Hey Tedd, did you ever figure this out? You might post this to Diesel Discussion too, to get more eyes on it.

I dug around in my FSM for 615, 616, and non-turbo 617 engines and found section 05-412 "Removal and installation of intermediate gear shaft". This section covers the different versions and shows detailed drawings of the assemblies as well as the front and rear bushings themselves.

There is only one removable bushing for the front of the shaft. Once the front bushing that's held in by the bolt/washer is removed there is nothing left to remove/replace.

It looks to me like the front bushing spun in the bore, thus wearing the grooves you can see/feel. Maybe the lock washer and bolt fell out and allowed the bushing to spin with the shaft? It also appears to me that what you are seeing as a bushing is in fact a pattern worn into that surface by the spinning front bushing's front flange. This is why you cannot see the "bushing" from the rear.

Seems like time to talk to a good machinist about making a repair to that bore to restore its ability to hold the front bushing in place. Sleeve? Weld in new material and align-bore it? Maybe just find another block?

Be happy to hook you up with some high-res photos of the FSM pages in question, if you need 'em.

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- Greg -
1973 220D, The Prodigal Benz
1974 240D