88 300E Transmission Issues!

[RonD]

The Car:
1988 300E
722.xx Automatic Transmission

I pulled the transmission over the winter of 05/06 and took my time with a rebuild. I replaced ALL clutch plates, seals, gaskets and the Vacuum Modulator.

About a month ago I finished the job, tested the trans and all seemed fine, that is until I realized I was not getting 4th gear. I did some asking around on the message boards and most people thought is was related to the B2 piston. I recalled during the re-assembly that the cover for the B2 piston did not pop back out when I pressed it in to put the snap ring in place. I figured it would just pop out once the transmission had some pressure in it. After driving the car up to the store and back, I put it park to open my garage door and when I got back in I had no gears at ALL. I pushed it backwards with the car still running and suddenly reverse kicked in.

Once I had it off the ground I looked and saw the B2 piston cover had never popped back out. I removed the cover, transmission pan, valve body(s) and took the piston completely out. Cleaned everything, put it back together only this time I pushed the B2 piston out from the inside of the trany to get the cover to seat against the snap ring. The only other thing I did differently was put a paper gasket between the smaller part of the valve body (sorry I don’t know the technical name) and the steel plate. I noticed that I had gotten one with the rebuild kit so I wanted everything to be right this time. There wasn’t one there when I took it apart, but like I said it was included with the kit and all the holes lined up fine with the passages.

Once again reassembled everything added trans fluid and fired it up. I put the car in gear on jack stands and the wheels turned!! Unfortunately I only have first gear now!!! I mean ONLY. In reverse, neutral and all forward gears…1st gear only. But hey… Park works!!

This is no longer fun.

Any ideas????

Thanks
-Ron-