Transmission survey storage wooooh!s

[Unavita]

4-28-2025
WORD TO THE WISE:

The private party that offered up his "rodent free" concrete floored barn for seasonal rental seemed honest. I still had my concerns on the "rodent free" part so I removed my battery (which I do anyway). Something told me... when I picked the car up I had a very bright flashlight peering through all the suspect places for critters to hold up. AND LOW AND BEHOLD! I nest the size of a football with a mother and two pups. Dead. I will leave that part of the story and arrive at the dealership that day...

The insulation was good and chewed in the ECU area of my '91 r129 500. There was a little bit of hydraulic fluid (mixed with remnant of the insulation the mice used). Dealership wants to just repair the wiring (FOR 5 BILLS!). There is also a $4700.00 estimate to "reseal" the entire tranny. They mentioned the tans pump was leaking which I suspect is the source of some problems already. So I inquired back as to the cost to replace the entire transmission. THIS IS MY INQUIRY HERE: the reseal is high of course but what have you coconspirators seen as acceptable pricing on replacing the trans (car has cross-over exhaust like your 124).

 

[TerryA]

@Unavita,
I don’t know where your located but Marc @ Sun Valley is the best in SoCal he just did a R&R on LuckyMike’s E420 transmission for I believe $3,750.00.

You can DM him for more info.

 

[gsxr]

$4700 is high for replacing the transmission with a rebuilt unit (Sun Valley), and is of course insane for a re-seal.

Is the leak from the front pump? If so, it has to come out of the car to fix this leak... so you get to figure out if it's worth rebuilding a transmission that shifts fine (right?) vs just re-sealing.

 

[Unavita]

Yes it is the pump. The car did shift perfect. Suddenly reverse flares and loss of 3rd and 4th.

I thought the 500.00 to repair the damage the mice did wasn't a terrible amount. 117. for rear diff svc. But the trans svc!!!

I wish I were closer to Sun Valley but I am in the Twin Cities area.

 

[gsxr]

Bummer! You can order a reman transmission from Sun Valley, and have a local indy shop install it (assuming you aren't interested in a DIY swap).

 

[emerydc8]

Bummer! You can order a reman transmission from Sun Valley, and have a local indy shop install it (assuming you aren't interested in a DIY swap).

I did this with the dealer on my S320. One independent shop insisted that they rebuild the transmission for $6000–they weren’t interested in installing one from Sun Valley. The initial dealer quote for the swap was less than $2000. By the time they were done it was more than triple. Some of it was “while you’re in there” stuff but a lot of it was gouging by the service manager.

 

[Unavita]

I did this with the dealer on my S320. One independent shop insisted that they rebuild the transmission for $6000–they weren’t interested in installing one from Sun Valley. The initial dealer quote for the swap was less than $2000. By the time they were done it was more than triple. Some of it was “while you’re in there” stuff but a lot of it was gouging by the service manager.

There's a special place for those types! Gouging service managers I mean!

GSXR-

I have never done a trans swap on my own. I could start on another car. I will see.

My Father in law recently explained to me as he realized himself the center point of my anguish! I grew up in the South. I moved here from Las Vegas. It was, I now realize, quite easy to find a reasonably priced person to do a job. However here in Minnesota everyone is either union or charging union prices. People are not really interested in saving you money you might spend at the dealer. It's more of a "privilege" one receives by "keeping the money in the community" (cough gasp gasp cough)!

I literally could write a book (and I may) on all the things that have happened since moving here that are done with ones complete volition!

Sunny and 68* (eventually)

 

[Unavita]

Hood insulation replacement at local MB= $955!!!

 

[TerryA]

Hood insulation replacement at local MB= $955!!!

@Unavita,
Hood insulation is an easy job if you take the hood off of the car and lay it down on a padded table. 3M has a spray adhesive specifically for this job. Once you have removed the old insulation and prepped the surface it’s a cake walk. Just plan out your moves when installing the new pad.

PS: I did this job on my 107 500SL many years ago. In today’s market I have no idea how much a new pad or the spray adhesive costs. I would bet no where near $955.00

 

[gerryvz]

Hood insulation replacement at local MB= $955!!!

Yep. I recently paid ~$850 at an MB dealer for a transmission fluid and filter change on my E63 AMG.

 

[gerryvz]

@Unavita,
Hood insulation is an easy job if you take the hood off of the car and lay it down on a padded table. 3M has a spray adhesive specifically for this job. Once you have removed the old insulation and prepped the surface it’s a cake walk. Just plan out your moves when installing the new pad.

PS: I did this job on my 107 500SL many years ago. In today’s market I have no idea how much a new pad or the spray adhesive costs. I would bet no where near $955.00

Hood pad -- perhaps $50. (Febi hood pad at AutohauZ $39; FCP Yurro $66; RM Yurropean $48)

Adhesive -- perhaps $50 for the 3M Super 90 adhesive, 2 cans (can get away with one can if needed).

So......$~100 for the parts.

 

[Unavita]

Yes. I find it... typical! (the estimate I mean).

Labor on replacing trans- just over 3k. That is about what I find in my local market.

 

[Unavita]

Agreed Terry and GSXR!

 

[rayhennig]

Hood pad -- perhaps $50. (Febi hood pad at AutohauZ $39;

My son's got a Febi and I have MB. Chalk and cheese. Forget Febi.

And I have an MB spare in stock. And he's got a W201 so he can't relieve me of my genuine one.

Oh bollocks. Now he's got a 124 as well with a crumbling pad.

Oh well, that's life.

R

 

[gerryvz]

The problem is with the MB pads is that they have superseded down to a single W124 pad with the foil "diesel" square on the underside -- which is not appropriate for the E500E (or other non-Diesel W124s). The Febi pad is actually of good quality, as far as I know.

 

[rayhennig]

The Febi pad is actually of good quality, as far as I know.

Not convinced judging by my son's Febi pad.

But if you've seen a good Febi pad that suggests that the Febi lottery might be worth playing as it was for my SGF flex discs.

R

 

[gerryvz]

Not convinced judging by my son's Febi pad.

But if you've seen a good Febi pad that suggests that the Febi lottery might be worth playing as it was for my SGF flex discs.

R

I didn't buy a Febi pad back in 2020, when I last replaced mine. I can't remember the name of the manufacturer, but was the OEM of the MB original pads and was identical in the cloth cover and foam backing to the original MB pad that came on my E500. I have a NOS MB pad with the foil square rolled up and sitting in my basement, and IT IS DIFFERENT than the original E500 pad. The MB pad is very "foamy" and doesn't, as I recall, have the black cloth/woven covering like the original pad did (in addition to the incorrect foil square).

I bought the replacement (OEM) pad from AutohauZ at the time, in 2020. It was NOT a Febi pad - it was marked by AutohauZ with the manufacturer's name, I just can't remember it. It was the real deal - good, quality stuff. I believe I showed it being replaced in my E500 Engine Bay Refresh thread in the Projects sub-forum. Febi is just a reboxer of stuff made by other people, usually cheap stuff.

I will never use the MB pad sitting in my basement though, at least on my car. Perhaps if the @gsxr purchases a 1987 diesel wagon, or a 1995 diesel sedan, I will ship this pad to him to use.

 

[gerryvz]

@rayhennig -- please see this post: Under Hood Insulation Pad | Body Shop

Heck, I was lamenting foil squares even back then.....

 

[gerryvz]

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mercedes-hood-insulation-pad-oe-supplier-1246820726

Mercedes Hood Insulation Pad GK 124 682 07 26 124-682-07-26 1246820726 1246800025 124.682.07.26 | Pelican Parts

GK Hood Insulation Pad. Call (310)626-8765. May Qualify For FREE SHIPPING. Parts# 124 682 07 26 124-682-07-26 124.682.07.26 1246800025 1246820726. E500, E420, E320, 500E, 400E, 300TE, 300E, 300CE.

www.pelicanparts.com

 

[rayhennig]

@rayhennig -- please see this post: Under Hood Insulation Pad | Body Shop

Oh no! I like my foil square. Not sure the other MB one in the cave has that. I'll check it out.

Just looked back at previous posts and I erroneously accused you of buying a Febi pad. The perils of posting in the evening after n glasses of Bergerac Rouge. Do I now not get to take your 500 for a thrash when I'm next in the US?

R