What would you folks make of the following problem with my 2.3-16V:

When driving at a relative low rate of speed (usually around 20mph), if I quickly engage the clutch (usually in second gear) while depressing the gas pedal, the car will begin a back and forth jerking motion which gets worse and worse if I keep the clutch engaged or keep my foot on the gas. If I give more gas, the jerking gets much worse much quickly and gets rather violent. Giving less gas lessens the jerking intensity but not frequency. If I disengage the clutch (i.e., depress the clutch pedal) the jerking stops.

This doesn't happen all the time, but I can generally make it happen, at will, and it will happen if I do just the wrong things all at once. One more thing. The jerking movement can be initiated with strong acceleration from a standing start over a very bumpy road.

Given that disengaging the clutch completely stops the movement, would you guess that I have a clutch problem?

Any insight would be helpful.

John

[This message has been edited by revbond (edited 06-15-99).]

This problem would be better directed to the techs in this forum in general. PS Lee is our editor/writer/tester. I am the tech on the site, but there are at least 10 more who look at these posts all of the time!!

MB Doc needs to answer this since he races a 190 5sp. I have only 2 cars of all of the MBs that I service that are 5sp and I haven't ever seen this before.

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Benzmac:
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
LEAD TECHNICIAN FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

Thanks for the clarification. I have corrected my heading.

John

benzmac-

did mbdoc have any ideas about my problem?

This can be somewhat a normal happening, most stick shift cars have the tendency to do this. The first Mercedes that I know that M.B. tried to keep from doing this was the 1982 240D. On the newer euro cars w/manual trans they employ a system called anti-jerk control. Try moving your seat one notch closer to the pedals. You might try changing the throttle return spring too. Believe it or not its from your leg moving back & forth from the torque that the driveshaft is making.

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MERCEDES BENZ MASTER GUILD TECHNICIAN
ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN
27 YEARS M.B. TECH

Thanks much...I will give the throttle return spring a try.

John