Brian McL

I have a 2003 C240 with the 6 speed manual tranny and it is very difficult to get it into 1st / 2nd. No grinding just doesn't want to go in at a stop. If I go up through all the gears then try 1st again it will go in..70% of the time....but not without some force.
Clutch seems fine and all the other gears are also fine. Can't see the linkage very well, looking for bushings, what I could see looked fine.
Any ideas?
Also, if the tranny needs to be R&R'd does anyone have a link to a service manual that lays out the procedure?
Thanks

KSKarl

Sounds to me like the clutch is not releasing completely. Since higher gears have less mechanical advantage the transmission synchros can stop the gears so they engage. First thing to check is brake fluid reservoir, it's set to let the clutch cylinder go dry first and protect the brakes. If that's OK, then either the clutch master or slave cylinder is getting weak.

On another note, the slop in my shifter is getting annoying - lots of motion in the shift handle while in any gear, and sometimes does not pull all the way into reverse. I might need a bushing in the shift linkage -- looks like I'd pull the transmission for that.

tommy

If this were a Honda forum, I'd say that it definitely sounds like the synchros are going. Don't have enough experience with MBs, though, to know if it's apples to apples.

Hopefully, one of the usuals will post a SM link for you here soon. Good luck, but I see this as being expensive.

Julien-France

I have the same problem on my 2002 sportcoupe.
I heard there was a known clutch mechanism problem on these year models, but I don't know exactly what it is.
I think I'm gonna try to beggin simply by flushing the oil, get bubbles and old fluid out of the clutch hydrolics and set properly the cables... I'll see if it gets better.

RWDlifer

No cables in the clutch system...I agree that bleeding is a good idea and probably the first thing I would do. The clutch bleed port is inside the bell housing and accessible through a rubber cover located under the tranny. Do NOT use DOT 5 fluid, it's bad for the system. Pentosin super DOT 4 seems to be the favorite around here. If you're bleeding the clutch then might as well do the brakes too, starting with the furthest. So you'd end up doing RR, LR, RF, clutch, and end with LF. I managed to do the rear brake bleeding without removing wheels or jacking up the car...lots of room under there and the ports are accessible. The front end will require jacking up, but you can leave the wheels in situ.

Julien-France

No clutch cable for sure, I was thinking of the stick setting!
:-D

Good idea to bleed also the brakes! Thanks

bop11

Most assuredly a clutch problem. How many miles on it? First check the fluid level , then the slave cylinder for travel. It could be going bad, look for signs of drips from the seals. The clutch disc itself may be dragging due to wear around the facing rivets. How much travel in the pedal is there from full engage to not engaged? If the clutch is dragging due to any of the above, it is hard on the synchros so get it fixed before you need to rebuild the trans.

Julien-France

My CS is only around 90kmiles according to MFD... but I bought it recently realy cheap with unknown history, all silentblocs completely worn, a cameshaft ajuster rattling... not fresh!
This poor car has not have any maintenance for ages.
So I'm getting everything fixed /checked gently.

Boom vang

can you easily put it into gear(s) when the engine is off? If so then it is a clutch problem not releasing fully. If it is a clutch problem most likely the slave

KSKarl

How do you adjust the shifter cable? I have occasional issues getting reverse to engage.

Julien-France

There's an easy push buttons for auto-set under the car.
You need to be two to do it.
I've not done that yet but I've read a "how to" somewhere.
a calibrated tool seem to be needed...

On the stick side, you take off the leather stuff and maybe the rubber.

If I understood how to do, fisrt you need to push the button under the car until a clic
then push the stick to the right and pull it to stick the tool underneath.
let the stick go
engage the tool in good position
then compress the stick in left position and ask the second person to free the push button.
finaly take out the tool...

As I understand the tool is to set the right hight of the stick when you compress it.
Sorry I don't have pictures

Julien-France

found this bad image where 01 is the gauge tool...

KSKarl

Thanks Julien. That gauge block takes the adjustment out of my DIY book.

Julien-France

anybody has pictures and dimensions of the gauge?
Is that setting only for the reverse?

SweeneyD24

Having the same problem with my 2001 C200K, but not as bad as yours though. It still requires some push to engage the 1st and 2nd gears but the rest if fine. I was thinking about the linkage bushing as well but couldn't find a decent DIY for W203. Then again, not sure if that will fix the problem.

iMikeG

im going to bring this thread back from the dead but i do have the correct info on how to set the reverse/first lock out cable.