My wife has reported to me that the 300SD has been occationally making a "horrible grinding sound" when shifting into or out of park. I drove the car all weekend and could not replicate the problem, but as soon as she drove it by herself today she reported it did it again. I checked the ATF level yesterday and it was on the bottom line. I topped it off, but I guess it is still doing it.

Has anybody ever heard of something like this? On the road it shifts great, like it always has. I'm planning to pull the pan over the next few days to see if there is any metal in the bottom and change the filter. Anything else I should check out?


Thanks.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

there's no Standard gears in a transmission that would grind the normal way... there's Clutch packs... the only thing that I can think of that would grind is if she's putting the car into part as the car is still moving and the park pawl is grinding over where it catches... thats the only thing I can think of off the top of my head, unless something has broken in there or is vibrating or rubbing the wrong way... It's hard to say

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

I'd be looking at the shifter linkage + bushings after checking the bottom of the pan for debris... 'cos I'm all doom and gloom today. On more positive days I wouldn't think the worst - I'd check the shifter linkage first!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Army, your a poet & you dont know it !!!
The only non constant mesh gear is the park paw as mentioned before

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Check your exhaust, make sure it's not hitting the body when the drivetrain torques. That can make a pretty horrible noise that could possibly be mistaken for gear grinding.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

A poet?

Yeah right I'm gonna get some tie-dyed overalls, grow my hair long, and trade in my W123 for a Hanomag bus...

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I'm thinking maybe a cracked or otherwise damaged flex plate.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Groaning or grinding?

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Waiting Waiting Waiting !!!

By now your overalls are probably stained enough to pass for tie dyed !!!

Wasnt that tractor a Hanomag ??

Or is this what you had in mind ?

1975 Mercedes Motor Home * Rare Model 206 * Running Condition

I am sure there are plenty waiting to pounce to get your 300D when you get sick of it!!! All the hard work has been done !!!!! Its even got the steering wheel on the proper side !!

Dont think the long hair would be practical when working on cars!!!

You litterary skills show though !! Being able to rhyme in a post is not something seen often on here !!!! Another first for you !!!!!

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

The reason that you could not duplicate the problem is because you probably had the car completely stopped before moving to/from the park position. She is not ensuring that the car is fully stopped.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Getting it to do it for you again is key. She's likely not as mechanically inclined as you are so what you hear may not appear to be anything like she described. That can make all the difference in helping diagnose it.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Yup. I'd get in the passenger's seat and have her drive it while you listen. if she's making the noise, you'll be able to find out what it is.
there are plenty of things that make noises on these cars as they age, but Park clacks when it is moving...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Ok, I finally heard the noise and am more baffled than ever. She had the car idling in reverse (not rolling at all). I watched her and when ever she would shift into N or P the car would make a horrible continuous groaning sound which would instantly stop if she shifted back into reverse or into drive. I had her shut it off in reverse, then shift to park once the engine was off. When she started it again it was back to normal.

Thoughts? Thanks

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

This the transmission with the rear pump? could it be failing?

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

another thought. Front pump or other bearings in the front of the trans?

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed