Holy transmission noise Batman...

Fletch9871

Active member
Hey fellas…I’ve embarked on a Sprinter odyssey and it’s been quite an education so far. The goal is to transition from Cargo Van -> Adventure Van -> RV. My number one goal presently is to do as much maintenance and PM work as possible.

Today’s work was mostly transmission related. I cannot stress enough the importance of a fluid flush, filter change and DARF modification. My van is a 2005 3500 with 190k and a stack of maintenance records and receipts. I found the receipt for a transmission flush and filter change at 75k but nothing after that. The transmission was making god awful groaning and humming noises and a very loud RSN. To give you some idea how loud it was it was hard to have a conversation over the noise. 1-2 and 2-3 shifts under power were fine but slow acceleration in traffic would lead to jolts and bangs both up-shifting and downshifting. The previous owner tried to convince me the noises were the automatic engine jake brake...LOL. I was really concerned the transmission was on its way out.

Figuring I had nothing to lose I decided to do a full flush and filter change. I’ve never worked on an automatic transmission before so it was a steep learning curve. I also replaced the plug and did the DARF mod. All in all it was a soul sucking experience doing all this for the first time. Not to mention the smell of ATF makes my stomach churn…BLEECH…!!! There was a considerable amount of sludge in the bottom of the pan and around the magnet. Surprisingly little metal in the pan and filter. The screens under the servos were 100% clean.

8+ quarts of Shell 134 later and the result is nothing short of amazing. The transmission is shifting 100% smooth at all speeds. The best part is the silence. It literally makes nothing more than a gentle whirring noise now and then which is expected being a gigantic echo chamber in its current form.

More to follow in the coming days/weeks including an interesting fan clutch failure and fan shroud repair…Stay tuned.

Cheers...Chris
 

220629

Well-known member
Yep. Periodic maintenance is best (40 - 60,000 mile OCI). For many drive train noises if the fluid is old(er) a transmission service is worth trying.

Rumble Strip Noise Transmission Drive Train Shudder

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5027

No special flush is usually needed. Just pan/TC drain, filter, and new correct fluid. Don't forget to renew the transmission electrical connector aka Connector Body.

vic
 

Fletch9871

Active member
No special flush is usually needed. Just pan/TC drain, filter, and new correct fluid. Don't forget to renew the transmission electrical connector aka Connector Body.vic
Forgive my ignorance...Not knowing automatic transmission terminology I guess I didn't "flush" the transmission. I just changed out the fluid from the pan and torque converter.

Items replaced:
Pan Gasket
Filter
Connector Body
ATF Fluid

This little gem helped a ton when refilling...

Hopkins 10106B/6 FloTool Spill Saver
http://a.co/70qrkmy

I stretched a bungee from the hinge to base of the wiper. I used the o-ring from the MB ATF filler tube plug on the end of the FloTool. This provided a good seal and enough friction to hold the filler in place. Just slip the bottle under the bungee with the FloTool connected and let it dig. It took about 2-3 minutes to drain each bottle. Just remember to swap the o-ring back to the MB filler tube plug.

A quick note about the Connector Body. This thing is pretty stubborn to get seated as well as the connector itself.

One trick I've used on o-rings and electrical connectors is to use some silicone/dielectric grease. Just smear a little on the o-ring/connector and it makes assembly go much smoother. The benefit for electrical connectors is three fold. It provides corrosion resistance, helps seal out water and eases assembly/disassembly, think headlight connector...!!! It's inert and won't degrade plastics. It works a charm on spark plugs found in the engines that burn the "other" kind of dinosaur squeezins.

Anyroad...A quick smear on the Connector Body o-rings and it seated with a firm push and satisfying thunk. A quick smear on the connector o-ring and end of the connector and it twisted right in.

Dielectric Grease
http://a.co/iDIwgiH

Cheers...Chris
 

Top Bottom