I have a 1978 300CD that has very low miles (80K) and runs very well but the automatic transmission seems to be partially engaged when I start the car in park or neutral. I especially notice this when I start the car cold in the garage. It wants to stall so I have to rev it a bit to keep it running. When doing this it seems to want to surge forward slightly. It feels like starting a stick shift car in gear with the clutch slightly engaged.
Any thoughts for this newby? Thanks in advance
Tom

I have read that this can be a sign of an auto trans going out. Hopefully it is something else.

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2005 Mercedes C230k sport sedan, 6 speed
1987 Porsche 924S - 968-engined track car

Thanks,
I feel much better now :~).

It sounds like clutches are not fully disengaging, due to a combination of thicker, 'stickier' cold fluid and possible 'dragging' clutches due to a failure of a piston to retract enough. You might be able to get this checked at a good trans shop. (or the dealer. ) If it is dragging enough for you to need to add rev's, it's time to get it checked.

It might be as simple as a fluid change... one can hope!

Best Regards,
Jim

I'd make sure linkage adjustment was right on the money.

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The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

This may not be a problem. Every car with an automatic transmission has a bit of viscous drag from freewheeling of internal lubricated parts.

For anybody that is curious, lift both drive wheels off the ground, then start the car and put it in neutral. You'll find the drive wheels spinning. It's not a hard spin, they can be stopped by hand. This is normal.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K

(going back to a 1956 Vicky and including Cruisoes, C4s, C6s, and A4ODs) until the current '91 F-150 E4OD, and so it didn't bother me a bit that my '85 300TD did the same thing. It's not changed its behavior, including an annoying leak, in 28,000 miles (total 337,000), but now you've got me wondering. The Fords all went way past 100,000 miles without transmission problems, except the '86 Aerostar, which did burn out a torque convertor clutch at about 135,000 (easy to disconnect, at the loss of about 1 mile per gallon).

If the transmission is shifting normal, then what you are feeling is normal. The drag is more noticeable when cold.