[A.Cabral]

All,

As some of you may have read in our section's what did you do to your Benz today thread, my 190E has an interesting flaw. Upon attempting to replace the engine and transmission mounts, I found that the tail (output) housing on my 722.3 transmission has sheared next to the mounting point (see pictures). In an attempt to repair the issue, a bracket was made and holes were drilled into the remains of the attached transmission mounting flange, and 1 hole was too deep and penetrated the parking pawl fluid reservoir.

The hole was plugged, but I view this as a temporary fix as you can feel the transmission moving around in the car under acceleration and braking. I initially said that I was going to swap in a manual trans, but M103 flywheels are cost prohibitive (can only find 2.3 5-speeds here in South NJ), and my time is better used on other activities. The transmission shifts wonderfully and is probably the only part of the car that was treated well during the car's entire existence, so I will be replacing the output shaft housing with a good used unit.

Below I will document the steps to remove the exhaust, driveshaft, and replace the broken casing with the transmission installed in the vehicle, and of course how to put it back together. The car will also receive new flex discs, and the new housing will be treated to a new output bearing and seals, and possibly a center carrier at my discretion.

Status as of Today, 7/8/2017
Went to the junkyard today and attempted to pull a casing off of a 2.3 8v, stopped only because I ran out of time and was exhausted after removing everything in my way. Got home and realized that the 2.6 uses a flavor of 722.3 and not the 722.4. The same yard has a 300TE as well but I cannot remember whether or not it is 4-Matic but I'm going to say it isn't for now and go back to the yard and pull the case off. If for some reason I can't take just the case, I will end up owning the whole transmission which I'll either melt down the case of to make stuff with or scrap the whole thing, either way I think I'll end up heads up since a reman output case is $190 (how much is a pick-n-pull really going to charge me for a 25 year old transmission??)

Enjoy the photos, one of them shows how far I got with that 2.3 trans.

 

[Ignatz]

"My" sorta local pick and pull in New Ringgold Pa. gets $85 for an automatic tranny if you pull it.
Now that I'm retired........a one hour drive to the pick and pull is about a once a month deal.
What I have noticed is.....cars like a MB 190 2.3 can end up in the Pick and Pull.........some nicer cars with lower mileage that owners just junked it, rather than getting it inspected.
Sometimes these cars just disappear when I go back 3 weeks later. My theory is that someone wanted the engine or transmission, and paid the Pick and Pull extra to pull the parts..............so now the car gets removed from the pick and pull and officially crushed.
So if you see the exact tranny you need.....get it before it moves to its final destination.
If I go up next week I'll look for a 2.6 and get the vehicle build date.

 

[mxfrank]

Got home and realized that the 2.6 uses a flavor of 722.3 and not the 722.4.

I don't think so. It should be a 722.409, no? that version probably has the extra plate in each clutch, but should be otherwise the same as any other 722.4. If you want an exact match, 722.409 was also used in 2.6 300E's.

 

[A.Cabral]

I don't think so. It should be a 722.409, no? that version probably has the extra plate in each clutch, but should be otherwise the same as any other 722.4.

Odd, EPC lists the whole transmission as a 722.409, but then specifies the tailhousing of a 722.3. Part number for the case specified is 124270111, part number on the actual housing I picked up today is 124270801, which EPC can't ID (gives me a list of valve bodies). It looks the same as the broken one in my 2.6. As a final check, I'll order the cork seal that goes between the case pieces and make sure the holes line up before I dismantle the tail of the 190E gearbox.

The folks at Albion U-Pull-It in Berlin NJ were nice enough to loan me a T60 torx and a 30mm 12 point to get the driveshaft and output yoke out so I could retrieve the casing. I also took the parking pawl, pawl spring, and speedometer gear stuff. $32 all in.

The plan as of now is to renew the case July 29th-31st, and since the driveshaft has to come out, new flex discs are in order, and possibly a center carrier.

 

[mxfrank]

The same transmission was used in the M103 124's, which may explain the part number. There's also a version used for the 124 2.5 diesels, 722.418. I bet those share the same p/n.