Mercedes Benz 4G Tronic transmission

The Mercedes-Benz 4G-Tronic transmission was produced from 1981 to 1996 in 722.3 and 722.4 variants. It was a hydraulically operated non-lockup four speed automatic that replaced the similarly designed 722.2 four speed automatic transmisison in 1981. The Mercedes Benz 722-series automatic gearbox is calibrated to take off in second gear to reduce "creeping" and provide a smoother ride. The transmission will select 1st only if the selector is in "2" or in case of abrupt acceleration. Other attributes of this transmission include a 2-3 shift delay when the engine is cold in order to speed up catalyst warm-up. 4th gear is a 1:1 ratio meaning that cruising at about 100 km/h (62 mph)generates engine speeds around 3000rpm. The 4G-Tronic was used until mid-1996 in some vehicles when it was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz 722.5 which is basically the same transmission with an additional electrically controlled 5th gear for overdrive. This was in turn replaced with the more modern 722.6 5G-Tronic transmission that features a torque converter lockup and fully electronic control.