E300 W210. Transmission didn't go above 3rd once.

[AANDYY]

Hello, strange one this, well I think so.
Went for a drive today to the North Lakes, when pulling out onto a dual carriageway the gearbox wouldn't change up past 3rd (3k rpm at 50 mph) I couldn't slow enough to see if it would change down to second, cars behind. So pulled over to a safe stopping area, switched off and it was all OK from there .
Previous to me pulling out onto the dual carriageway I hit a bird at about 30 mph, no damage to the car, I'm sure this is just coincidence.
Any thoughts Peeps?

ATF changed about 8-9k miles ago.

 

[Olivier]

Do you mean the car didn't go on the fourth gear? 3 K rpm on third is OK, no?

 

[AANDYY]

Correct, it wouldn't shift up into 4th, 5th. I did try a bit faster but it should have shifted up before I reached 50mph in 3rd, I wasn't accelerating hard and also when I stayed at a steady 50mph, it should have shifted to 4th 5th.

 

[Olivier]

Humm... And its all OK now? I have to look at mine, but since I tweaked the waste gate, it seems that the shiftings occurs on higher RPM then before. But yes if you were cruising, it should have been shifting?

 

[Olivier]

I just had a look at some previous post about the gearbox, I was thinking of the wee spring that is prone to break, but this is more like "slipping" gears between 3 and 4, not "not shifting"...
Anyway, here is the spring, in case this might help?
722.6 Pressure regulator spring replacement - Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum

 

[AANDYY]

Humm... And its all OK now? I have to look at mine, but since I tweaked the waste gate, it seems that the shiftings occurs on higher RPM then before. But yes if you were cruising, it should have been shifting?

Yes all OK now, it was just a one off but very wierd.

 

[AANDYY]

All Sorted now.

Took the car to Ian at 124 works and stuck on the Star machine and all is OK now, well no recurring faults.

 

[Olivier]

Odd

 

[Shude]

Did you check the ATF level? Mine refused to shift higher than 3rd a couple of times and it was low ATF.

 

[AANDYY]

I did forget that today, as it's all OK now I thought it was a one off. It was checked a few months back, all OK and no leaks anyway.
I can pop in anytime for that .

Now thinking back, just before going onto the dual carriageway, I joined the road via left handed spiral link road, got mi thinking there about possible low ATF.
Would the ATF slosh to one side?

 

[Dieselman]

I suspect the gearbox speed sensors reported some slippage so the box locked into the last good gear until reset by 'key off'.

What were the error codes.?

 

[AANDYY]

I didn't take a note of the codes.

 

[johnsco]

We have run two of these beasts for over a year.
There are clearly minor differences between the transmission shift characteristics between the two cars ... Both E300TD avantgard saloons of the same year..
Not that I find this anything to worry about.
Both are fine to drive.
From time to time, both exhibit unexpected variations in shift point.
But these are rare, and, again, I don't find them anything to worry about.

There are moments when I feel that the transmission is pausing momentarily while it decides what to do next.
Never any signs of extended slippage, never any flaring, and neither of them have ever stuck in a gear.
I put it down to the fact that it's a complex transmission and (like me) it's getting on a bit.

I do change the atf annually and I have bought a dipstick so that I can check them from time to time.
Hopefully this will keep them on their best behaviour.

Cheers.
Johnsco