My 300SD always slammed into gear, and I always suspected that there was an internal problem too, especially considering it has over 300k miles. Anyway, I drove it like that for several months, then one day I was trying to get the center vent to work, and realized that the pod was shot. Not wanting to bother with the pod, I took it apart so it was always open, and plugged up the tube. After driving it I was shocked that it now shifted like butter, and the shift points were right where they are supposed to be! With as many Benz's with bad pods out there, I would say that be the first place a person should look when they have a rough shifting tranny.

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87 300D - Running on Veggie oil; 260,000 plus miles; Original #14 head

Yeah, none of my vents open or close at all... I bet this is the heart of my woes. And probably the fact that the little bushing that are in the black box on the engine head are worn to nubs.

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'90 300SE --- 173k miles --- (Odometer just stopped working!)

'85 Cali 300D --- 193500 miles --- (Second one) Sold Nov '10

'82 300TDT --- 236,xxx miles --- (My first one) Sold July '09

See post #8.

It applies to you.......as well.