My car is in garage and will not reverse out. All other gears seem fine. The first time it happened I simply shifted to to 2nd and 3rd and D over and again until reverse engaged. Not this time. Anyone have this problem? or know what could be causing it? Thank you.
Sabina
You most likely have the dreaded worn out reverse clutch seal. Very common in 94-95 W124's.
It is a design defect as the seal was made of plastic and wears out if the transmission is a little man handled (rolling slowly forward when engaging in
reverse many times seems to wear it out prematurely but it is a design defect in my opinion)
Especially if it started taking longer and longer to get into reverse gear prior to not engaging at all. Generally is better when cold (as the transmission fluid is thicker) and gets worse when hot. Once it starts getting harder to engage it goes downhill pretty fast within a few months.
I drove mine for an extra year carefully not parking downhill where I would have back out uphill and could not push it up.
If this is your problem the only fix is a rebuilt transmission (unfortunately).
Let's hope it is something simpler.
It is a design defect as the seal was made of plastic and wears out if the transmission is a little man handled (rolling slowly forward when engaging in
reverse many times seems to wear it out prematurely but it is a design defect in my opinion)
Especially if it started taking longer and longer to get into reverse gear prior to not engaging at all. Generally is better when cold (as the transmission fluid is thicker) and gets worse when hot. Once it starts getting harder to engage it goes downhill pretty fast within a few months.
I drove mine for an extra year carefully not parking downhill where I would have back out uphill and could not push it up.
If this is your problem the only fix is a rebuilt transmission (unfortunately).
Let's hope it is something simpler.
Once the transmission begins to take longer and longer to engage reverse, you need to be very careful using it further. The seal is an issue but is only one possible cause of the delayed engagement. As the clutches wear, the entire clutch pack takes more motion to be compressed sufficiently to handle torque. It gets to a point where it can't be compressed sufficiently and at that point the assembly starts to self destruct.
If you have a truly qualified indy mechanic, (and the problem is caught before it gets too bad) the reverse section can be repaired without doing a total rebuild. It shouldn't cost more than $1400 to have the trans pulled, reverse repaired and reinstalled. There is no reason to rebuild the forward assembly unless there are tell-tale signs of impending failure. I had this done to a 105k transmission in an '88 300e and it ran fine for another 230k miles. That's 335k miles on the "drive" components after the repair to reverse.
If you have a truly qualified indy mechanic, (and the problem is caught before it gets too bad) the reverse section can be repaired without doing a total rebuild. It shouldn't cost more than $1400 to have the trans pulled, reverse repaired and reinstalled. There is no reason to rebuild the forward assembly unless there are tell-tale signs of impending failure. I had this done to a 105k transmission in an '88 300e and it ran fine for another 230k miles. That's 335k miles on the "drive" components after the repair to reverse.
Thank you so much. I really don't know what it is and being as I live in Hilo, Hawaii, a relatively small town, I am now in search of a truly qualified individual to check this. My regular mechanic,whom I trust dearly, does not do transmissions. I feel so vulnerable and don't want to be taken advantage of on the matter, even if it is by the persons true lack of knowledge. This is when I wish I could do it myself.
Aloha Dolucasi!!
I love my island too! lol
Trusting a mechanic is the hardest thing for this girl. I've seen too many less than scrupulous. I have one other person who may at least be a lead on this who is a teacher at the diesel mechanics school here. A good guy I trust. I will definitely try to test the knowledge. Thank you.
Sabina
I love my island too! lol
Trusting a mechanic is the hardest thing for this girl. I've seen too many less than scrupulous. I have one other person who may at least be a lead on this who is a teacher at the diesel mechanics school here. A good guy I trust. I will definitely try to test the knowledge. Thank you.
Sabina
Just stayed in Hilo for our recent honeymoon and it was amazing...I did remember seeing a number of w124's so someone on the Island, even if it's on the Kona side must do them.
I wouldn't want your mechanic trying to do that because there are some nuances with the front pump seal that can tear it on reinstall and leak if they haven't done it before.
Call around some Euro/MB shops and ask them where their go-to place is for Mercedes transmissions. You can have your guy remove it and then have the shop repair the front pump seals and reverse disks.
Car is still safe to drive if you don't need to reverse.
Don't let anyone tell you to try changing the fluid first, you will just waste your money. This problem happens to ALL the 722.3 trans eventually.
I wouldn't want your mechanic trying to do that because there are some nuances with the front pump seal that can tear it on reinstall and leak if they haven't done it before.
Call around some Euro/MB shops and ask them where their go-to place is for Mercedes transmissions. You can have your guy remove it and then have the shop repair the front pump seals and reverse disks.
Car is still safe to drive if you don't need to reverse.
Don't let anyone tell you to try changing the fluid first, you will just waste your money. This problem happens to ALL the 722.3 trans eventually.
When this issue happened to my 190e with the same transmission, I found a very low mileage transmission online (only w/ 27k miles) and had it shipped to my mechanic who just replaced it and so far still good after another 20k miles. The cost was the same as the rebuild will cost but I trusted the used low miles transmission more.
You can also buy a ready re-built transmission from Silverstar and have it replaced by your mechanic.
https://www.silverstartransmission.com/transmissions
(No affiliation with silverstar and never tried them but they have very good reputation here on benzworld).
You can also buy a ready re-built transmission from Silverstar and have it replaced by your mechanic.
https://www.silverstartransmission.com/transmissions
(No affiliation with silverstar and never tried them but they have very good reputation here on benzworld).
Hi Ps2cho! Sadly my local options are few. One is out of my price range at $4,500. I am seriously considering teaching myself to fix it. How hard can it be if I have time and am definitely mechanically inclined?
Fortunately I have back up transportation. I am so bummed about this, thinking it was the million mile car, the german taxi. I still love the car but this is tough. I will call Silverstar Transmissions. Thank you for the lead.
Fortunately I have back up transportation. I am so bummed about this, thinking it was the million mile car, the german taxi. I still love the car but this is tough. I will call Silverstar Transmissions. Thank you for the lead.
Aloha Tuttebenne! Are you saying this could also possibly be a clutch assembly issue?
Honestly, I would like to narrow down the issue before I move forward in any direction. Argh. I have called around and so far only one person does these trannys and he's on the other side of the island and out of my price range at $4,500. And be "does these" I mean he drops the tranny, ships it to the mainland and then reinstalls upon receipt of the rebuilt. Im not even certain the $4,500 includes shipping.
Can a girl who can hang doors, sweat copper and fix a multitude of things rebuild her own tranny?
Mahalo,
Sabina
Honestly, I would like to narrow down the issue before I move forward in any direction. Argh. I have called around and so far only one person does these trannys and he's on the other side of the island and out of my price range at $4,500. And be "does these" I mean he drops the tranny, ships it to the mainland and then reinstalls upon receipt of the rebuilt. Im not even certain the $4,500 includes shipping.
Can a girl who can hang doors, sweat copper and fix a multitude of things rebuild her own tranny?
Mahalo,
Sabina
Get a quote from Sun Valley in California (see link) for a fully rebuilt trans and torque converter.
I doubt their shipping fee is $2500 to HI :wink
Sun Valley Mercedes Dismantlers - Rebuilt Mercedes Automatic Transmissions
I doubt their shipping fee is $2500 to HI :wink
Sun Valley Mercedes Dismantlers - Rebuilt Mercedes Automatic Transmissions
Sabina, even my previous Indy shop who himself used to maintain aircraft back in the day and had his Mercedes/Porsche shop for 40+ years did not rebuild these transmissions. He just bought a rebuilt one and put it in (and his price in SJ/CA was very high unfortunately).
If you can get a new one put in for $4500 in Hawaii that is not too bad, but this Silverstar option is a good one too.
Probably would end up being cheaper. You maybe able to put in the transmission yourself or by a trusted mechanic locally.
Putting in a transmission requires some heavy lifting equipment that you would have to rent though. Never done it myself.
Perhaps price out the Silverstar (with shipment) first though.
Aloha,
If you can get a new one put in for $4500 in Hawaii that is not too bad, but this Silverstar option is a good one too.
Probably would end up being cheaper. You maybe able to put in the transmission yourself or by a trusted mechanic locally.
Putting in a transmission requires some heavy lifting equipment that you would have to rent though. Never done it myself.
Perhaps price out the Silverstar (with shipment) first though.
Aloha,
Aloha Sabina!
Unfortunately, I asked the same question when I lost my reverse and the answer was:
"If you have no issue with forward gears but the car does not engage in reverse and it degraded over a period of time it is the reverse clutch/seal"
And there is no easy fix like putting in thicker fluid was what I was told.
Having said this, my experience with this is limited, other than my own, perhaps others may have a differing point of view.
Have you priced out "sun valley" or "silver star"? Looks like they are about $1700 + shipping. I suspect shipping would be $500-$800. And if you can put it in, that's a pretty good price, a half of what I was quoted by my mechanic 2-3 years back.
Unfortunately, I asked the same question when I lost my reverse and the answer was:
"If you have no issue with forward gears but the car does not engage in reverse and it degraded over a period of time it is the reverse clutch/seal"
And there is no easy fix like putting in thicker fluid was what I was told.
Having said this, my experience with this is limited, other than my own, perhaps others may have a differing point of view.
Have you priced out "sun valley" or "silver star"? Looks like they are about $1700 + shipping. I suspect shipping would be $500-$800. And if you can put it in, that's a pretty good price, a half of what I was quoted by my mechanic 2-3 years back.
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