My recently acquired '90 240 sedan recently started not shifting correctly. The kickdown cable is sticking (slack on the throttle side). I lubed it and worked it back and forth a few times and it worked fine for a few days. Now it is sticking again. When cold it will not go back in (towards the Trans)but when hot it will assume the proper position. Any ideas on how to fix?

Had the same thing on my '86 245 when daughter had it to college in '96-'97. The plastic sheath around the cable was cracked, moisture seeped in and froze. After the car warmed up, it woorked fine. But first thing on a freezing morning and she couldn't push the gas pedal down.

I installed a new cable, it's been fine since.
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Don Foster (near Cape Cod, MA)

I just replaced this on my '86 wagon. If you really work at it, you can lubricate the cable enough to get it functioning. Disconnect the cable from the engine and its bracket, then hold the cable vertically and spray WD-40 down it. Keep working the cable back and forth. This will work for a few months at best. If you replace it, do what the Haynes manual says. Really not too bad of a job. If you go this route, ask the BB for more pointers.

That sounds like the failures I've experienced with kickdown cables. Seems like once they start to hang up no amount of care and feeding will bring them back.

The shift points of the transmission are adversely effected when it hangs up in the "out" position. It is much better to have it stick with the cable drawn down into the transmission. After working it back to that position I then remove the cable from the spool. In this position the transmission shifts quickly through the gears but shift points can be controled by using the gear selector manually.

Randy

Had the same thing on my 940 T and ended up replacing it. Believe the cable is partially smashed. Anyway, it works now and accellerator is much smoother in operation. Not a bad job to replace.

dick