[Fonzi]

I have always had a very small drip on the floor since I bought the car two years ago. The last major work I did was the intake manifold and radiator removal on the 1973. Previously I would say that the leak was small enough to ignore, but now I feel this is something I want to fix prior to even listing the car for sale. I don't know if the fact that the car sits more now makes it worse, or if there was something I did, but there seems to be more fluid on the white door that I keep under the car to easily identify any fluids that might leak. It is enough that if I turn the door vertical, the fluid will roll down and drip off the door. Sure, this is after several weeks of sitting, but it is just too much in my opinion. I haven't driven the car enough and the fluid is just too clean in my opinion to be coming from somewhere more forward. I think it is coming from the transmission pan seal, but I certainly could be wrong. It certainly would not be the first time.

So the drip seems to come right off of one of the bolts on one of the four corners of the transmission pan.

Do you think it is safe to assume that is where the leak is coming from?

Should I order the seal to replace it?

If I do order the seal, what else should I do while in there?

Or is this a job better left to the professionals?

I currently have the car up in the air and just replaced the shifter bushing with the method suggested by my dealer, to slice it, and just roll it in (easier than the expensive special tool). It is nice to have the softer tight again!

I still have to spray down and clean the under carriage of all oils and dirt, which I realize is a prerequisite to identifying a leak. I was thinking of just using wd40 and a rag. Any better suggestions?

Thanks!



Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[Fonzi]

Here is what has leaked on concrete after about 5-6 days.


Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[Fonzi]

And the culprit bolt directly above the spot on the floor, looking a little red around the edges. This is the rear left/driver side.


Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[isthisdave]

.



Transmission oil filter and pan gasket R & R, easy peasy. GA has a tome in the EG.

 

[Fonzi]

Oh... It is looking a little wet on that thinner-ma-bob that the shifter rod connects to above that bolt. Hmmmm....


Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[isthisdave]

.



Spray it all clean and dry with some brake clean and then see what transpires.

 

[Fonzi]

.



Transmission oil filter and pan gasket R & R, easy peasy. GA has a tome in the EG.

Thanks Dave! I will definitely read up. GA's write ups are always impressive.



I snapped a few more pics while under there. It looks like there is a very slight leak in each of the trans fluid lines, certainly some oil coming from somewhere.

I thought the flex discs looked good. Thoughts?

How about that transmission support? Doesn't that look too damn new? Or we're these just painted really well from the factory?


There's my new shifter bushing. Could the sloppy shifter linkage have caused the leak? Well, I guess if it broke it was due for a fixing. Now just figure out what IT is.

Man, I have been neglecting that rear differential. I guess I need to put that on the rebuild list too. I figured those must be easy enough to come by, so I didn't need to worry too much about mine. It might be time to worry judging from all that oil and the looks of spray on the spare tire well.

Next post... I think I found the exhaust leak. Pics to come.




Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[Fonzi]

The right side manifold has what look like signs of black rivers running out of them. I thing some of these cylinder may have run with no spark at times pushing I burnt fuel out the exhaust. I am sure that hasn't helped, but I am guessing that if you can tell where exhaust leaks are without seeing holes, then these look like signs of exhaust leaks at the exhaust manifold-to-head connection. This is the same engine head with the replaced camshaft too.

The manifold pictures might have the back of the car at the top and front at the bottom. Sorry for them being twisted around, but I was when I snapped the pics.

Other pics are other oily spots under the car and a sign that I haven't been driving it enough (spider cocoons) and those poor looking rear bushings.


Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[Fonzi]

And some of those drain tubes look to be a little clogged. That sure is a design made to fail. These cars must have just been made to be maintained, not neglected. To think of how often that style drain hose would need inspection and of how hard it is to get to those things... Is just pure insanity. You must be a mechanic that really cares for these cars to keep them in tip-top shape.


Ok. So I am way OT on my own thread, but this seemed like a fair place to put undercarriage comments. I assume the main topic of this thread will still be diagnosing and fixing that trans fluid leak.

I will need to get into the EPC to determine if there is some seal that goes between the thing on the side where the linkage connects and the main transmission.

Kent's Mercedes Source videos don't seem to cover this one. thank God for GleukAuf.




Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[Djenka018]

Don't forget that inertia and drive wind that affect oil leak manifestation too, not just gravity.

You may have rear crankshaft seal leak, apparently a common occurrence, factory designed to relieve pressure build-up in lower chambers of upper combustion left elbow ignition tube

 

[Fonzi]

Don't forget that inertia and drive wind that affect oil leak manifestation too, not just gravity.

You may have rear crankshaft seal leak, apparently a common occurrence, factory designed to relieve pressure build-up in lower chambers of upper combustion left elbow ignition tube

I will try to seek out that lower chamber of the upper combustion left elbow ignition tube.

The supposed benefit of not driving the car is less of that wind affect blowing fluids back. Last I drove the car I didn't top 35mph on a 4 mile drive to the local car show with three kids in it, about a month ago. Oh, I did let my lawn guy, a fellow MB enthusiast who is interested in buying the car, drive it for a 5 minute drive around the block I so about 3 weeks ago too.

With the car up in the air, drips should come as straight down as possible. Right?


Sent from my iPhone using AG Free

 

[tdskip]

Those of us with British cars consider these sorts of oil leaks extended factory rust proofing for our floors (not intended obviously but it works).

If just the pan leaking should be easy as noted. I've got a seal leak that is going to require an R&R which promises to be a lot more "fun".

 

[Fonzi]

Thinking about bringing the car down off the jacks today I did a little more research into what could possibly be leaking there where it appears the shifter linkage goes into the transmission. I found someone else having the same issue on Peachparts earlier this year. No resolution, but I'm digging. Leaking Trans 1976 450SL - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum


EDIT: It looks like it was just thinking, nothing more than thinking. (no actual work done, just investigation).

 

[tdskip]

It isn't the main seal, is it?

 

[Fonzi]

It isn't the main seal, is it?

It definitely looks like it is coming from the shifter linkage connection, and I'm apparently not the first to have this problem (based on the Peachparts thread). The car has been parked for a while and the leak is consistently coming from the same location just above the trans oil/fluid pan.

 

[hotshoe]

I would be very curious to know what your trans dipstick says right now, cold, engine not running, and car up on stands and level. I don't think the seal for the shift shaft should be below the fluid level. thinking all the time about the level changes brought upon by the theory of the torque converter leaking down. Just curious

 

[Fonzi]

I would be very curious to know what your trans dipstick says right now, cold, engine not running, and car up on stands and level. I don't think the seal for the shift shaft should be below the fluid level. thinking all the time about the level changes brought upon by the theory of the torque converter leaking down. Just curious

I had the same thought. But with the few drips I am getting, I think it is possible that pressure is just leaking out during operation and what I see on the ground is just residual.

I was pretty sure I filled up the fluid with the car running which took more than a single quart I think after I removed the radiator and put it back in. I thought I did it right, but now with the car parked, the fluid level looks crazy-high. Fortunately I haven't driven more than about 500 miles since installing the radiator.

In the attached picture, the level was up to my thumb when I removed the dipstick from the ice cold motor.

Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide.com Free App

 

[reno4u2]

On mine the hash marks are about an inch from the end of the dipstick. Different engine however. Sure you didn't overfill it?

 

[hotshoe]

I think we could be onto something here. I was going to do this before storage this season, but that time hasn't come for me yet. the next step in the proof would be to start the engine, drive it around a bit, or if all four wheels are in the air, just exercise the gearbox. I bet that after the pump fills up the TC, and the temps stabilize that your level will be within spec. I think your shaft seal, and the tailshaft seal when new could tolerate a flooded level, but as they get older and harder, they can't. TC leaks down and leaks appear. the only reasonable cure is to drive the dickins out of it.......................often.

 

[Fonzi]

On mine the hash marks are about an inch from the end of the dipstick. Different engine however. Sure you didn't overfill it?

My hash marks are in the same place. It is crazy how high the level is with a cold engine, and apparently all the fluid sitting in the pan where I assume the level is read.

No, I am not sure I didn't overfill it.