Every once in a while my 85 300Sd will not start. When I move the shifter or even put in newtral she fires right up. What is my problem?

Neutral Safety Switch is going out or loose; or you have a worn Shifter Bushing.

Note: There is an alinement proceedure for the Neutral Safety Switch when you install a new one.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I vote shifter bushings. My 300TD had missing bushings, it was like moving a fork stuck in jello. Could not find reverse, flakey start, no backup lights, etc.

New bushings and proper adjustment of the shift rod cured all these issues. And the shifter snaps into each gear with proper Mercedes precision.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Nice... I will probably order some shifter bushings for my 85SD then. It has a kinda jello feeling when in gear, but you can feel each gear click as you move it, and the reverse lights work fine. However when I put it in drive, I have to push the shifter a little bit further than the standard position for drive, then the shifter feels kinda loose.

What did you refer to for proper adjustment of the shift rod?

Vstech (John) and I did it, he got underneath and I moved the lever to the various positions as he called them out. The clicks are actually from the transmission end of the linkage. The operator's shift handle is just a pivot to an arm that projects beneath the car. The linkage rod translates the back and forth of the operator's lever to the gear selector arm on the transmission.

The linkage rod has a threaded section to adjust the effective length. If you replace the bushings you may not need to touch the length adjustment.

Remember that the motion of the operator's lever is inverted from below. Park is all the way rearward and 2 is all the way forward.

The bushings are cheap (like a couple $ each), you need 2, plus the metal clip just in case yours breaks. The trick is putting the bushings in the linkage arm, they are very snug. John what is the trick for putting in the bushings?

__________________
The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech