AMG_Fred

ok when shifting between gears ( all eg: first to second, second to first ) it slips and then catches it abruptly. but when i fill up the tank, the shifting is a lot more smooth. i personally think it is the timing. oh ... and when the car is forced into first gear ( moving to second then back to drive... ) is it normal to hear a whirring sound? and my final question is... tilting the sunroof just for looks? or is there an effect?i don't think much air gets in cuz of the side flaps....

AMG_Fred

oh and.. how to remove a window switch and clean it?

Brian Felts

I would venture to guess its not your timing in any way. When was the last time you changed you Trans. Fluid and filter. The whining you hear usually points to the front pump. Check your fluid levels and see if your fluid smells burnt.


Brian

mhorn

check your front and rear Flex disc on the propeller shaft. They can wear out and cause the "bump" or delayed shift. I believe you have to remove the center consloe wood to get to the window switches, There's a screw in the rear of the wood that allows it to pivot upwards toward the front.

AMG_Fred

transmission fluid and filter was changed about 8k miles ago. not too long. and can you show me pictures or step by step instructions for the discs thing? how much will it cost to replace? and can you tell me all about the fluids and where they should be? cuz i heard that all of them shouldn't be topped off. im new to this so please be detailed if possible.

Professor Booty

I believe there's a setting on the transmission to make it shift softer or harder and over time the cable (or whatever is controlling it) gets loose and causes the tranny to be set for a harder shift. I'm pretty sure this is the case. And with the sunroof tilted up... this is a phenomenon I've noticed in a lot of cars. If you drive with it tilted up and put your left hand by the door arm rest part that goes like this _/ you can feel air lightly blowing on your hand. This happens in my friend's RSX and a couple other cars I've been in too. Try it out.

AMG_Fred

is this something that i can do to fix? thats what i thought it would be... and are you being sarcastic about the tilt? because i don't know what your talking about. and does anybody know how to remove and clean window switches??? oh here is a nifty site for you w124 owners! http://www.mindspring.com/~houlihan/merc/repairs.htm

Professor Booty

Search benzworld for the tranny setting... I remember talk about it a while back. And no I wasn't being sarcastic about the sunroof tilt. Tilt it up and then while driving put your left hand so that the left side of your palm is resting on the part of the arm rest that goes like this _/ and with your palm facing forward you will feel air gently blowing on it.

AMG_Fred

i did the research and the timing of the shifting seems to be above par and it seems to be the "quality of the shift" so now i searched and came that i must turn the modulator counter clockwise...

http://www.mercedesdismantlers.com/7...justments.html

there is the link. should i just do it trial and error to see how much i should turn it? where is the modulator? do you please have any pics with it circled so i know where it is... do i need any tools to complete this job?

Professor Booty

Yep, that's the thing I was talking about. I don't know exactly where it is located though. Maybe shoot an email to the address on that site and ask them... unless someone here knows.

mhorn

I think you're talking about the bowden cable. I beleive that's the piece you adjust to get harder/softer shifts. The Flex disc is a large rubber donut looking piece that connects the ends of the drive shaft to the rear end and the tranny. The flex disc is there to absorb the inital shock when you put the car in gear ore when the tranny shifts. They tend to wear out after abot 100-150k miles. If they fail, the rubber can shred and it will look like an exploded golf ball wrapped around your drive shaft, flailing rubber shards on the undercarriage. Worn flex discs will cause the "double bump shift" in park, where you start the car up, shift into gear and get the initial "bump" of the tranny engaging, then get another "bump" as you accelerate from stop. If you can hear the "bump" noise coming from the rear of the car I would bet htis is your problem.

cap'n jasper

Hello,
First thing you need to do is ignore all the above advice!
Slipping between gears has nothing to do with timing, Bowden cables, flexi disks or modulator 'cables'.
First thing to do is check the fluid level.
Is it loosing ATF fluid?
If the fluid is okay and it's slipping between all gears then the modulator is the next place to look.
It's not controlled by a cable but by a vacuum line. It may be that the modulator itself is sticking or faulty (look for signs of oil leaking though it) or it maybe a problem with the vacuum pressure (blocked line or air leak).
You need the right gear to check the vacuum pressure so I'd recommend taking it a specialist Merc garage.
Just playing with the modulator by trial and error is an option but I'd rather have it set properly.
Failing that it could be the valve body or worn box. = recon box = big $$$

PS the modulator is on the side of the gearbox (drivers side on a LHD car).
You'll see the vacuum line going into it (check this for cracks etc).

Good luck.

AMG_Fred

uhh.. which is the atf fluid? yea, after further search, i don't think its the modulator because it only slips on 1-2 and 2-3 gear.

AMG_Fred

and im stil trying to find out how to remove and clean window switches

cap'n jasper

ATF = Automatic Transmission Fluid.
It's the one with the red top at the back. You need to read it on a level surface with the engine at 80oC, running and in Park.
If you're not sure take it to someone who is because the correct level is vital.
Slipping on more than one shift means it could well be the modulator. Get it checked.

CDP

Looking at the pictures. you know your upper headlight mount/plastic screw is missing and the other is broken right?

Also, is that oil that is surfacing around your oil cap?

AMG_Fred

yea i noticed that when i took the picture. do i pick up at the dealership? anybody know the part number? and is it difficult to replace?

CDP

I have the part number somewhere but its up in the garage.

Just go to the dealership and tell them to pull up the headlight assembly on their computers and tell them its a plastic screw/plug that goes on top of the headlights.

It's easy to replace. Just turn and unlock.

AMG_Fred

does anybody know how to remove the window switches and clean them? i can't raise my front drivers side window and the rear passenger side window. annoying since i can't take it out now. i know i have to take off wood center console.. but then what else?

cap'n jasper

You need to remove the wood surround by lifting the carpet section and undoing the screw (only one if I remember right), the wood then lifts up. The front is clipped in under the ash tray so effectively hinges at the front. The switches can then be unplugged.
Of course, it might not be the switches that are the problem.

AMG_Fred

i cant believe i didn't notice how to check the transmission fluid. so obvious. well i checked when it warmed up to 82 celsius. it was a bit over the "max"?? notch. and should it be like an orange color? if so thats what it looked like. im going to clean the stick so i can tell exactly where it left a mark. would having too much cause bad shifting? its about a 5 millimeters over the max...