PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - 300d 4-speed swap: are you happy with it?

54dan · #9 03-24-2013, 09:34 PM

Finally had a weekend to devote to the conversion and am so close I can taste it!

Current issue is that I cannot get the new driveshaft in -- it won't clear front or rear centering pin by about 1/2". Driveshaft shop had me measure from the flexplate on the installed new transmission to the center of the center bearing holes, and this dimension looks perfect.

This is the (pretty much) last thing between me and a test drive ... it was the end of the day and I was getting tired so I figured I'd give it a rest before I try to force it and break something. Pretty sure the splines are all the way in, and I removed the parking break pivot thing to let the shaft bend a bit more at the u-joint.

Other random notes so far:

* I had a heck of a time bleeding that &^%$ clutch! Final apparently successful method was to put teflon tape on the bleeder threads, and suck from the bottom using a mityvac and a container inline. No luck with an assistant opening and closing the bleeder as we pumped the pedal, and no luck pressurizing from below.

* A machinist friend and I made a bronze bushing to serve as a pilot bearing. We think that MB just never did the final machining on the crank hole to make it a clean 35mm hole to fit the standard pilot bearing. I will get and post the exact dimensions of the bushing we made -- it was near 1.366", I think.

* I am an expert at tweaking those shift rods now. I thought I would be smart and cut them in straight sections and then weld together to avoid getting the bends out of whack and in order to not have to cut threads. This worked well except I cut the 3-4 rod in exactly the wrong place and got it all whompered up. I eventually got it back into shape.

* A cable come with the conversion parts that appears to plug into the weird 4-pin plug on the L side of the console that formerly went to the neutral safety switch. The new cable has that 4-pin plug on one end and a 2-pin one that looks like it goes the the backup light switch on the shifter. True? Will this cable connect what was the neutral safety circuit?

* Got the 240d auto crossmember from a forum member. fits perfectly.

So, that's where we stand so far. Hopefully a clear mind will show me what I'm missing tomorrow to get that shaft in.

Many thanks for all of the help.

-Dan