72 280se 4.5 MYSTERY - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tjohnson · #1 02-15-2010, 07:42 AM

I returned from a business trip to find my ol 108 dead in the driveway. My wife was driving it and it "just went dead". From the description of her trips back and forth from town it sounds like it simply ran out of gas. My father in law came to help her and brought a small gas can and after putting it in she said it would try to crank. A neighbor who owns a tranny service passed by and offered to help. He went and got a 2 wheel car hauler to move it home. After attempting to tow it finally gave up saying it was like trying to pull a locomotive! Called a flatbed hauler and it took it home. From what I gather it was appartently in gear, possibly reverse during his attempt to haul it. With snow on the ground I went out to give her a quick check yesterday. She cranked right up but missing terribly, and the shifter feels like it ain't doing anything. Noticed the nylon trim around the floor shifter indicator is destroyed, like the shift lever got a good hammering from the guy trying to find neutral. Hopefully today the weather will be better so I can get out there and see what exactly is wrong.

bwostosh · #2 02-15-2010, 10:29 AM

Shifter lever bushing crumbled from age?
They do not like to run low on fuel, Mine always warned my by running bad with low fuel.

tjohnson · #3 02-18-2010, 09:19 AM

Found a broken spark plug wire, replaced it and she is purring. The engine feels like it is lugged down while idling. Hard to find drive, can't find reverse, and she will barely move along in drive. She has always (since I've had her) hesitated to engage when put in to gear, but now it takes a while to engage. Been putting it off, but guess it is time to drain and replace tranny fluid and filter. Yes the shifter bushings are certainly toast, so will address that. I remember reading a post about an adjustment to correct the hesitation but can't find it in the archieves.

JMela · #4 02-18-2010, 09:44 AM

I replaced the bushings on the shifting 'rods' as well as those within the shifter itself and was surprised by how much shifting was improved.

I also replaced the shift gate bushing on the shifter guide plate - found new ones on german ebay for about $25, IIRC. I wonder if the classic center has them in stock - they didn't a few years ago.

Tomguy · #5 02-18-2010, 10:16 AM

How to adjust the reverse band:

Quote:

Originally Posted by cth350

Do you also have a noticable delay getting into reverse (can you count to 2)?

If so, there's a bolt on the passenger side with a no head (just square at the end) with a lock nut on it. Loosen the lock nut, turn it in a quarter turn and retighten the lock nut.

That bolt controls how the band is applied. It needs to be adjusted every now and then. When you reach the limit of the adjustment, then it's rebuild time.

There's a torque setting to use, but you can look that up after the quarter turn trick works (well, if the quarter turn trick works).

-CTH

tjohnson · #6 02-18-2010, 01:50 PM

Thanks gentlemen. I filed that adjustment procedure this time! Ordered a new filter this morning and went out and cranked her up again. Engine is really lugged up, like it is under load in park. Runs great but just will not tach up. If I put it in drive really have to get down on the accelerator to make it move. Any ideas? Simply the shift linkage all out of wack?

tjohnson · #7 03-21-2010, 10:41 AM

Finally home and had a nice day to work on my 280 mystery. changed the shifter bushings according to my shop manual 9for calibrating) and got good positive selection. As i test drove the engine is still lugged down. I stopped and fiddled with the selector and actually felt the engine let go and she took right off, but felt like 2nd gear. drove down the road and never got a shift into 3rd, or back into 1st as it slowed down. this position on the selector was between park and reverse!again I moved the selector and felt the engine lug down and with full accelerator she barely moved. Wondering what do check next.....thanks for any advice

marcedesbenz · #8 03-22-2010, 09:08 AM

Almost sounds like a brake locked up or something, odd. How hard was it to change the bushings, I need to do mine? Thx

tjohnson · #9 03-22-2010, 11:22 AM

Looks like the safety start switch is not working, it starts in any gear and feels like it can't find "park". Starting while in park the car tries to move. I had hoped that changing the bushings and recalibrating the linkage would slove this. My plan is to check vacuum lines, modulator valve and see where that takes me. The bushings were easy to install. Found good info in the archieves. I removed the linkage/selector arm on tranny, greased new bushings and pressed in with a vice.

Tomguy · #10 03-22-2010, 03:58 PM

First step: Ensure your linkage is moving.
Second: Make sure it's RIGHT - Find reverse (parking brake on, wheels chocked, coil (-) terminal removed, key in "Run" position). Move the transmission gear selector until the backup lights go on. Assuming that they did previously and the switch was calibrated correctly, this is reverse. Make sure the gear selector is ON reverse and not Park, Neutral, or something else. It probably isn't by the sound of it.

tjohnson · #11 03-23-2010, 10:20 AM

Thanks Tomguy. I was patiently waiting for you to pick up on my posts! I will perform that ritual. My shop manual had me unhook linkage, put selector in neutral, put tranny in neutral, and adjust linkage accordingly, which I did. While unhooking the tranny lever to replace the bushing I noticed the shaft looked eat up, perhaps the arm is slipping on the shaft, we'll see......

bwostosh · #12 03-23-2010, 12:21 PM

Check the fronts and rear motor mounts before adjusting rod.

pchbreeze · #13 03-23-2010, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomguy

How to adjust the reverse band:

I don't mind a more firm shift and my shifting is slow but only when cold...how would a 1/2 turn work? It sounds like, as long as the bolt doesn't dead-end it'll just tighten things up.

Tomguy · #14 03-24-2010, 07:32 AM

That is the reverse band, I am fairly confident it has no effect on other gears - just reverse, and making it too tight would probably result in reverse never disengaging. Your vacuum modulator may be weak if you get sloppy or slow, jerky shifting.

tjohnson · #15 03-24-2010, 11:26 AM

Did the "reverse" calibration yesterday and she's still doing the same thing; engages in reverse but will not move, doesn't easily catch in "park', will move in forward gears but engine is lugged down.A couple of days ago after changing the linkage bushings, while test driving,I stopped and started from park and pulled it thru the gears. Between park and reverse I felt the engine "unlug" and drove down the road a couple of miles. It felt perfect except it felt like 2nd gear , would not shift to 3rd and no downshift. Tried to resimulate this yesterday to no avail. persistence will pay off..........