Is it bad to start on second gear 240D? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

funola · #1 08-26-2008, 09:49 AM

Everytime I drive my 240D 4 spd manual, it puts a smile on my face. It does have some issues tho. One of which is a shuddering clutch (on 1st gear only) when cold. It's fine after being driven for a few miles of city driving (after eng/xmsn/clutch is warmed up).

If I start on 2nd gear, the shuddering is almost non existent. Very slow off the line but I can live with it. Is it bad for any components to start on 2nd from a standstill?

#2 08-26-2008, 09:57 AM

Yes. It is bad for the clutch because it has to be slipped more if you release late, or, it can be bad for the engine because it gets lugged at low rpm and high load if you release early. A lot of vehicles have 1st gear as a granny, but MB made it to be used every time the car is stopped. Thats part of why the clutch lasts so long in these cars.

If it shudders when cold it may be oil contaminated, broken damper springs or just plain old worn out.

How can you stand starting in 2nd with a 240D? I've got nearly twice the torque of a 616 and its still painful when I try it!

Stevo · #3 08-26-2008, 10:27 AM

I start in second when heading down hill

nhdoc · #4 08-26-2008, 02:43 PM

First gear is so low on my 240D that unless I am at a complete stop I almost always avoid it. Just the slightest roll and I use second. Don't forget the automatics start out in second and only downshift to first if you override it manually or use the kickdown switch. These engines have plenty of torque at low speed even if they only have 67 HP.

I would guess that using second from a dead stop will result in some extra clutch wear, but remember you are also eliminating a shift so that offsets a little of the wear...if it works for you to start in second I would not worry about it...you really will do no harm lugging the engine the small amount until you get rolling...if yours is like mine once you are doing 3-5 MPH you could upshift out of first without lugging so I would not worry about getting to 5 MPH in second too much.

vstech · #5 08-26-2008, 02:49 PM

that 3.69 rear with the small tires on there and second is not tooooo bad. as long as you are in no hurry! get in a hurry, and you will be burning clutch disk material.

1983/300CD · #6 08-26-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhdoc

Don't forget the automatics start out in second and only downshift to first if you override it manually or use the kickdown switch.

I believe that's only the gassers, isn't it?
Both of my diesels always started in first.

nhdoc · #7 08-26-2008, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1983/300CD

I believe that's only the gassers, isn't it?
Both of my diesels always started in first.

Nope, the W115 240D started out in second gear unless you manually kicked it down into first.

funola · #8 08-26-2008, 09:36 PM

So I've been starting in 2nd on level and downhill roads. It's not a quick get away, which is ok if you're not in a hurry. On a uphill I start in 1st. I find that once the rpm pass 1800, it starts to pull strong up to around 3000, very drivable in any gear if I keep it in that range.

One quirk about this 240 is the instrument panel light above the tach. I have to smack it before it would come on. It does that 75% of the time. Seems like it's got a mind of it's own. Very funny.

It's like saying: "ok, slap me".

Stevo · #9 08-26-2008, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

So I've been starting in 2nd on level and downhill roads. It's not a quick get away, which is ok if you're not in a hurry. On a uphill I start in 1st. I find that once the rpm pass 1800, it starts to pull strong up to around 3000, very drivable in any gear if I keep it in that range.

One quirk about this 240 is the instrument panel light above the tach. I have to smack it before it would come on. It does that 75% of the time. Seems like it's got a mind of it's own. Very funny.

It's like saying: "ok, slap me".

You have a tach on your 240D?

vstech · #10 08-27-2008, 08:43 AM

this is funola.
he built one from scratch!!! he's the guy with the electronics and built a new tach amp...
I think he can do anything electronic!

funola · #11 08-27-2008, 12:47 PM

You've got me confused with someone else. What I did do was unpotted a bad tach amp (from a 300D turbo), traced out the schematic and then fixed it. I then learned (from this forums) that the EGR in my 83 works off of a pickup on the flywheel just like a tach amp does. When I took apart the EGR computer in my 240D, I noticed that it uses the same I.C. as the tach amp (from 300D). From the knowledge gained in fixing the tach amp, it was easy to tap off the right signal off of the EGR computer in the 240D and send it to a tach/clock which I got from a 300D turbo (to replace the clock). It was a very easy mod which I wrote up in a post with pics.
Do a search and you'll find it.

Having a tach in a 4 spd manual 240D is great. It gives me confidence that I am not lugging the engine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

this is funola.
he built one from scratch!!! he's the guy with the electronics and built a new tach amp...
I think he can do anything electronic!

junqueyardjim · #12 08-27-2008, 01:23 PM

You can't compare starting a manual transmission in second gear with an automatic starting in second. The "slip" in the automatic because of the fluid drive aspect of the torque converter, makes that an entirely different situation. So you can start in second with an automatic with the only penalty being slower starts and a slight longevity to other driveline parts. To start in second hear with a standard, you can do so by going from clutch slip to clutch lockup, just like starting in first. The mechanics are the same. The difference is in the amount of slippage. Slippage eats up the clutch. You can lessen this slippage by relieving the load, such as starting on a downgrade. You can pass the slippage load off to the engine by releasing the clutch as soon as possible. It might rattle a bit, maybe smoke a bit, but I don't think the engine would be damaged. The thing to remember is that the longer your foot is on the clutch, the more wear you will have on the clutch parts. Clutch parts are quite inexpensive. And it it not real difficult to change a clutch.

Stevo · #13 08-27-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

You've got me confused with someone else. What I did do was unpotted a bad tach amp (from a 300D turbo), traced out the schematic and then fixed it. I then learned (from this forums) that the EGR in my 83 works off of a pickup on the flywheel just like a tach amp does. When I took apart the EGR computer in my 240D, I noticed that it uses the same I.C. as the tach amp (from 300D). From the knowledge gained in fixing the tach amp, it was easy to tap off the right signal off of the EGR computer in the 240D and send it to a tach/clock which I got from a 300D turbo (to replace the clock). It was a very easy mod which I wrote up in a post with pics.
Do a search and you'll find it.

Having a tach in a 4 spd manual 240D is great. It gives me confidence that I am not lugging the engine.

Oh, I see, nothing to it......

funola · #14 08-30-2008, 09:50 AM

I've been driving the 240D the past week and the shuddering clutch starting in 1st gear is gone. I love when problems fixes itself but I'd like to know why? Can you offer any explanations? There is no oil leak so I don't think it's oil on the clutch.

#15 08-30-2008, 05:25 PM

It probably just needed some wear to even out.