I have an '83 300SD with apparently an '85 190 tranny. I just bought the car and replaced the tranny filter and fluid, however it smelled very 'burnt' like electrical burn smell.
I have driven it 200miles with no apparent issues until today when it started bucking and loosing power. I stopped put it in neutral and car fan fine. I checked tranny fluid and it was nice and red and appeared to have 'risen' in level. ?? It also had small tiny ball bearling like metal pieces on the end of the dipstick. I let it stand for 20 minutes not running and milked it home at 30mph and it ran like nothing was ever wrong with it. After I got home while idling it ran real low in rpm's like it was going to stall out.

Does this mean the entire tranny is shot or anyone have ideas on if I can re-build the clutch area?? It shifts fine but not sure where to start my diagnosis and can't afford to take it to a tranny guy quite yet.

I figured the burned smell was not good, but what could that mean? Tons of stuff right? lol

I'm hoping it doesn't need a full re-build and possibly only SOME of it? if that's possible?
Thanks

 

FI
Brand new filters, thats not the deal (within 95% confidence interval).

I purchased a new tranny filter/seal for the car and it was a little different.
The parts store looked up what mine looked like and they said it was for a 190. It fit perfect.
OR could someone have put just the pan for a 190 on it?

ALL 3 parts stores snowed me what they called for in the 300SD filter and gasket and NONE were right. ??

OR could it be from a different year tranny??