I am helping a friend with replacing his right rear axle. I wanted to make sure his car has the same as a unites states version. It is a 1980 300TD factory equiped with a turbodiesel, and is a european model. Will the 1980 300TD parts sold here fit? ALso, The outer boot is completely cracked, but I wanted to make sure the symptom is being caused by the axle. When accelrating hard, the car vibrates/clacks/shakes/hops. it makes you want to acclerate very slowly. I think all of those describe it well. It depends on how hard you accelerate, and hose fast you are going, the harder the accleration and the slower the initial speed, the worse it is. Thanks alot!

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Wilmington, NC. Board member of Cape Fear Biofuels.
www.capefearbiofuels.com
1982 Rabbit on WVO (sold)
1979 300TD on biodiesel
1985 F-350 6.9 on WVO and Biodiesel
1983 Factory Turbo Diesel Rabbit.
1985 300SD 252,000 for sale (sold)

Something doesn't sound correct. You said this is a euro 1980 300TD turbo. Just to be clear, a 300TD is a wagon and a 300D is a sedan, is this a wagon? Also, the first year for the turbo engine was 1981 for the 300TD and 1982 for the 300D. AFAIK, the euro version of these cars did not originally have turbo engines. How do you know this is a euro car? Does it have cloth seats, manual windows, manual heat/AC controls? Are you sure of the year?

These symptoms could be caused by a bad half-shaft, and if the boot is torn that's likely. How does the CV joint act if you jack up the car and turn the wheel?

Actually, turbocharged 300TDs were sold in Euro guise, but this would not apply to this guy if it's a 1980, as they didn't appear until 1981 like you stated before.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

I wasn't sure. Were there a limited number of euro turbos? I thought that at least most of the euro 300D/TD were n/a.

I would think the normally aspirated 300TDs in Europe would've outnumbered the turbos since the turbos I believe were primarily intended for the US market, but Euro examples were made. From 1981 to 1985, the turbocharged versions outnumbered the normally aspirated versions built each year. The only exceptions were in 1979when 2 turbocharged versions were built while 11,180 normally aspirated versions were built, in 1980 when 1,852 turbocharged versions were built and 7,523 normally aspirated versions were built, and in 1986 when 3 turbocharged versions were built and 4 normally aspirated versions were built.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

it is my understanding that factory turbos sold in euro form are extremely rare. i believe most sources say they were not offered there.

the half shafts should be the same as any other 123 car. also the same as most 115s too, i believe. it sure sounds like a trashed cv joint. (the clack sound is the clue.) if you park car so that all pressure is off the rear end (chocked wheels and tranny in neutral) you should be able to grab the half shaft and wiggle it. if it is good it wont wiggle at all.

good luck

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.