Since the top end rebuild and having the idle back to normal specs it takes a second or 2 for reverse to engage after putting the gear in R. I doubt this is normal, can I adjust this? The gear bushings were replaced not that long ago and it feels tight.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Slow reverse engagement is very well documented on this forum and elsewhere. It's a symptom of transmission wear. Less than 1 second is considered "normal". Less than 2 seconds is "slow". Greater than 2 seconds is when you begin to worry.

Take a stop watch and time it, it may be shifting quicker than you think (even 1 second feels like an eternity!).

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

How many miles on the transmission? Sure wish Mercedes had learned how to build a transmission from Toyota and Volvo. Have seen those autos go nearly 500,000 miles with no trouble.

Had that same thought often.

I can count on one hand easily the number of older Mercedes auto trans I've seen first hand that didn't have a weird delay going into reverse.
VS a Volvo of the RWD era, which is an aisin-warner Toyota trans, that
basically never fails other than the OD solenoid or a seal in that part maybe.

Someone should make an adaptor plate, solve all our problems lol...

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

Benz auto boxes need to be adjusted for timing and firmness of shift by a competent individual. They get a bad rep for failure but it is almost always due to pure neglect and incorrect adjustment.

Timed it: less than a second when cold and when warm it's a second plus. I guess a second feels like an eternity when there is a line behind you that wants that parking spot you're backing out of.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

That 1 second delay feels like FOREVER sometimes. My SDL takes just shy of 1 second, and I swear it feels like 5 seconds sometimes, especially when I'm used to the SL and the Honda which shift immediately.

Raising the idle speed will correct the slow shift to some extent because the fluid pressure is slightly higher and the pump volume greater. Could explain why you didn't notice it before fixing the top end when the idle was still higher than normal.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

LOL, that is not slow.

Hell, my 300SEL takes 3-5 seconds to pop into reverse. Do I care? Nope, I will tear it down once I hear the clicking sound. It is a 322k unopened trans.

I agree 100% with 'daantjie'.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I take the right idle over getting faster out of the parking spot anytime. And I drive a lot of newer cars for work making me more aware of it.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Comparing a tired, nearly 30 year old trans to a new one is a bit unfair.

If you have never rebuilt a trans that old, you would find out that the internal o-rings that seal the pistons to the drums shrink and become hard. This causes hydraulic leakage, thus slower apply of the three drums in there. Same goes for the apply servos for the two bands.

You are not dealing with a computer controlled trans that constantly self corrects its shift feel, apply times, etc.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

My gripe is that they don't hold up as well as the rest of the car, or if it fits better they don't tolerate neglect as well. I can go buy a ragged out 80's Volvo and the last thing I'm worried about is the trans, it's the first thing on a Mercedes.
I'm sure they were fine new and I'm sure if they are expertly maintained they are in keeping with the rest of the car, but while it's pretty easy and cheap to catch up on some worn suspension and brake work and do some odd and end fixing on a Mercedes engine, a trans is a lot of work for a DIY'er not to mention overly expensive to replace. It's kind of a drag for guys like me that buy cheap old cars as hoppy/drivers, and honestly it's sort of put me off Mercedes in general after a half dozen of them over the years all exhibiting the same wear regardless of the condition of the car they were in.
I still have one but only because it was a really good deal and it had been awhile, it has 180K on it, the engine and suspension are original and great, and the trans is slow into reverse and can't be adjusted to shift 2-3 quite right though it isn't flaring(yet). It's had fluid changes and such, just a pretty typical mediocre old Mercedes trans in an otherwise great car. When it craps out the car will go away.

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K