280SE opinions wanted please

[television]

The only reason that the first gear was not felt is because you have to kick it down on start off, you would only detect 3 changes on light throttle

 

[ShinyF1]

we've got a '78 280E and that has a 4 speed box in it.

Is it economical?.......absolutely not

Is it fun to drive?.......nope, it handles like a boat

Is it rusty?...............Oh yes but it's sailed through it's last 2 MoTs without an advisory

How much does Annie love it?... You try and take it off her It does about 15 to the gallon, looks like a heap of crap on the outside but it's ultra reliable, the inside is lovely and she reckons it's the best car she's ever had. She hates driving my W124 as it feels "too modern"

Any W123 is a real love it or hate it type car.


Andy

My Dad had a 1973 280E and that had a 4-spd 'box

 

[Dieselman]

So what's the point of the L selection if it doesn't engage 1st, or is 3rd missed?

 

[ShinyF1]

Perhaps 4th was effectively an overdrive?

 

[television]

So what's the point of the L selection if it doesn't engage 1st, or is 3rd missed?

If you checked up on those boxes, you will see that the 722.3 boxes only alter the change points and they do not give a 1st gear start.

 

[television]

Perhaps 4th was effectively an overdrive?

The 5th gear boxes were only offered with the 722.5 boxes and were first used around 1994 and offered as an extra on the 124 24valve engined cars.

 

[Dieselman]

If you checked up on those boxes, you will see that the 722.3 boxes only alter the change points and they do not give a 1st gear start.

So are you saying there is no way to manually engage 1st for a steep decent.

 

[television]

So are you saying there is no way to manually engage 1st for a steep decent.

I cant give you the 722.300 figures now as they have been deleted, I do have the 722.36 figures somewhere and I will dig them out later

 

[esox]

The 2.3 engine is great but make sure you change the cam chain etc.

"Handles like a boat"

Has the chain got a link to make changing easy,or is it endless?

My `84 123 is a four-speed,the only time i get into 1st is when booting it away from standstill.


Handles like a boat? Thats one of the things that make then so good - manufacturers these days have forgotton how to make comfy-lux waft-o-matic cruisers.
Not everyone wants `sports` suspension.

 

[television]

Has the chain got a link to make changing easy,or is it endless?

My `84 123 is a four-speed,the only time i get into 1st is when booting it away from standstill.


Handles like a boat? Thats one of the things that make then so good - manufacturers these days have forgotton how to make comfy-lux waft-o-matic cruisers.
Not everyone wants `sports` suspension.

This is exactly as I said a few post back

 

[MBManInKen]

That's a 3 speeder.

I didn't even know they ever did a 3-speed one in a W126 . Even my W116 had a 4-speed auto box, as did my W126.

EDIT: I'm late as usual, I see others raised the same point

 

[Dieselman]

I didn't either but didn't Ian Walker mention an old box with three speeds?

It just seems strange that the selector can't select 1st.

 

[television]

I didn't either but didn't Ian Walker mention an old box with three speeds?

It just seems strange that the selector can't select 1st.

Due to the high gearing it was not needed, even my 124 was like that, though that was lower geared. I will look it up to see if the box ever selects 1st on the down shifts.
There is also another big difference in these boxes in that they are always coupled up.

If you are going sown hill in one of these cars and select N and then go back to D, the revs will shoot up to 3rd then 4th to slow you down, in the 722,6 boxes if you do the same the engine stays it idle

 

[MBManInKen]

It just seems strange that the selector can't select 1st.

I'm pretty sure they can, if I remember correctly (it's been a long time!), these gearboxes have P R N 3 2/B.

B is basically 1st, you need to move the selector stick to the right from the 2 position (same movement as on the W140, where you have D/4 on the same grid position, but D is with the stick to the left, if you click it to the right, it will go to 4).

I'll see if I can find a picture.

 

[MBManInKen]

Here is the picture, this is what I remember:

When in 2, you can move it to the right, that will select B, which is basically 1st gear.

 

[Dieselman]

The O/p said it only had P-R-D-S-L.

That's only two downshifts from drive.

 

[esox]

I always thought that my 230 felt pleasantly relaxed while diving at motorway speeds,until i drove it with my Tomtom and realised that the speedo was nearly 10mph optimistic at seventy mph!

My other vehicles are approx 2-3mph out,but how accurate are the sat-nav speed figures,and how often do they `refresh`?

 

[MBManInKen]

I know, I'm not helping .

S=Second, L=Lowest (1st).

PRNDSL boxes are 3-speeds as far as I know, but that brings us back to the issue of whether or not a W126 has ever been fitted with a 3-speed one.

 

[television]

The O/p said it only had P-R-D-S-L.

That's only two downshifts from drive.

Yes thats selectable two down shifts make 3 speeds, plus the kick down, You must not forget the selectors were different depending on the engine fitted to the car, so no 2 models will have the same gate

 

[Dieselman]

I know when Ian mentioned it. It was when converting the 190 to V8.

I can't find that thread now though.