indy shop, that the guy unscrewed the cover to move it aside to get to the steering gear box, screwed the bottom fastener in so it wouldn't get lost, and then forgot to close it back up when he finished.

The real question is, if it's been sitting there open for some 3 years, could it be a source of trouble? I can see rust on the flywheel, though I'm not sure if that could be a problem, since a Google Image search shows MB flywheels with some rust. The good news is that the M6 hex screw to secure the bottom came out easily. I've had problems with stripping those in the past.

It's always something, isn't it?
This is the sort of thing that interests and also always bugs me (latest is my starter shim posts). Thanks for posting. My only guess about it being open is that it has most likely let dirt and possibly grit in maybe. What effect that may or may not eventually have on the starter and flywheel don't know. I'm with you though, I'd be researching if it was supposed to have a gasket/seal and then getting it installed how it should be.
 
#9 ·
Thanks. I just don't know anything about transmissions, and I don't want to learn about them the hard way.

I have no idea how long that cover had been left open like that. I had the steering rebuilt, I think, three years ago. So if it was my indy who left it open, it's been open to the elements for that long.

I live in a part of the world that for the last five years has been in severe to extreme drought. They've even had to come up with a new term for some of our weather, exceptional drought. That means it's been dusty like you wouldn't believe. I've taken to cleaning my air filter every six months.

The grime that was on that plate was a mixture of solidified oil and dust, like miniature asphalt (macadam for those of you in the UK), and just as hard to scrape off. There was some on the inner side which I also had to scrape off. Now, it's my opinion that the engineers who designed this car did everything for a reason, and if there's a cover plate to keep out grime, they wanted to keep out grime, and pouring HO-scale asphalt into your torque converter is something they probably would not approve of.

Another point I wanted to make was that even if you trust your indy mechanic with your life, and quite frankly, having them do the steering and brakes, I am trusting him with my life, thoroughly inspect the work they've done to make sure there's nothing amiss. Trust but verify. Especially when you've handed him a few thousand bucks and then finding out they may have fucked up a really expensive part of your car.

So I'm glad to know that it's probably not a big deal, but if it wasn't, I'd really want to know.
 
#11 ·
Another point I wanted to make was that even if you trust your indy mechanic with your life, and quite frankly, having them do the steering and brakes, I am trusting him with my life, thoroughly inspect the work they've done to make sure there's nothing amiss. Trust but verify. Especially when you've handed him a few thousand bucks and then finding out they may have fucked up a really expensive part of your car.
I check and have a look at everything.

Even here when I go to Discount Tire for a free rotation on one of the cars, I still come home and get out the torque wrench and check the torque on all the lugs. Then next AM I check the tyre pressures. :wink
 
#10 ·
Transmission cover plate

Therling, Thanks for the post and pictures. I too have wondered the same when I came across the cover. I thought it was odd access cover, but your Right hand drive theory makes more sense. I don't think it was meant to keep everything out, just the bigger debris as at th front bottom of my transmission there are a couple dozen open holes that I am guessing are for ventilation & cooling. Then there are the 2 20 mm or so holes that provide access to the allen head bolts that secure the tail end of the oil pan. that are open.

A question not asked is silently waiting for trouble. How many times do we say " I thought of that, but didn't think it was a big deal at the time", just to find out it was a big deal.

Thanks again and have a great day!

Bill Toothaker
Rochester, NH
1987 560SL
1972 Chevy K20 Camper Special
1963 Ford F100
1951 Willys 4WD Station Wagon w/ 1962 Studebaker 259
19?? back yard rat rod wrapped in Wood
1964 Honda 90 1215 miles
 
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