I replaced the motor mounts in the 1983 300SD W126 Wednesday night.
Started at 7:30pm, finished at 11pm. 3.5 hours.

TOOLS: 2 jack stands, floor jack, engine hoist. 6 and 8mm allen sockets, 10mm socket, 3/8 inch drive tools and flex joint. Maybe 6mm standard allen.

NOTES: Turbo side of engine far easier than Injection Pump side. Remove 8mm main mount bolts first, lift engine a little to relieve pressure on shock/dampner, remove shock/dampner on both sides. Lift engine as far as possible.

HARDEST PART: Removing gnarled left side mount, if it had not been damaged so much would have been easier.
Other tough part was getting to inside 6mm allen bolt on left side. If I could have shifted engine a little, might have helped.

I did this job alone without any help.

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80 300D 340K Owned 30 yrs
83 300SD 440K Owned 9 yrs - Daily Driver 150mi/day
02 Z71 Suburban 117,000
15 Toyota Prius 2600 miles
00 Harley Sportster 24k
09 Yamaha R6
03 Ninja 250

Thats one of the "To Do's" on my list. Thanks for the info. Hopefully mine will be that easy.

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I included "oil cooler line change" with my motor mounts (drivers side so bad that it took them out). Took me about 2.5-3 hours...pretty easy job if nothing horrible happens and the bolts are not welded into the holes.

Did you replace the engine shocks as well?

This is also one of those jobs that you want to pressurewash the area in which you are going to work if you find it slightly "dirty" hehe...

When my oil cooler lines broke my engine bay was flooded....with no way to pressurewash the car, I just had to work on it and live with it until I could drive it to dad's work and steamclean it...

...ugh that was a oily day!

That's about how long mine took me. Did you have any trouble getting the engine support arms to line back up? I had to have someone lower the engine while I gave it a push. Took a few tries but I got it done.

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Seth

1984 300D 225K
1985 300D Donor body
1985 300D Turbo 165K. Totaled. Donor Engine. It runs!!!
1980 300SD 311K My New Baby.
1979 BMW 633csi 62K+++? Dead odo

I did not do the engine shocks because the ones that came in were for W123.
Oops!. But realized that I can do the shocks later very easily with only
a 10mm socket and no lifting.
I did switch left to right and right to left thinking that the stress of engine
flex would be opposite and maybe would work a little better until
new parts arrive.

Did not do the oil cooler lines - Good Idea !

On lining up the bolt holes... for whatever reason right dropped in just right.
On the left I used a long phillips screwdriver, maybe a #1 size, larger.
Used the screwdriver to line up the motor mount on engine up through the frame hole.
Then dropped the motor slowly and it settled in. Lucky I guess.

Agree on cleaning everything before working on it. If possible.
I think my next shop purchase is a pressure washer.

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80 300D 340K Owned 30 yrs
83 300SD 440K Owned 9 yrs - Daily Driver 150mi/day
02 Z71 Suburban 117,000
15 Toyota Prius 2600 miles
00 Harley Sportster 24k
09 Yamaha R6
03 Ninja 250

where did you get your motor mounts from? i know about fastlane and have ordered from him before, but i was just wondering.

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Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

Halsey Import Automotive in Portland, OR is where I get a lot of my stuff

Its local, I get a good deal, and the people know their parts

And I can call them at 9-12am and have the parts in my hand by 3pm even if they have to come from the warehouse