NSS: How Long Do I Have?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

350SL4spd · #1 08-05-2008, 08:41 PM

Hey All,

Awhile back my reverse lights went out on my 300E. The bulbs seemed fine, so after some head scratching I began to suspect the neutral safety switch.

Fast forward to a couple months later (now) and, out of the blue: no start. Not even a click.

Hmm...

Wiggle the gear shift and she started right up. Looks like it's time to attend to the NSS.

My question is: How long do I have before catastrophic failure? How many more times can I get away with wiggling the gear shift to get her to start?

I ask because I'm currently stuck parking on the street and it might be a month or two before I can get to a garage (other than the stealership), but I don't want to be stranded either...

Thanks!

Arthur Dalton · #2 08-05-2008, 09:03 PM

You have until Sept 12th, at 3:25 PM.......

LUVMBDiesels · #3 08-05-2008, 09:09 PM

ooh do I smell a POOL taking shape?

I take Sept 3rd 9am.

Seriously,

if you loose the NSS, you can jump start the engine by connecting the two THICK wires in the wiring block on the right fender. Search for it on the site and you will see a lot of posts on how to do it.

Dee8go · #4 08-05-2008, 09:15 PM

I'm putting $10 on Aug. 20th. What's the spread?

Arthur Dalton · #5 08-05-2008, 09:20 PM

If it were my car , I would not give it 5 min....

The only guy I know that will have the absolute correct time and place will be that Murphy guy...and you do not want to bet against him cuz he is the Law of the land ...
He is probably watching you right now...... He will wait 'til you gotta go somewhere Real Important and you are running a little late.....I seen him in action.. He gets Nasty !!!

350SL4spd · #6 08-06-2008, 12:31 AM

Seems I've been encouraging betting...

Is that illegal on this site?

Either way put a C note on Sept. 23rd.

Arthur more or less hit my assumption (nail) on the head. It's just a matter of risking getting stuck somewhere or trying to change it out on the street right now (or paying the stealer a cool Thousand to do it for me...).

I was hoping to hear from at least a dozen people who've lived with this ailment for years at a time

.

Guess I'd better call Phil...

Thanks guys.

bobs · #7 08-06-2008, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 350SL4spd

Guess I'd better call Phil...

A wise choice, Grasshopper!

Arthur Dalton · #8 08-06-2008, 11:04 AM

Is that car manual trans ???
I noticed that after writing this article, so it does not apply..

..but I'll leave it as info for anyone w/auto : [ 450sl]

When a no start NSS is coupled with a Backup lamp complaint, one wants to suspect/check the shift rod bushing..specially on an old car.
The bushing is plastic and they fall apart, causing the shifter rod to move a distance [ the thickness of the shot bushing] before actually moving the NSS into the various positions.
So, an easy test for that is to hold the key on Start position w/left hand while you move the shift lever thru both sides of N and R.
If the car starts with lever off center [ out of alignment] with the shifter gate positions, and you also have back lamps around the same condition in R, then the problem is rod bushings [lever slop] or a mis-aligned NSS.
The reason it will not start in P is b/c the the shifter gate stops the lever at P from any further travel [ end of gate] , thereby not actually getting into the P position of NSS.

http://catalog.peachparts.com/RenderScriptTemplate.epc?_cmd=epccat_VehicleAAA&cookieID=2FG17RJ3A2FN0NO1J1&yearid=1973@@1973&makeid=MB@@MB@@X&modelid=450%2DSL%2D001@@450SL&catid=J@@Transmission&subcatid=J4070@@AT+Shift+Linkage+Bushing&mode=PA&subcatid=J4070@@AT%20Shift%20Linkage%20Bushing&applicationid=000454570&source=www.peachparts.com&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop

Try it before getting a NSS..it is quite possible

350SL4spd · #9 08-06-2008, 11:51 AM

Thanks for the heads up Arthur. I hadn't thought of that...

She's still an auto right now. I was gathering parts for the conversion, but never got it all together (well, not yet any way).

I'll try the test and let you all know.

I've already ordered the part from Phil, but if it's not the culprit at least I'll have a spare around...

Arthur: Do you have the part # for the bushing?

Thanks.

Arthur Dalton · #10 08-06-2008, 12:03 PM

The bushing # is at the site I posted..it is not the Benz #, but it is the one from FastLane..
Did you click on that link?

I musta known it was still an auto.. I have a coulpe of stick SL's and they have back-p lamp sw , but no NSS. Not real sure about the 107 chassis though..we never see many of them in stick here in US.

jcyuhn · #11 08-06-2008, 12:25 PM

In my experience, you don't have long. Don't ask me (or my wife) how I know this...

- JimY

Arthur Dalton · #12 08-06-2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcyuhn

In my experience, you don't have long. Don't ask me (or my wife) how I know this...

- JimY

Yep..see guys do it all the time on the key tumblers too..they just keep on wiggleing until that one day it don't wiggle no mo'...and then you can't get it to turn enough to get to the release pin, so ya gotta drill it out..only 5 X as much $$$$$ then if they had fixed it when it started to act up..
....when it does act up, it is TALKING to you.!! It is trying to TELL you something !!!!
Murpry loves "dem guys".

We always give a Tech Tip on the Forum of telling one with a No Start problem to "Try N ..." ..knowing he may have an NSS problem..
We should probably not give out this advice b/c they go try it ..for the next TWO YEARS !!!!!!!!!!

jcyuhn · #13 08-06-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arthur Dalton

Yep..see guys do it all the time on the key tumblers too..they just keep on wiggleing until that one day it don't wiggle no mo'...and then you can't get it to turn enough to get to the release pin, so ya gotta drill it out..only 5 X as much $$$$$ then if they had fixed it when it started to act up..
....when it does act up, it is TALKING to you.!! It is trying to TELL you something !!!!
Murpry loves "dem guys".

We always give a Tech Tip on the Forum of telling one with a No Start problem to "Try N ..." ..knowing he may have an NSS problem..
We should probably not give out this advice b/c they go try it ..for the next TWO YEARS !!!!!!!!!!

Too true Arthur. If you're MacGyver, you can always get the engine started by turning the ignition on, then jumping the starter solenoid from the battery. On an OM603, it isn't even very difficult, the starter is reasonably accessable. Not so sure about M103 or M104.

- JimY

Arthur Dalton · #14 08-06-2008, 04:05 PM

Yeah...any Crook will tell you to just jumper bat + to the X27 connector plug right next to the M/C ...piece of cake.

That is another one I forgot..I had a guy who had a bad K38 starter interlock , so I told him to jumper X27 as a test..soon as he found out that worked , he just carried a jumper wire in his car for a year.......gotta love it.. Musta been nice in the rain....

Think he would have at least hung a momentary/on push sw under the dash...