auto box 1st gear

[white190]

Hi
Can any one tell me if there is a way to make a 1993 190 2.0 Auto ,start in 1st gear instead of 2nd all the while....

If possible a permanent fix , not just manualy selecting 2nd then dumping it into Drive , it works but hardy the best solution....

Any sugestions?????

Thanks Peeps

 

[altreed]

Is your gearbox set to winter or economy mode?  Switch it to sport or summer mode.  That will ensure starting in 1st.

 

[white190]

Hi
My Gearbox lives in (S) mode , the trouble is that all Auto gearboxes on 190's start in 2nd by design.....

I am looking for a way to make it do something it wasn't supposed to do.........

any sugestions peeps................

 

[fuzzer]

new car

 

[steveperry]

I think the only way to start off in first gear is to boot the accelerator with the gear selector switch set to "S", or to press the accelerator all the way down (activating the kickdown switch) if the gear selector switch is set to "E". I think that kind of driving style won't do wonders for your mpg figures tho'.

S.

 

[white190]

Not keen on getting new car I've only had this one 3 months..... before that I had my Vegie oil Renualt Diesel..

So the 190 is still like a dream to drive compared to the Laguna , but it never hurts to try and make things better... as long as you don't mess thing up along the way....

And remember  ..an old mechanic at FORD told me this...

"nothings impossible till you find out it is".......

I think what he meant was .. dosent do any harm to have a think and take a look but if it looks imposible it might not be worth doing......

Any way thats enough waffle for one day

 

[Matt Crooke]

Let me in on the secret when you find out!!!

 

[white190]

If I ever do I will...

 

[fuzzer]

Just as an afterthought , why do you need to start in 1st gear?

 

[Matt Crooke]

Fuzzer....

Just for general easy of driving really. Jump in a manual car and pull away in second all day...it can be done, but its slow and just dosent seem right. As mentioned before, 190's can be made to pull away in 1st by using the kickdown...but who wants to pull away at full throttle all the time.

Basically 190's feel very lethargic on pull off because of the 2nd gear thingy.

 

[fuzzer]

Ahh right , point taken..

 

[steveperry]

My old '86 190E felt zippy enough if left in "S" Standard mode, mind you it felt like slow treacle in "E" Economy mode.
Mine was too old to have a cat fitted tho' so I don't know if that makes a difference.

S.

 

[Matt Crooke]

Steve,

I know what you mean about the E & S mode, mine lives in S, as i dicsovered (whilst attempting a quick pullaway at a roundabout when i first got the car) that the kickdown in to 1st dosent work in E!!!

I was very lucky to avoid the Ahern skip hire lorry from ploughing into the side of me.

I would imagine if this gear box was strapped to a more powerful engine, say the 2.6 190 then the second gear pullaway wouldnt be a problem, but my poor wheezy 2.0 litre is a bit gutless. Anyone on here owned a 1.8 carb 190 with the auto box?...i bet pullaway in that was a bit painful?

 

[white190]

Yo Matt
Change your air filter element for a K&N item dose wonders for the 2.0 injection 190's like ours..
they cost ~ 55 quid but do have a 1000000 mile guarantee ! .
It just make's the Engine rev so much easier when pulling away.

Also changing the rear Exhuast box for a 'Performance' box made a real difference to my car .. though that could have been due to the real bad state of the OEM box already on the car..
Warning though rear boxes for Merc's are not cheap ..
Thank fully I'm handy with a Tig welder So was able to get a universal Stainless Steel box and make the pipes  to fit it.

I have ordered one of those EcoTek (47 quid) things , If it makes A real Difference I will put write a new post.

 

[Koolvin]

switchlogic is a gadget device that will make you start in 1st