I noticed today that my Dad's 90 300sel is getting stuck in 1st or 2nd gear. I understand that this car starts in 2nd gear...well it will start and stay in this gear. The car is turning over 4000rpm at about 35-40mph and will not release up to the next gear. For a moment or so(sometimes)it will switch to next gear and then a moment later downshift again to the 2nd gear...Once today it went to third gear and then the tranny let go as if a clutch was engaged then came back to 2nd gear. Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts as to what is going on with the car.
Thanks,
rob

__________________
Rob Armstrong, Charlotte, NC
Mountain Island Lake
RobAinCLTNC@hotmail.com

2004 VW Passat GLS TDI-50k
2006 Honda Odyssey EX-L 7k
FOR SALE 1991 300TE 228k

2003 Subaru Outback 57k Silver/Black-SOLD
2005 C230K 18k Pewter/Grey-SOLD
1997 E420 108k Black/Grey-SOLD
1986 560sl 200k Black/Palimino-SOLD
1985 300sd 340k-SOLD
1979 240d 170k-SOLD
2000 Volvo V70XC-POS couldn't sell fast enough

I could be wrong, but this does not sound like a simple control pressure adjustment. I would not sit on this too long. Have it checked by a compentent tech who knows MBZ transmissions. Could be a number of different things. Of course, the ATF level is OK?? Start there..

__________________
Jeff Lawrence
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE
No matter what you fix, there will always be something else to fix..
"Warranty" is just another way of postponing the inevitable.

Hi Jeff,
Yep, Everything looks fine at the ATF guage. I plan on taking it to a tech on Monday. I was wondering what all it could be. I noticed that the economy guage was a little eratic. It appears to work as it should when you press the accelerator..but then out of nowhere when the car is at idle it will go from no economy(or vaccum i guess) to half the way on the guage. This seems a little strange to me. It does make me think if it is related that there may be a vaccum problem.
Any advice?
My Dad just purchased this car 4 days ago. He got a super deal on it..but it looks as if he may have to put some $ back into it. Do you know anything about this model?
Thanks,

Rob Armstrong, Charlotte, NC

__________________
Rob Armstrong, Charlotte, NC
Mountain Island Lake
RobAinCLTNC@hotmail.com

2004 VW Passat GLS TDI-50k
2006 Honda Odyssey EX-L 7k
FOR SALE 1991 300TE 228k

2003 Subaru Outback 57k Silver/Black-SOLD
2005 C230K 18k Pewter/Grey-SOLD
1997 E420 108k Black/Grey-SOLD
1986 560sl 200k Black/Palimino-SOLD
1985 300sd 340k-SOLD
1979 240d 170k-SOLD
2000 Volvo V70XC-POS couldn't sell fast enough

Just went through the same thing with a non-MB car. Turned out to be a faulty transmission governor - internal problem. Hopefully your situation will turn out to be less costly.

__________________
Mike Murrell
1991 300-SEL - Model 126
M103 - SOHC
"Fräulein"

I just rechecked the atf guage and it appears to be overfilled...it is a good inch or two above the full marker on the stick...is this a problem?

__________________
Rob Armstrong, Charlotte, NC
Mountain Island Lake
RobAinCLTNC@hotmail.com

2004 VW Passat GLS TDI-50k
2006 Honda Odyssey EX-L 7k
FOR SALE 1991 300TE 228k

2003 Subaru Outback 57k Silver/Black-SOLD
2005 C230K 18k Pewter/Grey-SOLD
1997 E420 108k Black/Grey-SOLD
1986 560sl 200k Black/Palimino-SOLD
1985 300sd 340k-SOLD
1979 240d 170k-SOLD
2000 Volvo V70XC-POS couldn't sell fast enough

Evaluating fluid level in MB trannies is way more difficult than it should be. Be sure you use the lower mark when looking at both sides of the stick (if there is a lower mark).

Being over full can cause your problem, but not right away. The fluid will have to foam first this usually takes some miles. I only see it on cars coming off the interstate. As a result, you should try the car again. If it still doesn't shift it isn't from being overfull.

The governor is a good possibility. A stuck control pressure piston would be another.

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