[smartyone]

I'm posting here in the hopes I may generate Sunday help. Just installed new shifter motor. It won't shift out of 1st. It will try and sometimes go into 2nd but seems to be confused. Once wrench comes on won't try anything but stay in 1st while driving. Will reverse if needed. If I unhook battery, it will attempt to shift again but same results. Help.

" full thread on maintainence forum"

 

[BARNEY O]

I'm shooting in the dark here but since this is a gear driven shifting device & electronic controlled I would think there is timing involved when bolting the servo motor unit the trans.... Are there pip marks on the gears and what position (gear) was the trans in when you took the old servo out???

 

[wahi]

Recheck both connectors, too, for contact.

 

[smartyone]

I'm shooting in the dark here but since this is a gear driven shifting device & electronic controlled I would think there is timing involved when bolting the servo motor unit the trans.... Are there pip marks on the gears and what position (gear) was the trans in when you took the old servo out???

I did not notice any markings on the gear assembly. I just looked at the old unit and it's basically two sets of gears with no indicators. I was under the impression that the shift module and ecu would retrain the motor/tran. It does make a slight clunking when starting now.

Maybe it has to be hooked up to the STAR machine for a reset?

 

[smartyone]

Recheck both connectors, too, for contact.

connectors are tight and I used dielectric grease when I reconnected.

 

[BARNEY O]

I did not notice any markings on the gear assembly. I just looked at the old unit and it's basically two sets of gears with no indicators. I was under the impression that the shift module and ecu would retrain the motor/tran. It does make a slight clunking when starting now.

Maybe it has to be hooked up to the STAR machine for a reset?

With the trans making a clunking sound now, would indicate there is some sort of timing or indexing issue of the servo mechanism... Most likely will require a trip to the dealer...

 

[bluedeuce]

From what I remember, the motors aren't indexed or anything like that; the TCU just relies on relative positioning to line everything up. I think you need to go through the entire retrain procedure to set a 'baseline' position for the TCU to work from. The 'clunk' was always there on mine when I turned the key on; I think it's just the motors zeroing themselves out.

 

[smartyone]

From what I remember, the motors aren't indexed or anything like that; the TCU just relies on relative positioning to line everything up. I think you need to go through the entire retrain procedure to set a 'baseline' position for the TCU to work from. The 'clunk' was always there on mine when I turned the key on; I think it's just the motors zeroing themselves out.

The clunk is as the motor is starting. Not when you turn the key on. I have done the "manual retrain" by just turning key on and moving shifter through the gears and then shutting off. Several times. Is there another method that I missed?

 

[Mike T]

I think the above post may be correct, i.e. there has to be a teach-in for the new unit using a STAR system.

 

[bluedeuce]

Seems to me there was some method where you had to hold the brake pedal down for 20 seconds or something to get it into the right mode. Should be in the owner's manual.

 

[BARNEY O]

The clunk is as the motor is starting. Not when you turn the key on. I have done the "manual retrain" by just turning key on and moving shifter through the gears and then shutting off. Several times. Is there another method that I missed?

I know some people move the shifter thru the gears during retrain but I leave the shifter in Park during a retrain... Foot on brake pedal, turn key to on and let the servo motors do their thing... Has worked every time for me....:wink:

 

[smartyone]

I know some people move the shifter thru the gears during retrain but I leave the shifter in Park during a retrain... Foot on brake pedal, turn key to on and let the servo motors do their thing... Has worked every time for me....:wink:

That's the normal issue when I have the 3 bars of death. But since the indicator indicates "P" it doesn't go through the normal training needed.

 

[BARNEY O]

That's the normal issue when I have the 3 bars of death. But since the indicator indicates "P" it doesn't go through the normal training needed.

I got nothing else then... Hello dealer...

 

[smartyone]

I got nothing else then... Hello dealer...

I can get the wrench off by holding brake pedal for 30 secs with key on. Tries to shift but goes back to malfunction when time to shift. Sigh, dealer it is...

 

[BARNEY O]

I can get the wrench off by holding brake pedal for 30 secs with key on. Tries to shift but goes back to malfunction when time to shift. Sigh, dealer it is...

Appears you have the answer to your problem by Rustedwrench on the other thread...:wink:
Good to have people like that here...

 

[smartyone]

Appears you have the answer to your problem by Rustedwrench on the other thread...:wink:
Good to have people like that here...

Only thing is that mentions actuator, not shifter motor. We'll soon find out when I can figure out a schedule to tow down to Bloomfield.

 

[BARNEY O]

Only thing is that mentions actuator, not shifter motor. We'll soon find out when I can figure out a schedule to tow down to Bloomfield.

MB calling it a shift actuator, aka servo motor.... and there is a clutch actuator or servo also.... Potata, Potato...

Good luck with the dealer... At least ya bought the servo at a good price...:wink:

 

[BB Benz]

I noticed that you have the Boesch Air intake. The clunk when the engine catches upon starting is from the air intake hitting the frame of the vehicle. You simply need to reposition the end of the intake away from the frame. I added some washers under the rubber washer used under the mounting bolt on the intake. The rest is achieved by rotating the air intake up and away from the frame when tightening the T-bar clamp on the rubber sleeve clamping onto the air intake. I hope that makes sense and solves the clunk. This has nothing to do with the transmission.
Have you considered cleaning up the gunk in the original motor assembly and trying that one again? Might be worth the effort at this point. Just a thought.
opcorn:

 

[BARNEY O]

The problem now is knowing how many turns of the shifting gears (position) will place the tranny in neutral before you bolt the servo in place..

Gets back to a timing situation of the servo gears...

 

[smartyone]

I noticed that you have the Boesch Air intake. The clunk when the engine catches upon starting is from the air intake hitting the frame of the vehicle. You simply need to reposition the end of the intake away from the frame. I added some washers under the rubber washer used under the mounting bolt on the intake. The rest is achieved by rotating the air intake up and away from the frame when tightening the T-bar clamp on the rubber sleeve clamping onto the air intake. I hope that makes sense and solves the clunk. This has nothing to do with the transmission.
Have you considered cleaning up the gunk in the original motor assembly and trying that one again? Might be worth the effort at this point. Just a thought.
opcorn:

I'll check that out. He installed it at the Dragon, so there has never been a clunk, my haste to get it running probably didn't realize the finesse needed