First of all, I have been able to hear a slight whistle from under the car (assuming the trans) when I have the car in reverse. It's very subtle, and is there only about 1/2 the time, and it's not loud. I can only hear it when I'm next to an object to bounce the sound. Nothing in archives regarding.

Also, I want to know what variants there are that can adversely affect the operation of a transmission, given the transmission itself is still good and in no need of a rebuild. I ask this because I *think* my transmission shifts weird under hard acceleration from 2nd to 3rd and somewhat from 3rd to 4th. This symptom may be psychological, because no one else notices it in any way. And it obviously can't be major due to it's lack of apparantness. It seems as though it "flares" ever so lightly between these 2 gear changes. But I thought flaring would be the other way around? When accelerate slowly, everythings seems fine, but when I accelerate hard, it "seems" as though the shift takes a little longer. I hope this makes sense... to my question: What can I check? Aren't there vacuum lines that can affect this? Do I have an adjustment (bowden?)? Everything else is absolutely fine with the trans otherwise. I just had new fluid and filter put in (last one done 15k miles ago, better safe than sorry since I drive the **** out of my poor trans!). Also, I Fletcher Jones only charges $75 for this! I was shocked... so cheap for them!

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Well on my way home from work tonight, I decided to really analyze the shifting. I made a few quick runs from 40-60, to make a 2-3 shift. I really think that the new fluid may have improved shift quality slightly. And there probably is NOTHING wrong with it... Probably just paranoid me..
But just for reassurance... could there be an ever so slight vacuum leak in one of the lines that works the trans?
Thanks again.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

hey David,
so what kinda fluid did you wind up using? is that place a dealer? so did you wind up using MB Dexron III? like you said it's cheap insurance. i'm planning on switching everything, tranny and diff, to Swepco on my 300e-2.8. i hear a bit of a whine - not much but the fact that i hear something is unacceptable to me at this point with only 52k...

HEY!! Stevebfl?




Can anyone help?

JSmith,
I believe they use Dextron III (which is what is supposed to be used for 722.4 trans.) and they use Valvoline @ my dealer.
BTW, will post some pix of kickdown switch, I finally got the new one in there... a very frustrating 10 minutes!!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

re: kickdown - i thought you already fixed that. did it break again? i am having my pedal / switch setup checked out by a local mech when i put the swepco diff oil in.

keep us posted.

David,

You can make some simple adjustments to suit your style and desire in shifting. Based upon your comments I would adjust your modulator clockwise three quarters turn and slightly hasten the control pressure shift point.

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

Thanks Steve!
I am glad to know there is such an adjustment. But where is it? Can you be specific? Thanks a bunch! I really hope it helps. Thanks again.

JSmith, No, I finally got around to fixing the kick-down. It would work, but it was just a crappy contact and it would stick.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

The modulator is at the front drivers side of the trans (after the bellhousing). The adjustment is probably under a anti-tamper adjustment cap. If you could get to it there is a point which when squeezed would release the cap. In the car one will have to pop the cap with a screwdriver (possibly destroying it - have a spare).

Beneath the cap is a metal adjusting tee. Turn the tee 3/4 turn clockwise for stronger shifts.

A simpler adjustment is the control pressure cable. The cable housing has one adjustment. To make the shift earlier the cable housing will need to be adjusted shorter (the cable in effect made longer). This adjustment is a plastic, 13mm wrench size, nut at the cable attachment. By making the shift earlier it usually causes the shift to be made harder (as one doesn't tend to let up on the throttle).

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

David,
I just took my kickdown switch off- it was just squeeze clips and came off in 10 seconds. Then the connector was another 10 - what was the difficulty? You do have to have the seats all the way out but otherwise it was cake. Now I tested the two pairs off pins with an ohmeter. One pair was constant on and the other was constant off. I don't think this is documented in the manual but I think it is probably working. The receptacle seemed intact and it clicked right back in. I'm wondering though if the plug was stuck in wrong. Time for a test drive...

whoa, hey i think it's working now! could it have been the plug was in the wrong way? if it was possible to do that then it would make a difference since the pairs have different configs. i have to verify this new behavior tomorrow going to work.

btw, i notice that it is shifting early at 4k rpm, it should shift at redline when you have it in kickdown right? or is that symptomatic of something else?

My msg just got lost in cyberspace! GRRR.

I think i found the modulator control, but the 8mm seemed too small to adjust, and the 10mm seemed to big. I gave up after only a second or two of trying when the thing shot sparks at me! I have posted a picture, have I found the correct adjustment? The cap came off easily. Is there anything I'm doing wrong?

Also, where is the control pressure cable?

Thanks again Steve. You are great.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

David,

You really got me. I don't know what you have pictured, but it is not the modulator.

I am enclosing a link which will show you everything you ever wanted to know about rebuilding a 722.3/4 tranny. There will be a picture of the modulator somewhere. I am having a great difficulty with my DSL line and it took me 10 minutes to get the link, so I haven't reviewed it for the actual page. You will find very nice pictures of every part of the trans.

http://www.transonline.com/electroPublisher/website/index.cfm?pageID=2877#

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

Ok, I had trouble with the page too.

just go to www.transonline.com, then go to TotalTech Database (on the left), then SHOW ME 'Mercedes' and then click on Oil Pressures. That's where you'll see the picture (2nd pic down i believe).
Now the only thing i'm confused on is which one do i turn 3/4 turn clockwise? The one on the left in the image? The bigger one? And the other one, which way and how much should i adjust it?
Thanks for all the help. I just cannot wait to for the improvement in shift quality!!!!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Ok, the pressure is the big one with the cap on it... towards the front of the car, while the modulator is the smaller one more towards the rear (the one I turn 3/4 turn clockwise), correct?

(I just want to be extra careful because I know this is risky-business!)

Also, it is a very small crevice/space to work in... so it is somewhat difficult to access? No other way around it I'm assuming.

(ONE more thing... are your (Steve) recommendations going to firm up the shifts a little bit? And this will be better for the trans when driving hard? THANKS Again.. I'm so excited... .......I JUST CAN'T FIGHT IT! Anyone know that song?! )


I swear, if I edit this post ONE more time.... GRRR...
JSmith,
I know... I had one hell of a time removing my kickdown switch though. Once I got my new kickdown (only $14) switch, I saw how I would take the old one out. But I couldn't get it out! I had screwdrivers trying to wedge it out, I was breaking peices of it and getting a little frustrated. One end came out, but the other would not. And the more I pulled on one end, the more the other end stuck in there. So I cut some of the carpet around the switch, and it came off pretty easy from there. But the precision of the new kickdown is really nice (firm click, constant resistance pressure).

Aww, I should have knocked on wood (burl walnut?), another addition. Now I'm confused, I think I have the 2 adjustments @ss backwards... ohhh, sorry, I've probably posted a whole bunch of unneeded crap!

Back again... It's a good thing I didn't get too far with "adjusting" whatever it was that was sparking... :p

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Here is the image of the afforementioned diagram.

I really had to crop it down to make it small enough to upload...

The left adjustment (black) is the pressure adjustment?

(I'm so lost... )

Attached Images

transmodadj.bmp (44.9 KB, 396 views)

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)