Mercedes W114 250 Coupe - help!

[John Jones Jr]

I don't know if this photo has already been posted, it's a 1970 250CE with a five speed box. As you can see old style gear lever & knob. Still, that doesn't necessarily say you car is not a 5 speed.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Ignore, I tried rotating the photo in photo bucket but it's still coming out the same. Directions for those who care - north on the photo is passenger footwell, east is front of car, west is rear etc - so first and second should be where that bolted on plate with the gate is and you can see the microswitch just about at the north end of those two large nuts and the larger member at the south south east end of the photo. So to engage that switch you'd need to push the gear lever forward to where the lever knob would say 5th, the opposite way to where reverse is, which makes no sense (about the same as me then).

 

[Bellow]

there is no opposite gear (that would be reverse according to the lever) that I can find.

Detent?

Think I have deduce the pic is +-90 deg and that uppermost is LHS?

 

[Bellow]

Looking like a four speed with reverse to the left and up. Unless there's a detent and reverse (after passing beneath the tang on the plate) is left and rearwards - leaving first a forward leaning dog-leg. Unlikely.

 

[John Jones Jr]

From a '69 250CE.

 

[Bellow]

the gate is

Can the lever pass into the slot?

microswitch just about at the north end of those two large nuts and the larger member at the south south east end of the photo. So to engage that switch you'd need to push the gear lever forward to where the lever knob would say 5th, the opposite way to where reverse is, which makes no sense (about the same as me then).

Is the switch definitely a push-to-activate or could it be activated with a pull and connected to the linkage by a pull wire?

 

[Charles Morgan]

Can the lever pass into the slot?

Yes

Is the switch definitely a push-to-activate or could it be activated with a pull and connected to the linkage by a pull wire?

It pushes in - I can't see any other means of activation but it could be underneath.

 

[Bellow]

Yes



It pushes in - I can't see any other means of activation but it could be underneath.

Not what I expected.
Stumped.

 

[219]

If you're not finding six slots - then possibly only a four speed box. My deepest suspicion is that that box has been retro fitted (hence later gear knob) and there's no guarantee it's a five speed. Time to find some identifying numbers on the gearbox casing I think.
Is that bolted in plate obstructing a slot? (struggling to orient pic L/R, F/R).

The front of the car is to the right of the picture ( the centre console widens towards the front ) .

 

[219]

It has been a very long time , but I think reverse on my 5 speed 280E was lift up , over to the right , then back .

Oh , and reverse will have no synchromesh , so if the gears aren't sitting just right , it probably won't go in easily .

 

[jaymanek]

Getrag 5 speeds are a lift up and back to the right.. unless its a dog leg but that wouldnt be the case here.

 

[Bellow]

Oh , and reverse will have no synchromesh , so if the gears aren't sitting just right , it probably won't go in easily .

Synchro only works when shafts are turning so the comment re ''gears aren't sitting just right'' applies to all gears. If it's a constant mesh box then it's dogs not gears engaging - which can be expected to be worse.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Right, at great personal risk I jacked up the front and shoved an axle stand underneath and was just able to get to the side of the box where the number is - 117 261 something. So it's the box Grober* illustrated earlier in post 374.

* a mention in dispatches here - Graeme was chatting with a retired Mercedes mechanic about this project and the chap gave him a maintenance and service manual for the 114/115 from 1968 onwards, and has sent these on to me today. Now, isn't that so very kind of both of them? (as with so many on this thread).

ps - if anyone has a relative who is very short and has exceptionally long, thin but strong arms with tiny hands who would like a holiday in sunny Slough, voluntary or not, I'll pay postage and packaging.

 

[Bellow]

Right, at great personal risk I jacked up the front and shoved an axle stand underneath and was just able to get to the side of the box where the number is - 117 261 something. So it's the box Grober* illustrated earlier in post 374.

A five speed then.

I could get the lever across into what I think of as fifth, and there is no opposite gear (that would be reverse according to the lever) that I can find.

Unless it's merely being obstinate re lining up the dogs favourably.
If it is still on axle stands try turning one (only one - don't allow the other to rotate in the opposite direction) of the rear wheels and see if you can get the dogs lined up. It might take a few attempts being a bit hit or miss.

 

[WDB124066]

Right, at great personal risk I jacked up the front and shoved an axle stand underneath and was just able to get to the side of the box where the number is - 117 261 something. So it's the box Grober* illustrated earlier in post 374.

* a mention in dispatches here - Graeme was chatting with a retired Mercedes mechanic about this project and the chap gave him a maintenance and service manual for the 114/115 from 1968 onwards, and has sent these on to me today. Now, isn't that so very kind of both of them? (as with so many on this thread).

ps - if anyone has a relative who is very short and has exceptionally long, thin but strong arms with tiny hands who would like a holiday in sunny Slough, voluntary or not, I'll pay postage and packaging.

May I pick up my bottle of wine at the same time....

 

[grober]

Assuming the 6 way gear shift pattern previous described with fifth forward to the right >towards the dash and reverse a lift up and back to the right < away from the dash and with Pontoneers comments about a strong spring bias to the right to the 3 >and 4th< gear "plane " then the "guide" shown would help the driver to select 2nd gear rather than 4th. Whether this was a factory mod or one done later remains in question.
My tuppence worth.

 

[grober]

Basically all these Mercedes boxes with the side lever shifts work the same way. This a good thread explaining some of the snags but unfortunately the photos are of poor quality .
4-speed shift pattern problems... - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum


Basically there are two movements of the gear lever [ a]forward and back and side to side. These translate in the shift mechanism to [a] a selector shaft rotation and a selector shaft movement side to side to engage with the 3 selection levers and move them back and forwards.


think I got that right.

 

[Charles Morgan]

My regular Parcelforce driver who is enjoying the project just arrived with these splendid manuals, sent a mere yesterday by Grober as mentioned above. They now have pride of place with my Citroen SM manual, which is a rare honour chez Morgan.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Removed the perished rubber boot seal and engine bay seal today. Stripped front bumper of broken rubber - a little corrosion underneath but nothing bad. I wire brushed it out and started with the rust cure, prior to then getting out the hammerite before fitting a new front rubber. Did the same to the rear bumper which has a bit more corrosion, but again nothing serious and did a rust cure on that.

I connected up the battery terminals in the hope there might be some life manifest in the electrical system, but no such luck. I'll go through and clean up all the terminals and fuses.

 

[jamesfuller]

Hello, glad to see the project has been progressing well.

I have now moved into my new house and on taking the new route to work, I have spotted a metallic blue coupe. It is in a breakers yard but its complete including all chrome and looks to be in a 'special' parking place where it wont get destroyed. Every time I go past the gates are locked but I shall enquire at the first opportunity of its fate/availability for parts etc.