Ok. So My 240D has a serious starting problem. About 50 percent of the time when I try to start the starter doesn't engage whatever it's supposed to engage on the motor to actually turn the motor. I assume the teeth on the "thing" on the motor that the starters teeth mesh with are broken. There's a horrible grinding noise and the starter just spins freely. Dont know what that part would be called, "ring gear" perhaps?
Anyway, I'll have to pull the motor to get to this. Assuming I do that what's involved in replacing this part? Can it even be sourced and what would be cost be?

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

I believe the starter spins the flywheel which has hardened teeth. So the grinding you hear is probably the teeth on the starter being ground because they aren't fully engaging with the flywheel teeth. I removed the starter on my 240 when it went bad; I found it easier to remove the air filter assembly than the steering arm (I forget the exact part name) bolt as recommended in the Haynes manual.

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82 240D 302,00
85 300TD 195,000

Check this out: Sticky starter ONLY when cold outside

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I bought a 240D with a "bad" starter and it turned out too be the ring gear was spinning around the flywheel, Your problem might be missing teeth on the ring gear. I pulled the tranny. The flywheel, I exchanged with a parts car one I had. A ring gear can be had new and replaced on your flywheel.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Go for the starter first- easiest and cheapest to replace.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I had a similar experience. It was the ring gear. The ring gear always stops in a few favored positions, so the starter always engages into these same few spots (the crank always stops on a compression stroke, so, depending on how many cylinders, you get a couple of of "favored" locations). As a result there is higher wear in these spots, and, eventually the wear can cause the starter to lose its abilty to transmit torque to the ring gear as teeth break off. Once all the teeth in each spot are broken off, the starter won't do anything. I had a manual 240D and I could put it in gear and force the engine to turn past these favored spots and get the car to start, but my wife didn't like this ritual. So, I had the ring gear replaced. You have to drop the transmission and remove the clutch on a manual, to get to the ring gear. It is press fit on the flywheel. I changed the clutch wear parts (throw out bearing and clutch plate and pressur plate) while there was, literally, free access even though the clutch was still healthy at the time (about 175,000 miles).

So, I think you have a ring gear failure. Good luck, and I hope this helps. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Jim, thank's for that input. It does seem very like my situation. Just so that I understand what you are saying. Do you mean that the ring gear is in the transmission itself? or that you just have to drop the tranny to get to the back of the engine where the ring gear is located? Also. Would it make sense to swap out my starter for the spare I have and see if this affects the issue?
- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Peter,

The ring gear is literally that, a ring with gear teeth on its outer periphery. The ring is pressed on the flywheel, so, if you look at a picture of a flywheel you will see gear teeth on its outer periphery. So, you have to drop the transmission to gain access to the flywheel. I am assuming you are speaking of a 4 speed 240D, so you will also have to remove the clutch hardware to get to the flywheel and replace the ring gear. While you are in there, if the clutch is a few hundred thousand miles old, you might as well replace the wearing parts as sure as can be, once you put those old parts back in, one of them will fail and you will be back inside. More than half the cost if you have someone do this for you is getting access and putting all the removed stuff back on, so it is a significant savings to take care of the clutch while you are there. Good luck and I hope this helps. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Thank's Jim. Yes, it's a 4 speed manual 240D. The tranny has 383000 on it and I'm pretty sure the clutch is on it's way out too so I think I'm going to have to baby the thing until I can hopefully get a house later this year with enough space to drop they tranny and do this stuff myself.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S