82 300SD engine shifted forward after crash
 

Hi, you guys have a sweet forum here, lots of info! I'm looking at a 82 300SD that was in a minor accident (head on), that busted the two engine mounts and I imagine the trans crossmember mount and left the engine shifted forward all the way up against the radiator.

My question is, is this a really bad thing to have happen, or can I just get new mounts jack up the engine and tranny and slide them back?

Here's what I can see: the fan is pressed into the radiator (doesn't appear to leak, still full and not wet), the fuel line is pulled off, looks like a couple other lines like a vacuum line, couldn't see the shifter linkage but it doesn't feel right, the throttle linkage is popped out of the fire wall, basically little things.

I just want to make sure it's just a matter of sliding things back and hooking things up. I imagine the drive shaft slides in and out of the back of the trans (correct me if I'm wrong I don't have much MB experience) so that shouldn't hold me up. I was reading other posts and it sounds like maybe I should check the oil cooler lines.

Any input would be very much appreciated, thanks!

the driveshaft is fixed to the trans, but slides along itself at the center. there is a large nut there which tightens it down. may need to be loosened up to re=postion the engine.

It should be a fairly straight forward job, however I would make sure that the price was low enough to account for unforeseen issues.

Thanks for the info, the price is 650 and it looks pretty good everywhere else, well taken care of.

So the driveshaft doesn't move freely it has a nut that locks it in position? I wonder if extending the driveshaft when the motor and trans came forward mangled the spline at all, because they nut was probably locked down?

The DS does have a bit of sliding allowance. You will need to crawl under and take a look. Also look at the flex disks. One could have let go as well allowing the engine to slide foward.

Look for frame damage as well.

Thanks for your input, I bought the car and already ordered new mounts they should be here soon. The flex disks look fine, the driveshaft however completely separated, so I'll have to deal with that situation. I haven't actually started or driven the car, but I already love it!

Check the water pump, too, if the fan contacted the radiator.

If the DS completely separated, you may have to have it re-balanced, unless it did not spin during moving and towing.

hmm, it definately spun. That's how I determined it was disconected I turned it with my hand and the other end didn't move.

Do you always have to rebalance, are there any original alignment marks?

Thanks

I do not know if there are any alignment marks. It would be a good thing if it did have them. The DS is assembled and balanced as an entire unit. IF it separates and get rotated, then it has to be rebalanced.

When some one does work on the DS and separates it, the usually mark it with paint where it is to be separated. Depending on where the DS on your car was separated, you just might get lucky.

there_mayBe_original alignment marks---search

there_mayBe_original alignment marks---search:o------keyboard-broke

alright I'll check it out thanks, I'm just waiting on my mounts to start taking her apart.

I think if you line up the ears on the driveshaft when putting it together you will most likely be fine.

You probably need a new tranny mount too, and you should check your radiator for cracks.

Yeah, it probably ripped the rubber on the trans mount....

If you're repairing the driveshaft then it might be a good idea to throw on some new flex discs and center bearing/carrier as well, then it'd be all set.

The trans mount is ripped out, I ordered one of those as well. The flex disks actually look pretty new and I'm on a tight budget so I'll probably hold off on those. I may need a new DS support bearing, because the engine and trans not only came forward but it shifted to the passenger side a bit and probably put a fair deal of strain on the support bearing I would assume. As soon as I have some spare time I'll be under there and then I'll know.

I inspected the radiator, it looks alright except a few fins were a little bent, don't see any damage to the core or reservoir, I'll probably just wait and see if it leaks when I get it running, cause I don't have a pressure tester.

What should I look for on the water pump?

Thanks for all the input!