I've been really noticing that when I drive my car seems to be starting in first gear. I get 3 shifts between 0 and 45 mph, when accelerating mellowly.

Sometimes it seems like i'm in a second gear start, but the rest of the time, it seems to be starting in first gear.

Could my car have a modified tranny or did they have first gear start on some of the 1992 300CE cars or all of them?

Seems weird, if I take off from a stop, the car will shift at around 10 mph or so under a light acceleration.

Under heavy, I can take it to red line as it should.

Trans shifts quite smooth and only shifts harshly once in a while.

Tranny fluid looks fine and smells fine, though I plan on having it changed with the filter sooner than later.

So my question now is,

Did my car come factory with first gear start?

Am I just imagining things?

How would one tell if it has been modified?

Thanks for the advice, Just want to clear up some of the questions as I thought they had 2nd gear start.

Alon

__________________
'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

i noticed with my 300e, the harder i drive it the easier it downshifts to first. when i put the pedal down half way at a stop it will usually downshift to first. if you "granny" these cars you have to floor it for first or manually shift.
the computer has some sort of logic circuit that compensates for the drivers needs of acceleration.
hope this helps.
good luck,
Adam

__________________
Current Stable:
01 ML55 AMG
92 500E (a few mods)
87 300E (lots of mods)
00 Chevy 3500HD Diesel Box Truck
68 18' Donzi Marine
06 GT i-Drive7 1.0 Mountain Bike (with GPS!)

PREVIOUSLY OWNED:83 300SD, 87 420SEL, 88 420SEL, 90 420SEL, 86 560SEL, 86 190E 2.3-16V AMG, 94 E320

Yes I did know it does make adjustments, but if you drive somewhat on the harder side, would the computer then adjust to always start in first even when not driving hard at all.

Like I mean just barely pushing the pedal to build up speed, or granny'ing it as you put it, would it start in first?

I do have to admit I do granny the car more than I push it hard, but In LA, there isn't much room to go zooming around town.

Even when driving on a 25 mph street and accelerating up to 25 mph very slowly, it still seems to be starting in first.

Like I said I hadn't thought about it until I started noticing it shifting 3 times when driving normally.

Alon

__________________
'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

my car definitely downshifts with abrupt petal action. i'm not really sure in your case though, i have never owned a CE and am not sure if the trans is different in that model versus mine. i do know that in my car the shift from first to second is very quick. about half a second to one and a half seconds. if its slower than that it could be that its really second. i'm no tech though... just trying to help.
good luck,
Adam

__________________
Current Stable:
01 ML55 AMG
92 500E (a few mods)
87 300E (lots of mods)
00 Chevy 3500HD Diesel Box Truck
68 18' Donzi Marine
06 GT i-Drive7 1.0 Mountain Bike (with GPS!)

PREVIOUSLY OWNED:83 300SD, 87 420SEL, 88 420SEL, 90 420SEL, 86 560SEL, 86 190E 2.3-16V AMG, 94 E320

Alon,

I have a 1990 300SL and a 1993 300CE and these cars start in second gear only when the transmission system is switched in economic.
When the system is switched to standard, it can either start in second or first gear which depends on how far the pedal is getting floored. If I gently push down the pedal, it will start in second. If I push down the pedal abruptly (even when I only push it half), it will start in first gear...
...just some information...

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

what the reason is for the second gear start?

None of the cars in the above posts are computer controlled. The small exception would be the delayed upshifts that occur on the 93 and the 90 129 chassis. Delayed upshifts are achieved by the engine management controller (during cold running) electrically switching a vacuum switchover valve which then transmits vacuum to the actuator on the control pressure cable. This changes the affect that throttle movement imparts on the control pressure valve in the trans. I'm not sure if it will cause a start off in first gear but it will quicken the point of downshift.

All of these trannies use standard hydraulic valve body logic. Nothing is learned!

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

The thing about it sensing how hard you pushed the pedal seems to be true in my car. There is this one road I go down every day, well in my 300E I would just be doing about 40mph in 4th gear, if I slam the pedal down to the kickdown switch it will kick down to second, but if I gently push it down to the kickdown switch it will only downshift to 3rd. I never got my car to start in 1st unless I manually shifted or floored it to the switch, you can definitely tell a difference.

__________________
Adam,
2003 Volkswagen Golf GL 24,000 miles. 1.9L I-4 TDI 5spd.

1986 300E. 115,000+ miles. 3.0L I-6 1st daily ride, around town only. (Gone)

My car has no switch for standard/economy.

My gear selector has PRND32

If I start in D, and granny the pedal, I get 3 shifts when speed is finally arrived at.

So for instance, from 0-45 starting with granny feet on the pedal, 10 mph or less = shift 1, 20-35 mph = 2nd shift, and 3rd shift at 40-45.

Thats not an exact estimate, but just going by what I think it shifts at. so if there are 3 shifts there, that would mean it started in first otherwise there would have been two shifts, 2-3, 3-4. Not 1-2,2-3,3-4, like I am experiencing.

Is it possible the tranny valve body has had the mod for first gear start.

Just want to know, I have no problems with it doing first or second gear starts, but I would like to know if it is possible that MB made them in my model and year with first gear start fromt he factory, or if it is starting in first and should be starting in second, then how would one tell it has been modified. is it even possible to tell something like that?

If I am doing near 40 mph and I floor it, hitting the kick down, the car will take off nicely.

Sometimes if going over forty and I floor it, it would seem like it hits first gear for a few seconds then kicks into second aand the car takes off.

Just curious is all, its not a problem for me, Just wanted to know if anyone knew how to tell if it was a factory option or factory setting or if it was modified.

Love how the car drives and it shifts very nicely.

Alon

__________________
'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon