The lower cover and intermediate plate are upside down in comparison to the way it was pulled off the transmission setting on the bench..

You unscrew this little plate with the 4 screws and the intermediate plate and lower cover separate from each other..The IP lifts up and there is no balls, springs or anything like that ..that can go off to no where ville..inside the lower cover...EXCEPT these 3 little parts in the next post

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1978 300SD 303400 miles
1983 300D 341270 miles
1980 300SD 320456 miles