shift kit help!! pan is off and I'm stuck

[harpua00]

I'm trying to install the superior shift kit to fix the flaring on my '85 300D. I pulled the K1 and K2 accumulator plates and changing the spring trains here for the purple and pink Superior shift kit "firm up even more" springs isn't a problem.

But, the shift kit instruction also mention changing "k1 & k2 accumulator control valve springs" and instruct to replace these with the white springs supplied in the kit. In their instruction it looks like these control valve springs go under the B1 plate for the K1 control valve and the similar plate opposite B1 on the back side of the valve body toward the rear of the car for the K2 control plate. Is this correct, is there some sort of control for K1 under the B1 plate, and similar for K2 and the long plate near K2?

My car ain't moving until this is sorted out and it's kind of blocking the whole driveway so a quick answer will be really appreciated!

[harpua00]

so in searching some old posts I gather the k1 & k2 accumulator control valves are actually somewhere within the valve body and not accessible without dropping the valve body (I haven't done that as I figured no need to access just the k1 & k2 accumulator plates). I guess the question then is
1.) is it worth dropping the valve body to change those springs, or will the accumulator springs alone fix the flaring problem
2.) if I do drop the valve body is it obvious which are the k1 & k2 control valve springs?

The superior kit instructions are not 100% clear.....they seem to be made for techs that know all the details of the mercedes trans component locations already

[1983/300CD]

I had the same problem. Changing just those springs stiffened up all the shifts, taking care of my slight 2-3 flare, and easing the 1-2 pop a little.

Now that they all shift similarly, I am planning to use synthetic ATF to smoothen it out. If that doesn't work, I might give the modulator a look.

Of course, this is after setting the vacuum with the "donut" disc and 2-way splitter included.

[rrgrassi]

There was a write up posted by a member here on installing this kit. The write up looked to thorough enough to clear up Superior's much to be desired instructions. I do not remeber who did the write up.

I have not done this repair yet my self.

[theo3000]

The K1 and K2 replacement springs fixed my flare. Unless you'e experiencing other problems, the white springs don't have to be installed at all.

Dropping the valve body makes the job 10 times more difficult, so don't do it unless you really need to.

[harpua00]

thanks for the replies. As theo3000 and some other older posts indicate, I swapped out the K1 & K2 springs and let alone the control valve springs (wherever they actually go which I never really figured out).

So here's what I find:
1.) the 2-3 shift is substantially crisper. At anything more than light throttle it used to slip badly as is shifted. I haven't tried a full throttle shift yet but heavy throttle tests so far give me a shift a crisp as the 1-2 shift (I have an '85 300D so that 1-2 shift isn't harsh as I hear some of the earlier years are)
2) the 3-4 shift is even crisper and it used to slip a lot as well (though the 2-3 shift was the worst)
3.) when refilling your trans after a pan and converter drain take your time after the initial fill and let it idle in D for a few minutes then check the fluid again before taking a test drive. I topped up initially, started up and let it idle in D for about 30sec., rechecked the level and then took a test drive. I found the shifting very erratic and after about 2 miles found it wouldn't shift out of gear 1 (just kept revving higher and higher) and had to limp home cursing myself for having done something to completely wreck the trans. Turned out the level was way down when I got back home, I topped it up to the proper level, tested again and all was back to normal (big sigh of relief after this).

For both K1 and K2 I went with the Superior instructions for the "even firmer" option, rather than just the "normal firm" option. I really had some bad slipping and installing this $60 shift correction kit seems to have fixed all that slipping and hopefully will keep this trans running for years.

[techguy512]

Originally Posted by harpua00

I really had some bad slipping and installing this $60 shift correction kit seems to have fixed all that slipping and hopefully will keep this trans running for years.

Great news, congratulations. I have some minor issues with "stacked shifts", i.e. 3-4 comes just seconds after 2-3 in many situations. I understand that the superior kit claims to have some solutions for this. Can you check your instructions for me and let me know if the stacked shift stuff requires dropping the valve body?

Thanks,

[81300sd]

Guys don't be so afraid of dropping that valve body. Its not a big deal. If you have a good work bench to do the work on its so much easier. The only tricky part is seperating the halves(18 balls to fall out if you have it setting wrong) Take the thing out, unscrew the 2 screws that hold the halves together and then carefully hold it together and flip it upside down(all the balls stay in their place then) Take some digital pictures of all the balls just in case you dump them.

Once you do that, the superior kits instructions are pretty good(follow the diagram)

[81300sd]

Originally Posted by techguy512

Great news, congratulations. I have some minor issues with "stacked shifts", i.e. 3-4 comes just seconds after 2-3 in many situations. I understand that the superior kit claims to have some solutions for this. Can you check your instructions for me and let me know if the stacked shift stuff requires dropping the valve body?

Thanks,

No it doesn't require dropping the body.