Is this transmission flare?

[JLJ133]

Folks - read a lot of posts, and frankly, I am confused - pretty much my normal state.
The car is a 1982 380SL.
The transmission, when one drives gently, seems to pause between gears, as if I have it in Neutral, then shifts to the higher gear. If I lift off the gas at this point momentarily, like when shifting a manual, the next gear engages. This is my more normal pattern of driving as I live in an urban area.

If I drive her hard, not necessarily standing on it, (I used to drive a 240D, so hard is a relative term in accleration), but enough to decrease my mileage, she shifts beautifully.

Any thoughts from the far more educated on the forum?

Thank you.

Jim

[meltedpanda]

a flare is more of a high rpm shift then into gear, like a slipping clutch. On my SL I solved it with an adjustment of the linkages. Yours does not sound like a flare, I have the smae thing happening on my SD, particularly when cold and on an incline. I have not isolated the issue yet, I think it may beone of the valves sticking or worn

[SunGuy]

Your symptoms as described sound to me like an adjustment to your shift cable is required. Any good Tech familiar with the setup can do this in about 3 minutes.

Bob

Originally Posted by JLJ133

Folks - read a lot of posts, and frankly, I am confused - pretty much my normal state.
The car is a 1982 380SL.
The transmission, when one drives gently, seems to pause between gears, as if I have it in Neutral, then shifts to the higher gear. If I lift off the gas at this point momentarily, like when shifting a manual, the next gear engages. This is my more normal pattern of driving as I live in an urban area.

If I drive her hard, not necessarily standing on it, (I used to drive a 240D, so hard is a relative term in accleration), but enough to decrease my mileage, she shifts beautifully.

Any thoughts from the far more educated on the forum?

Thank you.

Jim