The turbo lag is your alda assuming 2.5T's had them. Either a switchover valve, clogged line or misadjusted alda. i had the SAME EXACT lag problem with my 300D. It would be a snail until 20mph then it would pull.



You need to simplify the vac system like many of us do. Rip out everything and start new. You need vac to the throttle transmission vac modulator (and connect that to the transmission). Then run a seperate vacuum line to your in-cabin vacuum lines, keeping them on a seperate vac feed than the transmission. Disregard all other vacuum parts. BUT i could be wrong. I'm assuming the basics of the cars vacuum are like a 123 or 126.

Then using the modulator adjust your shifting till its perfect.

__________________
1981 300SD 512k OM603

Looks like the EGR vac amp. You can remove it before you remove the EGR valve. Make sure to plug the supply line where it comes off the engine vacuum pump.

turbobenz is more able than I am (no mean feat to be more able than I am ) if he removed the transmission vac amp and has tolerable shifts. I futzed with the VCV and bowden cable for days and couldn't get acceptable low throttle shifts. I didn't try a transmission modulator off an MB model with no transmission vac amp. That might be the difference. gsxr thinks the valve body is programmed differently as well.

The attached vacuum diagrams might help.

Sixto
87 300D

Attached Thumbnails

   

Do a search on stop lever o-ring.

Sixto
87 300D

thanks for the advice, i read up on the stop lever leaking and after looking at my IP i can see that mine is leaking. Also the others mentioned that you have a surging at idle, which i also have. this should be a fun fix, thanks for pointing me in the right directions.

__________________

Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

As for the VCV on the IP, the aft port should get vacuum from the engine vacuum pump, the forward port should have attached the green cylinder (last picture). The other end of the green cylinder either goes directly to the driver side of the transmission or to a device near the driver side strut tower.

Sixto
87 300D

you lucky dog, i always wanted a 190D 2.5 Turbo, but its hard to find one , well enjoy the GOOD MPG!!!

__________________
Current Garage
2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress
1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs
2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver
1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car
1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap??

Sold
1987 300SDL 200K+
1994 S320 181K mi
2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi
1999 S420 130K mi
1980 240D 360k mi
15+ Others that has come, stay and gone

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
1995 E320 SE 220k mi
1984 300SD 350k mi

That 'fuel' filter is really for air; mine is exactly the same and the MB service guy says it is normal. I will look in my car to see where the brown hose goes.

Congratulations on your purchase, it is a nice looking car. You should be able to iron out the little problems with info from this forum.

__________________

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

The brown line goes directly to the EGR, which i will be removing when Brian gets another round or EGR removal kits going. but what is the round thing in the background? i don't what does it affect and where should i be connecting it currently.

__________________

Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

Look for a set of factory service manuals for the W201/OM602 series in hardcopy on eBay or www.books4cars.com or settle for atrociously poor scans on CD. You can get the FSM on CD through the FastLane link at the top of this page. Expect to pay about 10 times as much for hardcopy.

Sixto
87 300D

My '87 190D turbo had plenty of guts off the line with all vacuum lines stock except for the EGR vacuum line plugged. It would spin the tires on some dry pavement, if I took off hard and hit a painted white line it would always light 'em up. Get it running properly, perhaps the ALDA needs adjustment/replacement, but IMO there's no need to rip out the vacuum lines and re-design it.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Ok, so i have been working on the car the last few days, and found something new today. the tranny dip stick is Black and says "MB Work Shop Only!"

It does not seem to be the right one, because i can barely pull it out and put it back in. it gets stuck and i really have to force it in. This makes me not want to mess with the tranny fluid level right now, as i dont know if i even have the right one. i have attached a picture of it can anyone comment on what theirs looks like?

__________________

Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

i just drove around and was checking out the vacuum that was going to the Transmission via a T. When idling, i have show 18, but as soon as i push the pedal down to drive, it will go down to >10 (usually 8) and stay there until the shift. once it tries to shift, i just slips and revs up, then the vacuum goes up to ~20 and then once the gear is engaged, will drop back down to below 10. once i am traveling in gear 3 or 4, the vacuum will slowly creep up and then hold at 15.

does this sound normal??

also, here is the link to the tranny dip stick being pulled out and put back in. with a MB# of 140... makes me think it is for a W140 not my W201.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G-OmLbQrTY (might take a second for Youtube to finish processing the video)

__________________

Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

Well... i looked at the EPC program from Mercedes and it says i have the correct dip stick... wow.

__________________

Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

The VCV that hangs off the IP modulates vacuum to the transmission - high vacuum under light throttle to soften shifts, low vacuum under heavy throttle for crisp shifts. That's a simplification but you can think of it that way. The vacuum amplifier further complicates/fine tunes the vacuum signal by applying derivatives of VCV vacuum and ALDA boost.

Sixto
87 300D

The rev and slip when attempting to shift is typically called flaring. Can be caused by an improperly set vacuum modulator, worn clutches necessitating a tranny rebuild, or worn springs and plungers in the valve body. Properly setting the vacuum modulator requires fitting a pressure gauge to the tranny. In your case I'd move the adjustment handle one or two notches CW to firm the shifts. Keep track of how much you moved it! Chances are other shifts will be too firm. You might try a $50-60 Superior spring kit before a replacing or rebuilding the tranny.

Check the two links at the end of my soliloquy in the first post -

springtime for tranny

Sixto
87 300D