'81 300D

Went to re-attached the ground strap and the bolt doesn't seem to want to seat. I can put the bolt in from the other side, but once it gets past the point where the threads are, the bolt flares out a bit and won't go in any further.

I'm thinking that I can just get a similar bolt that is a bit longer, and threaded the entire length and run it through to the other side with a nut? Question is, does the transmission require a great deal torque from this bolt? Obviously first choice would be to get the original bolt to seat properly, but short of that, is this a workable solution?

Thanks,
Eric

Is this one of the 2 bolts that hold the starter in? If it is, it needs to be fixed properly. A helicoil is very strong and an acceptable fix. But look at it closely and compare it to the other starter bolt. I believe this is a M10 or maybe M12 bolt, and it has a 10mm allen hex head. Torque to something lime 55Nm.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Its the one that goes form the underside of the body to the bell housing . . . it doesn't connect to the starter.

I've seen where a transmission was reinstalled and the mechanic used either a hellof an Armstrong method or an air driver to tighten the long bolts that go into the casing and stripped them in the process.
You should be able to move the ground strap up (or down) one bolt thereby using the long bolt that goes thru the transmission bellhousing to the engine, not one that goes into a blind thread. The stripped threads can be fixed if you have a Helicoil tool or maybe drilled thru and a longer bolt used (we had the one mentioned above repaired with a Helicoil.)

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!