Author Topic: HELP! touring in italy and stuck in gear (Read 12065 times)

Alf · « **on:** August 25, 2012, 17:23:15 »

I am 20 km outside Rome at service station on the A1 and while waiting for the toll booths I slipped it into park and nothing happened. The gear selector has gone a bit floppy and pulling away it stayed stuck in second gear. I could move the gear lever around the gate with no effect. Now have switched off and can't restart as I guess its designed only to start in park and neutral. The breakdown roadside guy is arriving in an hour. Any wisdom on this site as to what the cause is or what I can tell him to do. Ther was a bit of a rattle a few miles earlier so maybe something fell off

stickandrudderman · « **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2012, 17:32:43 »

Prob 90 your gear selector rod has parted. Should be an easy get-you-home fix for the break down guy.
As for the starting there's a switch on the bulkhead in the engine bay; it has a cable running from it down to the transmission and is just to the left of the rocker cover and a few inches lower. This is the inhibitor switch. If you disconnect the cable ball socket you can move the lever on the switch to a position where you can start the car WITH CAUTION!! THE CAR WILL START IN GEAR!!
Enjoy your trip, it's a lovely part of the world once you get used to the tailgaters!

Alf · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2012, 17:59:52 »

Thanks Stick. Do you mean the roadside breakdown guy should be able to reconnect the gear shift never or just get it started. I won't get very far in 2nd gear!

Alf · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2012, 19:01:38 »

Ok. Its now been transported to a local general mechanics shop and on Monday I'll be talking to them to see if they can fix it. Does anyone know if they are likely to need some components from Mercedes or is it all standard stuff to fix this?

Paul & Dolly · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2012, 21:59:56 »

Mama Mia !

If you are a Member of MBenz UK Club...
log in to site and go to Technical Library >PDF>W113>Pagoda Autobox Linkage Bush replacement (oct 07)
This I think describes your problem - as it happened in 2007 to a German touring UK !
It explainns the fix and parts needed,

Hope this helps

Where did your Pagoda fellow traveller from the ferry go ?

Good luck

Paul

Alf · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2012, 05:41:24 »

Hi Paul. Thanks for the tip. Yes I am a member of the Mb club but don't have this months login details with me. Could you send me a message with. The right password. As for my fellow pagodaist, she was driving to Siena to attend a wedding and then do some touring. She's new to all things Pagoda so I introduced her to this site.

Paul & Dolly · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2012, 06:50:59 »

Hi Alf,

I will PM you with the details..

It is also worth reading the post "Car runs when Auto shifter in Neutral" of July 13 2012 on this site..

Good luck

Paul (from an unusually sunny Cardiff!)

Rick007 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2012, 07:14:22 »

Hi Alf ,

We're 20 km below Florence , and driving to Siena today , it's indeed an easy fix as the others stated .
Did this myself a year ago but it's good to have a car lift so they can attach the lever again with a temporary fixation . Even a few tyraps could do the trick to get home.
If you need help just give us an Mail.

Gr. Rick

Naj ✝︎ · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2012, 11:13:43 »

Quote from: Alf on August 25, 2012, 19:01:38

Ok. Its now been transported to a local general mechanics shop and on Monday I'll be talking to them to see if they can fix it. Does anyone know if they are likely to need some components from Mercedes or is it all standard stuff to fix this?

Hi,Alf,

You will need two new bushes part # A 112 268 0150.
Cost about £2.00 each. An MB dealer may have stock as they are used in most cars of that era.
The shift link rod has to come off the car to press in the new bushes. Not difficult if the car is on a lift as Rick says.
Just note that the bushes have to be correctly oriented as thet fit in the spindles only one way.

Also see this thread:
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=16835.0

Good luck

Alf · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2012, 11:56:27 »

Grazie Mille, Naj, Rick & Paul. Feeling less stressed now thanks to you. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Alf

Alf · « **Reply #10 on:** August 27, 2012, 17:12:45 »

Final update (I hope!). The local garage fixed it and it was the bush. Back on the road, next stop Positano. Incidentally, translating 'bush' into Italian was interesting to avoid claiming the problem was due to a broken small tree! The correct technical translation is 'Boccola'. Thanks again everyone that helped me through this mini crisis.

George Des · « **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2012, 18:21:58 »

Alf,

Just be damn careful driving on that Amalfi drive with your Pagoda. The buses and motor cycles coming around those tight and narrow turns will cut you no slack!
Ask me how I know??
George

Alf · « **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2012, 20:00:08 »

Ok. How do you know George?

Paul & Dolly · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2012, 21:34:39 »

Hi Alf,

Could you get the correct parts there, or is it a temp.fix ?

Enjoy..

Paul

Alf · « **Reply #14 on:** August 28, 2012, 06:52:20 »

The Garage got the correct parts from Mercedes..... Or so they told me. Fingers crossed!

George Des · « **Reply #15 on:** August 28, 2012, 12:23:33 »

Alf,

I have driven that Amalfi drive countless times in everything from a small auto to a full size rental van. The last time I drove it was on Easter Monday a few years ago when someone coming up through one of the tight curves crossed over the white lines and took the left front side of the van I was driving with it. My van punctured his radiator and he was unhurt but alos undriveable. I was more lucky--no one hurt and van still driveable! Just be careful!

stickandrudderman · « **Reply #16 on:** August 28, 2012, 13:25:33 »

However, if you go there in November you can drive it without seeing another car! Ask me how I know!!
I was talking to a local recently who told me that in the heat of summer people have had to be airlifted out of the traffic due to accidents. One involved two busses and they had to cut the buses up in order to clear the road.

Via Manci · « **Reply #17 on:** August 28, 2012, 16:03:04 »

This is one of the most amazing threads I have ever read on this site. It is absolutely fantastic the way the correspondence went and the info flowed. My hat is off to the helpers!!!!

Alf · « **Reply #18 on:** August 29, 2012, 15:03:28 »

Thanks. This members of this forum were amazing. Now on a dubbed by the sea. Amalfi coast drive was slow safe but hot. Nearly had another crisi when the hotel car park attendants tried to put the roof up without consulting me. I got a cal from reception and it was my worst nightmare. Half down with the rear hoop wedged onto the well. Lots of telephone advice from Roger Edwards Motors who look after my car and an hour of fiddling about fixed it. I hope that's the travel excitement over until I get home

dwahi · « **Reply #19 on:** August 29, 2012, 15:21:20 »

enjoy the rest of your trip...hopefully no more issues!

Alf · « **Reply #20 on:** September 06, 2012, 15:55:37 »

The cause of all the trouble. the broken 'boccola'

News:

Author Topic: HELP! touring in italy and stuck in gear (Read 12065 times)

George Des

George Des

Via Manci