I recently aquired an 85 190D with 212k miles from my brother for pretty cheap. Gem of a car for being 22 years old with the exception of a transmission issue.

It appears to be missing 2nd gear...

When accelerating from a stop (with the shift lever in D) it will shift from 1st directly to 4th. It is hard to tell if it hits 3rd on the way to 4th. If the shifter is in 3 it will shift to 3rd. The shift occurs between 3500 and 4500 rpm, depending on the throttle position.

If I'm idling along slowly in 1st gear (with lever in 3) sometimes it will act as if it's in neutral (I'm assuming it is in 2nd) until the engine rpm gets to around 3000-3500 rpm.

If I drop the shifter into 2 when decelerating slowly the car will act as if it's in neutral as I can freely rev the engine without any change in speed.

Any ideas of a 'cheap' or easy fix for this? I would really like to not drop $1700-2300 (guestimate from the local MB dealer for a tranny rebuild) into this car if I can at all help it.

Thanks!

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85 190D w/Auto and 212k miles

Additional info:

In driving home from work I noticed that it does in fact shift into 3rd and then into 4th really quickly when accelerating when the shift lever is in D

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85 190D w/Auto and 212k miles

While waiting for someone who actually knows what they're talking about, do a search for vacuum issues related to transmissions, and the bowden cable.

Should give you some things to play with in the meantime.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

Oh yeah....the above is probably only a 5% likelihood if you follow the instructions of the members here, search a lot, read even more, and be willing to learn.

My 82 300SD was bought cheap with "tranny issues" that required very little of my time, but a lot of research and reading.

Oh yeah....$0 worth of parts to have it shift like new.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

Thanks for the suggestions, they definately gave us a lot of variables to tinker around with on these cars.

I finally found the ATSG manual that came with the car and low and behold my issue is listed under Trouble Shooting...

Complaint:
2nd speed slips or transmission shifts from 1st to 3rd.

Cause/Remedy:
1. Check contol slide B1 for easy operation and exchange shift valve housing, if required.
2. Remove and install brake band piston B1, check lip sealing ring and renew, if required.
3. Renew brake band B1 and thrust body for B1.


NEW QUESTION: Can any of the above be done with the transmission still in the vehicle? I'm guessing #3 can't but what about 1 and 2?

Thanks,
Mike

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85 190D w/Auto and 212k miles

I dealing with the same animal. I resently bought a 1985 190d with 140k and tranny issues: No fourth gear. I'm doing the same research, but still no luck. I studying the ATSG repair manual, but want further explainations. When they explain testing the pressures of the internal hydrualics, they assume that the reader knows where to find the pressure values. They refer to "tables" and leave it at that.

Any info you can pass along would be helpful.

Troy