2nd gear on incline - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pdxman · #1 06-14-2003, 12:06 AM

I have a '79 240D automatic. For some time now it seems to not drop into 1st gear climbing the slight incline out my 100 yd driveway. At the very point I crest the hump of the driveway though(a level area) the car picks up its revolutions and drives normally. Going up this incline (its not steep at all) the car lugs terribly and would say it only makes 2 mph and very low rpms. This leads me to think it is in a higher gear and not dropping down to 1st even though I am pressing against the kick down switch under the accerator pedal. I have gradually fixed basic things that may have contributed but no luck so far. Things I have done are:

New filters, fuel lines, bench tested injectors, tranny fluid change/filter, regular oil/filter changes, etc...

Any ideas?

Thanks

psfred · #2 06-14-2003, 10:56 AM

Try starting off in 2 rather than D and see if that helps -- the tranny should stay in 1st. I know it will start in first in L or 1.

Check to see, also, if you get downshifts at speed with the kickdown switch -- you may have a bad switch or loose or missing wire. Or the solenoid in the trannny may be bad.

You may also have an improperly adjusted bowden cable from the throttle linkage to the tranny. The cable should be just all the way into the housing with no tension with the throttle closed, and extend all the way with the throttle all the way open. If too loose, it will allow the tranny to upshift too soon.

If you are also having very hard shifts, check the vac lines for the tranny control -- a leak here will cause shifting problems too.

Peter

pdxman · #3 06-14-2003, 04:07 PM

Thanks Peter. Actually, under other conditions other than starting from a dead stop and going up an incline, the car shifts beautifully for i't 230K miles. The kickdown switch works as it should except for this scenerio. The bowden cable sounds like my most likely cause and will check the tension as you describe.

Thanks again.