Hi All, Here's my story... I have an 86 420SEL that my father gave me before he passed away. He was the original owner and hardly drove it. The car was garaged since the day he brought it home and only has 68k miles. The car is in beautiful condition in and out except for one problem. It has no 2nd gear. It runs and drives fine but will shift from 1st to 3rd bypassing 2nd. When in third and I try to accelerate, and it downshifts to 2nd, the engine will just rev. Could it be something easy to fix or will it require a rebuild?

I took it toa couple of places and they all say the tranny needs to be replaced at a cost of 3k and up. I took it to 2 independents, a transmission specialist, and the dealer who wanted $5k. None suggested a teardown and fix of what I have....it would cost the same??????

I'm trying to see if there are other less expensive options as I would like to keep the car but cannot afford to dump in 3k. I've already spent almost 4k replacing all the brake pads,rotors,brake lines, master cylinder, shocks, springs, wheels and tiresthinking that this thing will last a long time but one
thing keeps happening after another.
I'm in San Francisco if anyone would like to suggest a good mechanic. Thanks!! Sorry for the long post.

That car should start in 2nd gear, how are you commanding a 1st gear
Start. In what position is the selector lever in, are you sure it’s a 1st to 3rd
And not a 2nd to 4th shift. Drive the car manually and see if you
Feel a difference in the shift pattern.

When I was considering a 86' 560SEL, I discovered that the transmission needed rebuilt. I got several quotes here locally and all were around $1500-$1700, but I am sure in California, it would be more expensive?

@ 68K miles, can you tell me what happened that caused the shocks (struts) and springs to be replaced? These should have lasted many more miles. If it has set for a long time, I can understand why new brakes were in order, but not shocks (or struts - whatever they have). and springs. Well, springs- maybe, because I have seen some of these cars sag. Also- where the original wheels damaged?

Since he hardly drove it- I am wondering. Have you already tried changing the transmission fluid and filter? I would try this first, if you have not already. This should be done anyway.


I am not too sure about these cars, but as C32 mentioned this car should start out in 2nd? I know that some did, and this may be no exception. Perhaps it is 3rd that you are missing?

I am sure someone with more insight will key in here shortly.

With 68K, 1-owner, garage kept miles- I bet this is one beautiful Benz! Any photographs of the car?

Good luck!

C32AMG, You're right, it did have a 2nd gear start but now it definitely starts off in 1st because there is a big difference in acceleration now when starting from a stop, much more peppier, then there is a longer than normal upshift from 1st to 3rd. This happens in D,3, or 2.

I do notice that when I'm in 3 it won't try to downshift into 2nd whereas in D it will downshift and then just rev. Thanks

Hmm. I am not sure, but it sounds more like an electrical issue with the tranny, rather than mechanical.

I am not sure - do these cars have any electrical connections?

Hi 86560SEL, The shocks, struts and springs didn't need to be replaced, I just wanted a better handling car so I put in new bilsteins and an Eibach spring kit. Huge difference!!! I had also put on some 17" AMG monoblock look-a-likes because I intended to keep the car for a long time, but now it's beginning to be a money pit.

The car was meticulously maintained at the dealer so the tranny did get it's regular flushes. In fact, one of the shops flushed and replaced the filter to no avail. Except for my dad using the bumpers to feel his way into the garage, the car is pretty much immaculate and the interior still looks and smells like a new car. I will try and get some pictures but the car is being stored at my mom's place. I have 2 cars at home.

The tranny problem all started with a hard downshift when trying to accelerate onto the freeway.

I see. Well, I hope all works out well. Seems like you have an unusual problem, because it seems these transmissions will go a couple of hundred or more thousand miles before something happens to them. Considering that your car was one owner and well maintained, this is most unfortunate.

I guess I should consider myself lucky- I have 265K on my car and I do not think my car was all that well maintained - especially over the past 65K miles when the PO had it. Luckily, I do not have any transmission issues yet (hopefully I did not jinx myself). The only issue now is that I have a harsh shift into reverse when the engine is fully warm, but I am hoping a new filter/fluid will cure this.

I know your frustration. The older Mercedes can be money pits. Mine has the potential of being that. I have some issues that need addressed, (such as timing chain/tensioner - because I do not know when they were last replaced) but the car is still going well (until it breaks), so I am letting it go for now- which I know is crazy.
I am just weary of putting a lot of $$$ into such a old used car that will still have no collector value when complete. Perhaps someday.

Hope you get yours back in perfect working order.

As it is the car is worth breaker's money and if it is everything you say, it would be a shame to send it there.

If you have an area where you can work, why don't you do the job yourself.

Although challenging, this is within the scope of the home mechanic, given the resources now available via the internet regarding advice and instruction on the actual rebuild and the aquisition of parts (probably only brake bands and seals & gaskets).
Assistance will be desirable at various points, especially during removal and replacement of the transmission both for safety's sake and also to prevent damage due to mishandling.
Automatic gearboxes are not as scary as the people who charge multiples of the parts cost for about 3 hours work would like you to think.

30 years ago, my brother (about 20, and an apprentice electrician at the time) bought a Rover v8 with cloudy transmission fluid, and a slight hesitation when changing gear. I told him the fluid should not cloud with age, but he bought it nonetheless, because it was a nice car, and at the right money.

3 weeks and about 500 miles later, it would hardly move under its own power.
He had no choice except to fix it. No manual, no internet, just the parts book in the dealer's parts counter and a conversation with the mechanics, who said that they would send it to "the factory" for repair, and that a rolling road was required for set-up.

And no, they would not let that facility be used by an owner who did his own job.

He bought the bands and seals, having already enlisted the help of a useful friend (about the same age, and game to tackle anything), and started the job late that afternoon in the street outside the useful friend's house.

I rode past the end of the street just as it was getting dark on my bike, and seeing the activity outside the house, circled round and stopped.
They had just finished removing the gearbox and were planning on stripping and rebuilding it that night on the kitchen floor, to replace it in the car the next day.

Things apparently went very well, because by lunchtime the next day they were road testing the car up the Ligoniel Road, a long hill where the gradient is 1in4 in places, and over about 2 miles the climb is nearly 2000 feet.

The transmission performed faultlessly after a little adjustment at only 1 or 2 points.

And still did until the car migrated from this locale a few years and many thousand miles later, with the fluid used at the time of the rebuild still in the 'box looking as good as the day it was filled.

All the best

A.

It sounds like a stuck on, kick down solenoid, switch (under the gas pedal) or kick
Or kick down relay is on (cause) Disable them by removing the kick down solenoid
Fuse or relay. I do not have a wiring diagram, so I can’t tell you which
Fuse.

Yeah - that is what I was thinking too. Sounds more like an electrical issue with the tranny, rather than mechanical - especially with such low mileage.

Good luck !

__________________
2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)