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Leaking at B1 cover. Easy repair?
- Thread starter Gmach
- Start date
It can be done with the trans in the car but it is NOT NOT NOT fun. The B1 cover is heavily spring-loaded and there is almost zero space to work in. If you don't have a lift, I'm not sure I'd attempt it. Think I only did this one time in the car, on our previous E420. Compounding the problem is the trans tunnel insulation often starts disintegrating as you are pressing against it while working, so you also need to try and keep debris from getting inside while working. If you can find some excuse to pull the trans, I'd go that route and replace EVERY external seal on transmission... also difficult without a lift though.
I've done it- I used a short prybar which just barely hit the body. I think I had the tranmission pushed over with a board. one person pryed and I got the snapring in place. NOT fun. Sometimes the dipstick tube oring will leak. ARE YOU SURE this is the leak? The B2 is much easier than the B1. Strong fingers... maybe on a lift it's breeze.
M
M
B2 is not fun.
B1 is sheer misery, even with a lift.
This is for the 124.034/.036 chassis, btw... other models (especially those with 722.4) may not be as difficult. Michael has a good point, triple-check that the leak source is truly from the B1 cover before you go down that road.
B1 is sheer misery, even with a lift.
This is for the 124.034/.036 chassis, btw... other models (especially those with 722.4) may not be as difficult. Michael has a good point, triple-check that the leak source is truly from the B1 cover before you go down that road.
Well, world wide web search bring me to 500eboard, imagine that?
The 95' Project SL500 has a transmission leak... When I bought the car, tranny was lazy to shift and low on fluid. Drained, new filter, gasket, new washers and drain plugs. Seem to be very good after all this basics. Have not had a chance to attend to the car for a week, took it out for a short drive, noticed clean fresh tranny fluid under the car, not just a little drop.
My first thought - didn't do the pan gasket right, didn't have the low torque wrench, wet on 1 side. Well, I went and purchased Digiclick, does 8N.m Drained, new gasket 8N.m, new fluid... Drove the car around, looked under, an hour later all dry and clean....
Haven't had a chance drive it for few weeks, work is nuts... Took some time off (finally), drove out - puddle of fresh clean tranny fluid.
Wiped the gasket, cleaned every thing out, can't tell where its coming from... I don't think its a gasket. An hour later, checked under, and very small amount of tranny fluid collected right along this edge:
I'm going to buy a telescopic mirror tomorrow, to see if it really B1, or something else (bowden cable or dipstick mount area, but all seem dry at those spots) so I'm suspecting B1 (unfortunately) and from what I read here is a painful process. I have no lift, but I do have 4 ramps, so I can "roll under" just fine. Will see tomorrow.
Thanks all for the posted info!
Regards,
D
The 95' Project SL500 has a transmission leak... When I bought the car, tranny was lazy to shift and low on fluid. Drained, new filter, gasket, new washers and drain plugs. Seem to be very good after all this basics. Have not had a chance to attend to the car for a week, took it out for a short drive, noticed clean fresh tranny fluid under the car, not just a little drop.
My first thought - didn't do the pan gasket right, didn't have the low torque wrench, wet on 1 side. Well, I went and purchased Digiclick, does 8N.m Drained, new gasket 8N.m, new fluid... Drove the car around, looked under, an hour later all dry and clean....
Haven't had a chance drive it for few weeks, work is nuts... Took some time off (finally), drove out - puddle of fresh clean tranny fluid.
Wiped the gasket, cleaned every thing out, can't tell where its coming from... I don't think its a gasket. An hour later, checked under, and very small amount of tranny fluid collected right along this edge:
I'm going to buy a telescopic mirror tomorrow, to see if it really B1, or something else (bowden cable or dipstick mount area, but all seem dry at those spots) so I'm suspecting B1 (unfortunately) and from what I read here is a painful process. I have no lift, but I do have 4 ramps, so I can "roll under" just fine. Will see tomorrow.
Thanks all for the posted info!
Regards,
D
Last edited:
D, it is often difficult to pinpoint the source. In the location you point to, the potential leakers are the Bowden cable, B1 cover, cooler banjo fitting, and dipstick tube. If it's the B1 cover, you'll find fluid at the lower edge of the cover after you had it clean & dry. A telescopic mirror is VERY helpful, btw.
Clean EVERYTHING in that area with carb/brake cleaner, wipe it dry and/or use compressed air. Make sure there is zero fluid present. Then, stuff white paper towels everywhere possible - below the cooler pipe banjo bolt, around the bottom of the dipstick tube, ahead of the Bowden cable area, etc. Then drive the car for a bit; check again. The 'diapers' usually help you pinpoint the source, or at least rule out some things.
Also - the pan gasket can usually be re-used multiple times, if it's fresh. If you end up having to drop the pan a couple more times while sorting this out, you don't need to change the gasket each time.
Clean EVERYTHING in that area with carb/brake cleaner, wipe it dry and/or use compressed air. Make sure there is zero fluid present. Then, stuff white paper towels everywhere possible - below the cooler pipe banjo bolt, around the bottom of the dipstick tube, ahead of the Bowden cable area, etc. Then drive the car for a bit; check again. The 'diapers' usually help you pinpoint the source, or at least rule out some things.
Also - the pan gasket can usually be re-used multiple times, if it's fresh. If you end up having to drop the pan a couple more times while sorting this out, you don't need to change the gasket each time.
Thank Dave, good to know about the gasket! Though at $9 a bought another as a spare... If anything, this car is getting cleanest transmission fluid since new!
I will definitely go through all these steps tomorrow, though it looks like I may not even need to drive it, just looked under, silver dollar size spot on the tray under the car, that is 5-6 hours...
So B2 is NOT spring loaded, but still has the snap ring and just pressure fitted otherwise (just getting my "plans together" so I can estimate what I'm capable of doing and what is beyond my scope)... And B2 cover can be removed w/o dropping the tranny (if I only want to replace that sealing ring)? I know the tunnel is different on my car, it seem that I have more room to get to B1 than B2, will see...
Regards,
D
I will definitely go through all these steps tomorrow, though it looks like I may not even need to drive it, just looked under, silver dollar size spot on the tray under the car, that is 5-6 hours...
So B2 is NOT spring loaded, but still has the snap ring and just pressure fitted otherwise (just getting my "plans together" so I can estimate what I'm capable of doing and what is beyond my scope)... And B2 cover can be removed w/o dropping the tranny (if I only want to replace that sealing ring)? I know the tunnel is different on my car, it seem that I have more room to get to B1 than B2, will see...
Regards,
D
Ok, so I cleaned everything out last night again, and who needs a mirror if you have a "smart phone", right? I'll still get one this morning, but just went under, and looks like B1 is bleeding indeed:
The pry bar would not work in my tunnel, I may actually find/fabricate deep throat clamp to compress the bugger or even make a tool similar to factory (that fits into the factory transmission line)... Will see... I definitely don't want to drop the tranny out, as if I do, I would be "obligated" to have it rebuild
Regards,
D
The pry bar would not work in my tunnel, I may actually find/fabricate deep throat clamp to compress the bugger or even make a tool similar to factory (that fits into the factory transmission line)... Will see... I definitely don't want to drop the tranny out, as if I do, I would be "obligated" to have it rebuild
Regards,
D
Attachments
Ugh. Yeah - looks like that is B1 for sure. The factory tool (available aftermarket as part of a kit) was designed for use with the transmission out of the car. It needs a lot of space next to the cooler line, and won't work in the 124 chassis with the trans in the car - dunno about 129.
There was a different factory tool that bolted to the bottom of the trans with the pan removed, designed to make this job easy with the trans in the car, but that tool is NLA. If you're going to try and fabricate anything, I'd attempt to replicate that one!
There was a different factory tool that bolted to the bottom of the trans with the pan removed, designed to make this job easy with the trans in the car, but that tool is NLA. If you're going to try and fabricate anything, I'd attempt to replicate that one!
Not sure if this will help you, but us folks in the W116 world need to come up with innovative fixes and this guy has some of the best I've seen. As they say necessity is the mother of invention:
https://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/...ngs-in-a-722-1-transmission-while-on-vehicle/
https://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/...ngs-in-a-722-1-transmission-while-on-vehicle/
Gentlemen,
Thank you very much for chiming in, very much appreciate it! There is indeed a neeeeeeeed for the tool for me, and I will most likely have to make it... That post in W116 - simply brilliant! And the fact that is has 2 mounting points (vs 1 on the factory tool) I would actually feel better about it. What a brilliant idea and execution!!!
While looking at various approaches yesterday and this morning, learned that off the car, fairly easy with deep throat clamps, and learned that Porsche 928 auto transmissions were "joint venture" and share many commonalities with our 722.3/4... Educational!
Regards,
D
Thank you very much for chiming in, very much appreciate it! There is indeed a neeeeeeeed for the tool for me, and I will most likely have to make it... That post in W116 - simply brilliant! And the fact that is has 2 mounting points (vs 1 on the factory tool) I would actually feel better about it. What a brilliant idea and execution!!!
While looking at various approaches yesterday and this morning, learned that off the car, fairly easy with deep throat clamps, and learned that Porsche 928 auto transmissions were "joint venture" and share many commonalities with our 722.3/4... Educational!
Regards,
D
Dave,
You wouldn't happen to have either a picture of that NLA tool or the PN so I can search for it? Can't find it in my searches...
Regards,
D
See attached PDF, pages 22-27.
Part number is 900-589-27-23-00 but when I tried to buy it 6 years ago, it was NLA at that time.
