300CE-24: Gearbox issue

[brette013]

I'd like to get some second thoughts on the forum here, all I've been told by the RACQ guy is it may be a shift linkage cable problem.

Today the cars gearbox just refused to engage gears, it had only drove about 10 mins. After coming to a stop in the parking lot, I reversed the car a bit, then engaged drive to get into the spot. I then placed it in park as I had stopped, but car kept creeping forward. I'm guessing that the car won't start now because it recognises it's still in drive.

I believe its a 722.5 transmission as its one of the 5 speed versions. If you apply the brake pedal, the gearshift lever releases the pressure so it can be moved around. But it's moving around too freely and thus not engaging any gear, not even park.

[Tony From West Oz]

Not sure if MB used the same thinking on the W124 as on the W123, but the W123 has nylon bushes on the solid linkage between shifter and tranny.
I had on where the nylon bush on one end of the linkage was totally missing. I couldn't get it into park and selecting gears was like me throwing darts - never hitting the bulls eye!
If that is the case, it is an inexpensive fix and a DIY one to boot.
If they chose a different linkage arrangement, then others will advise.

[brette013]

It sure feels like the shifter is missing the bull eye (i.e. no resistance in any gear), but thats only if brake pedal is depressed.

Is the nylon bushings your talking about the ones that connects the shifter unit to a rod which is connected to the gearbox?

[Ivanerrol]

There are two nylon bushes - one at each end of the rod.
This is a DIY job to replace those bushes - if you are handy with spanners and have the facility to do the job.
Very common problem with all 722.3, 722.4 and 722.5 trannies

[brette013]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll have a look at it this weekend once I'm not busy. Fingers crossed!

[Christo C]

Ivanerrol or Tony, are those nylon bushes tricky to insert?

I have W124 with 722.4 trans, and noticed those bushes looked worn and tired a while back (I blame them for a small rattle in the area), so obtained 2 new ones, but they seemed only slightly pliable, so I was concerned if I knocked the old ones out the newer ones may be tricky to fit, especially in such an awkward position (lying under car only up on ramps) - last time I looked I could see everything OK, but seemed not mushroom for my claws .... I had thought to maybe I had to drop the trans down a little first...?

[brette013]

I hope its not difficult cause I can see the connecting shifter rod has dropped down, couldn't see it yesterday when it happened cause it was raining. Dang nylon bushing thing was yellow and deformed on one side which may be why it popped off.

[Christo C]

As well as the bushes there should be two retaining clips, one at each bush, on the rod.
Parts 188 and 17 below are the Bushes (part no A1159920310), one retaining clip (194, part no A0009944160) is arrowed (the second goes with the other bush, but is not depicted in the cattledog) to prevent the rod (173) falling out of the bushes...
Remarkably the diagrams & parts for your 300CE-24 and my 230E are identical!

[brette013]

Part 17 is the bushing that's popped off the part 8 and is now just sitting on the rod 173. Missing retainer clip.

Just a side note, where did you find that diagram? I couldn't find anything describing the bushing on the w124 maintenance manual on the internet.

[Christo C]

For most models, go to http://www.everythingbenz.com/z/epc-mer ... o-diagrams

Pick W124 in the list:
http://www.everythingbenz.com/z/mtype/w ... s-drawings
where there is a whole bunch of interesting stuff when you get specific .....

I assumed your car is "300CE, 300CE-24, AMG 300CE 3.4 COUPE (1990-1993)" = 124.051:
http://www.everythingbenz.com/z/mtype/1 ... s-drawings
then scroll down and click on "View" next to "Gearshift Mechanism: Manual gearshift mechanism, shifter handle, shifter boot " - which also includes Automatic, and leads to
http://mb-teilekatalog.info/view_GroupA ... 0&group=26
then click on "FLOOR SHIFT USED WITH AUTOMATIC FOURSPEED TRANSMISSION" diagram .... and Viola!
http://mb-teilekatalog.info/view_SubGro ... subgrp=075
scroll down to see part numbers.

Try the Forum Sponsor first for parts.

[brette013]

Cheers kind sir.

[Ivanerrol]

Here's a picture of one.


They are tricky to install. There's a special tool to do the job. (I don't have the tool but wish I did)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10-Long-Tran ... SwAYtWQZJh

[benzy53]

Without special tools it is a little bit messy. I gave my car to a special MB garage and they
fitted two new ones for peanuts. It was just not worth it to do it myself. It took them 5 mins
excluding driving on and off the hoist.

[Charlie Buckett]

I did this job yesterday.
I purchased the bush from the stealership for $8 about 6 months ago when I felt the gear lever getting sloppy. I had the car up on stands yesterday to do the fuel filter so decided to give this a go.
Kent Bergasma makes this look much trickier than it is (Gee! Look how hard it is to get my fat hands up there, Gee Wizz, You had better buy my tool).
The slim channel is actually perfect for bracing 2 long handled tools that allow the job to be done in 2 minutes,
Simply brace the linkage from one side with a long handled tool, lubricate and sit/push the rubber bushing into the linkage position (this can be done just enough so that it will sit without falling), then take a very long handled flat head screw driver and squeeze/push the bushing into the linkage,working around the edge.
Sorry it was too dark for photos, but took about 10 minutes to work out what I would do and what tools. And then about 2 minutes to do it. No need for special $18 tool plus $15 postage.
The stealership didn't have the clip but providing you don't lose the old one it can be reused.

[brette013]

Yeah I also think it's crazy that you may need a specialist tool to fit em. Of course it looks like it would make things so much simpler, but it's not like I gotta do them for a living so unlikely I'm gonna want to fork up the cash for one.

By the way, I put a new bush and clip from the stealership about a week and a half ago with the car on ramps. Its irritating though when that bush drops into an area where all the built up road grime exists. Car shifts like normal now, even more crisper then it was previously.