Well, just got a new SD, and on the way home the cruise control actually worked! But now, a few drives later, it doesn't, and the odometer has stopped at the same time. Searched, but didn't get anything on the linked problems, I have found what looks to be a broken wire at the tranny crossbrace that seems like it should hook to a screw that would be the ground, with the electric speedos that the SD's have could one broken wire cause both problems at once?

P.S. the engine had a really horrible shake because of a too low idle speed, raised the idle a little and it smoothed out tremendously, that's probobly the cause of the wire break....pics to come....

Well it doesnt seem to be that wire, but still curious what it goes to. It is green, real small gauge, and hooks to the tranny itself with a small screw on the passenger side after running along the crossbrace at the back of the tranny from the driver side, and it's in a thicker black cover, reconnected it but haven't noticed any thing working that wasn't before...

bumping

C'mon, somebody's got to know what that wire does...enquiring mind want to know!

The wiring diagram shows a green wire from the kickdown switch to the kickdown solenoid. The solenoid should be just behind the right, rear corner of the transmission pan.
The solid state speedometer sends a speed input to the cruise control amplifier.

In that case, one wire could cause both speedo and cruise to fail simultaneously.

On a similar fault, My '84 300D has working cruise (well sometimes, when the temperature is not too hot or cold) When it works, it is great at 80- 120km/h, but at less than 80 km/h, especially when the car has run for less than 1/2 hour, the speedo needle tends to vary significantly. This causes the cruise to shutoff. Cruise can be reinstated, but it is a pain having to reset the cruise every 2-3 minutes, if I wish to cruise at 75-80 km/h.

OK, OK, no-one in USA drives THAT slow do they

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Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.