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'86 240DL Wagon transmission problem[ALL/1998] posted by Dana on
Tuesday, 1 April 1997, at 1:54 p.m.
My 5-speed manual is the kind which goes into 5th gear at the push of a button, or at least, it's supposed to. During the cold months, it started getting sticky, only going into 5th when it really warmed up. Now, unfortunately on a road trip, it dropped out of 5th gear on the highway and has refused a request for 5th gear ever since.
My questions: do I need a new transmission? Is it possible to replace this button thing with a normal, 5 position gear shift? What if I had a used transmission put in, will it do the same thing? What about new vs. rebuilt? What will happen if I drive the car this way for a while, will it ruin the engine? Help!!!!
Re: '86 240DL Wagon transmission problem[ALL/1998] posted by Brian on
Tuesday, 1 April 1997, at 9:33 p.m.
Dana, You don't need a new transmission. Your problem is with your overdrive unit, and it's probably not a major malfunction. You don't really have a 5-speed transmission. It's a 4-speed with an overdrive unit bolted onto the back of it. It uses hydraulics to engage the "5th" gear inside the overdrive unit. The hydraulic action is actuated by a solenoid (a black cylinder which is screwed into the left side of the unit). If the solenoid is bad or is not getting any electrical current, the OD unit will not work. Also, if the transmission is low enough on fluid, OD will not work. These are the first things to check.---Brian
Re: '86 240DL Wagon transmission problem[ALL/1998] posted by Stoney on
Tuesday, 1 April 1997, at 9:37 p.m.
Dana, What you have is a 4 speed manual with Overdrive. The button you speak so fondly of is the OD engagment switch and controls the signal to the OD relay an the solenoid in the OD unit. You might first try and check the wiring from the switch on the shifter to the relay point, check for wear at base of shifter where wire comes out of bottom of shifter tube, check continuity through switch, check for +12 volts at switch,and at relay which is located behind the dash air vent next to the glove box. Remove the glove box reach in on left side and check that the relay has +12 volts coming from switch. If it ain't the switch or relay is probably the solenoid and that is easier for a shop to handle. If your mechanic is honest he or she will tell you if it's the solenoid or the OD unit. Which by the way is replaceable.
Re: '86 240DL Wagon transmission problem[ALL/1998] posted by Eric Nevalainen on
Wednesday, 2 April 1997, at 7:37 a.m.
Dana,
The most likely cause is either the wiring or the relay. if however it is not an electrical problem (rule out all other switch wiring options first), then it is quite simply a problem with the OD unit itself. Intermittant OD probs in older bircks are typically caused by a failure in the piston o-rings in the OD unit. Here's the wrinkle.....the o-rings only cost a couple of bucks, however if you take the unit in to have it serviced, be prepared to pay $300 or so in labor costs (the OD unit has to be dismounted from the tranny)
Best of luck!
Eric