on my 87' i have some trans issues. ill start at the beginning.

about a month or 2 ago in an effort to fix a persistant trans leak i changed the pan gasket. that didnt help, next i changed the trans pan (new not used thought the old may be a bit worped causing the leak) no suck luck. i also changed the crush washed on the AT kickdown solenoid as it appeared saturated as well as the 2 dry orings on the AT kickdown. after which i noticed the trans flaired a bit more then i remembered. after checking the fluid and driving a bit i figured fluid level wasnt the issue (oh and my leak was still there, more on that in a min) drove it and the issue came n went, i read the forum looking for answers and couldnt find what whould help.

last tuesday while driving home on the expressway my revs were shooting way high but it would'nt upshift. very erratic... got off expressway, took sideroads to get it to a MB specialist i had heard of near where i was but hadnt tried. lots of good things said about him.. a day or 2 later i get my car back. he replaced the B2 seal (source of the leak), the vac modulator (source he said of new found shifting issue as it wouldnt hold vac). replaced my NSS (a unrealated issue that i just said ok might as well seeing as i knew it needed to be done anyways as car wouldnt start from park) and lastly i had him install motor mounts (i had bought those and hadnt done them yet, once again, oh why not its already there). total came to $488 for parts and labor (90/hour and less the motormounts i bought and had in trunk) car ran fine a few days no issues.

then last night it started up again so this morning i brought it back. was told new modulator was "adjusted all the way out" for shift softness as most likely with the age and miles (244k) my clutches are shot and debris in valve body, he can clean valvebody but given the mileage and his experience i most likely need a rebuild and im just trowing money away on temp solutions for an internal problem... so hes gonna build up a quote and get back to me.....

after reading the forums and looking aroud online for rebuild kits im thinking i may tackle this myself. questions to you all is

HAS ANYONE HERE ACTUALLY DONE IT?
What 'SPECIAL' tools will i need.
Is there a DIY on the forum as I havent found it yet?
Anyone have the ATSG manual I can borrow/rent/buy I found it on their website for $30

Thanks.

PS i will double check vac connections and from what i read on another post to be sure the switch under my pedel isnt stuck/broken... any other ideas?

__________________
1987 300SDL "Rudolf" 239k 8/10


Gone but not forgotten
-1980 F250 4X4 351C Snowplow "The Beast"
-1976 Caddy Eldo Convertible, in triple red. "Red headed Slut"
-2002 Honda Accord EX-V6 loaded 107k, My first brand new car!


*IM A HORRIBLE SPELLER*

Shop just called and quoted me $2400 for parts and labor and about 4 days time to remove, rebuild and reinstall my trans

seriously considering doing this myself. A member here was ncie enough to email me a PDF of the rebuild manual. anyone have any of the special tools i can borrow?

__________________
1987 300SDL "Rudolf" 239k 8/10


Gone but not forgotten
-1980 F250 4X4 351C Snowplow "The Beast"
-1976 Caddy Eldo Convertible, in triple red. "Red headed Slut"
-2002 Honda Accord EX-V6 loaded 107k, My first brand new car!


*IM A HORRIBLE SPELLER*

Ok, this issue is intermitant now so im thinking its vac related...

at idle from the engine vac pump i have 21-22" going into the VCV
comming out of the VCV to the BFS i have 20-21"
on the TRA port at the is 7"
all other (both bottom) vac lines read 0" at both idle and while reving/throttle open.

while driving and T'ing in the TRA line on the BFS i get 7" at idle and decreses to 0" once i accelorate. i had my cruse controll on at 50mph and it looked to register about 1.5-2" vac.

i got it to flare a bit intermitantly but not as bad as it was. took it to another MB guy for a second opinion, says he can swap in a used but known good one to save me some money will be getting me a price tomorrow.

Any insite from anyone?

__________________
1987 300SDL "Rudolf" 239k 8/10


Gone but not forgotten
-1980 F250 4X4 351C Snowplow "The Beast"
-1976 Caddy Eldo Convertible, in triple red. "Red headed Slut"
-2002 Honda Accord EX-V6 loaded 107k, My first brand new car!


*IM A HORRIBLE SPELLER*

__________________
Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

The tools are a few hundred online, just look around.

Also, you can find rebuilt units ready to go for about $1100-1300 + whatever installation runs you. The price of $2400 is comical at best for a very simple transmission.

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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]

Not enough vacuum causes jerky shifts and too much vacuum causes flaring. Not enough vacuum and flaring seems like unrelated issues but I'd tackle the vacuum side first since. You don't have to take your car off the road while you diagnose and there's no point running a rebuilt tranny with a faulty vacuum system.

Sixto
87 300D

Oh, try bypassing the BFS. Run a line from the VSV output directly to the modulator keeping at least one damper (green cylinder) inline.

Sixto
87 300D

I had problem upshifting. See below my findings - hope it helps!!

"My problem was that my car (1987 300SDL) only goes into 3d and 4th under high rpm. Car starts O.K in 2nd and reverse is also fine.By switching to neutral and back to 3d, the car shifts into gear and drives effortlessly
The work done was:

- Rebuilt and cleaned valve body. (The two screens were clean)

- Removed and checked Governor

- Resealed Kick-down solenoid and checked."

This happened last Qctober and no transmission issues to date. Complete link is :

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=289566

If it takes a shop with proper tools, eight hours to R&R a trans like this, something is wrong.

__________________
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]

yes at $90 per hour the labor charges add up. i havent gotten back out to check more on the vac.

eliminate the BFS is somthing im probobly going to do anyway... the less leaking vacuum **** under the hood the better. most of the connections are brittle any probobly leak anyways... what was designed for anyways if it can shift fine without it? does it have sometihng to do with the polution stuff and the ALDA... my ALDA and EGR are long gone anyways

__________________
1987 300SDL "Rudolf" 239k 8/10


Gone but not forgotten
-1980 F250 4X4 351C Snowplow "The Beast"
-1976 Caddy Eldo Convertible, in triple red. "Red headed Slut"
-2002 Honda Accord EX-V6 loaded 107k, My first brand new car!


*IM A HORRIBLE SPELLER*

there also rebuilding my current unit, the guy they use for rebuild have none in stock so mine will be removed, rebuilt, and reinstalled. im currently "shopping" around to find one rebuilt so if thats the end determination i know where to get it at.

im thinking in any event im going to remove and reinstall... not sure if ill tackle the rebuild on the existing, i think id be more comfortible buying a core unit and rebuilding that incase i run into problems im not totally effed'

__________________
1987 300SDL "Rudolf" 239k 8/10


Gone but not forgotten
-1980 F250 4X4 351C Snowplow "The Beast"
-1976 Caddy Eldo Convertible, in triple red. "Red headed Slut"
-2002 Honda Accord EX-V6 loaded 107k, My first brand new car!


*IM A HORRIBLE SPELLER*

I know VCV as Vacuum Control Valve but what is the BFS?
Thanks

Blue Flying Saucer

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff