81 300SD.
Why does my car feel the need to shift TWICE before 25 mph?

And for those who helped with the black smoke (same car) I turned the ALDA 1 turn CW and the black smoke is all but gone.
Thanks!

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

If this car has a bowden cable, it is likely that it is mis-adjusted. Searcing on "Bowden cable" should get to a lot of threads and also tell you the correct direction of adjustment (CW or CCW) to move the shift points to higher RPM.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Tightening the bowden cable tension will delay your shifting until a higher RPM has been reached. Try one full turn at a time CCW when viewing the adjustment from the firewall towards the front of the engine. I just made this adjustment on my 300SD and now shifts perfectly!

John

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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
2002 F250 powerstroke with Plantdrive WVO conversion
1983 300SD 190K miles ,sold
2006 E320 CDI

The 81 has a Bowden Cable?
Photos would help, what it looks like and where it's located in the engine bay.

Thanks!
Ginny

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

My 82 w123 stack shifts also, unless I have my foot in it. I did the bowden cable adj also, and it still stack shifts under light acceration, unless the car is still cold.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

If somebody wants to put up a photo of this bowden cable, I'd sure love to see it, too. Thanks.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Wouldn't it be cool to have a section on "How to " videos of fairly simple repairs like this? If it was connected to YouTube like the other misc. video section is, that would really be helpful.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Here's a pic of the Bowden cable

Attached Thumbnails

 

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82 300SD 202K
82 300SD 233K
83 300TD 340K
82 300TD 98k euro (parts on the hoof)
85 300TD 282K
83 300TD 197K

Is it the reddish-brown thing, John?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Yes. That's the bellows that covers the cable. The adjustmant is behind the bracket at the front end of the shroud.

__________________
82 300SD 202K
82 300SD 233K
83 300TD 340K
82 300TD 98k euro (parts on the hoof)
85 300TD 282K
83 300TD 197K

Thanks. That's very helpful.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Mine was in 4th gear by 30 mph before I adjusted it. 1-2 shift was at about 5mph, 2-3 was at about 15-20mph and 3-4 at 30mph. Wound up turning the white collar on the Bowden cable about 8 turns towards the drivers side to get it to shift like it does now. It probably could use a turn or two back but I like it the way it is now.

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Sharing my partner's 2012 Forte 5dr SX til I find my next 123 or 126..
-
Do I miss being a service advisor ???

Does turning the collar adjust the RPMs for each shift or are there separate collars to adjust for each gear?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

adjusting that collar just adjusts tension on the cable that goes to the transmission. basically it tells it the way you are driving. if you notice when it is all the way tight and you pull the throttle linkage, it doesnt pull on the cable. the more you losen it the more it pulls the cable. this makes it so the transmission knows not to shift when you are giving it more throttle. It also controls the kick down solenoid.

That's what that thing is...works just like a barrel adjuster on a bicycle. Neat.

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)