Oh Dear Gearbox Problem

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christopher1981

New Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
10
Location
hertfordshire
Car
1985 230 ce w123
Oh Dear Gearbox Problem w123

last week i was cruising down tha a12 in my 1985 white auto 230ce, i decided to overtake the granny doing 30! so pushed my foot down enough to engage the kick down, so it kicked down to third, passed the gran then let off and then it started to go wrong, it just wouldn't change back up to fourth! so there i was doing 50 in third, got to my junction, pulled up the slip road stopped at the lights all fine, they changed i pulled away and only got first gear!!!! not even second, so round the roundabout in rush hour i went at 10mph!!! until i could stop,

i rested the car for ten mins or so, checked the fluid level of the box, seemed a bit high, then tried again, but it still would not shift from 1st. reverse works and L S work but only in first!!!! help me pleasewhat could this be
is there anything i could try before taking it to a gearbox shop and being told i need a new box worth as much as the car!

can any one help??
 
Last edited:
Inside the gearbox there is a speed governor driven by a plastic gear. If the gear strips the governor doesn't spin so the gear never changes up. This may be the problem.
 
A good cheap gearbox would do the trick as these gearboxes can cost a bit of money to rebuild.

By the looks of it the gearbox needs to be removed anyway, see if you can repair it as per Dieselman and if not cheapest other alternative would be to change it.

If your car is 1985, you car needs a cable operated gearbox as the pre 1982/83 230CE cars came with a rod operated gearbox.
Make sure if buying its a cable operated gearbox.
 
i spoke to a gearbox repair company, they said it may be just a solenoid?
could it be and where would i find it?

also can anyone recomend anywhere near hertfordshire where i can get second hand merc automatic gearboxes?
 
I dont know if its of any use to you but I have a spare box out of a W124 260E. Its a rod selector and cable kickdown.
 

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