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#1
07-07-2025, 06:43 AM
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W123 240d 1981 not shifting into 3rd
Hello all,
This is my first post on this forum. I bought a 1981 240d with the 722.1xx auto transmission which is vacuum only. I was driving it with all gears going smooth, when after accelerating from a stop light, the engine revved up super high in first gear, slammed into second, then no matter how high I revved it up in second, it wouldn't shift into 3rd. I bought a vacuum tester and my modulator is getting the correct vacuum (vacuum lowers as pedal is pressed more). I turned the car off, it read as having vacuum and had a hiss when disconnected which means it was holding the vacuum properly in the system. Anyone know what this could be? I've also tried applying my own vacuum to the transmission vacuum line and had the same no shift issue. I've also disconnected the kick down switch. Thanks Jimmy 81 240d 223k miles 
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#2
07-08-2025, 08:46 AM
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Well, there is a whole lot going on in the transmission besides vacuum.
When I inadvertently disconnected the vacuum hose to the modulator and in driving it up shifted OK, but the down shifts were extremely harsh. So, in my case lack of vacuum did not prevent the upshift to 3rd. Start with the basics and see if there is enough ATF in the trans and look at the color and the smell of it. When my transmission had glitches, I changed the filter and the ATF and that helped. I have not read of your particular symptoms. Is the kickdown switch sticking on? That would I think keep it in 2nd gear. When my B2 piston was in the process of failing I had to rev the engine high to get it moving forward. You don't have the typical broken B2 piston symptoms but the B2 piston has a lip seal and an aluminum bushing. I had that high rev to get it to move forward in the cold. Changin fluid and filter fix that but in about 8 moths my B2 position broke. The lip seal was brittle, and you could see where the aluminum bushing had been grabbing onto part of the B2 position. The replacement bushing is nylon/plastic. I have not read of specific symptoms caused by the lip seal not sealing well. There are plastic bushings on the external shift linkages and inside of where the gear shift lever is at the base. If those are worn or typically missing your gear shift lever will appear to be in the correct spot but the exterior linkages won't be in the correct position.
__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel
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#3
07-10-2025, 03:03 PM
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Thank you for the response. Im going to measure my atf levels and report back. I'll also manually fire the kickdown solenoid and see if I hear it activating. As for the gear shift lever, I can hear the linkages working when I shift from S to D. It's an audible ping/thunk.
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#4
07-10-2025, 11:05 PM
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Quote:
Gerica trouble shooting list. You start with what is the most likely issues. Either you know that or are asking as you did here. Next you look at issues you can check yourself or are cheap to check. If you found nothing in the above you move on to the harder to work on or more expansive items.
__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel
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#5
07-12-2025, 02:56 AM
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Hello again. Fired it up and drove around the neighborhood for about 10 to 15 minutes. Noticed that it would rev high and slam into second like I said. But it wouldn't downshift into first until I came to a full/maybe near full stop. I could bring it down to about 5 mph and it would stay in second. I also checked the fluid levels and oh boy. Way overfilled. Ordered a brake bleeder so I can pull some of this atf out. The picture attached is the atf level after driving it and measured while running.
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#6
07-12-2025, 02:57 AM
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Edit: Not sure if you can see the image or not, tried it on my reply and on this post Here's the link to the imgur https://imgur.com/a/SFdPjGP Last edited by Jimmy_240d; 07-12-2025 at 02:59 AM. Reason: Image(?)
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