Transmission rebuild seems inevitable...

[dwoloz]

1983 240D, auto

When cold, when the car comes to a stop (at a signal for instance), a slight pop is heard and jolt is felt (same kind of action as when you shift into neutral) and then the car acts like its in neutral. No power to the ground while the engine revs. If you then feather the throttle a couple times, you can eventually get it to catch and move forward. What I've been doing instead is at every stop I have to shift the car into neutral and then when I want to go, I shift back into drive and its then completely fine.
Once the transmission is hot, this problem goes away although when you floor the throttle from a stop there is noticeable slipping.
All other gears have no problem, its just starting from a stop that is the issue.

I drained fluid and replaced the filter without any improvement.
A reputable shop has suggested that it is likely not any item in the transmission that is broken (like a B2 piston) but rather something that is stuck/sticky inside the valve body. The logic behind this is that if it was something broken the problem would occur all the time and not change based on temperature.

So its dilemma time now. I paid 1000 for the car, put about 800 into it. The body has rust problems. Is it worth a rebuild?? Can I avoid a rebuild...?
This is a sad day for my 240

[12MPGHWY]

Try this repair when your Xmission won't shift

[rs899]

I am not sure that I agree with the shop diagnosis, but swapping a valve body isn't hard, and if you can get one at a u-pull-it type place, shouldn't cost you very much. It might be valve body, or it might be loss of friction material somewhere like on a band. Still, one would think that at 163K miles you shouldn't see that much wear on a 240D....

[Mister Byrnzoil]

Originally Posted by dwoloz

So its dilemma time now. I paid 1000 for the car, put about 800 into it. The body has rust problems. Is it worth a rebuild?? Can I avoid a rebuild...?

That sentence should be required reading for anyone jumping into this game... If you buy a rusty car chances are good that you'll ask yourself (or this forum) the very same question.

In my situation, I bought a rusty 1980 euro 4 speed manual 300d, the body rust didn't look bad till you got under it and examined the rotten suspension and drivetrain mount points... or pulled up the carpet and saw how the PO had rigged the seatbelt mount points w/ aluminum gutter material. Still I drove it for 2 years till the clutch master cylinder died...I asked myself the above question, and long story short, that car got picked clean and went to the big junkyard in the sky.

Conversely, the TD I just picked up really cheap has some ugly body rust on the rear quarters and hatch... but the unibody is completely solid and since it is a work vehicle I would fix practically anything that went wrong, including the tranny.

[bgkast]

Originally Posted by dwoloz

Can I avoid a rebuild...?
This is a sad day for my 240

How are the body and engine? If they are OK it sounds like manual transmission swap time. With a 4 speed manual you could race mopeds and WIN!

[dwoloz]

Body is rusted in the corner panels, a nice big hole in the trunk, one jack point is badly rusted, etc.

At this point I've been considering giving up the fight and going to the darkside to find a VW Caddy

[bgkast]

It sounds like you should drive it until it stops moving, then part it out.

[mobetta]

Got AAA+? or roadside assistance thru your insurance company?
that way you could literally drive it til it don't. and tow it home, strip parts, then have it towed to the scrap heap.

or maybe you'll find a cheep tranny and swap it in. they aren't that hard to swap. weather or not it is worth it depends on how much a tranny costs, IMHO. not worth a rebuild, but maybe a $100 PNP special??