tranny stuck in first in "2" from dead start
 

something i just discovered about my 93 300e-2.8 tranny. when i start in 2, it doesn't shift up to second. i've revved it up to about 5k and it just won't shift on the other hand if i down shift from d or 3rd it goes into 2nd. i'm getting ready to change the tranny fluid on this and i was going to wait until i did that but i couldn't wait. the tranny is about 2 years old, replaced (probably a rebuilt unit) at 30k miles. Steve B.?

WIth the trans in 2, KEEP your foot PLANTED!!! It will shift just before redline if you put it to the floor. IF you have it it in kickdown (also in 2), it will shift into 2nd @ the redline. But it wont' shift out of second if you keep it in 2, you'll hit the rev limiter, so be sure and change it to 3 or D, I have forgetten to do this once or twice, and it's not fun! ;)

David,
Does it always do that, even if you don't give it a lot of gas? I'm finding that when I shift up to "3" at about 4k rpm (at this point it hasn't upshifted to 2nd yet) it's shifts all the way up to 3rd and the revs are nowhere near the "fun zone". If that the tranny's design - I guess it sorta makes sense.

Yes it's designed to do this. Depending on the speed you are going, the trans will either go into 1st of 2nd... really will only go into first gear when travelling about 3-4 mph or less, if that.
This is the way it's supposed to work. If you are only pushing partial throttle in 1st gear (manually held in 1st), and you move the lever to 3, it may feel like it's going directly to 3rd gear, but I think it actually switches in 2nd real quick and then 3rd. I have never noticed the trans skip a gear on upshift unless I totally release the gas and it shifts into 4th, and I kind of think it actually will shift into 3rd before 4th gear. I hope that makes sense......

Thanks David. I'm still not convinced that my kickdown switch is working properly. I think my pressure cable is also off because the most I can get it to rev is about 4.5K rpm. The one time I thought it was 5K+ might have been the excitement at feeling the downshift which it used to refuse to do.

I've been experimenting with the shifter, rowing it manually and letting it go full auto. I had a Tiptronic in my V6 Passat which was had its good points, specially downshifting. I think if the MB tranny is working, it will have just as good if not better control with the "3" and "2" selector position.

WHat do you mean you can only get it to rev up to 4500 RPM? What happens then? If you floor it, will it shift out of gear and into the next gear @ 4500 even with the gas @ Wide Open Throttle??

Yes, if I floor it the upshifts are at around 4.5k rpm, even with the kickdown. That's why I'm thinking the cable is out of whack. This is in "3" and "D". "2" as you know stays in 1st until - well I don't know yet....

Hmm, yes that is strange... something is not right....
hopefully Steve can help point you in the right direction...
Although I'm inclined to think it wouldn't be a cable adjustment... but something to do with pressure....? But then again, what do I know!? :confused: :eek: ;)

I saw a post with similar symptoms and the poster found that the cable to his kickdown switch was crimped and when he corrected it, it started shifting correctly. I am tracking down all the angles to this quirk, I think there is also a kickdown relay on the tranny, not sure though. The tranny was replaced 2 yrs ago and I'm wondering if it was ever set up correctly. If the kickdown relay is on the tranny they might not have hooked it up. This car literally was granny's ride around town so I don't think anyone would have complained.

And yes, I am waiting for Steve to weigh in on this...

Irrespective of the fact that it really ought to shift into 2nd after hitting redline at 1st, if you want to get into 2nd gear after a 1st gear start, quickly move the selector level from "2" to "3" and back to "2." That will let it upshift to 2nd gear, and then lock it there until you need 3rd gear. This baffled me for a long time, until I figured out the above procedure (thanks to one of Benzmac's posts here in Tech Help).

anthony

Good call, Anthony.

I just wasn't understanding this one. The technique Anthony describes is great for the feel of manual control. The trans stays in the lower gear til you wish and then is kept at the next gear by the quick capping movement.

All of this is normal IMHO.

Steve,
What about the shift points in other gears? With the throttle wide open, I can't get above 5K without an upshift. Is this where you would adjust the pressure cable to get the shift point higher?
Cheers,
Joe
PS. Here's that post on a 500E with similar symptoms. Discussion points are almost all the same.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/5168-500e-transmission-woes.html?highlight=bowden+cable+front