Hi

I have a 92 500sel, and I have had some similar problems with my transmission (also a 722 series). Mine always starts in first, and usually skips second and goes direct to third, and will sometimes have difficulty shifting from 3rd to 4th.

Reading the tech manual, it appears that this is a problem with the B1 piston, and might need a new K1 spring. However, most all Mercedes shops that I have talked to have refused to "fix" these trannys, but rather want to rebuild the entire unit (at a cost in excess of $3000....) (The piston costs about $100, and the gasket set for the required service is about $30, so the "fix" is definitely MUCH cheaper, although no one can predict if it will work or not...)

I am now trying to determine if there is a possibility of replacing the B1 piston with the tranny still in the car, although I haven't found much info on this yet...

-David
92 500sel
86 560sel
85 535i
82 QPorte