I could really use some advice for a friend about a drive train issue - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tinypanzer · #1 06-03-2010, 06:50 PM

Not too terribly hard if you have proper equipment.

CAUTION - When you disconnect the drive shaft, there is no longer a park pawl holding the car in place. The car must be on a level surface and carefully chocked!

How much of a hesitation are we talking about here, anyway?

tinypanzer · #2 06-03-2010, 07:01 PM

I'm still not convinced the problem is not in the trans. You say the problem happens every time you start from a dead stop. Well, let's use our imaginations for a second..... Any slop in the drive train will get taken up when you shift from park or neutral into drive, right? The torque from the trans is supposed to always be present on the drive train when the car is in gear. This is why the car starts to move by itself when you take your foot off the brake. So, that slop goes away the very first time you go into gear, right? Okay, so how then does it re-appear at every stoplight unless the driver is shifting to neutral?

The only way this could be happening is if the trans is not applying torque to the drive train at all times, and that points to trans problems.

spree17 · #3 06-03-2010, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinypanzer

I'm still not convinced the problem is not in the trans. You say the problem happens every time you start from a dead stop. Well, let's use our imaginations for a second..... Any slop in the drive train will get taken up when you shift from park or neutral into drive, right? The torque from the trans is supposed to always be present on the drive train when the car is in gear. This is why the car starts to move by itself when you take your foot off the brake. So, that slop goes away the very first time you go into gear, right? Okay, so how then does it re-appear at every stoplight unless the driver is shifting to neutral?

The only way this could be happening is if the trans is not applying torque to the drive train at all times, and that points to trans problems.

If it is a tranny problem I think he would have to sell the car because he couldnt afford to put a new tranny in it.

spree17 · #4 06-04-2010, 12:23 AM

OK guys please bear with me because we seriously need and appreciate your help with this situation. We think we are getting closer to narrowing the symptoms and the problem down. Here are some updates:

1. We tried shifting directly in to 2nd and 3rd gear instead of drive to see if that made a difference. Trying to figure if it was a 1st gear problem since it drives fine once moving. It didnt make any difference.

2. I did notice it not only when starting off but now when hitting the brakes and coming to a stop we feel it also. It seems to be coming from the shaft or axle area more than from the tranny but that is just my hunch for now.

3. When we step on the gas hard we feel it but if we step on the gas really lightly to start off it doesnt happen at all.

4. I dont ever feel it in reverse but since I'm usually going very slow in reverse.

5. Do these descriptions of the problem help anyone in trying to figure it out?

6. Does those bolts look like they are lined up correctly on the front disc pictures or are those curved areas supposed to be in the raised curve area of the plastic/rubber? I posted the picture previously in this thread

spree17 · #5 06-03-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinypanzer

Not too terribly hard if you have proper equipment.

CAUTION - When you disconnect the drive shaft, there is no longer a park pawl holding the car in place. The car must be on a level surface and carefully chocked!

How much of a hesitation are we talking about here, anyway?

Not a tremendous amount. I did not notice it at first.

I also have not noticed it in reverse yet.