I thought I bought a nice 300TDT, paid alot for it, dealer maintained since new, all records, very nice body and paint, etc. I have driven it about 25 K so far and have changed/flushed all fluids, tuned everything, adjusted valves 2x, trans shifting, replaced all AC, etc. Car runs great, but everything was a mess before service, The MBZ dealer who maintained the car did not perform the work they stamped off in the service log, there is no way, fluids even nastier then some of the Ebay disaster TD's I have purchased! (I'll save the Ebay tales for another time, there pretty good!)
I changed the rear diff fluid when I first started driving it and have always felt some excessive backlash when shifting into gear. On my way home to VT from family vaca at Jersey shore last week, I noticed some nasty sounds from the back and discovered a recently broken inner cv boot. OK, so I bought a new axle. When I removed the diff cover (since I have the early non flange axles), I discovered that the diff is hammered, the carrier is worn so bad that the pin is very loose/worn and moves in a deep slot about an extra 1/2" and the pin was contacting the pinion gear! The oil level was fine. I pulled the diff last night and now the car is stuck in my shop till I can drive the 85 up from Mass, I forgot that it can not be rolled around with the diff out... Duh! ( transporting the 85 up here will be another challange, stories to come I'm sure).
I have another diff in an 85 and believe the ratio is the same 3:07 (thanks to the excellent ratio list posted on this excellent forum) The 3:07 seems to be a good compromise, I am on the highway alot and would love a taller gear, but have alot of long climbs. I just hope the diff in that car is OK.

Any one have diff problems like this? is it at all common? Has there ever been a locker or ltd slip avail for these?

I also am having alot of oil leaks, I use 15 40 Rotella and lucus every 3000. the oil leaks are winning, back of car gets a film, very frustrating. I am fixing them as I go, but the seals I need to replace are a ***** to do with the engine in the car. The oil sep drain check valve seems fine, not sure why these leaks have gotten progressivly worse. So This brings me to my next project: I would also like to pull the engine (after comp test) from the 85 and put it in mine, after resealing and replacing all the common stuff and doing some performance work, etc. The engine in this car runs great and is dry underneath, has 220K (mine has 211K).

Are there any advantages to the 85 motors over the 82? the turbo looks abit different and seems better, sounds a bit louder, feels stronger?

One last thing: I want to put my 240D 4spd behind the 85 motor and drop it in at one time. I scoured all the manual trans swap posts and have everthing I need (except I have not yet match balanced the 240 flywheel for the 5cyl) I was wondering if anyone has available the custom pilot bushing for sale so I dont ave to deal with making one? will the back of the crank be the same on the 82 as the 85 motor?

way to many questions, I know. I'll spread them out in the future or repost them individually.

Hard to find the time to do all this stuff on my 600+mile/wk daily driver, I have many other projects on hold since I am struggling keeping my daily driver in good shape, now I am getting an earful from the wife as well. How the hell do you guys do it?!?!?.


MarkP

I get the ear full also. Then I remind my wife of her new Jetta. Payments plus Dealer Maint is costing MORE than the MB per year....

Any way, on your rear diff. The 85 came with the 2.88 ratio. The 84 on down was 3.07. I'm looking for a speedometer from an '85 so I can swap in an '85 diff for my '82. I do not think a LS or lock diff was available.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

I think the 1985-123 has the 2:88 rear ratio differential... I think the 85 does not use the same tachometer pickup etc. also... The 2:88 rear end will be a nice match up with the 4 or 5 speed manual... Jim

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James A. Harris

[I am struggling keeping my daily driver in good shape, now I am getting an earful from the wife as well. How the hell do you guys do it?!?!?.
MarkP[/QUOTE]

I keep a Toyota truck as a back up and don't tell the wife why the benz is in the garage.

Our cars do have lots of miles on them, so the carrier bearings are well worn. Worn carrier bearings will cause lots of carnage quick since the ring gear is now loose and deflecting under load.

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2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

That is correct.

This is the first I've heard of one of these very tough diffs actually wearing out.

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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

Haven't had any diff trouble -- yet with our '84 tdt. Lotsa oil leaks and maintenance, but my wife loves the rig and running the biodiesel I make for it. I bought her a cherry 82 SD with 63k orig miles and she stuck with the wagon -- something to do with John Lennon owning one.

There really is a lot of experience contained in all the history of MercedesShop forum. Doing a search to retrieve it can be pretty hard sometimes.

I happen to remember this thread because it involved one of my cars:

Excessive W123 Differential Wear - Pictures

The bottom line is that you don't want to let your transmission shift too harshly (from a vacuum problem) for too long. It has an impact on the drive train components.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Like everyone said, the ’85 has a 2.88. Your ’82 has a 3.07. You can use the 2.88 but you will have to swap out the speedometer also. Anyways it would be good upgrade from the 85 mph unit to a 120mph unit. But I’m also looking for a 2.88 and speedo combo… To bad your on the other side of the country of where I am at, I would of propose a swap of my 3.07 for your 2.88.

No LSD. But you can get a 2.47 LSD from w116 or w126 gasser
Differential Swap

Block is the same generally. The ’85 has an ARV on the turbo will reduce the boost pressure for better emissions and it will have some electronic emission stuff the ’82 doesn’t have. You would just not use them if you installed in the '82 body. But I would use the motor with the best compression after valve adjustment, timing chain stretch check and IP timing adjusted.

I would use a 3.07 instead of the 2.88 differential for better stop and go acceleration.

Yes. The difference is only the flywheel which the ’85 accommodates an RPM speed sensor.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Ken,

Quite a thread you have linked to there. When I did my axles I wish I had looked for that sort of wear. I didn't have any metal that I could see in my diff fluid, so I must have been all right.

Reason I worry - I think my car was shifting harshly from vacuum problems for a while before I got my hands on it.

Oh well, too late now. At least if theres ever a problem I know I can get a good diff easily.

dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

The 190D cars had chronic problems with that pin beating up the differential.
I think it's less common on 123 cars.

What year is the 240d? If it is 83>= then use a 2.88 otherwise stick with a 3.07.

As far as the pilot bearing goes, any kind of grinder will work took MAYBE 10 min to fab.

You have the modified linkage as well?

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Thanks for the info, soooo much knowledge here!
I think I'll get the new diff installed next weekend and then just run it and live with the oil leak for now, may even try some of that stopleak/seal conditioner. If the motor in the parts car is as good as I think it is, I'll pull it and go through all the seals, decarbon, t chain, etc and install the manual trans so it is all ready to drop in when I have the time.

I do not have the modified linkage, I have the longer 240 shift rods that I will have to shorten (?) anyone happen to know the length?. I'll also get some measurments and see what i can come up with for a pilot bearing.

Missed another nice BBQ party today since working on car as usual, today I can see my wifes point.

good pics of the diff wear, my looks same.
Now that i think about it, I was stuck in the mud/ snow a couple of times, I was not too hard on it trying to get it out , but maybe it was harder on the diff than it seemed and got the slot started.

I am glad to be going to a 2:88, I drove the donor car home last night and it felt good at 90 (in terms of gear ratios anyway) I don't know if I would change it for the heck of it, but I am glad I'm doing it, these cars seem much happier when not screaming at 80. I drive alot of hills, but think the 2:88's will be fine, the parts car ran very strong on the hills.

Bringing the donor car home from Mass (2.5 Hr) last night was a challange. It sat for long time, got her running and realized trans cooler was mixing with rad. I changed/flushed fluids and filters and installed another rad I happened to have. The one fluid I was not able to check was the diff-the part I really need. could not get the damn fill plug out.

I left Mass around 10 after various repairs and got on the highway. I soon got pulled over for no license plate lights and loud exhaust, at which time the brake pedal went to the floor, fortunately it still had enough brakes for a slow stop. I told the cop it was a parts car I was limping home and he was cool with it, let me go!

back on the road for a bit and the exhaust dropped out, drovea few miles to the VT welcome center and pulled in to fix that and my wipers. There was a guy there from Sask CAN who just bought a really niceTDT in Mass and was driving it back, he was into it and fully understood the parts car transport, was pretty funny.

I passed two more cops with no exhaust and can't believe they did not pull out, made it home around 1:00AM

Car ran strong, engine seems to have no blowby at all. I'm gonna dismantal it this weekend and put the diff in my 82. I am definately going to pull the motor and go through it (seals/t chain,etc) so I can mate up my manual trans and then drop it all in my 82 when I get a chance. paid about 500 total with all the fluids/filters. body is not too bad, but I need the parts, so she has taken her last drive.
I hope I can get the kid up the road down here to help with parting it out.
I was thinking of draining all the fluids and rolling it on its side to get at the underside, my wife will love it.

One question: This car is definately an 85, but the rear axles look the same as my 82. I thought that the 85's had a flange and the axles bolted to it like a VW? It sure looks like I can use the new axle I bought for the 82, but all the part # research says they're different (?).

The 2:88 Rear diff is great, a noticeable difference and still good on the hills. I still need to change my instrument cluster though, seems to be 5-10 off. I already drove the car about 700 miles this week.

So the speedo drives are all the same? just the speedo itself needs to be changed?

The tachs do not work in either car, any one know what the common problem is with these, is it the tach itself usually?

This weekend I'm pulling the motor/trans from the parts car, eventually it will go into my 82 with the manual trans.

Anyone need any cheap TD parts? has decent black interior, glass, etc.