in my haynes manual for '76-'85 (diesel od course) it does not appear to show any bowden cable. Did some models not have a boedn cable to the transmission and instead have a solid rod lingages? because i dont see a bowden cable on my ride. which is an '80 wagon with an '83 engine and tranny. My guess is that it is supposed to be there (the bowden cable that is) and the people who rebuilt ( or transplanted) the engine and transmission did not put it back on. the symtoms are that of a misadjusted boeden cable from what i have read in the searches, such as ; quick shifting through the gears and no kickdown.
i have not looked for the solid linkages that haynes depicts i wanted to get some input on wjether or not there is supposed to be bothe the linkage and the bowden cable.
thanks
william

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'73 VW camper
'80 300td wagon

My 1980 N/A 300D does not have the bowden cable but instead all shifting is performed via vacuum adjustments. On my 1975 the shifting isall linkage controlled on the passenger side of the motor. There is a cross over rod that connects it to the throttle.
Both my 81 & 84 SDs have the bowden cable and

On the 1980 it is a balancing act between the vacuum bleed valve adjustment on the back of the injection pump and the modulator T-key adjustment on the tranny itself. I have what I think is too firm of a 1/2 shift but this is what I settled for in order for the balance of the shifts to be acceptable by my standards.

Do you have the black vacuum line running from the bleed valve on the IP to the tranny? This is common to both my 80 and newer models. I have not had much chance to really get into the ffine tuning of the newer tranny with the cable so I am afraid I am not much help there. I do have mucho experience with the 1980 and can help out in making adjustments to this model if in fact that is what you have.
Hope this helps...

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'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

ahh.. thank you.
yes there is the black vacuum line that leads back to the tranny. and since my vehicle is a 1980 maybey the person i bought it from did not know or lied to me and said the tranny is from an '83 model when in fact is is not. The engine is for sure NOT from a 1980 because it has a turbo and a place for the mechanicle cruise control, not the vacuum type round thing. I will search around on how to adjust witht he vacumm, then i will tinker around, and after i have completly put everything out of wack i will ask for your help
thanks

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'73 VW camper
'80 300td wagon

Buried in the light reading you get there is an article by Steve Brotherton at Continental Imports for tranny adjustment.
Great reading as it explains this balancing act.

Soft shifts/jumping through gears is usually too much vacuum so either the bleed valve is not functioning/poorly adjusted on the IP. Vacuum lines are messed up or modulator is way out of wack. I would look into the first two as I can't imagine that the modulator got adjusted that far out but anything is possible.

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'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

thanks fisherman
i was searching and found a post by you that explains how you dialed it in (didnt save the link but i am sure i can find it again). I will be doing more searching to find out just hoe to adjust everything
thanks
will

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'73 VW camper
'80 300td wagon

found all i need to know
on these pages

http://www.mercedesdismantlers.com/722.118_transmission_adjustments.html

__________________
'73 VW camper
'80 300td wagon