Sudden Transmission Flaring 91 300E - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JohnM. · #1 01-08-2012, 02:05 PM

The transmission in my 300E (190,000K) just started to flare between 2-3. Barely noticeable if your driving it slow, but very noticeable when your flooring it. I have driven it 2,000 miles in the last 2 weeks. Does not flare at all on downshifts (even hard ones), just the upshifts.

Just did a fluid and filter a few months back.

K1? Vacuum Modulator? Where to look?

dkveuro · #2 01-08-2012, 02:23 PM

Check TV cable still attached. If okay...wind the white adjuster out to increase line pressure.

Also check vac' at modulator under car on side of transmission for holding a vac.

These cars had a cold delayed up shift, so the cat' would fire off quickly. Sometimes this screws up and causes shift problems. ....it can be disconnected.

ps2cho · #3 01-08-2012, 03:33 PM

Had same issue with wagon until I did the K1 shift kit.

Do a fresh fluid + filter change and put the K1 kit in at the same time when you drop the pan.

JohnM. · #4 01-08-2012, 04:00 PM

That's what I was hoping. Just ordered the K1 stuff from peachparts a few minutes ago.

I sure am loving the new found power here at sea level, f&ck altitude!!!

ps2cho · #5 01-08-2012, 04:52 PM

Yeh altitude on these cars is a real power loss even with the compensation capsule.

Enjoy!

Cal Learner · #6 01-09-2012, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnM.

...I sure am loving the new found power here at sea level, f&ck altitude!!!

Last time I was through there, Auburn wasn't at sea level. What the hell happened??

JohnM. · #7 01-09-2012, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal Learner

Last time I was through there, Auburn wasn't at sea level. What the hell happened??

1500' is nothing compared to 5280'

JohnM. · #8 01-21-2012, 04:13 PM

Got the K1 spring kit installed this morning, fixed.

ps2cho · #9 01-21-2012, 08:41 PM

Good

Enjoy!

Benz Mondi · #10 02-05-2012, 11:47 AM

Darn if my 1990 300E 2.6 just started doing the "flaring" thing last night as I got to the end of an off ramp and was making the turn on to the street. The trans acted like I mis-shifted the down shift with a manual gearbox. It goes through the gears just fine from a standing stop and is, at this point, only missing getting into passing gear every so often. I was only able to get it to miss once since last night.

Did a search on PeachParts, but couldn't find the kit.
Where do I find this K1 shift kit?
Is this a DIY install?

thanks,

Al

berryrice · #11 02-05-2012, 11:59 PM

Peachparts has many items that's aren't listed on their site. The part number is "K1 Spring Kit 1262704477 for my 95 320. Just email Phil or customer sevice and they can quote you a price. Yes it is a DIY install. Just search k1 and you'll find a boat load in instructions and pics. Ph2cho has really good pictures of it on his site the w124-Zone. I did mine with the transmission dropped which was easier but you can definitely do it without dropping the tranny.

gabzor · #12 02-06-2012, 05:20 PM

how long did it take to do? i've never touched a transmission, basically i've changed like an ignition tumbler... hahaha

and how much was it it with the filter/fluid?

wait till a good cool day at sea level

and congrats.

Benz Mondi · #13 02-17-2012, 10:07 PM

Of all the fixes I found from all the help on this forum, the K1 spring kit may be the #1 fix of all time. Wow for a whole $10 !!!!!!! I'm still shaking my head. Talk about an ear to ear smile!

For that price I ordered two from Phil just in case I broke one. My flaring is not only gone, but it shifts off the line like I've never felt before. Perhaps this is the way it feels when the tranny is new and not with 200K on the clock.

Here's the back story, I just paid $2,000 to have my '93 300SL's tranny rebuilt by my long time MBZ indie. It didn't have quite the same flaring problem, more a slower and slower creep off the line, almost no bite if I came to a full stop on a hill. I sure wish I had seen this fix in the SL section when I did my search and did my tech help posting. I would feel a lot better if I had at least tried the K1 fix first before plunking down the $2K. I digress...

I shudder to think how many 124's have been sent to the junk yard by their unsuspecting owners thinking that they had a multi-thousand dollar transmission fix on their hands for lack of this $10 bit of knowledge?

When we bought this 90 300E 2.6 for my son as a college car, it was always slow to get going as compared to our 3.0 liter 300E. The 2.6 already had 180k on the clock. I just figured that is was just a little tired. Now I'm thinking that a K1 spring kit fix would have been the answer all along.

Here's a thought, even if you don't have the flaring issue, if you've got over 150K on your tranny and you're going to do a tranny fluid and filter change anyway, why not go ahead and do the K1 and get it over with?

Now it's only been less than an hour since I got back from giving it a test drive of up to freeway speeds and back. I sure hope that I don't find that my miracle, cinderella-coach of a fix doesn't turn into a punmpkin of a bummer in the morning.

Don't think so, though.
Thanks for all the help fellas!

Al

brewtoo · #14 05-20-2012, 01:20 PM

So what is happening/wearing in the transmission to create the need for the stronger k1 springs?