86560sel

I was told before by someone that the fluid in the tranny may need changing, because it was "clunking" harshly into gear at the time, but now that I do not hold the brake when I shift out of park, it does not do that. I thought I had a trick to it, because when I would shift into "R" or "D" when the brake was not depressed, it would not stall out. Today, there were two occasions where that did not work. Actually one time today when I was leaving the dentist office, it did it and I re-started and finally got it to keep from stalling and pulled out to the road. Just before I got there, the engine stalled out again, even when in "D". It had never did this before. It idles at about 500 RPM when in gear when it is running. It does not do this when I first leave, when the engine is cold. Actually, it only seems to do it if the engine temperature is above 80*C, such as when I am in town driving and make a quick stop and back out before the engine cools below 80*C.

I do not think it is the idle, because if it were any higher, it would really bang into gear. Do you think it could really be the tranny fluid causing this? I checked it and it was full and seemed to be OK. The car does not run the smoothest when it is first started in the morning (if it is cold out), so I am thinking this all may be linked? Perhaps a vacuum leak somewhere? It does not sound like it anyway, but I guess a small leak could not be heard.

Well, I am off to the dealership to pick up my antenna seal and perhaps get a key made.

BTW- the car is a 380SE.

Thanks in advance.

86560sel

Hmm.. Must be a rare problem? I am wondering if it could be this "Idle control valve" I am hearing about?

john_boy

I'm having similar symptoms with my 1990 300SE (gas) w/ 88K miles.
Have not tried the "no brake start" trick - I believe mine won't shift out of "P" unless the foot brake is applied.
Mine has a normal cold idle at start up, but after a short 3 - 5 mile initial trip and park (engine off) it will usually crank up & idle, but then sputters & dies when shifted into "D". Sometimes it is also very difficult to start in this condition, complete with minor backfires and spontaneous activation of the windshield wipers. It acts like it is fuel-starved.
Yesterday, I opened the hood after several unsuccessful shifts into "D". As it was idling normally at 500 - 600 rpm, in "P", I manually revved the throttle using the lever that comes through the firewall from the foot pedal. I could hear a little "tap" or "clunk" when I first increased the throttle. Attached is a photo showing the source of this sound - some type of relay/sensor switch?

My simple guesses are: clogged fuel filter, bad sensor or relay, bad computer chip - type unknown ? Could vapor lock be possible ?

BTW - this car's climate control computer chip is messed up & it needs an AC compressor & evaporator. Slight chance of some interaction in the electronic "brains"....[IMG][/IMG]

420 SE

I'm so glad you posted that pic. I was going to take one last night and post it to ask if anyone could tell me what it is - and then discovered my digital camera was broken .

I know it's related to the transmission, it's connected to it by vacuum lines.

I have a vacuum leak somewhere which occasionally causes harsh shifting. I have been trying to track down the leak.

I know it's not the transmission - it's a rebuilt trans only 12 months old, and when it works (no vac leaks) it's as smooth as silk.

Now can you tell me, there is a vac line on the bottom of that switch gizmo and on mine it's blocked off. Where does it go on yours?

Theres also another interesting switch gizmo just near that one that plugs into the inside fender wall (and from there disappears with more vac line), what is it for and where does it go??

I have searched every vacuum diagram I can find and none of them seem to show this part.

Cheers

(note highly technical speak - I need pictures to work on mechanical things)

420 SE

Hmmmm.... looking at your pic again, your's seems to connect from that electric switch directly into the one I was talking about that goes through the fender wall, mine doesn't.

Has anyone got decent vacuum diagrams????????

86560sel

Sorry that you have this misfortune as well. It has become very frustrating for me, but now I am more careful when I park, to make sure it is pointing downhill (so I can just put it in "D" and go). Yeah, luckily my car is old enough not to have the "shift interlock". I am not sure what year on MB they changed that, but that would create a problem for you.

I looked at that photo, and I have never noticed that on my car, but I will look tomorrow to see if I can find it. My car is 5 years older and a V8 model, so little things like this may be different.

My car has not been doing it lately, but it seems to come in spells. Also, I do not have any "backfires" or wipers operating. My car just quickly dies. It acts like a manual shift car that you tried to pull out in 5th gear in - as if it was bogged down to the point of stalling. Its very strange. It immediately restarts - sometimes it stalls a few more times then goes, or sometimes goes strait away. I remember after I got it - the very frist time it did it, I was in the Sears parking lot @ one of the local malls. I backed up without fanfare, but when I put it back in "D", it stalled. I tried several attempts to get pulled away. It was very embarrasing to say the least, with some people walking by looking. I finally had to end up "racing" the engine up to about 1500 rpms, hold it there and slam it into drive. I thought it was going to knock the tranny out it jerked so harshly, but it finally kept running.

The shifting without the brakes has really helped, but I still want to figure this out.

Good luck.

egxpimp

if you have harsh shifts...hmm you probably have a leak ? does your economy gauge work ? i remember i had a leak from a vaccum that goes near the intake...and i was having similar issues like you...ill try to take a picture and show you wish vaccum im talking about

420 SE

Yes my eco gauge works but please do post a pic of where yours was leaking from.

I'm nearly going mad trying to track down this leak - but becoming an expert in where all the vac lines are at the same time!

Chi500

I have the same harsh shifts in my 83 380SEL. I do the same no brake trick too when I shift out of park into drive or reverse but the car never stalls. Any idea on what it is yet?

Jan David

same problem here in the netherlands. put engine in gear with footbreak on = stall. Did anyone of you found the cause?

85380SE

Wow this thread is old, but my ongoing problem has brought me back. So, to update- yeah, my economy gauge is working fine. BTW - I am the "86560SEL" that started this topic. I had forgot my password and that username was on my old e-mail address, that I do not have access to anymore, so I had to get a new name. I may be able to remember and re-sign on, but I will use this for now I guess.

Well, I have a nearby thread on where now my stalling has about subsided (seems to only happen when outside temperatures are above 70° and the engine is hot, but now I have the missing problem, when idling or when it first shifts into the next gear. Whatever that is- is getting worse.

The harsh shift is only from 1-2, when the engine is cold. It was something I thought was normal on the older MB's. After warming- it smooths out, even in 1-2. It still has the harshness when shifting into "R", but thats when the engine is hot.

Its strange- when cold- smooth into "R", but harsh 1-2 shifts
however..... when hot- harsh into "R", but smooth 1-2 shifts..... but thats another issue. I need to get my engine running good for now.