Kick-Down

[emilo]

I'm back again and starting to feel like the Shop Forum spammer =) ...

This time I have a question about the Kick-Down. The winter is finally loosing it's grip over Sweden and the sun is starting to take over. And with the ice gone from the roads it's possible to give a little more gas. When I press the accelerator to the kickdown connector, the car accelerates "normaly" for about 4-5 secs before it changes gear and gives me the right acceleration for the kickdown effect. My former car changed gear almost immediately after the accelerator touched the kickdown connector. I have no idee about how this thing works. Anyone who can give me a hint??

[MBenzNL]

Sweden...that means that you have a european SL...with the Standard/Economic switch. When you have the Economic mode switched on, you will have to kick push harder to get the gearbox kicking down.
If you have the Standard switched on and the car is at temperature, it has to shift down a lot faster after you hit the kick down button...

greetingz,

[emilo]

Thanks for your reply..
You are right about the Standard/Economic switch. I read about that switch in the manual that said that the switch sets the rpm where the gearbox will shift gears. (A little higher at standard than econimic). It was also described that the switch had no effect when the accelerator was pushed all the way down so it triggered the kickdown connector. That's why I haven't tried the switch. But now I will! I have to say it was very sharp of you to associate to my Sweden-story.. . I'll let you know about the progress in this matter. Thanks again.

[ymsin]

I hope it works for you, wherever you are in Sweden now.

[MBenzNL]

emilo,

When you have the gearbox switched to economic, the car will start in second gear, shift to the next gear at 4000rpm and kick down after the accelerator is pushed through the kick down button (in despite of whet the manual says).
When it is set in the standard mode, it will start in second or first gear (depends on how far you floor the pedal), shift to the next gear when the rpm-needle is in the red zone and will kick down as soon as the pedal hits the button.

ymsin,

Catching up with Benzmac?

greetingz,

[ymsin]

Aw MBenz ... Benzmac is a league of his own. No matter what I do, I can never equal his great pole position.

Hows our Poffertjes doing lately? Loved that stuff with the a generous helping of smoked herring + Genevie?

yummy

[emilo]

I had a nice time in my car driving to work this morning trying some different combinations with speed, accelerator level and setting of the Std/Eco-switch. . You are right in every word about the switch. Why is it only the europeen cars have that switch?? Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it,, ,

[MBenzNL]

ymsin

The poffertjes are still doing well. Personally I like the bigger pannekoeken but nevertheless, the poffertjes are very good to eat.
You have been in the Netherlands???

I think that you are the only shop member with a fair chance to catch up with benzmac. Just keep enlisted for another 4 years and keep posting at any possible thread; you will get there...

emilio,

You're welcome; it is nice to hear that your problem could be solved that easy. I don't know why the US models do not have that switch. I read that in a thread about auto shifting some weeks ago. Anyway, I like that switch. It makes it possible for me to be a little social in traffic.

Is your SL a 12 valve or 24 valve? (the US only had the R129 300SL-24)

greetingz,

[ymsin]

Emilio - I think its a global standard to have the switches. We have them in the Asia-Pacific region too.

MBenz - Ya, have been to the NL a couple of times since the past 20 years - the latest being 3 years ago. Really love the place, the food, the flowers/tulips, the ppl but not the taxes.

We have very fond memories of NL always. We were also there when Heineken was kidnapped and released over the winters months some 15 years ago? And when a member of your royal family married an Asian.

Anyway, back to Benzes.

I drove the 300SE yesterday on 2nd gear, just so to work up a high rev. I havent really had any opportunities to drive at high speed so I figured driving at 2nd with the rev at 5,000 rpm ought to do the engine some good. Thing is, I have been having a fair bit of carbon built-up and reckoned this ought to do something good for the engine.

Maybe I should get a can of techron and fill 'er up?

[emilo]

MBenz
It's a 12 valve,, I had a 300CE -89 before, also a 12 valve. I've heard that the 12 valve-engine works better than the 24 valve. But maybe that was just in the beginning?

[MBenzNL]

emilo,

You heard right...The 24-valve engine is not as good as the 12-valve engine...it needs more maintenance and tens to leak oil on a regularly base...but, nevertheless, they run nice and smooth...

ymsin,
...a royal family member that married someone else I don't know anything about that, but where you one of the invited guests or was your presents just coincidence?

greetingz,

[ymsin]

I happened to be around when it took place many years ago. Come to think of it, I even saw Jackie Chan when he was filming in he streets of Amsterdamn! Now, that was in October of 98, I think it was ...

He was sure a tall and well built chap!