Found a great looking 300CD, one problem.
 

The transmission will not go into gear..

I just got back from the guys house after many unsuccessful starting attempts, locating all the cancer and all the other small problems it has. The battery was toast so I won't have another chance to try starting it until Saturday.

What kind of "small" problems would there be for the transmission to not engage. The seller says it just does not engage, any gear, any RPM. The linkage was loose as could be but still had an audible click into the gears. By the way it's an automatic (sorry im mildly exited).

When I go to see the baby blue beauty on Saturday I'll bring you guys some pictures, in exchange for help ;) By the way, this is a 1983 300CD, 190,000 miles, bundt cake wheels, oil covered valve cover, beautiful compared to my 240D.

Thanks in advance guys!

-Nick

I'm assuming you checked the fluid level?

Linkage under the shifter knob itself is a good place to start looking.

Is it currently behaving as if in park or neutral?

First thing low fluid in trans. Uses DEXTRON like any GM car. 2nd thing the shift linkage under the car has missing bushings. 3rd thing completely blocked trans filter. 4th thing internally failed transmission

No action in any gear probably means very low on fluid or no internal hydralic pressure. Make sure the driveshaft is not turning in gear though with a failed rear axel or rear end.

It has happened before when the owner thought the transmission was out. You should almost count on having to change the transmission out if there is enough fluid in there to be safe in the deal. It should lower the price of the coupe enough to easily compensate for it if you change it out yourself.

If this is not a negotiating tool I would not know what one was. He obviously does not want to deal with the issue. Best of luck...

I don't know yet, I didn't want to check the fluid level because it was raining and I couldn't start the engine to check it the right way. We tried rolling it and the park pawl never caught, we rolled it like 3 feet which is plenty for my 240D to grab. Finders crossed for a linkage problem, but at the same time the linkage is so loose I don't know if it is going all the way into park.

Thanks Barry, he is actually asking a really low price for it. Hopefully all is well and the thing is just desperate for fluid. He told my dad, who just told me, that the sellers stepson was driving it at the time. He went to the post office, shut the car off, came back out and nothing worked.

I did find an empty can of trans-x stop leak in the trunk...


I'll check to see if the driveshaft is moving, replacing an axle sounds a lot more appealing to me. I just need to get the poor old girl to start.

I'm going to get on the fence here, and say this has been a problem for a while. Perhaps it's been leaking for a while, and now is either low on fluid, or it has been getting lower and lower, and now the clutches are toast. Good luck getting it started. ;)

Thanks man! Turns out today was a really good day for me, somehow I have luck for once..

We got her cranking after swapping Betsy's battery in, and then realized it's going to need a good fuel sender cleaning because it was flat out of fuel.. we're going to go back with a jerry-can sometime this week and get it to actually start.

UPDATE:

Me and my dad went out to look over the rest of the 300CD and try to get it started, we're night owl's so we only had about 3 hours of daylight between tonight and Thursday night.


The bad:
I noticed the air cleaner was loose thursday night. Didn't think too much of it. Went to pull the air filter and have a look and the whole entire air cleaner was loose, it wasn't even sealed to the turbo compressor :eek: Took the air cleaner assembly off and found that the rubber standoffs were all broken or melted from oil seepange. The air cleaner had chaffed a mark into the top of the intake manifold which tells me that this has been like this for a while. Im really concerned that the engine has been breathing dirty air for however long it was, so im prepared to do a top end rebuild when the day comes if I buy it. Can't wait to get it started to see how it runs, I really don't like that air cleaner being like that at all. Another thing was the oil return line (I think that's what it is) that goes from the oil separator in the air cleaner to wherever it goes was completely loose, what does it do, where does it go? :confused:


On the plus side, amiss the mud and completely saturated crap we were working in, I dove under the car to check out the transmission. Nothing concerning, no drippyness or signs of major leaks. COVERED in motor oil. I checked the driveshaft for play, nothing. Checked both flex disks and they looked pretty good, just filthy. Transmission cooler lines looked good, seals were good on the radiator and transmission (two places with no motor oil covering them oddly enough). OK so im thinking internal transmission failure is probably what happened :mad: Read on.


Oh and it's got a straight pipe where the front muffler was :cool: Pretty cool that I won't have to do that down the road.


Moved along back where there was about an inch of standing water on the ground.. it was worth the swim. I checked out both axels and gave them a good jiggle at the flexx boots, no play to be concerned about. I gave the drivers side axel a good yank outboard, and it came out about 2 inches :eek: Moved to the passenger side, again pulled out from differential.

Would this tell me that the differential has failed in the worst sort of way? My dad seemed to think so, but I want to hear from you guys.

This brings a bunch of questions. What would cause the differential to die so suddenly? The seller says his stepson went to the post office, shut it off, came back out and presto - no movement. Does that sort of failure indicate that the driveline and ultimately, the transmission, were abused (neutral dropping, burnouts)? And the big-ticket-selling-point question: Would my 240D rear end bolt up and work in the 300CD? (1980 240D [automatic], 1983 300CD [automatic]) I know that the ratios have to be different, im not worried about that because I'll find the right one and install it in the future.


What do you guys think?

If both axles are pulling out of the diff I'd say you probably found the real problem. If you were the stepson and were doing neutral drop burnouts in Dad's Mercedes and blew up the rear end, what would your story be?

"Gee, I dunno, Dad, I just got in and started 'er up and she it wouldn't move?!?"

I think if the price is as good as you say I'd jump on that deal. Tow it home, make a trip to the boneyard and get the right diff and put the right one time the first time and be done with it.

Pass on it.

That's what I was going to do, but it's a beautiful coupe. I was hoping it was something simple and Im thinking it is because the rear end feels about shot.

Exactly my thoughts man, you hit it on the head. Problem is im short on money being 18 years old and all that fun stuff, I saved up 1,500 for a turbodiesel Mercedes to commute to college in. (The 240D absolutely hates it being that it's all hills) I love the body style and the fact that the AC works. The interior is very nice with some charactor here and there, everything electrical works. The guy wants $900 for it, and I need to set aside $300 for the rest of my summer course. My computer shop makes OK money, hopefully parting out Betsy will help out financially. Im too tired to keep ranting :D

I was hoping the 240D's rear would bolt up and work for a couple weeks until I have some time on the weekends to go hunt down one with the right ratio. Wouldn't the 240D's have a ratio better for acceleration and not top-end? I don't need to be going fast I just need to climb 45 miles of hills twice a day :)

You really don't want to have to pull the 240 rear, install it, remove it, install it back in the 240, install another rear...etc You should be able to find a good diff for less than $50, I even got one for free once.

Bargain as though it needs a transmission...offer $300 or so. No way a non-running, driving car should be $900...

I think he's going by the condition other than the engine/transmission. I got smart about it and didn't say anything about how sloppy the rear was. Im going to play it out like the transmission is toast and offer him like $400. I can also use the fact that the engine was compromised with the air cleaner basically bypassed for god knows how long. How much is a top end rebuild and a good used transmission? Worst case scenario that's what it will need.

Im going to just part the 240D out, the rust is unbelievable. I can't take it out in the rain without getting wet feet :o.

For the life of me I can't find the diff ratios for the 300CD and the 240D to compare. I thought I saw them on here once.. :confused:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/85165-well-i-have-found-mb-diesel-easter-egg.html?highlight=3.07+ratio this thread has the gear ratios

Ahhhhhh you da man! Thanks!

X2.....:D

There is nothing as expensive as a cheap Mercedes
 

Sounds like a lot of neglect. Do you feel lucky because luck is what it is going to take to get this car going, that and lots of cash and work. Just my gut feeling. Cheers Dan

Park pawl did not engage with the drivetrain not intact. If the body is good and interior pretty good it might be worth getting.

Spare coupe interiors may be a little scarce. Certainly far scarcer than four doors. I cannot otherwise suggest any course of action unless I had examined the car.

As you mention financial considerations will always color a deal to some extent. Try the poor student approach if the selling individual does not appear totally strapped himself.

I haven't tried to negotiate with him yet, Im still forensically going over the car to find leverage. So far the air filter being sabotaged is pretty good, I just want something more.

What he doesn't know is that it only needs fuel and a differential to run. The only thing I will need to keep an eye on is the top end from the engine sucking in unfiltered air. I picked up a compression tester from harbor freight today so im going to check that out before I make the decision as well.

I figure if I can get him down to $500 I'll take it.

I do plan to not part out the 240D and keep it as a spare if the engine decides to go south on the 300CD. If I get it, I'll be watching oil consumption, oil pressure, blowby, and compression like a hawk in that 300CD - Is that enough to monitor the engine if it needs a valve job or rebuild?

youre 18, use good hustle and youll get there
buy the car and youll find nice used 300td eng+ tranny just be patient
condition is key people
and yes ive seen that car(pics) does worth all $900 owner is asking

A 300CD for $500 with a nearby junkyard is a dream. Especially when you are 18 and have nothing better todo.

Couldn't have said it better :D

Heck, a 300CD in great shape (EXCEPT needing either a rear end OR tranny) for $900 and a nearby junkyard is a dream to me - I paid $4800 for mine.

Worst case scenario, even a replacement engine AND tranny isn't that hard to come by or that expensive.

I say if the compression checks out, offer him $400 and go up from there, but BUY THAT CAR. Even if you had to pay the full $900 for a clean body, interior, and decent engine, it would be worth swapping in a boneyard tranny that cost you another couple of hundred.

Even if I had to buy a junkyard engine AND tranny for $500 it would be worth it to me. But then I really LOVE the coupes, and they go for a serious premium in my neck of the woods. For example; there are 3 NA 300CDs on Craigslist in my area right now. Two are runners - a 78 for $4995, a 79 for $4000. If either of them were turbos you could add $1000-$2000 to those prices. The 3rd one is a 78 with "good paint, interior OK" and a blown motor for $950 - that one would probably be $500 more if it were a turbo - even though it doesn't run...

If the body is nice, No way would I walk away from it.

Nice coupes are getting hard to find. I would second the
notion that the rear is the problem, not the tranny.

A diff. is not that hard to install, even for a young rookie.

Again, start the car, put it in gear, and physiclly check to
see if the drive shaft it turning. I would put money on it
that the answer is yes.

I was one of those that bought a car with a "bad" trans.
After bolting a CV joint back together, I was driving it.

I turned a $600 car into $3500 3 months later.

Where in PA are you?

Despite what I am about to say I agree with the others who say to jump on this car at $400-$500.

This loose oil line is most likely an oil cooler hose. There are two that run from the oil cooler next to the radiator and run back to the oil filter housing. If it is loose this engine may be shot. The rupture of these hoses is an early death for the turbo diesel engine.

Be prepared to put time and money into this car, but I'm sure it will be completely worth it.

Based on his description (return line that goes from the oil separator in the air cleaner to wherever it goes [it goes to a hole in the horizontal surface of the upper oil pan, BTW]) I'd have to disagree.

He's describing the turbo drain line, not one of the oil cooler lines. Those are located on the opposite side of the engine running from the filter housing (rear of the ending on the driver's side) to the cooler (beside the radiator) and back...

But you are correct that a ruptured oil cooler line is an early death for a turbo motor. From what I've read if one blows at freeway speed the bearings - and therefore the crank and rod assembly - in other words the whole motor - are reduced junk before you can pull over and shut it off.

I stand corrected. I didn't read the post far enough, just became prematurely afraid for our friend.

Thanks for calming my fears for him.

He was right, it's the oil drain tube. It's OK though because you reminded me than when I get it home the oil cooler lines will be replaced no questions asked. I have seen the posts of the instant death of the poor turbodiesel from those going.. :( Since the engine is covered in oil from the blowby tube being loose, and the dangling oil separator return line, anything rubber will be questionable and replaced.

Oh it is a beautiful coupe! It has some charactor surface rust here and there but it is solid inside and out with the exception of the usual hole in the trunk floor. I can fix that and all the surface rust and get her a good paint job.


Turns out the tranny is bad, but it is a pressure related problem. Read my latest post im going to explain in detail there.

OK guys, more bad news (kinda) :)

We got it started and the engine is dead on solid for it's millage. It started up flawlessly as soon as it got fuel, we had to crank it to get fuel from the tank because the primer was shot. After that it would start on barely one revolution of the crank. Solid! Even the turbo feels like it was rebuilt at some point with very minimal end play. A tiny amount of blow-by, the 240D I have sprays oil droplets! Very nice improvement over the 240D.

Anyway the bad news,
The rear is working, loose as all hell but it works. We jacked up the drivers side tire and put it in gear, it just barely spins with a slight jerk-jerk-jerk to it. With some throttle (i know it's not called throttle :)) it would kick and spin fast but eventually fade to nothing more than slight movement. With the car on the ground you couldn't tell it was trying to move except hearing the usual driveline clunk when you hit the "throttle".

My dad and I think it's a pressure problem, since it will spin for a second and then "loose fluid" and not spin. When the tire spins with quick "throttle" application it kicks strong, then gets so weak that it barely spins and can be held still. Again this is with the drivers rear tire jacked up.

My dad told me he saw the same symptoms when the fluid pickup tube fell off in his friends car, this would justify the guys story of parking, coming back out, and not having movement. Another thing we thought about was the filter was so clogged with crap that it wouldn't get pressure. This wouldn't be instant, would it?

Another thought of mine, is there a thermostat in the transmission cooler lines? I know the engine oil cooler uses one.. but I don't know much about these transmissions.

Points to remember:
- It has plenty of fluid (checked it in neutral on level ground, running)
- The rear is not dead after all
- The shifter linkage works but is loose, audible clicks are heard when putting it in gear.



What do you guys think? Any transmission guru's that can back up my dads thought of the fluid pickup tube? Any help is appreciated!

A n y o n e ? :o

I have no further opinion other than to say buy it and if the tranny is dead, you can get a boneyard replacement for $250 and put it in over a weekend. Then you'll have a decent 300CD for 1/4 of what I paid for mine.

The only other thing I can say is I'm jealous. If I weren't afraid my wife would castrate me for it, I'd have bought the one with the blown engine for $950 on my local CraigsList.

The ad for that one dissapeared in less than 24 hours...

Im not a big fan of transmission work myself, sounds like im going hunting for a good used transmission. I think in my case it's all about it being a coupe! I love the body style. We used to have one when I was growing up, before my mom got rid of it it was supposed to be my car :mad:. Don't feel bad, Im sure Im going to sink all kinds of money into this puppy.. starting with the cracked dashboard and the complete driveline. It's going to be worth it, that's my motivation. I don't know how im going to defy the laws of time with college but i'll figure it out. Like my old man says, "it keeps me out of trouble".

I'll be sure to post pictures when I get her home and all washed up.


One more thing, where's the "Cheap CD Club" on here?

LOL! There aren't enough cheap CDs to make a club! They are even harder to find for cheap than the TDs...
Too bad wer'e on opposite sides of the country - I have two good trannys sitting out back...

I'll have to start the club :D It would be the most prestigious club of peachparts :cool:

Jokes aside, how much would it cost to ship a transmission that far? I don't even know how much one weighs... :o If you don't mind, I'd definitely buy one from you. It's easy enough to find one in the bone yards around here, you just can't test it.

Well, if you were local it would be different, but I wouldn't sell you one, given what the shipping costs would be - probably at least couple of hundred bucks, coast-to-coast.

The reason is I haven't tested either of these to be SURE they are good. I'm just going on the seller's word. They came with a couple of engines I bought and everything they told me about the motors checked out OK Supposedly the cars they came out of were driveable, and I have no reson not to believe that the trannys are just as good, but I wouldn't want to have you pay shipping, go to the trouble of putting one in, and then find out that they had some kind of problem.

Too big of a gamble to take...

I've got one out of a 83 300D that i almost for sure know works:rolleyes: And im probally 10mi closer than him:D

It's the thought that counts! That would be my luck too, im really testing my luck getting the 300CD, who knows how long the rear is going to last with all it's play. I was thinking as soon as I put a transmission in it the rear is going to go out. Another day another wrench to turn :)

See this is the one thing that sucks about the internet. The odds of finding someone with a good used transmission are one in a million, unless of course they're in Washington state :D:D

Going down tonight or tomorrow to pick it up :)

Hey sorry I forgot to mention where I am, Im in Chester County about 10 miles from the PA/MD line.

One thought: if you checked the transmission fluid with the engine off, it's too low. Check the fluid with it in park. Then try it. If that works, find the leak.

-Tad

I did check with the engine running and the fluid level was good, it didn't smell burnt or anything. Unfortunately the transmission just gave up.

Well guys, I got the CD towed out to the family mushroom farm on wednesday. So far me and one of my buddies have managed to change the transmission fluid and filter to no avail. Then we changed the fluid again with draining the torque converter, no dice. I took the linkage off the transmission and turned it by hand from underneath the car (car on blocks) Nothing in any gear other than the park pawl working in park.

One thing I noticed, is that when I would give it a quick burst of throttle it would kick the tire in the right direction for the gear it was in, and then nothing. My friend tried to hold the tire still and it really kicked but then almost instaltly lost all power. At idle in gear, the tire would jerk like the second hand on a clock, but it was extremely weak. This was all done with just one of the rear wheels jacked up off the ground.

Maybe a fluid pressure problem?

When I dropped the pan I found there was a tiny ammount of grey silt on the bottom of the pan, I don't think this is a huge problem is it?

The filter looked like complete $h*t. When I replaced it with a new one, it changed nothing. Another thing I noted was that the pan gasket was at one point sealed with a black silicone caulk (or something of the like) and small chunks had found their way into the transmission. I found a couple little bits on the valve body and a large chunk inside the suction side of the filter.

Is this transmission worth tearing down or should I just replace it? Im not too concerned about the ammount of work.

This just struck me, could a catasrophically failed modulator do this? I read somewhere that the vacuum modulator controls the working pressures in the transmission, if the spring in the modulator or something in it were to break, could the modulator kill working pressures?

My understanding (definitely limited) is that the modulator going bad would result in shifts that bang into gear, but it would go into gear.
I'm surprised no one has thrown out the B2 piston failure yet. Does it go into Reverse?

Thanks for the clarification, it won't go into reverse either. :o

At the begining of this thread some one asked about shifter bushings, did you look at them to see the condition of them? I just scaned through the 4 pages, and don`t see mention of them.

Charlie