The back-up assist rods work just fine, they go up when in reverse and down when leaving reverse (and the pump runs only during the activation of the rods, then stops). It is ONLY when the transmission is put into a forward gear that the pump runs constantly at 2-3 second intervals until taken out of gear. Someone had mentioned a transmission vacuum control valve on an injection pump...does any of that make any sense to anyone. It makes sense in that it has to do with the transmission...where is this control valve? The central locking isn't functioning, but what would that have to do with putting the transmission into forward gear? I'm totally baffled.

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1996 SL320 97K miles
1996 C220 130k miles
1992 500SEL 170k miles <---sold
1986 300E 216k miles <---sold