I bought this 190D a couple of days ago for $1400, not a bad deal I thought. The test drive with in the middle of Portland so I didn't break 35mph and thus I didn't get any further than 3rd gear (an act of stupidity I know). So on the drive home I get on the freeway and notice that if I go to 65mph I am headed for a bit under 4k rpms, oops.

So things I have tried:

• Adjusting the bowden cable and even disconnecting it. No dice, shifts 1-2-3 really fast but still no fourth

• Disconnected tranny Vac lines. Nope, just shifts really hard not suprisingly

• Checked kickdown solenoid and ensured it wasn't stuck on (it wasn't)

• Pulled the pan and replaced fluid and filter. No change

When I pulled the pan I strained the fluid through a coffee filter and there was NOTHING in it. No fibers, metal, nada. The fluid itself didn't look to bad either but definitely had not been changed recently. The transmission shifts great in the first 3 gears and reverse, just no fourth :-(

As for the car itself, it wasn't too bad a deal for $1400. Great interior, working AC, working Antenna, doorlocks, windows, sunroof. Paint is in good condition for silver with a bit of bubbled clearcoat on the sunroof. It had all of its receipts and records and the engine was replaced about 10k ago (it has 201k on the body).

So any ideas on other things I can try for the transmission?

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'84 190d 2.2 - Silver
Converted to 5-Speed
'84 190d 2.2 - Blue
Factory 5-Speed

'76 300D (W115)
Sold, found again in less auspicious circumstances