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| Clunky auto change; Heavy up and down gear changes | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sat Oct 3, 2009 1:24 am (1,664 Views) | |
| apeman | Sat Oct 3, 2009 1:24 am Post #1 |
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Newbie
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Just had my 1987 190 serviced and MOT'd and it has returned home with a heavy auto gear change. Both changing up and down a gear gives a noticeable clunk that was barely noticeable before the service. The car has 130,000 on the clock and has always been regularly serviced. Is this an acceptable characteristic for car of this age? I haven't had the gearbox oil changed for about 10 years now although regular inspection of the oil level shows clean fluid with no loss. If it were not due to the gearbox but rather the prop shaft is there a characteristic I should look for? |
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| stwat | Sat Oct 3, 2009 1:33 am Post #2 |
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A lot of garages don't realise that the gearbox oil level should be checked with the engine running. Check to see if they have over or under filled the oil. And do it sooner rather than later as we had a member's gearbox destroy its self not long back after it had been massively overfilled during a service!! |
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| hitenb | Sat Oct 3, 2009 1:41 am Post #3 |
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Addicted
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I've you've not changed it for about 10 years, maybe you should get it done. Also, is this a new garage you've been going to? come to think of it, the must have changed something or done something to make you feel a change |
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| stwat | Sat Oct 3, 2009 1:44 am Post #4 |
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Have i jumped to the wrong conclusion? Have you had the gearbox oil changed at this service? If not then disregard my first post Stu |
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| jeremy | Sat Oct 3, 2009 7:46 am Post #5 |
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Too Far Gone To Help
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Hi and welcome , with our autoboxes , clunking could be down to wrong pressure , there is an adjuster on the side of the 'box , also you may have a corroded vacuum pipe , also very easy to fix . Jeremy |
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| apeman | Mon Oct 5, 2009 12:19 am Post #6 |
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Newbie
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Many thanks for the replies and hello to everyone. This was indeed a new garage I was trying out-unfortunately my regular one has now retired and I'm struggling to find one as good as a replacement. I didn't ask for the gearbox oil to be changed so I doubt very much whether it was. I didn't know about the adjuster on the box -I'll look into that, similarly the vacuum hose (and if I can't make any progress I'll come back, if I may?). I'm a bit baffled as to why the change should so suddenly become very noticeable, but I guess a part can start showing its age at any time and I'm hoping it's that rather than the car objecting to a new mechanic! I must say finding this site was quite a revelation -I had no idea that there were still so many 190's on the road, and so many having loving and knowledgeable owners if this forum is anything to go by. |
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| kentronix | Mon Oct 5, 2009 12:32 am Post #7 |
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I'm only really here for the Kitchens
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I dont know about the petrols but I assume its the same as my diesel. The autobox has a 'harshness' adjustment. It decides how smooth/sharp the gearchange is. Its vacuum powered so a vacuum hose knocked off in the wrong place causes very jerky gear changes. In the 300td (very similar engine to the 190 diesels) its really easy to accidentally pull the vacuum lead off. I cant really help you locate the leak but on my car it was instantly really jerky on the upshift after I knocked it off without noticing. |
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| Richy190E | Mon Oct 5, 2009 12:45 am Post #8 |
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bubble bubble
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As the vacuum pipes run in the air filter/oil filter area i'd check there first. Easily done. |
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| kentronix | Mon Oct 5, 2009 12:53 am Post #9 |
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I'm only really here for the Kitchens
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on the diesel the connection prone to popping out is by the shutoff valve, which obviously petrols dont have, but there is bound to be a line running somewhere for it. |
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| griffin | Mon Oct 5, 2009 10:16 pm Post #10 |
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Part of things
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Have a look at this link - it has a very useful troubleshooting part half way down. http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w201-190-class/1360821-diy-w201-transmission-modulator-removal-replace.html I had recent issues the same as you - clunking upshift - thought the flexdisk was on its way out - I tightened the control pressure (bowden) cable (at the throttle linkage) - all sorted. See the link - its a good reference for autobox troubleshooting Edited by griffin, Mon Oct 5, 2009 10:20 pm.
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| apeman | Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:26 am Post #11 |
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Newbie
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An update for anybody's future reference. It was indeed the vacuum hose. As mentioned above, the hoses lie very close to the air filter assembly and the mechanic had presumably knocked it off during the course of the service. Refitting it cured the problem instantly. Many thanks to all who responded. I don't know if anyone is sufficiently well-versed in the physics etc, but I would be very interested to understand just how the vacuum hose affects the auto gearchange. |
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| stwat | Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:49 am Post #12 |
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That's great news, apeman I hope you gave the mechanic a bollocking for being such a numpty!
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| sportline_stu | Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:02 pm Post #13 |
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More than part of things
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Good news it was that simple. I dont know which hose you mean - any chance of a piccie for future reference? Just for your information the gearbox oil and filter change is should be done every 36,000. Its something that can get missed by non Merc garages and is sometimes ignored on older cars because of the extra cost ie the car gets booked in for a 'full' service but the gearbox service is simply not done or the owner requests it is not done! Stu. |
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| kentronix | Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:18 pm Post #14 |
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I'm only really here for the Kitchens
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There is a 'harshness' unit that decides how quicky to change gear on an auto. Less harsh gives a smoother change but I think it can slip if too long. Shorter is more sporty but can cause it to be, well, too harsh ![]() I suspect the reason its controlled by vacuum is to do with the fact it needs to adjust according to engine load. IE, if your towing a broken down bmw up a steep hill to the scrapyard it will need to change pretty quickly or it will slip or drop back.I should point out I think harshness is a stupid name and its not my term, its actually called that !!! The harshness unit seems to be on the side of the autobox so suspect it works off witchcraft like the autobox itself. I have no idea how the autobox works so assume its witchraft. |
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| apeman | Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:38 pm Post #15 |
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Newbie
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![]() I've finally worked out how to upload a photo, so here it is. The section of hose that was loose is highlighted. Simply pushing it back on cured the problem immediately. Once again many thanks to all who replied and for the useful information. Edited by apeman, Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:42 pm.
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| Dromara Destroyer | Thu Dec 17, 2009 6:21 pm Post #16 |
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Part of things
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A useful picture and thread, but couldn't help noticing the state of the screws in the picture - is that new mechanic a butcher. It looks like a larger screwdriver is needed to prevent additional defacing of the screw heads in the future!! |
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I hope you gave the mechanic a bollocking for being such a numpty!


it will need to change pretty quickly or it will slip or drop back.
9:17 AM Jul 11