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MOTRS

122S Amazon

1956-1970 / Sedan / Estate / Sweden

All 122S Amazon problems All workshop issues
Common Transmission and Drivetrain

Worn synchros (especially 2nd gear)

Symptoms

Grinding or crunching into 2nd gear, especially when cold or shifting quickly.

Cause

B rass synchro rings wear. Second gear takes the most abuse in daily driving.

Fix

  1. 1 Short term: double-clutch into 2nd. Match revs
  2. 2 Long term: gearbox rebuild. Synchro rings ~$30-50 each, but labour is the killer if you pay someone
  3. 3 Ensure you're using GL-4 oil, not GL-5. GL-5 accelerates brass wear
Cost mentioned in fix
~$30-50 each

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// More 122S Amazon problems

Other known issues

Common Transmission and Drivetrain

Gearbox oil leaks

Oil spots under the car. Low gearbox oil. Hard shifting or grinding.
Common Transmission and Drivetrain

Worn propshaft universal joints

Clunk when shifting from drive to coast or vice versa. Vibration at certain speeds.
Common Engine

Oil consumption

You're burning through a quart of oil every 500-1,000 km. Blue smoke on startup or under load.
Common Engine

Carburetor flooding or poor idle

Hard starting, fuel smell, rough idle, stalling. Sometimes floods and won't start at all.
Critical Engine

Overheating

Temp gauge creeps into the red. Coolant boils over. Steam.
Common Engine

Ignition timing and misfires

Pinging under load, backfiring, flat spots, poor throttle response.
View all 25 122S Amazon problems