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RobMBush
Member
Date registered: Dec 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Vehicle(s): 14-G550, 05-G500, F80 BMW M3, 991.2 Porsche GT3
Posts: 13
| 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Gentlemen,
I believe my transmission has finally bit the dust and I'm looking recommendations on reputable rebuilder.
History on the transmission work I have done since owning the truck:
100k miles, Fluid and filter change with OEM factory fluid.
~110k Conductor plate replaced due to a speed sensor failure (also corrected the TC fluid wicking up the wiring harness issue). Fresh fluid replaced with OEM.
125k Current failure: Torque Converter circuit failure. Replaced the conductor plate again and TC solenoid but during the process found the black fluid (likely clutch material) and metal material in pan image attached.
I'm ideally looking for an overbuilt transmission if anyone does an uplifted version. I'm primarily intending to use the truck for over landing an towing and it has been a build project I've been working on for a couple years now.
Specific vehicle info:
2005 Mercedes G500
VIN: WDCYR49E55X164111
Thanks!
Rob
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WEBIII
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Oct 2010
Location: Inlet Beach, FL
Vehicle(s): 461.318, 463.241
Posts: 315
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Renntech is near you. I dealt with them a little on my G500 and got the feeling they are not G people but they do have plenty experience with that transmission. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Personally, I would go with a MB rebuilt tranny. Not cheap, but probably done right. |
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H1LM002G55
Expert
Date registered: Mar 2010
Location: S Florida / Geneva / Jeddah
Vehicle(s): 500 GE, G55, LM002, H1
Posts: 1796
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Renntech would be a good choice. Call and get a quote. The newer transmissions are more challenging to rebuild. You need to do a search and look up ATRA...the automatic transmission rebuilders association. There are reputable shops that can be searched through the ATRA website.
Hard to beat a factory rebuilt transmission though...and the warranty. |
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MiN
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: May 2006
Location: Alpujarras, Spain
Vehicle(s): No cars, at all.
Posts: 555
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
This doesn't add much to the solution, but a failure after only 125k miles is pretty surprising. Have you had a transmission guru have a look at it; it may not need to be replaced. I put mine, a 99 G500, through 280k miles with hardly a blip, including some serious off-road miles. |
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H1LM002G55
Expert
Date registered: Mar 2010
Location: S Florida / Geneva / Jeddah
Vehicle(s): 500 GE, G55, LM002, H1
Posts: 1796
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Did 1999 trucks have the 4 speed or 5 speed auto?
The 4 speed auto is relatively rugged. I liked the 5 speed auto in early MBUSA trucks. Not sure why we need more than that with less reliability as demonstrated in later releases of the G. |
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RobMBush
Member
Date registered: Dec 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Vehicle(s): 14-G550, 05-G500, F80 BMW M3, 991.2 Porsche GT3
Posts: 13
| RE: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Thanks for the replies,
To follow up on your questions/comments:
I talked to Renntech already and they advised against having them rebuild the unit but that I instead by a rebuilt first then send to them to beef up.
I'm also of the opinion that this shouldn't have failed at such low mileage ~125k miles. Biggest concern is getting all the metal out and identifying what actually failed. Since the error seems to be related to the Torque Converter I'm wondering if that's what failed and littered the transmission with tiny metal fragments/turned the fairly fresh MB fluid (less than 10k miles) completely black.
The transmission is a 722.6xx which is a 5Speed high torque transmission.
Rob |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| RE: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
The 722.6 started with 1996 on the diesels and 1997 on the gas engines. They are incredibly durable and problem free, with the exception of: - Failure of the conductor plate
- Leaks at the entry point of the electrical cable
Originally marketed as "sealed for life", MB later recognized that people might want more than 120K miles of life. Depending on usage a change of fluid/filter is recommended every 40-60K miles. That won't address the two known problems, but may make your transmission last forever. Forever being defined as longer than the rest of the vehicle.
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
H1LM002G55 - 2/2/2015 12:21 PM
Did 1999 trucks have the 4 speed or 5 speed auto?
The 4 speed auto is relatively rugged. I liked the 5 speed auto in early MBUSA trucks. Not sure why we need more than that with less reliability as demonstrated in later releases of the G.
The 1999 has the 5 speed, which is pretty much bullet proof. That as opposed to the 7 speed, which is not, in the latest models. |
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atg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2014
Location: Los Angeles
Vehicle(s): 2005 G55, 1985 300tdt
Posts: 129
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Call Mark at Sun Valley. |
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Floobydust
Veteran
Date registered: Mar 2014
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Vehicle(s): 1995 E320 Cabrio, 2003 G500, 2000 SL500, 1980 TR8
Posts: 284
| RE: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
RobMBush - 2/1/2015 8:39 PM ~110k Conductor plate replaced due to a speed sensor failure (also corrected the TC fluid wicking up the wiring harness issue).
One of the changes MB made to the conductor plate and the Hall effect speed sensors was to insulate the pins that connected the sensor PCB to the main conductor plate conductors (see pic). I read somewhere that this was because they found that microscopic metal particles carried in the TC fluid could collect on the bare pins an interfere with or damage the Hall effect sensors. This makes sense because the hall effect sensors have a self contained magnet (effectively making them behave as variable reluctance sensors). In any case, I would make sure that any replacement conductor plate (if your trans gets rebuilt) has the updated insulation.
Edited by Floobydust 2/2/2015 10:26 PM
 (Conductor Plate Hall Effect Contacts.jpg)
Attachments
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 Conductor Plate Hall Effect Contacts.jpg (312KB - 3 downloads)
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gerryvz
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2014
Location: Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s): 1994 G320, 1989 560SEC, 1994 E500 (W124)
Posts: 336
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Sun Valley Mercedes Transmissions in southern California is the way to go for a good rebuild. They specialize in MB transmissions and have a stock of cores on hand that they rebuild when you place an order. They ship the finished transmission to you, and then you remove your old one and ship it back to them in the same container.
I had them do a 722.3 less than a year ago and it was a very smooth transaction, and the rebuild has been just fine. I will have them do other units in the future.
Marc is the owner there. More info (its worth a phone call to call Marc): http://mercedesdismantlers.com/
Cheers,
Gerry |
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RobMBush
Member
Date registered: Dec 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Vehicle(s): 14-G550, 05-G500, F80 BMW M3, 991.2 Porsche GT3
Posts: 13
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Thanks everyone for the feedback! It's looking like I'm going to go with a MB refurbished unit from the local dealer and I'm getting it at the shop discount through a friend of mine.
What else should I be replacing while I'm in there? The truck has 125K on the clock so I don't want to be dropping the transmission again any time soon. I'm thinking the Engine rear main seal should be replaced for sure.
Please point out any other parts I should pick up and get replaced at the same time!
Thanks,
Rob |
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J.R.
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Southern Maryland
Vehicle(s): 00 G500, 09 911 4S, 11 Cayenne S, 86 280GE (sold)
Posts: 828
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
If you haven't replaced the drive shaft from the tranny to the transfer case, that should be a parts only price since I think the labor is already build into disconnecting it for the R&R of the tranny so you shouldn't pay twice for that labor part.
Does anyone know for sure? |
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NHDave
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2013
Location: Seacoast NH.
Vehicle(s): 2004 AMG
Posts: 464
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
I'm sorry to hear your needing a new transmission at this point of ownership, a real big $$ disappointment for sure!
I've been watching this from the start, and waiting for any service tech's reply as to why this happened so soon. Selfishly hoping for some simple answers, that the rest of us can use to head off the drama of a "new transmission" Yikes!
Keep us updated, please?
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
After a bunch of failures on the "sealed for life" transmissions, it was determined that lifetime was occurring right after the trucks were out of warranty. As a result, MB changed the maintenance procedure to drain, flush and replace the ATF and filter at 40k miles or 60k kms.
Whether or not this has anything to do with Rob's failure is purely a matter of conjecture. |
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NHDave
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2013
Location: Seacoast NH.
Vehicle(s): 2004 AMG
Posts: 464
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
Well stated Dutch! |
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G-AMG
G-Class DIY Host
Date registered: May 2006
Location: South Texas
Vehicle(s): '04 G55, '80 280GE, '99 S420, '98 E320, 2011 E350
| Re: 2005 G500 Transmission Failure
I religiously change my 722.6 and 722.9 Transmissions' Fluid/Filters at 30,000 Mile intervals (no Time limit)
Gerry's Reference of Sun Valley Mercedes Transmission? If you look at their website, they "Require" 24,000 mile Fluid/Filter changes. (I'm guessing if you want to keep their warranty intact??).
"We require changing the transmission oil and filter every 2 years or 24,000 miles."
Edited by G-AMG 3/18/2015 10:28 AM
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