Is it shifting twice through three gears, or shifting three times through four gears?

You should be getting three shifts through four gears, with first gear being quite low and short. If not, you are probably starting in second gear, which is probably a transmission modulator problem.

Your kickdown problem could be the linkage, the switch, the wire to the tranmission, or the solenoid in the transmission.

- when you put the pedal to the metal, is the switch engaging?
- if so, is it functioning (continuity check)?
- if so, is the solenoid engaging?

__________________
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