I have two 300D, N/A 'euro' both are 1980 and each does it differently!

The very slightly older car starts in first, the slightly younger in second, then jumps to first with even the slightest accelerator pressure--I thought there may have been a fault though in the vac. circuit/modulator, but never really did anything about it....

Not sure exactly which trans. each car has, but guessing early .3

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http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...0TDnoplate.jpg

Alastair AKA H.C.II South Wales, U.K. based member

W123, 1985 300TD Wagon, 256K,
-Most recent M.B. purchase, Cost-a-plenty, Gulps BioDiesel extravagantly, and I love it like an old dog.

W114, 1975 280E Custard Yellow,
-Great above decks needs chassis welding--Really will do it this year....

I've confirmed now that unless under heavy acceleration it is 2-3-4. If I put the pedal to the floor from a standstill it will do the 2-1-2-3-4 pattern.

For me the transition is not subtle, but I am not ruling out further bowden cable adjustments as a remedy if in fact the easy 2-1-2-3-4 is ideal.

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This area is typically used to brag about one's current or former automobiles.

I voted always, but let me explain.
The CD has a 722.315 and has started in first since I've owned it.
The SD has a 722.303 and NOW starts in first after I adjusted the ALDA.
I use "the number of upshifts" method to determine this. Prior to the ALDA adjustment the SD never started in first, that I recall.

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83 SD

84 CD

My 10/84 build SD sits at a dead stop in 2nd gear (whether foot on the brake or not), manually shifted into 2 it will sit in 1st gear at a dead stop (foot on brake, if not it will slowly creep down the road).

The slightest bit of throttle input and the car will roll out in first.

2-1-2-3-4 is the shift pattern. My SDL is always 1-2-3-4.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

How about this as a definitive test:

1) Remove the Bowden cable from the throttle linkage. Drive it and count the shifts. If there are two shifts, we conclude that the vehicle normally operates as 2-1-2-3-4. There isn't any other possibility..........agreed?

I just went out and drove my car again. Sometimes it'll feel like a 2-3-4 progression if the 1-2 shift occurs at a low speed. At low speed, the vacuum makes the 1-2 shift so smooth that you can barely feel it and for those of you with working tachometers, you may notice that the rpms will barely drop during that 1-2 shift.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

My '85 300D (W123, OM617) always starts in 1st gear. Then again, it has a 722.416 transmission so it doesn't really qualify for the poll. Did Mercedes change transmissions mid-year 1985 or is the poll incorrectly written (should it be '81 to '84?).

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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

There is one other possibility-kickdown switch actuation. If everything is operating as designed, there is no way (except for kickdown switch actuation) for the transmission to downshift from second gear (D or 3/S selected) if the regulator valve plunger is in the fully extended position, as would be the case with no pressure on the narrow pedal or with the cable disconnected. Downshift to first would be hydraulically prevented.

Agreed............I'll try it with 1/2 pedal...........to be sure the kickdown switch is not engaged.

Mine always starts in first. After reading the poll question, I confirmed it the last two days in a row. I end up stopped at the light coming off the hill where I live, just about every morning.

Taking off downhill under very light throttle (making a left turn) I shifted the lever to 1st the last two mornings and... nothing. It didn't downshift because it was already in first. I have done this taking off from a dead stop under various circumstances the last two days and it is 100% consistent - it always starts in 1st gear.

If I do a rolling stop (i.e. the light changes while I'm still coming to a stop) and accelerate, it will stay in 2nd gear only if my rolling speed is above 5 miles per hour and only if I apply the accelerator lightly. More than about 1/3 pedal from a rolling stop and it will drop down to 1st anywhere up to around 10 mph. Above 10 mph I have to mash it more than half throttle to get it to drop into first.

I can't see anything about how it shifts that I would change. It seems to be shifting about perfectly to me...

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1984 300 Coupe TurboDiesel
Silver blue paint over navy blue interior
2nd owner & 2nd engine in an otherwise
99% original unmolested car
~210k miles on the clock

1986 Ford F250 4x4 Supercab
Charcoal & blue two tone paint over burgundy interior
Banks turbo, DRW, ZF-5 & SMF conversion
152k on the clock - actual mileage unknown

I believe that my 240D rests in second, starts in first. My 300Ds all rest/start in first.

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

To honestly confirm a first or second gear start, it would be necessary to start downhill with no throttle. At about 10 mph, downshift to first and see if you get a 2-1.

The theory is that the slightest touch of throttle causes the 2-1 and you cannot feel the shift.

83 300D turbo
I counted 3 shifts getting up to 65 mph everytime I watched it so mine defintely starts in 1st. This is from a standstill, not mashing the pedal. I can hear the 3 shifts, as well as see the 3 shifts on the tach.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Counting three upshifts most definitely does not prove that you started in first. It only proves that you were in first at some point after moving off. If you are, in fact, starting in first, your Bowden cable is probably adjusted too tight.

Unless I have it wrong but it is a 4 spd automatic? 1st shift engages 2nd gear, 2nd shift engages 3rd gear, 3rd shift engages 4th gear. All the shifts were upshifts. What other gear could it have started from other than 1st?

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked