[Fonzi]

I have a habit of buying cheap Mercedes for the love of learning the models and making my money back by parting out the cars if needed. This one seemed like it would be hard to beat with a running and driving car albeit no reverse.

I was going to pay full price until the seller pulled out the clearly salvage title. In the shop we've got a transmission from a 1989 m103
300se w126 that should bolt in, but won't have any of the electrical connections, possibly making the car go a little haywire, but I have no clue. The salvage title was a deal breaker, and despite having the car loaded on the Dolly, I was ready to dump it and drive home without this project. The seller accepted my max offer, which wasn't much, but neither was the asking price.

So this mess of a car had virtually no coolant, no power steering fluid, and no transmission fluid. After dragging it home (after the seller drove if forward up onto the Dolly), we checked the fluids and basically got everything working correctly other than the reverse gear. Nada. In fact, when rolling backwards down a hill and you drop it into reverse, the car stops. Reverse acts as more of a brake than a reverse gear.

I understand that the transmission in this car is most likely a 722.6 (based on the VIN in the EPC) and it's not like any of the fluid transmissions of all my earlier cars.

The transmission fluid smelled very burnt. After filling the trans fluid, the car seems to want to hold onto lower gears and not upshift. Also, I noticed that it would often slip when hitting the gas from a coast at higher speeds.

Finally, as we were about to party the car for the night, I heard a groaning noise. We tracked it down to the transmissions by noticing the sound went away when We put the car in gear.

Anyway... although the car has a salvage title and no reverse, I honestly have a new appreciation for the w140. It might be dangerous. Previously I'd wanted a w220, but will now have to look at w140.

 

[Deplore]

300SE....and 722.6?

Looking at the shifter, its likely you have the older 4 speed transmission.

MAVA, maybe?

 

[mike300sel]

Congrats on your purchase. It will definitely be nice project.

I don't know if it's a typo in your post, but judging from the trans shifter, that car has 722.5 trans and not the 722.6. D-4-3-2 is 722.5, D-3-2 is 722.3/4 and D-4-3-2-1 is 722.6

MAVA is gonna love this lol.

 

[Thom_7]

These transmissions are known for losing reverse, so you're not dealing with anything out of the ordinary there. I don't know that your spare transmission from a W126 will function properly, but others know far more about them than I do, so hopefully you'll get some expertise here. I do know that your current transmission will likely need to be rebuilt if you want it to function properly again.

This one has an interesting body kit; if you did want to part it out, I'm sure a few people around here would be interested.

 

[MAVA]

No Regrets on these cars, but it is the best car to get in a accident with...

It can be humanly possible to fix your problem as others here have done it here..

What year is it?

Share your DIY rebuild of the tranny with us..

I want to say this has 722.4 like my buddy Joe's did, but here is everything you wanted to know on the 722.4, and 722.3..

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w14...6-s280-australia-transmission-no-reverse.html

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w202-c-class/2732889-mercedes-benz-722-4-transmission-brake.html

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w140-s-class/2635370-gearbox-722-368-repair-manual-tips.html

On the long side of the transmission rim where the oil pan mates-up. It may be on the passenger side...

Reverse is this little inside lip seal that just tears due to heat-It gets brittle hard.. Picture 7

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w140-s-class/1369461-722-5-transmission-oil-pump-rebuid.html

Martin

 

[Fonzi]

300SE....and 722.6?

Looking at the shifter, its likely you have the older 4 speed transmission.

MAVA, maybe?

You are right, not a 722.6, but a 4-speed older style with the electronic overdrive for 5th bolted on the rear, 722.502.

Sorry for my misinformation.

I think this might be good info as I'm more confident we can either fix it with parts from the 1989 300se 4-speed trans, or just straight up swap it in... IF it is possible for me to rebuild or get this salvage title car registered. I think making that determination will be the next step.

These w140 sure are nice on the inside.

That double-pane glass sure is cool too.

Too bad somebody put a rattle-can paint job on this car. :crying:

 

[Fonzi]

Congrats on your purchase. It will definitely be nice project.

I don't know if it's a typo in your post, but judging from the trans shifter, that car has 722.5 trans and not the 722.6. D-4-3-2 is 722.5, D-3-2 is 722.3/4 and D-4-3-2-1 is 722.6

MAVA is gonna love this lol.

Thanks on the congrats. You are correct. 722.502 per the EPC.

 

[Fonzi]

No Regrets on these cars, but it is the best car to get in a accident with...

It can be humanly possible to fix your problem as others here have done it here..

What year is it?

Share your DIY rebuild of the tranny with us..

I want to say this has 722.4 like my buddy Joe's did, but here is everything you wanted to know on the 722.4, and 722.3..

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w14...6-s280-australia-transmission-no-reverse.html

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w202-c-class/2732889-mercedes-benz-722-4-transmission-brake.html

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w140-s-class/2635370-gearbox-722-368-repair-manual-tips.html

On the long side of the transmission rim where the oil pan mates-up. It may be on the passenger side...

Reverse is this little inside lip seal that just tears due to heat-It gets brittle hard.. Picture 7

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w140-s-class/1369461-722-5-transmission-oil-pump-rebuid.html

Martin

Wow! Those are some nice write ups!!

If I can get a rebuilt title on the car, then I probably won't part out this car just because the interior is so nice. I haven't even seen the car in the day time yet. I'm sure that paint looks horrible.

I have a few w126 and I have driven 2004+ e-series. None of them feel as grand on the inside. I've recently taken an interest in the 2000+ S class w220 cars, but haven't found any ridiculously cheap ones like this. I never was much of a fan of the w140, but this one beckoned me with the low price and the body kit that sports it up a bit. Just seeing that the body kit could be added to nearly any w140, I have to admit I have a new interest in them.

Just curious... are there many modified w140 cars??? I have some 18" clk brabus reps and double-5-spoke (10 spoke?) 18" AMG wheels, both with higher offsets that might work on this car for some fun test fits. If I get the time I will see if I can give some of them a try.

 

[MAVA]

You are right, not a 722.6, but a 4-speed older style with the electronic overdrive for 5th bolted on the rear, 722.502.

Sorry for my misinformation.

I think this might be good info as I'm more confident we can either fix it with parts from the 1989 300se 4-speed trans, or just straight up swap it in... IF it is possible for me to rebuild or get this salvage title car registered. I think making that determination will be the next step.

These w140 sure are nice on the inside.

That double-pane glass sure is cool too.

Too bad somebody put a rattle-can paint job on this car. :crying:

The core parts need to be new, and they are nearly rubber, and you need new frictions, yet.........You can just go in to fix reverse only which is just the inside seal from picture 7, but you will need some new teflon seals(Pict 4), and some tranny assembly lube. Make a cheap compression tool with PVC pipe like in the thread, or buy this tool which is worth it's weight in gold, and they are half the price I paid. The "Speed Shops" that sell parts to the domestic crowd sell this for $200 or so...

Martin

 

[Rupununipete]

Off the transmission subject, but it does have a hard to find Japanese tuner WALD front and rear bumper, missing the side skirts. The front is also missing the fog lamps but, as some of the styling was lifted from the facelift W210 cars, the fog lights should be easy to find at a salvage yard. The bumper covers alone should return your investment. It sure looks like a Japanese tuner import with the contrasting interior and kit. I wonder if it came across the border from Canada. There was a lot of them that imported sight unseen a number of years ago and most were eventually given up on. once all the problems and associated costs were discovered.

I too am a sucker for orphaned cars. Good luck!

 

[Fonzi]

Off the transmission subject, but it does have a hard to find Japanese tuner WALD front and rear bumper, missing the side skirts. The front is also missing the fog lamps but, as some of the styling was lifted from the facelift W210 cars, the fog lights should be easy to find at a salvage yard. The bumper covers alone should return your investment. It sure looks like a Japanese tuner import with the contrasting interior and kit. I wonder if it came across the border from Canada. There was a lot of them that imported sight unseen a number of years ago and most were eventually given up on. once all the problems and associated costs were discovered.

I too am a sucker for orphaned cars. Good luck!

The guys I bought it from said it was their dad's car before he died and they crashed it. They said the insurance company totaled it and they bought it back. It was advertised as a rebuilt title. The guys said they spent more than the asking price doing the custom seats. I'm not sure if they just painted/dyed them or actually had to recover them. Either way, I'm thinking they are probably less valuable than regular seats, especially because the back seats are solid.

The car originally was a silver gold champagne color I think. The fan shroud is all busted up, ready to allow finger chopping. You can also see where the radiator was pressed up agains the fan from the accident. It looks like they replaced the radiator support, and added the body kit at the same time, probably done as economically as possible. The salvage title was issued April 2015, and it looks like the car has sat at least through this fall with lots of pine needles and what not in the windshield wipers. But after the guy removed Tre battery charger from the trunk, the car fired right up and drove it up onto the dolly. Some coolant started dumping out, and the seller said, "oh yeah, that started while we were running it in the driveway." We hitched it up and took a look at the title.

At that point I was honestly ready to take the car off the dolly and leave, because I don't really want to deal with the salvage title and rebuilding the title BS. Also, I was expecting the 120,000 mile m104 to be nice for a transplant into an older classic MB, but now with leaking coolant, even that was suspect.

The guy tried to get $325 or something like that out of me and I said $300 was my top number. He took it.

We dollied it home figuring the burnt trans fluid we smelled in the trans was enough and the trans was probably trashed anyway. I never exceeded 60 mph and it was about 40 miles, maybe less.

We got the car back to the warehouse parking lot and started taking a better look at it and we discovered it had nearly no coolant, nearly no power steering fluid, and nearly no trans fluid. We topped them off and started romping it around and laughing about how the guys said the power steering failed, and they were worried about it overheating, and that it was slipping bad in the forward gears now.

The forward gears are strange, accelerating from a stop really nicely, but I had some scenarios where after letting off the gas at speed, the trans seemed to start slipping bad and I had to slow down to get it going again. The bars were about to close, so we shut it down and went out for a drink. I didn't get back to it today, but maybe I will see if I can take it for a highway run with a follower tonight or tomorrow night.

So, I don't think this is anything special. No Japanese tuner car.

But if anyone wants to buy to from me for a nice profit to me, I'm game. ;-)

 

[Fonzi]

it does have a hard to find Japanese tuner WALD front and rear bumper, missing the side skirts. The front is also missing the fog lamps but, as some of the styling was lifted from the facelift W210 cars, the fog lights should be easy to find at a salvage yard. The bumper covers alone should return your investment.

!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/151723154449

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291670915500

Maybe not really cheap, but it doesn't look like the kit (I assume I have) is really hard to find.

It would have been great to have something really rare, but...

 

[Steve_B]

Wow! Those are some nice write ups!!

Just curious... are there many modified w140 cars??? I have some 18" clk brabus reps and double-5-spoke (10 spoke?) 18" AMG wheels, both with higher offsets that might work on this car for some fun test fits. If I get the time I will see if I can give some of them a try.

You probably don't need my help as you are more knowledgeable about MB cars than me, but I recently rebuilt a 722.3xx that had lost reverse and subsequently chewed itself:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w14...on-failure-tranny-rebuildable.html?highlight=

Great price. I saw the ad too, but no way for me to pull the trigger on that 300SE -- I am sleeping in the doghouse already because of my 600SEC

Steve

PS My car is not moded by any means, but came to me with 18 inch AMG-wheels off of a E55.
They look good, on at least on the coupe:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/att...amg-staggered-wheels-tires-package-600sec.jpg

 

[glepore]

Man, just as you get the r129 going...

It is hard to pass up these cars when folks are giving them away.

 

[Fonzi]

Man, just as you get the r129 going...

It is hard to pass up these cars when folks are giving them away.

The r129 is one of my more long term ownerships actually. I've had that car almost a year now. You may have missed the four w126 cars I purchased in the past few months, and I probably haven't purchased any 107s worth mentioning, but probably bought 10 or more junker 107s in the last year. I was worried what I'd gotten myself into with w126 chassis cars. They are nice tanks, but have nowhere near the amenities of a w140.

 

[Rupununipete]

Well, there you have it. What do you know, an American company knocking off a Japanese design that was lifted from the Germans. Affordable to boot.:smile

https://www.ebay.com/itm/151723154449

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291670915500

Maybe not really cheap, but it doesn't look like the kit (I assume I have) is really hard to find.

It would have been great to have something really rare, but...

 

[MAVA]

-- I am sleeping in the doghouse already because of my 600SEC

Steve

Me tooooo... I alternate between the front and rear doghouse-My cars are disappearing- Wife just says we have tooo many...

Yet The Fonz

The r129 is one of my more long term ownerships actually. I've had that car almost a year now. You may have missed the four w126 cars I purchased in the past few months, and I probably haven't purchased any 107s worth mentioning, but probably bought 10 or more junker 107s in the last year. I was worried what I'd gotten myself into with w126 chassis cars. They are nice tanks, but have nowhere near the amenities of a w140.

Yea, no more beaters for me.... I'm with a very neat partner that could RULE the Earth...No used items for her, but opposites attract....I'm a little pack-rat :devil... I realize I have too many W140's, and R129's. So I just realize neatness for me is an opportunity for new things...

Now, you could just go in fix your reverse problem and fix your B2 piston for the forward gears...

Martin

 

[Steve_B]

Me tooooo... I alternate between the front and rear doghouse-My cars are disappearing- Wife just says we have tooo many...

Martin

Hi Martin:
My REAL problem -- we don't have a dog. Yet, I have been assigned to the doghouse for some time already....
Steve

 

[Fonzi]

It sounds like I killed the value of my rare body kit. Always better to be honest though.

I have a setup where I supply my friend with a warehouse with free cars after making my money back on them. It's an incredible waste of time, and I've been supplying cars faster than he can strip them and get rid of them. I am not sure if the parts value in a car like this, so I was looking at this as a mobile running vehicle that isn't too much of an eyesore that can provide a m104 engine that I understand is pretty good for swapping into some of the old cars we have like w108 and w111 cars. The 3.2 m104 apparently has about the same power as the much larger US m117 5.6. And since this one is running, we can know that we've got a good engine.

Looking more at the car and driving the w140, it's really got me thinking that it would make a better family sedan than any of the w126 cars.

But now I've got three series of S-class sedans, and honestly I don't drive much anywhere working from home. I think despite the amenities of the w140, I am more likely to hang onto my w108 long term. And now that I know you can dress up a w140 and make it look much more sporty with this cheap kit, I make consider one longer down the line, a much nicer one. The killers on this one are:
- rattle can paint
- salvage title
- transmission

Those items make it quite a project, but man, it sure rides nicely, as I'm sure all w140 do.

 

[MAVA]

Hey Fonz,

I hear stories on others have parted out other models... Not with the W140... It is the "Junk" of the 90's "On the Street" The old timer Mercedes owner stay away from these cars, yet many people here are super intimately with the mechanics of these cars. I like these cars, and can hold my line with them...

They ride super, and they are the best car to crash with...

The only part that can be parted out is the PSE pump under the rear seat. The arm rest on the late 90's. The rest of the stuff is not worth your time. Ohh maybe the Parktronic parts on the late W140's that came with it...

Many fear these cars because they are TOOOOO brainy, but yet everyone dives into early, or any non working R129 which are a rats nest if the Top Hydraulics do not work...

Fix your car, and enjoy it because they are Aaaahhhh inspiring on the road(for the driver)...

Martin