manual shifter lost it's "spring back in place" - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

prityhandychick · #1 06-20-2012, 12:50 PM

I have a manual 83 240D. About 2 months ago I noticed the shifter was becoming a little difficult. Almost as if it wasn't guiding me into the right gear slot. It has always been weird anyway for me to find the right gear(just not like any other vehicle I've owned). Then slowly since then it's become much worse & now there's just no spring to it...push it all the way right & it stays, no popping back to center neutral. I've adapted to it, just seem to hit the wrong spot sometimes when finding 1st & downshifting into 2nd. I probably haven't driven the car more than 200 miles since this started.

Any ideas? Unsafe? Important to fix immediately? (I would be hard-pressed to find the time right now-maybe in a month it won't be a problem) I just don't want to be doing damage or be in an unsafe situation. Thanks!

rs899 · #2 06-20-2012, 01:41 PM

It's not unsafe at all, but if you spent some time to disassemble , rebush and lube the mechanism you will not believe the difference. The bushings are all very cheap.

Air&Road · #3 06-20-2012, 03:25 PM

It is highly likely that simply folding the boot out of the way, cleaning and lubricating the mechanism will solve the issue.

junqueyardjim · #4 06-20-2012, 03:43 PM

Well here you go. Here is a picture of the parts involved. http://mb.ilcats.ru/part/class/1/ccode/F/cat/68K/type/123/subtype/123/group/26
Now they are all very small parts, but from #53 to #26, all those parts fit into #5 which is the base of your shifter attached to the floor of the car under the console. The shifter handle and parts come out from the top, the rest of the parts are attached to the underside of the floor with four screws. Then the shifter connects with the transmission which is forward of the shifter by about 20 inches. When you shift gears you move the three long levers also in the picture and change gears rather remotely. Now it is not really difficult, (does take some muscle to get the shifter out, and a bit more to get it in) it is kind of a puzzle, but you have to huff and puff to get the top part out of the car and then the rest from under the car. Then replace the thing of course, but undoubtedly your shift bushings need replacing at both ends and no sense in doing the job without replacing them. Parts are very low cost, I doubt if it would take $50.00 at the dealer to buy every thing new, but you can't buy it assembled, (that is what I think). I rebuilt mine 2 years ago and I had to replace #5 which is a very neat plastic casting and I think it was $17.00. Most of the parts are small washers and a spring and a plastic cap, (don't forget the washer that goes in the top hat) But mine was broken because of an under car incident.

junqueyardjim · #5 06-20-2012, 03:51 PM

Could you do any damage? Well, you should be able and probably have trained yourself to shift it carefully. When mine was out of whack at a stop light or stop sign I always put the car into 2nd gear, then straight up into first. You surely don't want to accidently put it in reverse and you don't want to grind the gears on the transmission. That surely would be harmful for the transmission. That transmission would cost more to rebuild then the car is worth.

junqueyardjim · #6 06-20-2012, 03:58 PM

It is true that the plastic casting "box" is open on the bottom and the three rather short shift fingers point down. It is in the center of the car and probably not in line for much mud or slush, but no doubt a lot of dirt has collected up there. Might not be a bad idea to clean it out with engine cleaner or even loosen the crude up with WD40 and blow it out with HP air. But I really think your shifter box assembly is really worn out. If you were close I would gladly help you work through it.

prityhandychick · #7 06-21-2012, 11:38 AM

This is all good news to me! Thank you

I will get on it as soon as I get a little time. The car is hardly driven at this point so I know it wont be damaged further until I can get to it.

BTW-there's no grinding going on with it

Thanks again!!!

junqueyardjim · #8 06-21-2012, 02:09 PM

No there should be no grinding of the gears if you handle it correctly. It is made with all types of drivers in mind and they know the shifter will take a lot of slamming. No harm is done if you don't hit the edge of a gear wrong. When the shifter is worn, you just have to shift more carefully and you can definetly drive the car.

mbdoc · #9 06-21-2012, 03:11 PM

The "spring back" feeling comes from the trans itself. Not from the shifter.

Possibly one of the fork linkages are loose from the shift fork.
Happens alot on that style of trans.
6mm allen bolt in the center of the shift arm.