Rattle coming from automatic shifter
 

Well my girlfriend took the car for a 4 hour trip about a week ago. I noticed when I got it back that there's now a rattle coming from inside the shifter. I thought maybe she dropped something in there so I didn't worry about it. Today, I was digging in there hoping to take out whatever was rattling and I couldn't find anything! I did not take the shifter out. I just dug through there with a pen and a screwdriver. The rattle only seems to happen at higher revs. A few seconds before it shifts. If I hold the shifter while the rattle is happening, I still hear it. So obviously the shifter is not rattling BUT If I push the shifter to the right it stops rattling.

It's really annoying. What can this be? Maybe something came loose? Is it something to be concerned about? Maybe it's time to inspect it when the face removed.

digi

Inspect the plastic bushings.

I had a similar issue, it turned out to be the lowest one, accessible from under the car.

I replaced it, no more rattle.

Will do! but I've got to say that the sound really seems to be coming from inside the car. If I have my windows open, I don't hear it. It's not audible from the outside.

think about how loud everything is under the car. any rattle would be drowned out by that.
also, the linkage will rattle, and resonate in the shifter handle, making it louder in the car.

My 92 almost sounds like there is a coin in there, but I couldn't find one. If I move the shifter around (there is some play in it) it will go away. I probably need bushings too.

I feel your pain, its annoying as all get out.

Besides checking the bushings in the linkage there is a chance it is a bushing in the shifter.

I won't be able to describe this well. The shifter (what you put your hand on) goes down and screws into a rod/bar. The ends of that bar are seated in the body of the shifter and have nylon bushing that work like bearings. Those bearing can slide out of the body on onto the rod/bar. When that happens shifting because somewhat sloppy and there is a noticeable rattle coming from within the car.

The fix- slide the bushing back into the body of the shifter but this time with some lock-tite on the outer surface of the bushing. Us a flat head to get the bushing all the way in.

Probably isn't that but you know what to check for in case your linkage is fine.

Thanks guys. Are the linkages obvious to spot? Was trying to find something about it in the manual before heading to the car. Can't find anything.

Go lay under your car and look up into the "smaller than your hands" area in the tranny tunnel. Both bushings there wallow out and then will fall off completely leaving slop and rattling.
There are also bushings below/in the shifter itself. Those are accessed inside the car.
The ones under the car are the usual suspects. I paid $40 bucks for the bushing installation pliers and it's the best $$$$ I ever spent.....

THANK YOU!!!

What Jimmy said. And if you ignore it for too long , both bushings will disappear and then you will have trouble starting the car because the neutral safety switch isn't indexing properly.

And when you go to replace the shifter bushings, take care to respectfully place the neutral safety switch lever in its proper position in the slot thoughtfully provided by MB in the bellcrank on the transmission. Otherwise you may break the fragile lever and need to find another NSS.

Don't ask me how I got to be such an expert on this topic....:(


Rick

I had the exact same problem rattling shifter. Had new bushings put in. Works like a dream now.

Is this the part that you fellas are talking about? http://catalog.peachparts.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=&yearid=1984@@1984&makeid=63@@MERCEDES+BENZ@@X&modelid=6233%3AED|10000135%3AMBC| 1518@@300TD&catid=241185@@Transmission&subcatid=241303@@AT+Shift+Linkage+Bushing&applicationid=W0133-1637822@@AT%20Shift%20Linkage%20Bushing&mode=PA

NO. That's NOT it. You just need the bushing insert (the white part). I ordered that exact part thinking it was the shifter end and that does not fit on the 722.315. I ended up removing the bushing from it and using it, but I had to grind it down, IIRC and do some other mod to it to make it work. I think you need to buy 2 of the front bushing, IIRC

I think you need 2 of these, from Fastlane:

W0133-1643678

I see now. Man those are cheap.