I Have A 1982 240-d Manual 4 Speed. When I Shift Into Reverse The Gears Grind. The Gears Seem To Keep Spinning. It Doesn't Happen All The Time But Most Of The Time,so I've Gotten In A Habit On Shifting In Reverse Befor I Start Th Engine. Could My Shifter Be Out Of Wack. Is It Low On Trans Fluid. I Adjusted The Linkage And That Didn't Help. Please Help I Can't Knnp Shifting This Way, I'm Worried About The Trans.

Try putting the car into 2nd gear first and then, without lifing the clutch pedal, shift into reverse. You are using the synchronizers to slow the input shaft. I found this to work very well on my 240D. If the gears still grind, then it's possible the clutch is not releasing fully or the pilot bearing is bad(I doubt it). Good luck.

Yup. On the BMW I use 3rd or 4th, but it shouldn't really matter which gear you use. Keep in mind that reverse is unsynchronized.

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1976 BMW 2002- 100k
1995 BMW 325i 175k
1984 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbo Diesel- 270,000 mi

1981 Mercedes Benz 240D- Estimated 300,000+ mi Returned to the earth

I agree. I quickly learned that trick after I got my manual tranny.

it also could be a pressure plate finger worn through. when they begin to break off the clutch wont ever fully disengage.

had that on one of mine

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Reverse sits on its own shaft (counter-shaft), which likely stops spinning altogether in forward gear after the lubricant warms, but tends to slowly spin when first starting the car, so, as John & other's said, without a synchronizing ring&gear, trying to go into reverse with the counter-shaft spinning, you get some grinding. If John's trick of going into 2nd with the clutch in & then keeping pedal depressed as you go to reverse works, go wiith that. Another thing that might work is to just hold the pedal in and the transmission main shaft should stop it's slow rotation, which is what is basically driving the reverse gears (counter-) shaft.

Thanks alot. I'm going to try it and get back late tonight. Thanks again

does anyone think changeing the trans fluid would help. I don't know when it was changed last . I've had it for only 2 yrs. are there any vacume valves on a manual trans that could be effecting it. Is the only way to permanently fix it to change the clutch. someone said. Thanks, I'm fishing for ideas

It will not help the "clunk" (what I call it, it is not quite a "grind" on my 5 speed), but changing the fluid to Mobil 1 10w30 has made huge differences in smoothness and cold weather shifting...

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Fantom71 aka Dale
Madison, AL

91 190E 2.6 5 speed 220k miles and this car still scoots!

My 240 is the smoothest shifting tranny I've ever owned.

Cheers,

Bill

a count of one second or two should get the gear stopped enough for a smooth shift.

if it doesnt you have a clutch dragging a bit, imho.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Thanks alot.

Same thing with mine 2, i always shift it into 3rd then reverse. Reverse is a weak gear, as you all can tell. so either wait for ever then shift into reverse or just shift into 3rd then reverse... works great

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1983 Euro 240D 277K
2016 Mazda 6
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Every German manual I have ever owned (have never owned an MB manual) was that way. They just don't like reverse, I think. I always went into 2nd then reverse. Then I got into the habit of 2nd before going into 1st on my VW Golf for the same reason (tranny's "reluctance" to go into 1st). All the Japs I've owned have had smooth as silk trannys. Too bad you can't take the best of what each has to offer.

My wife's 1969 VW Beetle has never had that kind of problem. It is always put into reverse after starting, to back out of the garage. Can't ever remember gears grinding. Definitely grinds if you try to shift into first or reverse before the vehicle has come to a complete stop, however.

Similarly, my BMW motorcycles never had that problem. Then again, they didn't have a reverse gear, either. I think the R69S was available with 3 speeds and reverse for sidecar use but I've never met an owner.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970