Hello and thanks in advance for any advice that you give.
Did not drive my manual\4speed 240d for about a week. when i pushed in the clutch pedal i heard squealing (like a belt squeal) and shifting was hard. i tried again about 3 times and the noise and shifting became worse. now it does not make much noise but it is stuck in 1st gear (but the gearshift is in neutral). Trans and brake/hydro fluids are ok. the clutch seems to work as i start it and release the pedal it does rapidly engage and surge forward

Could be the rubber bushings on the linkage or maybe the linkage is not tight where it bolts into the transmission. Both are easy fixes and one of them will hopefully fix oyu right up.

Len
'83 240D 344,500 miles original owner, converted to a manual transmission

Your pilot bearing or your throwout bearing have given up the ghost and need replacing.... they are now providing resistance which is causing your synchronizer gears to not function properly.....
Just a guess....

have you checked your shift rods below? also, i had an 82 240 that the shift levers on the bottom of the shift mechanism actually rusted off. a broken armor rod off will make it all act really crazy.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

thanks for the input everyone. the rods and levers seem ok but i will continue to check. i purchased a chiltons manual and it does not offer any help except for a fair description of clutch removal. it shows only a picture of bearings. i suppose clutch and bearing replacement would be my next step???? i am not a mechanic but i would like to save money at this time. would i be better off taking this to someone for a full diagnoses and possible repair or tackling it myself?

The most important thing is the diagnosis.... if you attack some other problem you will still have the actual problem...
So paying someone to make sure the diagnosis is correct, if you don't feel confidant doing that, sure makes sense.
Only then can you decide if you have the capacity to fix whatever is wrong.

your description if the shifting mechanizm is ok then it sounds as if shift forks inside are broken.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Is there a rubber bushing present and in good shape where the shift levers from above connect to the horizontal ones right below the shifter? Did you stick the correct allen socket in the hole and try to tighten the bolts where the horizontal levers enter the actual transmission? If yes to both, then those are the really cheap fixes and I'm out of suggestions.

Len
'83 240D

Hi,

To me it sounds like you have air in your clutch line. I had this problem on my 82. It sounds like your clutch isn't engaging properly.

Before you do anything, it is really easy to bleed your clutch. Your fluid reservoir is the same as your brakes, so if your brake fluid is topped off you are good. Get under the car and put a hose on the bleed zirc and bleed it like brakes. Have a friend pump the pedal up and down then hold it down to the floor, at that point, crack the fitting and let it bleed. When it stops shooting out, close the fitting and let the person bring the pedal up.

The things to remember clutch up, zirc closed. And, pump the pedal before pushing it to the floor (for some reason this helped get a good gush).

Sokoloff has a good suggestion. I had problems getting my car into 1st and 2nd and it turned out the bold that holds the shifter rod to the shifter arm on the trans was loose. There is a little socket cap screw deep down out of site in the shaft itself away from view (you can only see it with a mirror). It was loose on my car. The shifter arm for 1st and 2nd just freewheeled and didn't have the detent snap to it like the 3rd and 4th or R. From what I remember of the symptoms though this doesn't sound like your problem.

Cheers,
Yoko

heydar

When bleeding the clutch you must bleed it from the bottom up. You must push the fluid (air) UP from the slave to the master then up to the brake m/s and out. to do this connect a hose from the r/f brake slave to the clutch slave. Open both bleeders.... With your right hand pump the BRAKE pedal about 50 times, fast as you can. Crawl back under, close both bleeders, check to see if your clutch is working, if not repeat pumping. (I use small hose clamps on the hose between bleeders, its worth the effort . ) Also Pull the carpet back in front of the pedals and look for brake fluid leaking from the master. Is the line to the master dry?

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

cylinder i dont think. barking up the wrong tree imho. he said that it is stuck in first gear but the shifer is in neutral. how can that be clutch linkage?

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I have heard others say you need to bleed the clutch from the bottom up and maybe you do if you have air in the lines, but I have been using a pressure bleeder on mine successfully for about five years from the top down.

Len
'83 240D 344,500 miles original owner

Len

Yah, I"ve never tried using the pressure bleeder but know it works. Another one was, a guy over on the other group made a pressure bleeder for the clutch using a grease gun. Whats your procedure, I 'm really happy with the bleeder for brakes maybe I could be a "convert"

__________________


1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

There are several versions of pressures bleeders, EZ Bleed which is the cheapest at about $35, SpeediBleed which is what I use, Motive Power Bleeder and a home made version. I've used the EZ Bleed and it worked for me too on the clutch, but it's also the least robust of them all I think. I think they all work basically the same. Hook it up to the brake fluid reservoir, add air pressure and begin opening the bleed nipples until it runs clear. Very easy to do and simple to use.

Len

I use the SpeediBleed and love it, I'll give it a try next time on a clutch, thanks

heydar..even if your clutch does'nt require a bleeding (unlikly) it would still be a good investment. I just ordered an adaptor for my truck. here http://www.speedibleed.com/products/specialitykits2.php

__________________


1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"