My 240D has always started out in second gear, since the day I bought it.

First gear works just fine, but I have to shift it into L when I am sitting still, otherwise it never engages. The shift up from 1st to 2nd has always been extremely rough, it chirps the tires when it shifts (yes, I can actually chirp tire in a 240D, I kid you not)

anyway, today I started it up, and when I went to pull out of my driveway, I was totally surprised to find that it started out in first gear and then shifted into second at about 5-6 mph....I had it in drive.

every time I came to a stop, and then accelerated, it would take off in first gear, just like I would imagine it is supposed to.

I got to my destination (a friends house, FYI) and shut it off.

I started it a few hours later when I left. And, well, poo, it takes off in second gear, just like it used to. The anomoly had passed...

But I can't help but wonder...WTF!? has this ever happened to anyone else? does this suggest a weak or worn out transmission? It shifts very smoothly and doesn't lag in between gears (unless I put it in L and rev it to the shift dots, like I said before) so I don't think it's going bad.

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1982 240D.
My name is Michael, and I am an 18 year old binge-drinkin', cigar-smokin', novel-writin', all around unsavory and unnattractive guy. I tell long-winded stories, and I only shave once a week, although I've had to do it every day since I was 16.

How can a 240 take off in second gear......can it even move? I mean even a 1 degree slope and the 67hp might not be able to overcome.....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Well, it does it. Certainly takes its time, but it does it. I usually (by usually I mean like 99.9999999% of the time) just throw it into first and shift up through the gears manually.

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1982 240D.
My name is Michael, and I am an 18 year old binge-drinkin', cigar-smokin', novel-writin', all around unsavory and unnattractive guy. I tell long-winded stories, and I only shave once a week, although I've had to do it every day since I was 16.

I think some of the older cars were supposed to start out in second unless you were REALLY getting on it. Does it go from second if you mash the pedal to the floor? Is your kickdown switch functioning properly??

Jay.

my kickdown switch is 100% non-functional. I always have to downshift manually.

I hit the pedal fast and hard every time I accelerate....I mean, it's a 240D, if I didn't floor it I'd be getting one finger salutes everywhere I go.

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1982 240D.
My name is Michael, and I am an 18 year old binge-drinkin', cigar-smokin', novel-writin', all around unsavory and unnattractive guy. I tell long-winded stories, and I only shave once a week, although I've had to do it every day since I was 16.

I laughed about four times just reading this thread.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

quality of shift is controlled by vaccum from the top of the fuel pump..
starts out high and goes to zero... at zero you should be in high gear..

so your vaccum is probably higher in the car right now...the high vaccum is giving you a good well defined first shift....

I believe all of the diesels are supposed to start off in 1st gear, but the gassers all do in second unless you really mash the pedal.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

my '79 300TD starts off in 2nd gear... i think the 1st gear starts are for the 200D and 240Ds.....though i may be wrong...

__________________
Mike

----------------------------------
1975 200 - Sold (no pix);
1978 200 - Sold - http://www.pbase.com/hboy/redbaron
1979 300TD - Sold
http://www.pbase.com/hboy/greenwagon
http://www.geocities.com/hboy726/300TD.html
1985 230E - now my daily driver...

Both of our SD's always start off in 1st. Mine will stay in second on rare occassion if I come off the freeway and very slowly accelerate, otherwise it always goes to first, it even does if I am coasting to a light and it goes green and I hit the pedal between 3-8mph, it will drop back to first for a moment to get going....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

This is all great really, but it's not answering the question.

The car ALWAYS started in SECOND gear, it didn't make a difference what I did.

Then, all of a sudden, it started in FIRST, for seemingly no reason at all.

....


...





...



Why?

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1982 240D.
My name is Michael, and I am an 18 year old binge-drinkin', cigar-smokin', novel-writin', all around unsavory and unnattractive guy. I tell long-winded stories, and I only shave once a week, although I've had to do it every day since I was 16.

A longshot, but I'll mention it. Suppose a PO had the trans replaced with one from a gasser. I forget the mechanism for controlling this, it's somewhere in the valve body. Might explain why it usually starts in second. Perhaps something in the valve body is hanging/changing that is beginning to have it start in first. Perhaps if you got the # on the valve body someone could identify it.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

If you have a condition that is intermittent, whereby the transmission sometimes starts out in first and other times starts out in second, the most likely culprit is a valve body that is sticking somewhat.

First line of attack is to put some Trans-X in there and run it for awhile to dissolve all the deposits.

Then do a complete fluid and filter change.

I'm betting you will get first gear to properly engage, every time.

Ok, I'll look into that, I work like two miles away from an autozone, so it can't be the hardest thing to take care of.

PS - I finally got a job. Woo.

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1982 240D.
My name is Michael, and I am an 18 year old binge-drinkin', cigar-smokin', novel-writin', all around unsavory and unnattractive guy. I tell long-winded stories, and I only shave once a week, although I've had to do it every day since I was 16.

When I told my indy of issues about shifting with my transmission..I swear he mentioned something about a vacuum issue. He has tweaked some things with the transmission to make it shift at different spots. Mine always starts out in 1st but he's definately made shift points different with adjustment. Also, I've had the "modulator"?? replaced mine...about $100 and it shifts much better. I'm no mechanic but just thought I'd throw it out there.

Good Luck,

T

__________________
Tom in AZ

1985 300SD, smoke silver, blue interior, 146K
1973 280, 85K (sold)