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  #1  
Old 01-13-2009, 12:35 PM
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Location: Chelsea, MI
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87 300TD transmission issues

This car had 245K miles on it when I bought it in Alabama. It had not been driven very much for 6 months but had not just sat the entire time. From the time I got it, it drove like it was shifting from 2nd to 4th. Once it hit the 20mph "shift zone", it had *very* little pickup until the 35mph range. I was never able to feel or identify a shift from 3rd to 4th gear, though I suppose it could just be really smooth. If I manually shifted through 2, 3, and 4, it did much better. After the car had been driven a while, it seemed to have much better pickup throughout the entire mph range, and it possibly seemed better immediately after adding/changing the tranny fluid.

Starting this fall rather suddenly, when it should be shifting from 2nd to 3rd, it revs way up like it dropped into neutral. If I take my foot off the accelerator, and ease it back in, 3rd (4th?) gear would catch and it would drive fine. I didn't notice "slipping" in the sense that once it caught, it seemed to have acceptable power. The revving definitely got worse the further I drove to the point of only revving way up on any attempt to go over about 20mph (unless I put it in 2, but I'm not really comfortable going much above about 25mph in 2nd). The temp of the engine didn't seem to be related, but rather how long the car had been actually driven, so I'm assuming it is transmission temp related. I haven't driven it enough to say if the problem is worsening further.

About the time this revving issue started, I added a bottle of Lucas Transmission Fix in an attempt to minimize a bunch of leaking. I'm pretty sure I was having shifting problems before I added the Lucas, but I won't swear by that.

I have checked the vacuum system (I previously replaced all/most of the tubes under the hood), and didn't notice anything out of normal. I have read a lot of discussions about various fixes but not exactly matching the issue here. Does anyone have some experiences with this shifting issue.


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86 300SDL - 207K
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Old 01-13-2009, 01:14 PM
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Disconnect the vacuum line to the transmission to see if it now shifts hard. Be sure your "bowden cable", the downshift cable to the transmission is not binding or stuck, but moves freely and is slack at idle.
Also check the downshift button under the loud-pedal, unplug it temporarily if it is suspect.

It sounds more like an internal problem, but these are good things to eliminate.

Where is Chelsea Michigan?
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Old 01-13-2009, 01:21 PM
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Thanks. I too fear an internal problem. Vacuum I did check and unplug. I will double check the Bowden cable.

Chelsea is half way between Ann Arbor and Jackson.
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old goat

86 300SDL - 207K
84 300DT - 298K - sold
78 450SL - 97K
61 Porsche - rare T-5 Karmann Hardtop - NO, NOT a Karmann Ghia
99 Suburban 4x4 - 247K all original, the family donkey
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  #4  
Old 01-13-2009, 01:38 PM
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Mmm. Getting cold there yet? The big blizzard has pretty much turned into light snow here so far.

Did you have the fluid changed using the "flush" method? If so, it is likely the source of your problem. If not, it is still possible that some dirt/contaminant has gotten into the system via the change.
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Old 01-13-2009, 02:16 PM
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Okay....tell me! Yes, the trans was hooked to a machine and flushed and then synthetic oil was used. What does "flushing" do?? Had not heard an issue with that before.....well not as long as it was done carefully with good equipment.

Not hitting cold yet but I know it is coming!! I assume as Michigander, cold starts at about zero!
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old goat

86 300SDL - 207K
84 300DT - 298K - sold
78 450SL - 97K
61 Porsche - rare T-5 Karmann Hardtop - NO, NOT a Karmann Ghia
99 Suburban 4x4 - 247K all original, the family donkey
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  #6  
Old 01-13-2009, 03:40 PM
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I have two friends who own several transmission shops. They tell me that oil-change places with transmission fluch-changes is the best thing that ever happened to the transmission rebuild business.
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Old 01-13-2009, 03:42 PM
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Transmission Fluid Flushing = FAIL
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Old 01-13-2009, 03:49 PM
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Well, I had enough experience not to go to the regular cookie cutter flush shop but it was flushed by a mechanic that I would have to still say I generally trust. However, that does not mean in this case it did not cause an issue. So the question is, considering it has been probably 5k miles at most since that flush, it there something that can be done to recover the trans? Like pull the pan and filter and clean it.

I guess the question would be what causes the problem with the flush. Driving dirt where it should not be or simply not getting enough out? Would pulling the valve body and cleaning/inspecting help? Willing to try just about anything.
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old goat

86 300SDL - 207K
84 300DT - 298K - sold
78 450SL - 97K
61 Porsche - rare T-5 Karmann Hardtop - NO, NOT a Karmann Ghia
99 Suburban 4x4 - 247K all original, the family donkey
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  #9  
Old 01-13-2009, 06:54 PM
Admiral-Third World Fleet
 
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Location: Central FL
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My guess would be that there's now some piece of garbage caught somewhere in the hydraulics that wasn't there before the flush. If it were me I would be pulling apart the valve body to look for issues.

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