Comments and help given

 
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  • From Sean O'Sullivan on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

    Update on my vito Steve.

    Changed gearbox oil, unsuccessful.

    Gear linkage cleaned up and lubricated as full of muck, unsuccessful .

    Finally it seemed that the clutch was the culprit, was changed and fly wheel was fine. Cost of £775 all in.

    Now here’s the problem, although I can now get reverse and first the gear change is still very notchy.
    Getting from 4th to 2nd is near impossible and as im in and out of my gears all day its getting a right pain in the arse.

    So today i went back to see the boys who look after my vehicles and after looking at it again they think it may be the gear selector bushes which do seem very loose. They also said that the cables could be stretch due to me forcing it in gear before the clutch change.

    When they priced up the bushes they were told that you could only buy the whole part which includes the metal bracket ect at around £100 plus vat.

    Strange thing is that apparently they have sold hundreds of these parts in the last year which seems to me that its a big problem.

    I am going to change it before i go down the cable root and just hope that this will be the fix as im getting very pissed off spending money and ot getting the fix.

    Thanks again Steve and will keep you informed

    Regards Sean

  • From Alex on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

    Hi Steve and thanks for your great article!
    I have same issues with my W638 vito 1999 (manual gearbox) : 3rd is difficult to engage from the day I bought the van, and since I refilled the gearbox with W75 oil, the 5ft jump when the temperature increases.
    Do you know what type of oil I could use (considering the high temperatures here, around 25/35°C) and find here in Australia, to make some improvements?
    Regards
    Alex

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      From Steve Ball on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

      Hi there Alex,
      See if you can get hold of Pentosin ATF1, I think that should be available locally. If not try to obtain Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic ATF.
      Regards
      Steve

  • From Philip on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

    Hi Steve,

    I saw this article for the first time about 1.5 weeks ago, However here in South-Africa I could not find the exact oil you shown, so i also changed my manual gearbox oil to 100% pure synthetic Castrol 75w which was the closest and was not cheap, but i was willing to pay the price.
    However i still have the following symptoms:
    1) When the engine is cold i.e. below operating temparature , i strugle to get 1’st and reverse, but only these to gears.
    2) The clutch pedal is a bit “sticky” if can use that word.
    3) When i drive the car (cold or hot) gear changes from 1’st to 2’nd onwards is ok.(obviousely better when hot).
    4) So far ther is NO clutch slippage, even when accelerating flat out.
    5) When engine is cold AND the engine is NOT running, i can easily select ALL gears incl 1’st and reverse, no issues.
    6) When i selected for example, 1’st while engine is switched off, then depress the clutch, then start the engin, the car starts normally and does not move. And then when i release the clutch, it pulls away as normal.

    Can you please give me advice?

    Regards,

    • Avatar photo

      From Steve Ball on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

      Hi Philip,

      1) When the engine is cold i.e. below operating temparature , i strugle to get 1′st and reverse, but only these to gears. (Could be slight clutch drag)
       2) The clutch pedal is a bit “sticky” if can use that word. (Usually a sign of clutch pressure plate problems, Slave cylinder at end of stroke)
       3) When i drive the car (cold or hot) gear changes from 1′st to 2′nd onwards is ok.(obviousely better when hot).
      4) So far ther is NO clutch slippage, even when accelerating flat out. (But maybe clutch drag, not totally clearing flywheel when pedal depressed)
       5) When engine is cold AND the engine is NOT running, i can easily select ALL gears incl 1′st and reverse, no issues. (That is an indicator that the select cable adjustment is correct)
       6) When i selected for example, 1′st while engine is switched off, then depress the clutch, then start the engin, the car starts normally and does not move. And then when i release the clutch, it pulls away as normal. (You would probably not notice the amount of drag causing the problem, for sure it would not move the van. Try depressing the clutch in neutral with engine running and then waiting a few moments before trying to engage gear, see if that engages better)

      All the best
      Steve

  • From Trevor on Mercedes Vito W639 Parking Brake - WARNING! - Don't adjust the shoes without INSPECTING THEM FIRST !!

    +1 on the fitting of new springs. I recently had to change the shoes on m 639 and did it in a huryy so didn’t have new springs (Sunday afternoon job). Within a few day I was stripping them down agin to remove the bits of broken spring to fit new ones. Luckily I was not too far from home but the noise was horrendous.

    • Avatar photo

      From Steve Ball on Mercedes Vito W639 Parking Brake - WARNING! - Don't adjust the shoes without INSPECTING THEM FIRST !!

      Thanks for the additional info,
      Regards Steve

  • From Nik on Mercedes Sound 5 Auxillary Audio Input Modification

    Hi there,
    just completed the “transformation” and all went fine… but… I broken accidentally the drawer under the radio…
    Does anyone know where I can buy online a new drawer, avoiding the MB
    thieves?
    Thanks for help
    Nik

    • Avatar photo

      From Steve Ball on Mercedes Sound 5 Auxillary Audio Input Modification

      Hi there,
      Is this the part you have damaged. Ship worldwide from ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-VITO-CD-RADIO-FASCIA-PANEL-SURROUND-TRIM-/250704920656?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a5f2d8050
      All the best
      Steve

  • From Mark on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

    Hi Steve,
    Thanks for the write up mate, took my Vito 111cdi 2006 in to the garage, Not liking 1st, 2nd and reverse, they suggested a rebuild costing about £1000 to £1500 +.. but your idea seems like a plan i can not pass up..BUT, my wife use’s the motor a lot (We have a full load most times, 5 kids :-).. would your oil be ok ?

    Any advice would be great..

    Thanks again Steve..

    Mark.

    • Avatar photo

      From Steve Ball on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

      Hi Mark,

      All will be fine I am sure, lets face it the gearbox currently requires a rebuild to fully rectify it so how bad could get. 😉 It will be fine, Auto Gearbox oil is sealed for life in some Mercedes gearbox/transmissions and most Ford manual transmissions use Dexron ATF as standard. I hope it works out for you as it has done for others and makes some improvement.

      All the best
      Steve

  • From Roger Evans on Mercedes Benz Sound 5 Radio CD Player HA1111 Hidden Test Mode Menu

    Hi
    I have an 09 vito with the sound 5 radio
    When i open the door of the van the radio turns itself on and displays the word phone….very puzzling!! Anyone got any ideas??
    Cheers
    Roger

    • Avatar photo

      From Steve Ball on Mercedes Benz Sound 5 Radio CD Player HA1111 Hidden Test Mode Menu

      Hi Roger,
      It sounds like there could be a fault in the phone prep wiring. Can you turn off the phone function in the hidden test menu?. Failing this I would remove the radio from the dash and check the wiring at the rear of the set. If you isolate or remove the phone mute/control wire then it switching over to PHONE should never trouble you again! (Hopefully!!) This can be done by pulling the green connector from middle of bank C on the rear of the radio. All this assumes of course that you are not using the MB radio phone kit. See here for connections: As to its actual cause it could be a faulty phone pre-wiring kit (if fitted) or a back feed from the dome light or its controller finding its way into the phone mute circuit. Pulling the green section of the radio connector should prevent it happening but of course won’t actually rectify the actual problem, just a work round.

      Let me know how you get on, all the best
      Steve

      • From Brayden Appleby on Mercedes Benz Sound 5 Radio CD Player HA1111 Hidden Test Mode Menu

        I have a Vito that is displaying ‘Phone’ all of the time. It did have a Bury phone kit installed but i have since removed it. There is nothing connected into Block C of the stereo and it still reads ‘Phone’. I disconnected the stereo overnight, plugged it back in this morning, the radio worked fine and the display showed the radio station but 30 seconds later, reverted back to read ‘Phone’ and the radio cut out. Please Help.

        • Avatar photo

          From Steve Ball on Mercedes Benz Sound 5 Radio CD Player HA1111 Hidden Test Mode Menu

          Hi there Brayden
          As there is nothing connected to block C, it is difficult to see what other than a fault is causing the radio to switch mode as if receiving a call. You could go into the test mode and change the AUX setting to see if that changes the mode of operation, as it will route the audio differently I am sure. Its worth a shot but failing any improvement you may have to take it a car audio specialist.

          Try tuning off the AUX feature and see if there is any change.

          The older ISO10478 standard that is common to the older MB audio 10s with optical audio link, these use pin A2 for radio/phone mute. I suppose its worth a look to see if the wiring supports this connection on your iso connector, and see if anything is connected there.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectors_for_car_audio

          All the best Steve

      • From Roger Evans on Mercedes Benz Sound 5 Radio CD Player HA1111 Hidden Test Mode Menu

        Thanks for that Steve
        My Vito has got a Parrot phone system, I thought it has almost certain to have been the Parrot wiring so
        I took the radio out and disconected the Parrot and connected the original wiring to the radio to no avail….still the same!!
        I will take it out again and try pulling the wire as you suggested.
        Fingers crossed!!
        Cheers
        Roger

        • Avatar photo

          From Steve Ball on Mercedes Benz Sound 5 Radio CD Player HA1111 Hidden Test Mode Menu

          Hi Roger,
          It will be to do with the wiring to the phone interface connection part of the radio, once that central green connector is removed all sources to switch over the radio to phone mode will be removed and hopefully this will go some way to assist in fault finding the actual problem. I would look closely at the dome light (interior light) circuit or the section of wiring that illuminates the speedo LCD display when the door is opened, as it sounds as if an incorrect wire has been spliced into, that is applying a phone mute/operation signal or ground to the radio ISO connector when the door is opened.
          All the best
          Steve

          • From Tom Elliott on Mercedes Benz Sound 5 Radio CD Player HA1111 Hidden Test Mode Menu

            Hi Roger,

            I also have a Parrot phone kit (CK3100) in my Vito with the sound 5. If you need any help with the connections, please let me know.

            Regards
            Tom.

  • From Sean O'Sullivan on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

    Sorry forgot to say its a 115 sport 58 plate with 114,000

    • Avatar photo

      From Steve Ball on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

      Just thought – its also worth looking at the gear stick ball and socket that make up the shift lever in the cab, this can wear/break up preventing the correct push/pull on the selector cables in that far left gate. You can have a check of this when you inspect the gear cable adjustment.
      Steve

      • From Sean O'Sullivan on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

        Thanks Steve for your quick response.
        Had a mechanic friend look at her tonight, he thinks it’s the clutch.
        Going to see another chap tomorrow but won’t tell him what my friend said, that way I’ll get an honest answer.
        Will show him your thoughts and who knows, I may get lucky.
        Will report in when I know.
        Thanks again and kindest regards
        Sean

        • Avatar photo

          From Steve Ball on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

          I suppose if you can easily select first and reverse gears with the engine off and not running then maybe he is correct!
          Let me know.
          All the best Steve

  • From Sean O'Sullivan on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

    Hey Steve just stumbled on your article and thank god there’s people like you about.
    In the last week or so I have had lots of problems getting into reverse and first. Today it’s got worse to the point of I want to set fire to the damn thing.
    Clutch is not slipping and bites fine.
    As you can imagine its a nightmare as I’m do lots of town driving all day and just hate the fact that I’m going to be told that it’s a new gearbox ect from the usual con merchants.
    From reading the posts I’m thinking it’s the selector mech, any thoughts ?

    Also just a little advise to you and anyone else regarding prop shafts.
    Don’t whatever you do buy a brand new prop from mercedes.
    They say that the UJ joints can’t be changed and will only sell you a complete prop for just over a grand.
    Not the case as I’ve had 2 separate UJ’S go in two years and have had both replaced for £ 150 a time, bit better than £1000 from mercs.
    Regards Sean

    • Avatar photo

      From Steve Ball on Poor First Gear Selection - Manual Gearbox Problem W639 Vito - Cure

      Hi Sean,
      Thanks for the comment on the prop-shaft, like many other items they are sold as an assembly so its fully understandable what you say. Its a profitable business for motor companies in spare parts. Lets face it if Mercedes ever bought out a car that was as reliable and as simple to fix as the W123 series in this day and age they would probably go bust or we as punters could not afford to buy the car in the first place !

      I would first off take a look at the gear cables and check the adjustment as per the guidance in these documents listed on the Mercedes Gen In site. If that proves to be unsuccessful, then suspect the gear selection cage mechanism that lies on top of the gear box. Reverse and first are the first to show signs of wear in this mechanism. I think if it is this part that is worn, you will have to buy a complete cage unit from MB even if you just use the yoke out of it to simplify the replacement.

      So inspect the cables first then the mechanism on the gearbox.

      Good luck and do report back.
      All the best Steve

  • From graham on Vito W639 Reverse Camera Installation

    Cheers Steve for the rapid response,I’ve got mine paired with a set of sensors too!! happy days

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