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  #1  
Old 08-04-2015, 12:49 AM
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240d shifting issue

My sons 240d has been sitting in the driveway for about a year mostly unused. Son is home and wanted to use the car so i took it for a spin around the neighborhood to make sure everything was ok. Car was running great and shifting great until about 3 blocks from home. I came to a stop sign and thought it would be a good idea to run the a.c. to check it since its in the upper 90s here. When i took off from the stop sign the car would not shift out of low, tried turning off the a.c. still stayed in low. Got it home checked vac lines, non were loose. Drove it around the block about 3 times finally shifted to 2nd but never would go inti 3rd. Since this problem started right after kicking on the a.c. could that be what caused it or do I have a sticking valve somewhere in the trans from it sitting so long. Or is there something else that could be the culpret?

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  #2  
Old 08-04-2015, 08:04 AM
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Update, took it for a quick drive this morning. The car shifts between 1st to 2nd gear (it's a neck snapping shift going up) but won't go into 3rd. Does this sound like a vacuum adjustment problem?
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  #3  
Old 08-04-2015, 08:05 AM
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I don't think the engaging of the AC had anything to do with this.

Pls confirm this is a w123?
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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
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Old 08-04-2015, 08:45 AM
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Yes it is a 1982 w123 240d. I dont think a.c. Had anything to do with it either. It just seemed odd it started right and I mean right after turning it on.
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  #6  
Old 08-04-2015, 10:10 AM
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That car should have a 722.117 transmission, which uses only vacuum as a shift control, in concert with an internal governor. There are no external direct controls (Bowden cable, control lever from linkage).

I also have one and have had the same issue. I am going to suggest a couple of ways to attack the problem.

First: I suggest you begin by changing the fluid and filter, and when you refill it, add a bottle of Seafoam trans treatment as part of the fill.

Then continue to drive the car and see if things start to work.

Second: While lack of vacuum should not prevent the transmission from shifting, it could conceivably be holding it in second too long and possibly you did not want to rev it high enough for it to shift. (Are you finding it's winding up in first to higher revs than usual before it goes into second?)

I suggest you put a vacuum gauge onto your main vacuum line to the brake booster and check you have normal vacuum from the vacuum pump. The sudden change could simply be that your pump diaphragm ruptured.

Worst case: I had an almost identical occurrence, after the transmission had been left to sit for an extended period (in my case, years). In my case after much too-ing and fro-ing (vacuum supply line was bad, pump diaphragm was bad, etc.), the final fix was that the governor was sticking. Hopefully yours isn't that bad... on that model the governor is not externally accessible and the trans has to be opened up.
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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
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  #7  
Old 08-04-2015, 10:54 AM
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It is revs are high before it shifts to 2nd. I use to be able to make it shift when it revved like that by letting up alittle on the gas then giving it has again. That's not working now.
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  #8  
Old 08-04-2015, 12:06 PM
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Hmmm maybe you should check the vacuum before you change the fluid.

Also, unplug the kickdown switch under the throttle pedal. It's widely thought that if this sticks you will get those symptoms (I don't agree with that, but no harm in covering all the bases).

Do you have a vacuum tester (pump)? It would be good to check if the modulator cap on the transmission is holding vacuum, as well. (There are other bases to be covered on the vacuum front, but that's a start.)
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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
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  #9  
Old 08-04-2015, 12:30 PM
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Yes I have a mighty vac. Won't be able to work on it today but should be able tomorrow. Update then. Trans fluid looks good and doesn't smell burnt. Just thought I'd throw that in.
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  #10  
Old 08-05-2015, 06:04 PM
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We've had rain on and off all day and since my garage is really more a large shed no work got done on it today. In the late summer last year I adjusted the VCV valve because the trans was shifting but not right. Got it to shift better with adjustment. Could it be the VCV went back out of adjustment?
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  #11  
Old 08-05-2015, 11:25 PM
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I don't think the VCV is the problem. Its function is to bleed off vacuum to allow the transmission to shift properly. It affects shift quality and timing, not the transmission's actual ability to shift.
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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
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  #12  
Old 08-06-2015, 02:11 AM
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Try the Seafoam and fluid and filter change out first...
Once you do that... sit in the driveway for 30 minutes moving the lever through the gears at a rate of about two minutes per gear... do reverse and park also...
Then go with the other stuff mentioned...
The Seafoam has solvents in it.... if you have vanish built up that needs to be washed out after dissolving .... so if the Seafoam... or Transx or other trans treatments work... you should do another filter and fluid change... leaving a small amount of the Seafoam in the new fluid .. whatever percent they recommend... Transx says ten percent.. after using twenty percent for the initial treatment...
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  #13  
Old 08-06-2015, 10:25 AM
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It is a vacuum problem. Two of the three way rubber vac line connectors are split. Didn't see it the other day because it was on the bottom of the rubber connector. Snipped the end off and reattached the lines. Now it shifts into all gears. Can those connectors be found at a local auto parts store or ordered. If ordered what is there true name?
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  #14  
Old 08-06-2015, 04:02 PM
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Man you lucked out on this one . If there's a casino nearby, you may want to visit tonite.

Some of the major parts vendors online sell them, or if you are near a dealer they aren't too expensive even from there -- if you have a dealer where the parts staff are willing to slum themselves to look up small parts for an older car....
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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
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  #15  
Old 08-07-2015, 06:41 AM
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Location: Swampeast Missouri
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Yes I feel lucky. I'm still going to change the fluid. It was done inn2011 when we bought the car and has only been driven about 3500 miles but will make me feel better. Is there a prefered fluid to use in these old transmissions?
The closest dealer to me is over an hour away and last time I talked to them not very helpful. The local parts store has hard plastic tees with tapered ends so they can be used on different size rubber vac lines. I may try to using them and some small rubber vac line to slip over the hard line and tee until I can get the rubber ones.
Thanks to everyone for there help. It's great to know there is a place to get help with these older Mercedes diesels.

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