I think my tranny is shot, can someone please confirm?(W126)
 

1985 380se
I can go in reverse and park, but when I go into drive, the car just sits there even if i were to floor it (I didn't actually do that). To make it drive I need to cycle through park, reverse and drive and until drive actually work. I checked the transmission fluid and it looks like it may be too high but I've had the car for about 4 years and never changed/added that fluid.

Check your linkage. It's possible to have a worn linkage bushing.

How many miles on the car? When you have it in Park can you push the car and move it?

If your car (an automatic I assume) has more than 140K on it figure the clutch packs are burned and you will need a rebuild on the old automatic transmission....even with proper maintenance that's pretty close to the life span of an automatic...

Well not really, most of my crap in my sig has well over 250k on the original trans.

He could simply have a clogged filter

that could very well be..no question...but I doubt it...that would be great though...shift linkage bushings....indeed....don't think so....no

I'm not understanding. You say it does drive, but you have to do some shifting around first?

Not really, average lifespan for these transmissions seems to be around 250-300k depending on how they are treated. My dad's both have well over 300k and are doing fine....my brothers 300D is at 234k and is fine. My 300SD had something break inside at 281k....I finally opened it up today and found clumps of clutch material in the pan as well as a fairly large piece of metal! :eek: Its toast....but I found/have a replacement. :D

No I can't move it while it's in park.
It's got 166k miles on it now, 142k when I bought it.

No I can't move it while it's in park.
It's got 166k miles on it now, 142k when I bought it.

Also, is this thing still drivable? What do you guys mean when you say it can go while I'm driving, like, drive will just working when I'm on the raod?

Sounds like a B2 piston issue.

I would check into that as well as your linkages.

See links for more details.

http://mbz.org/articles/transmission/b2/why/

http://articles.mbz.org/transmission/b2/repair/

http://www.dieselgiant.com/Mercedesb2pistonsealreplacementl.htm

B2 piston gone!
 

Look like your B2 piston is gone!

When I put it in neutral from reverse to check the tranny fluid it would stay in reverse. It stays neutral when i shift to it from drive. And the tranny fluid is fine.

After 4 years of never being changed?

Now it's sounding like a linkage and/or bushing issue.

no, the transmission is shot...you will have to have it rebuilt....that's it...you can screw around with this and hope is not that but it is is...just figure on a transmission rebuild...seriously...

seriously, all this goofy talk about shift linkage and bushings and so forth is bullcrap...you need a tranny rebuild...that's it...

lol @ fine trans fluid and never been serviced in four years. :D

it doesn't matter if you are not losing transmission fluid...your transmission clutch packs are burned and you need a transmission rebuild...figure $2000 on that, you can change the fluid until your eyes turn green and that won't fix it....

Thanks for the input, time for a new car.

I certainly hope you are not going to buy a new car b/c someone has posted that your trans is SHOT without even looking at it ????

... at least LOOK at the $3 shifter bushing.

http://catalog.peachparts.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1985-Mercedes--Benz-380se-Transmission&yearid=1985%40%401985&makeid=63%40%40MERCEDES+BENZ%40%40X&modelid=6246%3AMBC%7C1525%3AE D%7C10000053%40%40380SE&catid=241185%40%40Transmission&subcatid=241263@@Shift+Lever+Bushing&mode=PA

Does it go if you put the shifter below Drive, ie 2nd or 3rd?

If your shift handle feels lose, fix that problem first, it could be your linkage bushings are gone or a problem with the shift lever on the Trans or shifter.

lol, just wow.

Bushings
 

This sort of failure is mentioned often on some of the other MB lists and it's usually disintegrated bushings. Cheap and a DIY fix.

Get under there and have a look.

What color is the fluid.....red is good, brown and burnt smell is bad. I'd drop the pan and see what the filter looks like and if there is any debris in the pan. Could have aluminum, metal, brass, or clutch material. Clutch material sometimes looks like clumps of rag lint.