I'm looking to sell my 87 300D, and I've been spending a lot of time fixing it up. For the most part, it is a pretty strong car. However, I've been noticing some transmission oddities:

1) Sometimes, when I go from drive, to reverse, and back to drive and accelerate to some small speed and then coast, I hear a loud snap, almost as if two metal plates were slapped up against eachother. I took it to the indy once, and they couldn't reproduce the sound. What could this be?

2) I think the trans' shifts are off. If I accelerate a little (say to 10 or 15 MPH) and then suddenly let go of the acc. pedal, the rear seems to make a clunk and the car lurches a little. I think what is happening is that it is shifting into second really early, and then when I stop accelerating, it shifts back into first. I think it should just be in first the whole time or something.

3) Sometimes, before I can get into third and fourth gear, I have to let off the pedal a little bit.

Are any of these problems vacuum related? Does my rear diff. need a fluid change (it hasn't had one in forever)? Is trans on its last legs? I've been driving it for a year and a half with most of these problems, and the car still performs pretty well, so I'm hesitant to think that the trans is about to go out. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

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1987 300D wvo on the way!

Definitly check vacuum. The nipple on my vacuum pump was a little clogged and it was making my 87 300D clunk in up and downshifts. climate control didnt work either

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

mercedes transmissions shift into second from a dead stop to stop "crawling" and for a more luxirous start. but if you floor it will downshift into first.

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

Really? That is odd. well, is there anyway to make it stay in first for longer? I feel like it is doing damage (anomalous clunks are often indicative of damage).

JohnHef, in the context of troubleshooting the trans, what do you mean by check vacuum? Should I hook up a mityvac and determine the strength of vacuum at idle? Is it more involved than this?

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1987 300D wvo on the way!

bump

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1987 300D wvo on the way!

There's also a K1 spring kit you can get from the dealer for less that $15 to help those soft, or flaring shifts. I've installed it on both of my SDs and now they shift like new.

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

check vacuum at the line that goes to the modulator on the trans, around 22 should be a good reading iirc, and it should get to that number, immediatly! mine would go to 22, but the needle would creep slowly to it because of my plugged vac pump hole.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

JohnHef,

is that at idle?

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1987 300D wvo on the way!