The percent of fine sand in combination with planktonic foraminifer oxygen isotope analyses from IODP site U1389 were used to investigate changes in strength of the Mediterranean Overflow over the last 250 kyr. MOW velocity was high at times of Earth's precession maxima and weak during precession minima. Benthic carbon isotopes were measured to analyse the chemical properties of the MOW. Low benthic d13C were recorded at times of weak Mediterranean overturning, specially at times of sapropel deposition in the Eastern Mediterranean. low %fine sand in the middle of Heinrich stadials probably indicate a deepening of the MOW due to lower vertical density gradients in the Atlantic.