I HAVE A 1978 300D, I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH REVERSE. ALL 4 FORWARD GEARS WORK FINE, BUT REVERSE SLIPS VERY BAD. IT WILL BARELY MOVE THE CAR. EVEN IF YOU FLOOR THE PEDAL THE CAR STILL BARELY MOVES. I MIGHT ADD THE CAR HAS 380,000 MILES ON IT. EVERYTHING ELSE WORKS GREAT, AND LOOKS GOOD. MY QUESTION IS THIS, IS THERE AN EXTERNAL ADJUSTMENT FOR REVERSE, TO TIGHTEN UP THE REVERSE BAND TO MAKE REVERSE WORK AGAIN, AND ON WHAT SIDE OF TRANS WOULD I FIND THE ADLUSTMENT? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
KNUKELBUSTER

Yes.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

You can buy a new manual for your transmission from ATSG for about $20 and then you can be as smart as these techs. But first you need to know what type of transmission you have( I believe you have a W4B025) but that does you no good. You need the Mercedes # Here is where to find it: On PASS side of trans. right above the oil pan near the front, just behind the dipstick tube, you will see some very small numbers. Get a rag and wipe them so you can easily read them. What you are looking for in the middle of all these numbers is: something like 722.301 You need the 722.3, etc to go to ATSG website. I aploogize but the only way I know how to tell you the link is to type it out, sorry.
http://atsg.biz/cgi-local/shop.pl/page=estore.html/sid=put-sid-here

If you scroll down to the bottom, there is a search feature, you enter the number you found, say 722.3(drop the last two decimals) and add Mercedes. The search will bring up the correct manual, mine was $20. I saw some idiot on Ebay bid that manual up to $61 when he could buy it new for $20. If I didn't get the link right, you can find your transmission number in the meantime and email me later. When my son, the computer whiz gets up. I'll have him post it so you can just click on it. Hope this helps.

You have a 722.1 trans.

The reason I didn't describe the adjustment is that with the amount of miles you have the band is likely to be worn out or has been adjusted before. As the band wears out the adjustment gets touchy.

I have had it happen twice myself. If the band is too tight (easily accomplished on worn band) the thing self energizes like a set of brake shoes putting the car in two gears at once which locks it solid. It didn't hurt anything on the two I dealt with but it was a scary event and if done at higher speeds could have been disasterous.

Basically you tighten the band bolt to a torque and back it off a certain amount.

BTW the ATSG books are well worth the money. Better in many ways to MB info.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Steve, do you know if a 722.301 trans from a '81 380sel will fit into a '84 300 turbo? The decimal after the .1 is different. Will it bolt up to the 5cyl. diesel? The length the same? Anywhere I can check this out so I don't give someone a trans. that won't fit. Thanks, Steve.