banjo fitting & transmission shifting - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JMH · #1 05-15-2002, 07:24 AM

I have an '84 300D Turbo. For the 1+ year that I have had it, I have run it pretty hard, putting nearly 40,000 miles on it and have never had a breakdown or serious mechanical malfunction.... she's been a good one! I kept reading about banjo fittings and the need to keep it clean. So I took mine out this past weekend and sure enough, there was a black sludge that had it pretty much plugged up.... mind you I never had a complaint about acceleration! But it did slip a bit as it went from second to third gear.... I just figured it was age on the transmission. After cleaning the banjo fitting out, it now shifts with neck jerking motion through all the gears, with no slip. However, acceleration seems a bit SLOWER than before.... Is it coincidence or is there a link here? That is one part of the Benz that I have not tinkered with too much..... my quest now is to get that squared away and the defrost vents to stop leaking off my a/c from the main vents.... but that's another post!!

Any guidance much appreciated!

John Harrison
Grand Island, FL
84 300D Turbo

psfred · #2 05-15-2002, 07:32 PM

John:

You probably pulled a vacuum line off when cleaning the banjo bolt -- check all the rubber connectors and the hard plastic lines.

If you have AC going up the windshield, the green plastic lines are broken or leaking -- I belive the tranny lines are white in your car.

The transmission is vacuum modulated, so one problem could cause both symptoms.

You also need to check the plastic line from the banjo bolt to the switchover valve -- you may have filled it with crud by accident when you took it off! You could also have a leaking connector there, too, that would bleed off the boost pressure and give you less power.

Chances are you just pulled a line loose and didn't notice it.

The 2-3 flare is usually a sign of excessively worn frictions in the clutches on the tranny, alas.

Peter