Tranny transplant:

Great 1st to 2nd shift
Smushy 2nd to 3rd shift
crisp 3rd to 4th shift

I can't get the 2nd to 3rd shift to firm up no matter what I do.
I have tweaked the trans modulator every which way but loose!

If I remove all vacuum from the tranny then it will shift from 1st to 2nd so hard that it "barks" the tires (no joke). I have yet to get it to shift into 3rd w/out vacuum because it sounds as though the psitons will come through the hood.

The modulator does seem to be leaking down (mityvac indicates that). when I hook the mityvac up to the main vac line the needle jumps so bad that you can't get a reading. I even rebuilt the pump but the needle still jumps!

I don't know what else to do. I am getting really ticked!

Oilslick

I finally gave up on my '83 and simply adjusted my expectations. It meant to go full out on acceleration so that it wouldn't flare.

For a month or two I built an insert piece that leaked some air but not all of it. I thought I had a brilliant solution, but that ended up not resolving my problem as well as I'd hoped.

Its unfortunate that the first shift is so hard without vac, otherwise you could simply disable it like I ended up doing.

I'm assuming that you've read the 'Steve Brotherton' article (5 pages....the guy is the ultimate guru). If not, search under "flaring" (diesel don) and it has a link there.

Don

__________________
DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

I just completed a vacuum test on my modulator and it leaked from 20hg to 0hg in 5 minutes and 4 secs. I don't know what that means but that's what it did.

Oilslick

Have you tried Trans-X in it ?

Just funnin ya! I have read your posts regarding Trans-X. honestly, I put Trans-X in when I transplanted the tranny. It has stopped a rear seal leak for now. I only put in about a 1/4 of a can.

I will be doing a fluid and filter change this coming week so I will be adding much more Trans-X. I intend to change that fluid and filter after 500 miles or so and then I hope to be "sqeakey clean"--- the tranny that is. I have figured out that I will never be "clean" as long as I own a diesel Benz. There is always something to work on- not so much out of necessity but "fun".

Oilslick

I have been out welding on my ' new ' spray rig for weed killing.... the thing about the Trans-X is that it really surprised me when I used it on that car which had only ONE gear, it is really a CHEAP try ... and sometimes works... and as far as I know does no harm even it it does not help....