I have 81 240D. The transmission won't shift in cold weather until engine is up to temperature. I don't know if it's the modulator valve, or if it's vacuum or fluid related. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks very much.

Is the transmission fluid up to the proper level with the engine warm and idling? When was the transmission fluid/filter last changed? Will the car move at all? It moves but won't shift out of first or second or whatever gear it starts in? Or something else?

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

My 77 300D does something similar...I always assumed it was because of vacuum leaks... :\

__________________
Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

Mine does the samething, I have to wait for it to warm up to about 60C before it will shift. It will go into drive and reverse fine but it will not shift into 3rd.

__________________
1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

Fluid is up to proper level and was changed approx. 30K ago. Transmission will go into all gears properly, will shift from first to second, but it won't shift from second to third or third to fourth until it's warmed up.

Wilbur I think every W123 that I have ever had with an auto tranny has always shifted "differently" until they warmed up.
You should be OK if it shifts fine after everything warms up a bit.
Kind of like me trying to walk away from the bed in the mornings.....

__________________
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

I had this issue as well, and it was made ALOT better by a fluid change. I would do it again, especially if the car had gone a very long time with out a Tranny fluid change before the one you did 30k ago.

I remember Whunter saying something in the tech session about what exactly causes it, but I can't remember.

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Like Jimmy said it's pretty normal for the transmissions to not shift properly when they are cold. A fluid and filter change might help a little. But in general you just have to drive it gently until the transmission gets warmed up. My wagon does the same thing.

__________________

Are you sure it won't shift at all, or just wont shift until very high rpm's?
Cold shift points are pushed upwards by the fact that the shift points are controlled by the location of the rack. Cold diesels have so little horsepower that you have to push the accelerator much further down than when the car is warm. This means that the transmission 'thinks' you want the fastest acceleration possible based on the location of the rack so pushes all the shift points upward.
Have you tried backing off the accelerator to induce the shift? In other words, get the engine rpm's just past the point where it would shift when warm, then back off the accelerator to get the transmission to think you don't want high rpm shifts, let the shift happen, and then push back down again.
Alternatively, I think it is probably possible to adjust the bowden cable or rods so that the warm shift points are low. I believe this would lower the shift points when cold also.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Where is the bowden cable located on a 77' 300D?

__________________
Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

No cable on a 77. It has a series of rods going from the accelerator linkage on top of the valve cover down thru the intake manifold and back to the right side of the transmission.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

what about the 1980 and 81 300Ds? i never saw a rod OR cable.

__________________
Wie lange wird Ihr Auto leben?

Someone here knows the exact years and can answer your question, but there were some years without either I think. Don't know what controlled shift points on those years.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The change to a cable was in 82 not sure about rods

__________________
81 300SD daily driver/project
86 420SEL (sold)
85 380SE(in the graveyard)

Thanks guys you have been very helpful.