Hello All

Thankyou upfront for any help you can give.
I have a 1984 Mercedes 300SD with round 199,000 miles on it.
Here is the problems:
1. The engine wont shutoff by the key switch.
2. Brakes require lots of pressure to engage.
3. Power locks not working.
Is this indicitive of a vacuum pump failure? I have'nt gotten a repait manual yet, but Im thinking its the vacuum pump. What do you think?
Next problem:
1. Really sluggish in 1st gear or reverse.
2. Have to really push the gas to get transmission to shift into 2cd gear, can see RPM spike just before shift. Once I get up speed it runs fine and shifts normal.
Any idea's on this one?

Thanks for your help
Newbie from New Mexico

You may have a vacuum leak or a bad pump, the transmission problems are caused by vacuum problems. The trans is shifted by vacuum.

the vaccume controls the shift firmness.
if 1st is slow, I would think you have engine problems.
to tell if it is vacumme pump or not, just disconnect the large vacumme hose from everything and test for vacuume with your thumb at the hose with the engine running. if you get no vacumme with everything disconnected, it's the pump, if you get vaccumme, you will need to start eliminating leaks, section by section.
John

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