1981 380sl 3.8l 107
 

I put the vehicle from reverse to drive or from park to reverse it feels like some mount is bad (there is a jerk, no sound just a like a hit from underneath where you can feel it but not hear it), from what I can tell, it's not the engine mounts. Any suggestions?

If there is rough shifting from gear to gear in the automatic transmission is there an adjustment to be done?

Also, when I floor the gas pedal from a dead stop the car feels like it does not have any power, it revs up to 1500rpm if I press the gas and the brake together (I know I shouldn't do that, but I was checking for slippage). The same when I floor it off the line it only revs up 1500, as it's taking off. Does that sound right?
The car has plenty of power once it gets going though....

Is this tranny a four or a three speed? When I counted today I only counted three gears, hope that's right.

Tranny fluid looks clean, will change the filter and fluid next weekend when I get the filter and gasket.

Four speed tranny.

sounds like you have a trans mount problem on the klunk, either that or too high of a idle speed.

ahhmm.... 4speed.... I hope my count is offfff....
The idle speed is about 700rpm.....
I will look at the transmission mount.
I wondering if I am missing a gear?

Three shifts = four speeds. Two shifts = three speeds.

Should start in first. Pull shifter all the way to the lowest gear and count your shifts as you push the shifter forward. One can't get back to first without almost stopping.

I had the same clunk in my 380SL. Only options are trans mounts, flex discs, or differential mount. The diff mount fixed it in mine, but the flex discs could easily be your prob.
That being said, you need to figure out your poor acceleration first. Check the throttle linkage. If that's binding up it'll give you a prob.
Good Luck.

I changed the flex mount at the front of the driveshaft and I checked the back one.
I guess I don't know that I have poor acceleration, I know that when I floor it the back tires are nowhere near spinning out, but I though german cars were made to be fast, not quick off the line?

any advice on the rough shifting?
Is there adjustment?

clunkning
 

from rev to dr might also be (i think this is the pac) reverse clutch pack. caused by shifting when car is moving from for to rev. and vice versa.

if the abuse stops though if not too advanced you can drive it for years that way.

tom w

just bought it so I don't know how it's been driven, it's not too bad of clunk it just feels like a mount

adjustment
 

The mechanic used the vacuum stuff to adjust the shifting and appears to be better. Thank you all.