Still driving the old girl (in winter no doubt) and still no end in sight for the transmission problem I have. The car (when cold, or sitting for more than an hour) will (in park or neutral) put itself into drive. I correct this by manually putting the shifter in drive and back into neutral and everything runs fine until I leave the car sitting a while again.

I have had the linkage checked and nothing can be found wrong with the linkages. I've had the fluid and filter changed and no excess dirt or metal pieces were found in my pan.

Some suggest it may be a computer related problem, but I didn't think I'd have a computer on a 1976 car.

I'm completely stumped, but I don't believe taking off the tranny and going inside will solve anything (but my bank account).

Any help will be appreciated.

AARON

1976 230 W115

Ford automatics had this problem in the seventies, leading to many law suits and at least one death. (Guy got out to raise his garage door and "Christine" ran him over.) Needless to say you gotta fix this before one of you gets hurt. Sounds like an internal valve sticking or a seal gone bad, I would check with a Mercedes dealer and see if there was a service bulletin for such a problem, they might be willing to fix it for less if is a known problem.

Well, it's getting cold and the problem has come back (it really didn't act up all summer) Wondering if anyone has any other ideas before I spend a ridiculous amount of money opening up the tranny.

Thanks,

AARON ROCHARD

1976 230 W115

Try draining the fluid (include converter) and refilling with Mobil 1 synthetic. It has lower viscosity cold, so may help if you have a stuck valve or crudded up passage (or corroded check ball, etc). It will also free up most of the scale and varnish, too. This, however, may "cure" the problem you have and change it to dead tranny -- always a risk with an old transmission that has been neglected.

I am assuming that the car drives forward, not that it is actually in gear and can be driven, shifting. If the tranny is just dragging, there are several causes. Actually engaging a driving range would be more likely a broken linkage to the control valve, and this can be checked while you have the pan off to change the filter. If it is loose or broken, it will be obvious. Could just be a loose pivot (I've seen this in a Torqueflite).

I'm not an expert on these trannys -- only own one, have never taken it apart -- but I do know that they can do strange things. My 220D would only upshift at minimum speed, even with the kickdown engaged, when I first got it. Driving it a lot finally made it work properly!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Thanks a lot ! Some good advice to give my mechanic when he gets around to looking at it. I just had it cleaned and flushed but with conventional ATF.

The car still drives forward, however, when it does this weird engaging into drive (while in Park or Neutral) it goes away after I put it in drive and then back into neutral and the car behaves as it should until it gets cold again.

I'll give the synthetic a try.

Aaron.

Last trip to the mechanic he had it lock up on him in reverse until he did as I did, to fix it. He is definitely sure it's an internal problem. Now to decide whether or not to rebuild or replace with another used one.

Aaron Rochard

1976 230 W115

Just re-read this thread. Bizarre!

Is the car a column or floor shift?

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

It's a floor shifter, the auto trans. selector is between the seats on the floor to my right. If you're talking about the kickdown solenoid, it is under the gas pedal (and has the plastic button on top of it has been broken for some time now).

Thanks,

AARON.