FS: 1983 240D with Cold A/C in Orlando, FL -- Too expensive to ship it to me in WA. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jkoebel · #1 07-21-2009, 08:35 PM

Sold! Thanks everyone.

jkoebel · #2 08-05-2009, 12:08 AM

Still available! Don't hesitate to contact me via PM with any questions at all.

Ken300D · #3 08-05-2009, 05:27 PM

How much information do you have on where the car has been owned and/or driven?

Has it been a southern car all its life? Florida?

This typically makes a huge difference with the rust situation (as well as the interior fading-to-pink situation) etc.

Have you ever pulled a CarFax, or better, an AutoCheck on the car?

Thanks,
Ken300D

jkoebel · #4 08-06-2009, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken300D

How much information do you have on where the car has been owned and/or driven?

Has it been a southern car all its life? Florida?

This typically makes a huge difference with the rust situation (as well as the interior fading-to-pink situation) etc.

Have you ever pulled a CarFax, or better, an AutoCheck on the car?

Thanks,
Ken300D

You know, I haven't done a CarFax on it ever. But I have service records (in the photos on Picasaweb) going back to 1983 from a shop in Florida, which backs up the previous owner's assertion it was a Florida car all its life. There's no rust except for the spot on the floor pan.

I can run a CarFax on it if that's important, I suppose.

jkoebel · #5 08-13-2009, 01:14 AM

The VIN is WDBAB23A4DB394108 for anyone interested.

MercFan · #6 09-04-2009, 12:54 AM

Is this car still available then?!

jkoebel · #7 09-06-2009, 01:57 AM

Okay, update. Apparently it won't shift out of first now. So....make an offer with that in mind and I'll probably get rid of it.

It's got a great running engine, the transmission is probably just in need of an adjustment/new spring kit, the A/C works well, many new parts. But apparently only likes first gear now.

Grr.

Corrected (vacuum line) as of 11/24

Brandon_SLC · #8 09-06-2009, 01:34 PM

Have a lot of people been test driving it?

I wonder how far it would have gone before the tranny issue on a cross country trip.

I Can answer my own question. There's actually no way to know.

Sometimes long distance freeway driving won't trigger a first gear stuckage problem because it's almost all done in 4th gear. And vice a verse. Sometimes the extra heat generated by long distance freeway driving, especially climbing steep mountain grades, can trigger a problem that would not have shown up driving in town.

Could the problem with your car be caused by a broken kick down switch?

jkoebel · #9 09-06-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_SLC

Have a lot of people been test driving it?

I wonder how far it would have gone before the tranny issue on a cross country trip.

I Can answer my own question. There's actually no way to know.

Sometimes long distance freeway driving won't trigger a first gear stuckage problem because it's almost all done in 4th gear. And vice a verse. Sometimes the extra heat generated by long distance freeway driving, especially climbing steep mountain grades, can trigger a problem that would not have shown up driving in town.

Could the problem with your car be caused by a broken kick down switch?

Certainly could be. It's had....a half-dozen different test drivers, at least. It seems to have cropped up out of nowhere -- my dad takes it out periodically to keep everything going, then I had a test drive, and the driver reported it wouldn't shift out of first. Was the first I'd heard of transmission issues till that point.

Its shift points were a little messed up already due to vacuum issues that I didn't have time to get sorted out, it could be related to that as well.

This '83 tranny doesn't have a kickdown cable, it's electronic. It could be bad, certainly, but I (unless it's stuck in kickdown mode) don't see that being the issue.

Brandon_SLC · #10 09-06-2009, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkoebel

Certainly could be. It's had....a half-dozen different test drivers, at least. It seems to have cropped up out of nowhere -- my dad takes it out periodically to keep everything going, then I had a test drive, and the driver reported it wouldn't shift out of first. Was the first I'd heard of transmission issues till that point.

Its shift points were a little messed up already due to vacuum issues that I didn't have time to get sorted out, it could be related to that as well.

This '83 tranny doesn't have a kickdown cable, it's electronic. It could be bad, certainly, but I (unless it's stuck in kickdown mode) don't see that being the issue.

I mentioned it because I've heard of it happening before, but I can't recall the year of the car. Seems like it might have been a 126 300SD though.

Brandon_SLC · #11 09-06-2009, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_SLC

I mentioned it because I've heard of it happening before, but I can't recall the year of the car. Seems like it might have been a 126 300SD though.

Here's the thread I remembered.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=250268&highlight=300sd+shift+kickdown

kingdoc1 · #12 09-06-2009, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkoebel

Okay, update. Apparently it won't shift out of first now. So....make an offer with that in mind and I'll probably get rid of it.

It's got a great running engine, the transmission is probably just in need of an adjustment/new spring kit, the A/C works well, many new parts. But apparently only likes first gear now.

Grr.

Don't get discouraged so quickly, the symptoms you describe sound like a vacuum line fell off, or the kickdown switch is stuck.

As bad as it may sound, a dishonest potential buyer with a little MB knowledge could have even disconnected a vacuum line deliberately after a test drive, hoping to buy the car later for next to nothing because you might assume the trans, is shot.

Get it checked out by someone who knows MB's before you give the car away.

daw_two · #13 10-01-2009, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkoebel

Okay, update. Apparently it won't shift out of first now. So....make an offer with that in mind and I'll probably get rid of it.

It's got a great running engine, the transmission is probably just in need of an adjustment/new spring kit, the A/C works well, many new parts. But apparently only likes first gear now.

Grr.

Will it shift out of first if you get it up to 5300 rpm? I had this issue on my first 300D --- it was a stuck kickdown button (switch) behind the pedal. disconnected it and greased it up and it was good to go.

jkoebel · #14 11-11-2009, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daw_two

Will it shift out of first if you get it up to 5300 rpm? I had this issue on my first 300D --- it was a stuck kickdown button (switch) behind the pedal. disconnected it and greased it up and it was good to go.

edit Transmission fixed: vacuum line was disconnected, I couldn't diagnose that without seeing it obviously. Now I am back in FL and fixed it in person.

jkoebel · #15 09-08-2009, 12:25 AM

Interesting. I'll ask my dad to take a look at the switch and see if the situation improves.