Hi everyone,

I've searched the archives but couldn't find anything applicable. My '89 300TE has slack in the shifter. When you move the shifter from P to any gear, there seems to be extra movement back and forth. The gear selector and the gear indicator are not in sync. If it's in neutral, the selector looks like it is in drive. Any ideas? This really has me worried.

Thanks,

Fatigued or missing selector rod bushings.

To whit:

There are two viton bushings in the shift linkage, one on the end of the shift lever and the other on the tranny lever. Both are probably gone (does the shifter rattle?)

You can reach both from underneath, or you can pull the shift rod off and remove the shift lever to get that one, it's sometimes easier.

The bushings are fairly stiff, and I've never gotten them in with a small pair of pliers, but it can be done -- what is the name of that tool with the slots so you can adjust the jaws??? (old age creeping up again, I think).

I remove the lever from the tranny, just take out the 10mm head bolt and slip the lever off. Switch actuator for the safety switch comes with. Shift rod has "lift and push off" clips on the ends, just unclip and pull out. Remember which hole it was in on the tranny lever.

I put the bushing in the hold and push it in using a socket or two and a vise. I'll be attempting the other bushing from under the car shortly, as both the TE and the 300D need them.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Thanks for the information. I am glad that this seems to be a relatively siple and inexpensive repair. I was really worried that it was somehting much bigger!

Thanks again!

Well, inexpensive maybe. If you do it yourself.

But not so easy.

__________________
2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

Half hour labor max at the shop, with a lift you can do this job while the customer waits. It's only a PITA when you have to lie on the floor under the car with no room.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Hi
My 1981 300D just started exhibiting similar symptoms -- lever seems loose, and rattles a little. But gears shift properly and selector position matches gears correctly. Will this get worse if not repaired as described? It's been about like this about two weeks, and this happened all at once -- not a worsening issue so far.
Thanks.

One or more of the viton bushings cut through and fell out, leaving the linkage loose.

You can drive this way indefinitely, but you will have to be careful on slopes that the latch for Park actually engages, and you may have to start in neutral sometimes if the lever won't push the safety switch all the way in Park.

It's not too difficult. Shift lever bushing is the worst unless you take the lever assembly out.

There are also two small viton bushings in the lever assembly -- when these are gone, the lever gets wobbly and rattles, but the shifter otherwise works fine.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Place the little bushings in hot/warm water to softem them.
That will facilitate the insertion. It worked great for me about 4 years ago.
Good Luck.

__________________
1999 Porsche 996 Carrera Convertible
1994 420E - SOLD
1986 300E - SOLD, what a car
609 Certified

Peter: Thanks for the excellent posting on replacing the viton bushings. My 89 300te just started exhibiting these symptons and I will soon following your instructions.

-Robert

__________________
89 300te 222,222
92 300e 190,000

I just replaced the two gear selector bushings in my 89 300TE (W124) and wanted to share some lessons learned.

This required some tedious work under the car and some tedious work from inside the car. I would guess the total time for me was about 90 minutes. The work under the car was pretty dirty. Prior experience and a lift would have dramatically simplified the operation. While I can't provide the lift I hope to save you some time on the 'experience' side.

Parts:
Two bushings
Two new clips

From under the car:
With the brake on and the wheels chocked crawl under the car with a good light, a rag, some goggles, a slotted screwdriver and a pliers. Basically there's a rod that runs from the gear selector to the transmission with a bushing at each end. Find the gear selector-side of the rod - this lives above the driveshaft, just at the back of the tranny. It's pretty straight-forward to find. There's a little clip that needs to be popped off with the screwdriver or the pliers to free the shifter rod from the gear selector. Then trace the shifter-rod to the transmission. There's a small lever on the left side of the tranny that is fastened to the shifter-rod with the same style of clip. Don't waste your time trying to remove this clip at this point. Just remove the lever completely. It's easy to do, just a 10mm nut/bolt, using a socket with a 6" extension. It helps the shift the lever to a point that facilitates getting the socket on. Remove the bolt COMPLETELY and then the lever will slide off. Crawl out from under the car with the shifter-rod and the lever still attached to each other.

From the inside:
Pry up the little piece of carpet that is under the armrest. Remove the Phillips head screw that secures the wooden console. Gently pry up the edges of the black, rectangular, plastic bezel that surrounds the gear selector. This is the tricky part: gently and evenly work the wooded console up. It helps to push and prod all around the edges of where the wood meets the vinyl. Once the wood is removed you'll see two phillips head screws and four 10mm bolts around the plastic selector housing. Remove these screws and bolts. Are the wheels still chocked? Becuase it actually helps to release the parking brake at this point. The cable is drawn tight over the left side of the plastic housing. Your job is to remove the plastic selector housing. I needed to remove a wire tie on the right side. It's not simple but with a little perseverence and patience you'll get it out.

At the workbench:
Armed with the selector housing and the shifter rod/lever grab a big socket, like something in the 20mm range Look at the shifter-rod/lever and remember how the lever goes (draw a pic). Take the viton bushing and press it into place with the help of a little oil, a bench vise (or even a big c-clamp would work) and the socket. The bushing is on one side and the socket is on the other. After pressing it in take a screwdriver and work around the socket-side of the bushing to flip the edge over. Do the same for both bushings. Put the lever back on the shifter-rod with the new clip. This is a pain in the ass from under the car and it's not necessary (that'll save you about 10 minutes).

From the inside:
Replace the shifter housing (I didn't replace the fasters yet) and reset the parking brake

From under the car
Fish the shifter-rod back into place and first do the lever side then do the selector side. It helps to use a screwdriver/pliers to get the clip back on at the selector end of the shifter-rod

From inside the car:
Replace the fastners and put the console back together.

-Robert

__________________
89 300te 222,222
92 300e 190,000

Great post, I just wish you had posted this a week ago! I tried to do it the hard way (in situ), very frustrating and tiring. Finally got it done, though.

If you need to do this job, read the previous post!!!!!!!