I have a 1979 300sd turbo diesel with 300 plus miles on it and went out this morning and started fine, threw it in gear and it wouldnt move.

There is fluid in the trans, shift lever is engaging the trans, or I should say the shift lever moves the linkage on the trans but nuttn happens.

There was no clunk or clank, no leaky fluid...Im lost.

Please advise on where to start or what to look for first, second and so on.

The book I have makes reference to a control pressure rod adjustment but I have yet to wrap my head around this.

Please, any suggestios would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

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Dave
Las Vegas, Nevada

Not sure if your tranny has B2 piston like the newer ones. Might want to check that out.

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81 300D Turbo 190K sold
83 300sd 319K best $500 I ever spent-daily driverw/ 2 tank WVO set up

Can you point me in a direction for the B2 piston???

Thanks...Stuck!!!

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Dave
Las Vegas, Nevada

Do a search on B2. Lots of threads. I think your symptom may be consistent with a B2 problem.

__________________
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

I have noticed on startup on different occasions that my shifter will not engage my transmission. Mine responds to shifting through the gears and then back to drive, and it will hop to, cant wait for to funds for a new drive shaft for my manny!

I have left it running for the past 30 minutes, ran through the gears, again checked fluid levels, made sure that the linkage on the trans is moving through the gears and still nothing.

I am cruising posts but really havent seen anything else for me to check...this site hs saved my bacon time and time again and I hope it happens again.

Thanks and keep the suggestions coming I appreciate it all.

Dave

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Dave
Las Vegas, Nevada

For kicks, mark the torque converter, turn the engine (by hand or using the starter) then check if the torque converter is turning with the engine.

Sixto
87 300D

I have noticed on startup on different occasions that my shifter will not engage my transmission. Mine responds to shifting through the gears and then back to drive, and it will hop to, cant wait for to funds for a new drive shaft for my manny!

Does it go into reverse? If so, then it is classic B2 symptoms. If not, then it could something like a bad front pump.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Yes, the converter is spinning, when in gear an when not in gear.

with the car jacked up, engine running in park there is a lil 2" cutout in the bell housing and I can feel/see the converter spinning when car is in gear and not in gear.

Im at a total loss...my gut tells me this is vacuum or fluid/pressure related.

Once again, thanks for reading and ANY suggestions or tests would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

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Dave
Las Vegas, Nevada

Nothing, no forward or reverse gears at all.

I did notice that when I was looking at the converter to see if it was spinning, I was in the car and took it from park through the gears that the car was engaging in park and when I took it out of park the car rolled back ever so slightly...ya know when theres a load on the car, you take it out of gear and it frees it up to roll.

is there any fluid or vacuum tests or processes of elemination...clocks tickn on me...I have to get to work.

Y'all rock...thx again and again.

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Dave
Las Vegas, Nevada

I do for sure see some wear on the control pressure rod that goes down to the transmission. Where it lays over the throttle linkage there is clearly some fresh/new wear where the control rod has been rubbing against the throttle linkage.

In the book it says that this rod controls the working pressure of the trans. If this was stuck open or closed, what would/could this do.

Again, there is clear wear on the control pressure rod where it lays over the throttle linkage.

Lost!!!

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Dave
Las Vegas, Nevada

The control rod rubbing on the linkage is probably due to a worn out or missing bushing on the transmission end of the rod. I had that occur on mine and the linkage would rub and sometimes cause a sticky pedal.
I'm not well versed on how transmissions function but I don't see how that could be the cause of your problem though.

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Joe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1980 300SD - 495k miles - 'The Ambassador'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Former Family Members
95 C280
73 280SEL
90 300D
87 300SDL (X2)
86 560SEL
84 300D
80 300SD

Doubt the problem is vacuum related. I suspect a bad pump. There is a place on the transmission for measuring pressure, there's a thread on here somewhere with pictures showing how to do it. I'd begin looking at the Pick and Pulls for another transmission.

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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

I think its a good (bad?) chance that its a bad front pump. The 80 300SD that I bought had a bad one when I bought it (and there are other reports of them on this forum). They made the fingers on the torque converter very slender on the 722.1xx and I think they fatigue and shear off, jamming the pump. You might disconnect one of the transmission cooling hoses leading to the radiator and see if you get any pressure when it is running.

Rick

PS. Its not a B2- issue- the 722.1xx doesn't have that problem.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)