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[Andy H]

Managed to get the bonnet open

It has taken a week of periodically pulling the release lever and pushing/pulling on the bonnet.

Need to fit a good battery and see if it starts now.

What can possibly go wrong

New battery I ordered from Tayna yesterday (standard delivery) arrived today.

Need to get of my arse and fit it now.

Fitted the new battery yesterday - wouldn't start.

Gave the battery a good charge overnight, refitted it today and finally got it started - (for the first time in 5 years).

There is something not quite right with the starter motor. Cranking was slower than it should be and my helper said that they saw sparks and some magic smoke - almost as if the starter wasn't bolted tightly to the engine.  Something to investigate before the MOT.

Once the engine was running I had to shunt it back & forth a few times before the rear brakes would let go. Brake discs look surprisingly good but tomorrow I will get the wheels off and have a closer look.

Spent the day cleaning & checking the thing (MK2 Ford Galaxy Diesel auto).
5 years under a tree had resulted in a mouldy interior. The cheap seat covers fitted by the last owner had grown a layer of fur, I tried cleaning them with a carpet cleaner and the vinyl surface peeled off. 7 seat covers are now in the bin. Seats look OK underneath.
All the seat belts were a bit surprised that I wanted to extend them  couldn't get one to extend at all so will have to pull the trim off to inspect it.
Undid all the wheel nuts half a turn, will get the wheels of tomorrow to check the brakes........

Had the MOT done today by my local garage.
Failed on cracked tyres, binding brakes and a front wiper blade. Advisories for surface rust on subframes and suspension arms.
The tester commented that it appeared to have been parked in a field for 10 years - cheek! - it was only 5 years 
I left it with them to fit budget tyres and free off the brakes and came home in a courtesy car

[STEMO]

Managed to get the bonnet open

It has taken a week of periodically pulling the release lever and pushing/pulling on the bonnet.

Need to fit a good battery and see if it starts now.

What can possibly go wrong

New battery I ordered from Tayna yesterday (standard delivery) arrived today.

Need to get of my arse and fit it now.

Fitted the new battery yesterday - wouldn't start.

Gave the battery a good charge overnight, refitted it today and finally got it started - (for the first time in 5 years).

There is something not quite right with the starter motor. Cranking was slower than it should be and my helper said that they saw sparks and some magic smoke - almost as if the starter wasn't bolted tightly to the engine.  Something to investigate before the MOT.

Once the engine was running I had to shunt it back & forth a few times before the rear brakes would let go. Brake discs look surprisingly good but tomorrow I will get the wheels off and have a closer look.

Spent the day cleaning & checking the thing (MK2 Ford Galaxy Diesel auto).
5 years under a tree had resulted in a mouldy interior. The cheap seat covers fitted by the last owner had grown a layer of fur, I tried cleaning them with a carpet cleaner and the vinyl surface peeled off. 7 seat covers are now in the bin. Seats look OK underneath.
All the seat belts were a bit surprised that I wanted to extend them  couldn't get one to extend at all so will have to pull the trim off to inspect it.
Undid all the wheel nuts half a turn, will get the wheels of tomorrow to check the brakes........

Had the MOT done today by my local garage.
Failed on cracked tyres, binding brakes and a front wiper blade. Advisories for surface rust on subframes and suspension arms.
The tester commented that it appeared to have been parked in a field for 10 years - cheek! - it was only 5 years 
I left it with them to fit budget tyres and free off the brakes and came home in a courtesy car

I would say that's a good result 

[Doctor Gollum]

Quite possibly blown the gearbox on the S Class :'(

[TheBoy]

Quite possibly blown the gearbox on the S Class :'(

Oops.

Proper shagged? Or low fluid type shagged?

[STEMO]

Quite possibly blown the gearbox on the S Class :'(

As you know, they can be repaired. A full rebuild, around here, is just short of a grand. Question is, is it worth it? To you, that is.

[BazaJT]

Checked gearbox oil level and engine oil level on step daughters C70 as there seems to be a slight leak from somewhere with a trace of oil at the bottom of the bellhousing/engine joint.Both levels ok though.While there also fitted a new crank sensor and a new power steering fluid reservoir to it.

[Doctor Gollum]

Quite possibly blown the gearbox on the S Class :'(

Oops.

Proper shagged? Or low fluid type shagged?

Harsh shifts from 2-3 which became not shifting past 2nd. No external leaks and only an 0894 code, trans slipping, suggesting a mechanical issue rather than an electrical one. Basically from first start, it seems normal but goes into limbo as it tries to shift from 2   into 3 and won't pick up any gear. Eventually it might change up, and then sticks in 4th. Turn it off and on again and it won't go past 2nd. It will run all the way to the redline in 2nd, but as that's barely 65/70mph it's of zero use on the road.

I have a service kit en route, and whilst it won't make it worse, it won't necessarily fix anything either but will allow the chance to inspect the gearbox sump for debris... Which will give a clear indication of the state of the internals.

Options are:

1. Try the fluid change and clean the solenoids but throw away ~£300 if it doesn't work. Possibly a temporary fix.
2. Source a known good transmission, service it and throw it in.
3. Replace the TCM and solenoids as part of the service and hope that fixes it. An £1,000 in parts and coding, but no additional labour.
4. A combination of 2 and 3.
5. Obtain a rebuilt/new trans.

[Doctor Gollum]

Quite possibly blown the gearbox on the S Class :'(

As you know, they can be repaired. A full rebuild, around here, is just short of a grand. Question is, is it worth it? To you, that is.

Rebuilding it with what? Lego?

[STEMO]

Quite possibly blown the gearbox on the S Class :'(

As you know, they can be repaired. A full rebuild, around here, is just short of a grand. Question is, is it worth it? To you, that is.

Rebuilding it with what? Lego?

Well, yes. That's what it was built with originally 

[Doctor Gollum]

Incidentally, that description of symptoms happened over the course of about 125 miles.

[TheBoy]

If its been slipping for that long, even if due to low fluid (though I though older merch had dipsticks?), I'd suggest that the clutches would have taken quite a hammering.  And indicates a hydro-mechanical fault.

Thus I'd begin to suggest the box is shagged.

So either a rebuild, or a working one from a donor (and use the service kit on that) IMHO.  Not sure its worth wasting that £300 kit on what is in there.

[Doctor Gollum]

If its been slipping for that long, even if due to low fluid (though I though older merch had dipsticks?), I'd suggest that the clutches would have taken quite a hammering.  And indicates a hydro-mechanical fault.

Thus I'd begin to suggest the box is shagged.

So either a rebuild, or a working one from a donor (and use the service kit on that) IMHO.  Not sure its worth wasting that £300 kit on what is in there.

No dipstick on the W221.

I am leaning towards a temporary replacement and then gather up the parts and a suitable replacement box and get it put in as a belts and braces approach and.fitting that with replacement solenoids and TCM as those are generally the precursor to more substantial failures. Car has previous form for gearbox speed sensor discrepancies as well but they weren't significant enough to be a priority... Live and learn.