First Gear Start 1979
 

Any links to the early non turbo Diesels starting off in second gear ? .

A guy I know insists all Mercedes four speed automatics start off in first gear, anyone who's owned one knows better .

TIA,

Don't tell him...you'll know something he doesn't ��

That wasn't helpful, he passed that stage .

From The Owner's Booklet
 

Okay ;

I'm trying to scan the pertinent page of the 1979 Mercedes' 300TD owner's manual P.45

It says " "D"

Drive all gears are available, 1st gear can only be engaged by means of kickdown .

Position "D" affords optimum driving characteristics under all normal operating condition ."

3 speed starts in 1st. 4 speed starts in 2nd. You can make it start in 1st by shifting to L then back to D when parked then it'll start in 1st.

Thanx .

I shared the driver's manual info with him, we'll see what happens next .

I wasn't aware any W123's came with three speed automatics .

Tap Dancing
 

Nope ~ he now understands how it works but still refuses to say "I was wrong" .

They did not.

The 722.0 was used with V8s, was essentially the same box as the 722.1 & 722.2 (four speeds), but with a valve body that disabled 1st gear. Hence, it was referred to as a "three-speed"; 2nd, 3rd, & 4th.

Thanx Frank ~ :)

my '79 starts in 2nd

I know this is a request relative to MY1979, but is there a listing of years/models that do/don’t have this? At least in theory as they were delivered.

None of my w123/124/126 cars do this.

I’m buying a 190D and the owner had his AT modified for 1st gear start, so obviously some of those did….

Mid 1981 model year was when first gear starts began .

What is the other purpose of first gear?

The idea was to reduce fuel consumption as W123 Diesels were being sold to the upper class as economy cars, the price of Diesel fuel then was less than half of gasoline in the U.S.A. .

Apparently you've never driven one then as it does indeed start off in second gear make no mistake .

I had several of these and shifting into L for a moment whilst waiting for the red light started them off in first gear, you're correct in that they up shifted *very* quickly, within 30 feet or so but every little bit helped.