Not sure when the clutch was last replaced. Car has 460K miles. When the problem happened, I was going 65 on the freeway. I heard a higher whine from the engine and smelled something odd. I checked the tach. The engine wasn't overrevving it was just making an odd sound. Since I was going downhill I couldn't tell if there was a power loss or not so I started getting over to take the next exit. I coasted off the exit and into a parking lot. The interesting thing was that the car still could move forward, just very slowly in any gear. It locked into gears normally too. Nothing felt off. The car is in Seattle. I'm kind of at the mercy of the mechanic since I live 100 miles away. That's why this situation is so crummy. Thanks for all of your posts, they help me understand what could be happening so that I can talk more intelligently with my mechanic.

Go borrow a truck and rent the U-haul trailer and bring it home and fix it.

Sounds like worn clutch/pressure plate/throw out bearinge problems to me. The moving parts are not engaging fully so that is why the creeping only.

What you smelled was over heating clutch material.

You should check the fly wheel and pressure plate for warping.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Find another mechanic. Have they pulled the transmission yet? There is patently no way that the car would creep forward in all gears with the clutch depressed.

Now what could have happened is the clutch went and took the input shaft.... Still no way it should cost that much to repair.

Car-part.com shows a whole bunch of used ones for $324 - 900.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

If you're stuck in Seattle, try Benz Friendz @ (206) 762-7691. They will not steer you wrong. I suspect a clutch problem as well. Besides, if all the quotes are too high, 100 miles is really not that far to UHaul the car home and then decide what to do. These 190D manuals are rare and worth fixing.

__________________

'98 E300 DT
'87 190D 2.5 turbo RIP
'92 S500 Sold
'03 3.2TL-S A-Spec

Could also be the diff.

__________________
1984 Euro 300SDC, (4spd standard)
1986 Toyota Landcruiser Diesel HJ60 5spd X2

Gone but not forgotten (some sold, some stripped)
1983 300 SD, 1985 300 SD, 1983 240D, 1986 300 SDL, 1985 300 SDL, 1983 300 D, 1984 300 D, 1985 300SD, 1987 300 SDL, 1983 300 SD, 1985 300 TD Euro, 1983 380SEC, 1990 300 D, 1987 300D, 1982 300D, 1982 300D, 1994 E420, 1987 300 TD, 1987 300 D, 1984 300 D

Not with the clutch disengaged.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Ah, if only you were closer, that 4-speed would be in my 300D..

__________________
1981 230E, 1984 300D.
-
www.ranwhenparked.net

I paid under a 100 for my last 4 spd at the junkyard with pedals and shifter/linkage.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Definitely do this...

__________________
1985 MBZ 300DT
1969 MBZ 220d
1984 MBZ 300TDT
1981 VW Vanagon