Those transmissions don't start in 2nd? All of the 80s MBs I've driven did that, but my 1993 190E started in 1st. They made a valve body change between 91 and 93 (can't remember exactly) and switched from 2nd gear start to 1st due to consumer demand. Like I said, I didn't like it. Harsh shift and short gear.

Are those 722.3s unique models?

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'84 190D 2.2 5MT (Red/Palomino) Current car. Love it!
'85 190D 2.2 Auto *Cali* (Blue/Blue) *sold*
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Well it looks like I simply don't have fourth gear. Changed the fluid, looked just fine (ruby red in color, no debris in pan, fluid at a good level). Changed the filter again for the heck of it. Manually shifted through the gears as suggested. No 4th. Even fiddled with the bowden cable, no luck.

Only thing I changed was the green modulator on the left side on the used trans.

The guy parting out the car had all the paper work for service history, 150k, serviced every 30k or every two years.

What could have I missed? Valve body? Broken spring?

I'm stumpted on this one.

And my 1981 722.118 vacuum only starts in first!

I don't think the 722.3s are unique in starting in either first or second - I think it is all an effing mess!

I have not been able to find a definitive "this model year with this transmission is meant to start in second or first gear" list. It sure would be helpful.

All I can say from a fair amount of reading is that I get the feeling most W123 diesel Mercedes with automatic transmissions start in first. Wishy washy feeling is all I can offer at the moment.

One of these days I'll find a bit of paper saying what's meant to be what.

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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!

Time for some gauges - making measurements is best.

If you have no gauges then the gamble is - "do I waste more fluid" vs "do I buy some gauges and perhaps have to waste more fluid any way"...

You need to concentrate on the K2 system



I've put the positions of the valve body elements in this thread

722.303 in bits photo shoot

You might want to remove the valve body and check for a broken spring.

(722.315 and 722.303 share the "same" valve body)

But as always it is safest to measure pressures first. (I can help with data if needed)

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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!

Oh yes - if you remove the valve body you really ought to replace the gasket => often means a visit to the dealership...

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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!

Stretch,

This is the motherload of info! THANKYOU!

I do have a guage set that I bought a long time ago from "that place" out west. LoL. I was going to use it but I could not find the right info for pressures.

Well it looks like I will be doing some measurements and adjustements in the next few days. Of course this is when the weather is getting cold. It was 62 deg here in Chicago. 40s and rainy in the next few days.

Thanks again. I will study the pages and info you put down. Hope its just a pressure issue and nothing deeply internal.

Maybe the change over happened, when mercedes started to go to vacuum assisted transmissions?

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