I do mean start out in first and then shift up ... so this does not work? The car does not start in first when you have it in first?

It's been ages since I last drove an auto Mercedes. I can't honestly remember for certain but I do think that it will start in 1st if the lowest position on the shifter is marked 1. You can hold them down in lower gears manually. I've done that a few times in the past and it did not seem to have any adverse effects that I can recall. Of course mine were gassers, not diesels.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Wasn't me but I do get down Greenville from time to time. Mostly upper Greenville. Grew up near that area and my sainted mother still lives just a couple miles east of Greenville.
I always honk and/or wave to other MB drivers. Some are MB aware, some are oblivious......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Looks like it was just the idle knob that needed to be adjusted. She was idling way to slow causing the shake. Purrs like a kitten now

Increasing the idle speed will usually result in smoother running at idle for any motor. However it should not be necessary to increase it for smooth idle once it's warmed up. I believe the intention of the idle adjust knob, if I remember my owners manual correctly was to facilitate cold starting and after a few minutes it should be turned back down to it's lowest setting. So the fact that it shakes at idle with the knob at the slowest setting could still mean it should have new mounts.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Well,

Good and Bad news ... My daily driver, a Jeep, decided to break down and the repairs are going to be about the same as what the car is worth. So to me its not worth fixing.

So after lots of thought, I have decided to use the 240D as my daily driver now. I have been driving it for two days now and I actually dont mind the fact that the car is so slow and sounds like a tractor

So if anyone sees a China Blue 240D driving in North Dallas ... Give me a