I know this is a total newb question, but where is my starter located? I want to hook up a remote starter switch so that I can turn the engine over while watching the torque converter and hopefully land on the drain plug. Any help?

__________________
1987 300D wvo on the way!

wait wait.. your changing your transmission oil, yet you dont know where the starter is... lol. The starters is on the right of the engine, (looking from the rear of the engine from the flywheel, back) its a small black cylindrical peice of metal with three bolts that hold it in place. in order to remote start it, you connect a lead to the POSITIVE and the SMALL FLATHEAD SCREW.

__________________
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

Is it accessible from the top or bottom or both?

__________________
1987 300D wvo on the way!

That's way too much trouble. You can bump the engine for a long time before the plug stops in the right place. Just turn the crankshaft (in the normal direction of rotation) with a ratchet wrench on the balancer bolt. Much faster. Use a mirror if you are working solo. You can also turn the flywheel with a large screwdriver.

Be sure to take the socket wrench off the crank shaft bolt before starting the engine...

So, is the bolt accessible from the top, or do I have to get under the car?

__________________
1987 300D wvo on the way!

Approach from above the engine. Stand in front of car, hood open. Look down behind the radiator. Below the fan there are some pulleys attached to the crankshaft. The bolt that holds the pulleys to the shaft is the one you want to turn with a socket wrench, clockwise only. That's the direction the fan turns to draw air through the radiator onto the engine.
Do you have a method for refilling the torque converter? When I replaced my transmission and TC, I filled the TC before installing it. Steve

Won't the TC just fill through the transmission fill/dipstick tube? This is a 603 by the way.

__________________
1987 300D wvo on the way!

Add a few qts of ATF down the tube and crank to fill the torque converter. IMHO it is easiest to access the crank bolt from the bottom.

__________________
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

Right, you have to be down there sooner or later anyway to access the TC. Steve

Do I have to remove anything to access the bolt? If so, what needs to come out?

__________________
1987 300D wvo on the way!

No. There is also an alternative. Some people use the power steering pump pulley bolt, although some think using it may make it so tight that it will be hard to remove in the future. Steve

So I'm giving this another shot, except I am having a lot of trouble accessing the crank bolt on my 603. It seems that the only way to get to it would be to remove the shroud and fan. Also, I considered using the power steering pulley, except there are three or four bolts on the front of the pulley, so I'm not sure what everybody means when they say use "the" PS bolt. Any suggestions? I really want to get this done TODAY.

__________________
1987 300D wvo on the way!