[W126 Coupe] HELP! Car Salling!!!!!

[Markus Meyer]

 Another idea to try is something relatively newer than the old "drain and refill" technique.  They now have a "flushing" technique where they attach a machine to your lines in and out of the cooler, and pump in new fluid and the old is taken out.  Just had it done to my wife's car as I was switching to Amsoil and didn't want to "mix" fluids, plus there is no drain plug on that torque converter.  Car seems to run a lot smoother now, and I'm quickly becoming quite a convert to Amsoil products, being about to switch the last of my 5 vehicles over to it for engine oil, and slowly the trans fluids, then rear end diffs, etc.  Had the filter replaced as part of the flush, got out lots of metal flakes and dirt as they inject a cleaner to get all the gunk out as it flushes.  Only cost $75 plus my own supplied fluids.Markus Meyer484-919-9762 (cell)http://www.meyerprobateproperties.com/--- On Mon 06/12, Dick Spellman < spell.yy at verizon.net > wrote:From: Dick Spellman [mailto: 
spell.yy at verizon.net]To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.comDate: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 15:13:30 -0400Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] HELP! Car Salling!!!!!Hi David:I would change the transmission fluid including torque converter & filter the next chance you get. Does not make a lot of sense to change 6 qts of dirty fluid and leave a dirty qt behind. You end up all over again with a diluted dirty fluid mix with perhaps a bit less debris in suspension.The transmission modulator is to the driver's side and has a single vacuum line (not electrical) coming from it. There is a rubber plug that you can pry off with a small pick to un-cover a metal 'Tee' shaped adjustment that nests into pre-cut grooves in the modulator housing. Turning this T clockwise increases shift firmness, and counter-clock wise softens the shift firmness. To turn the T you first gently pull it free of the groves and then drop it into the next CW or CCW position (groove). My mechanic had always advised me to do the adjustment one 
click at a time. I had a severe soft shift on a 90 300SE and ended up moving the T CW three clicks to finally get it right. So if the shift is soft or non-existent I'd go ahead and move it 2 clicks the first time to see if that helps a bit. Leave the cover off until you are satisfied with the shifts so you can raise the car up again and repeat as needed without having to pry that rubber off each time. There may be some limit to the # of clicks, I do not know. I think (3) is safe where I've done it, not sure how many more will be ok before potentially damaging the modulator itself. My understanding is that the modulator is a vacuum pulled rubber diaphragm (which can leak air with age) that controls a spring or piston of some sort. I've tested all kinds of devices with a MightyVac including the rubber diaphragm on the modulator. It would be handy if you could find one at some point. That's the limit of my knowledge on this subject.Where this soft shift problem just cropped up 
after repairing a vacuum leak elsewhere, you may want to experiment to rule out the modulator and confirm something else amiss with the tranny. To do this I would remove and plug the vacuum line to the modulator. Then see if a hard shift or good shift is restored to conditions similar to what you experienced before making the vacuum repair. It won't hurt anything to try this just expect a hard shift between gears. If it works, hook the line back up and go on to adjust the modulator. If it does not work, . am afraid you are working yet another gremlin that may be the tranny having other problems. The complete fluid change may alleviate the condition, maybe not.Good luck,Dickbtw: just remember I started with this list with many past and present members back in 2001 and I knew less than nothing about MB's. So, any contribution I make is absolutely the collective wisdom of many who answered my questions of the past and I hope the future as well. My mechanic has been very gracious
  
in letting me work on 'special projects' in his shop on weekends with his 30 + years of knowledge to guide me along the way. Having fun, just a hobby. Thanks.David Fatovic wrote:>I am no expert he says. Dick, you are one of the most>knowledgable people on this list.>>I did have the car at operating temp, I drove the car>into the garage (which is level) to test the fluid>level. The fluid was the correct redish color, with>no foam and no burnt smell. I replaced the fluid and>filter last year. Not many miles on it. My father>pretty much drives to the office and back. I did not>drain the torque converter as well as the tranny, just>what comes out when you remove the drainplug and the>pan.>>The tranny modulator. Is that the piece that is>connected to the throttle linkage towards the back of>the engine bay? It is connected to a wire that has a>red cover on it? You can adjust it by loosening the>screw and moving the two slide 
plates back and forth? >>That one?>>I shall try.>>David>>--- Dick Spellman wrote:>> >>>David:>>>>Just confirming that before you topped off the>>transmission fluid. You >>warmed up the engine, the car was on level ground,>>and you sat in the >>car and placed the shift selector in each of the>>gears for a moment or >>two and back to Park before taking the reading? If>>not, check the fluid >>level again after doing the above steps. When was>>the last time the >>transmission was serviced? Was the torque converter>>fluid drained in >>addition to the main tranny case when the filter was>>done? What color >>was the fluid you checked today, was there a burnt>>smell to it, was it >>foamy?>>>>If you corrected a vacuum problem by replacing the>>hose, that would >>explain the improved idle. It could also 
improve>>vacuum pressure to >>other devices like the modulator on the>>transmission. The modulator >>regulates the interval between shifts so you can>>smooth out a firm >>shift. The more you smooth it out the more wear you>>create on the >>clutch plates and so on because you are extending>>the amount of time the >>plates are permitted to slip before fully engaging. >>This improved >>vacuum may have resulted in the modulator being set>>way too smooth from >>the previous poor vacuum levels. Having said that>>and I am no expert, >>I'd start with the transmission fluid level, service>>done, etc. before >>digging further. I would not drive the car until>>you resolve the >>problem you describe.>>>>Dick>>>>David Fatovic wrote:>>>> >>>>>OK, so here is a new twist. I am starting to feel>>>like the cartoon 
character trying to plug the hole>>> >>>>>in>> >>>>>the damn by putting his finger in it. A new one>>> >>>>>pops>> >>>>>up. I checked the trans fluid level this morning>>> >>>>>and>> >>>>>it was right at the low line. I added a touch to>>>bring it within the lines on the dipstick. But now>>> >>>>>we>> >>>>>have a new problem. I changed one vacuum tube this>>>morning, the one going from just in front of the>>> >>>>>fuse>> >>>>>box (it connects to a 4 way hose connector) and>>> >>>>>goes>> >>>>>to the back of the engine just below the throttle>>>linkage. Now the car seems to idle better (a>>> >>>>>little>> >>>>>high) but now when you have the
  
car in gear and>>>accelerate from a dead stop, the RPMs go up but the>>>tranny is not engaged or does not have gear or>>>something. Once RPMs get to about 1500 then the>>> >>>>>car>> >>>>>goes in to gear and the car starts to move. This>>> >>>>>to>> >>>>>me is very strange, almost acting like it has no>>> >>>>>fluid>> >>>>>in it and not enough pressure to push the plates of>>>the tranny together to drive the car.>>>>>>Any ideas?>>>>>>Thanks,>>>>>>David>>>>>>--- Dick Spellman wrote:>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>>Hi David:>>>>>>>>Yes there is a vacuum hose on the intake manifold>>>>that runs down to the >>>>transmission vacuum modulator. If it's 
loose or>>>>disconnected you will >>>>get a hard (almost like a bang) shift between>>>> >>>>>>gears.>> >>>>>>If you say that >>>>the car is hanging in lower gears too long then>>>> >>>>>>I'd>> >>>>>>start by adjusting >>>>the Bowden cable and check all of your engine>>>>regulating linkages for >>>>proper adjustment at the same time. If you then>>>>notice a lag between >>>>shifts I'd work the vacuum modulator (T)>>>> >>>>>>adjustment>> >>>>>>to get the correct >>>>shift firmness.>>>>>>>>Was this car doing this before as well??? Have>>>> >>>>>>you>> >>>>>>checked the trans >>>>fluid level? When was the last time the 
tranny>>>> >>>>>>and>> >>>>>>torque converter >>>>fluids were replaced?>>>>>>>>Dick>>>>>>>>David Fatovic wrote:>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>Are there any vacuum hoses that connect the>>>>> >>>>>>>vacuum>> >>>>>>>system to the transmission? I got it to the>>>>> >>>>>>>point>> >>>>>>>where it wont stall anymore, but it has some bit>>>>> >>>>>>>of>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>a>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>hard time shifting up. It will sit in the lower>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>gear>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>at 3K RPM. When I lift my foot off the gas it>>>>> >>>>>>>just>> >>>>>>>keeps gear and slows the car down.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Thanks,>>>>>>>>>>David>>>>>>>>>>--- Dick Spellman wrote:>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>David:>>>>>>>>>>>>When you say you cleaned under the throttle>>>>>> >>>>>>>>plate,>> >>>>>>>>you were referring to >>>>>>the air volume meter???The plate just under 
the>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>air>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>cleaner? The >>>>>>throttle body is at the very bottom of that>>>>>> >>>>>>>>entire>> >>>>>>>>assembly. It's the >>>>>>first item bolted to the intake manifold. If>>>>>> >>>>>>>>that>> >>>>>>>>throttle plate does >>>>>>not fully close the TPS will see an 'open' which>>>>>>will mean that the idle >>>>>>will sit lower than normal. The idle may>>>>>> >>>>>>>>stumble>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>a>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>bit where it's lower >>>>>>than prescribed. If you put your foot on the>>>>>>accelerator while in park >>>>>>and bring the rpms to say 650 (normal idle) is>>>>>> >>>>>>>>the>> >>>>>>>>engine nice and >>>>>>steady? If it is, you need to test the TPS and>>>>>> >>>>>>>>I>> >>>>>>>>think you'll find it's >>>>>>simply a carbon build-up on the throttle body>>>>>>preventing the plate from >>>>>>closing fully and the TPS from reading 'closed'.>>>>>>>>>>>>To test for a vacuum leak, remove the air>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>cleaner>> >>>>>>>>assembly, take a spray >>>>>>bottle filled with water and work the spray a>>>>>> >>>>>>>>bit>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>>=== message truncated ===>>The MB Coupes Website!>W126 SEC Mailing List>Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.>> >The MB Coupes Website!W126 SEC Mailing ListPostings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

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