5 spd conversion begun for 1975 w115 300D
 

Hello,

I have begun my conversion project for my 1975 300D (w115). I found a rusty 1984 eurospec 240D that is serving as my doner car. I allready pulled all the transmission components from it. Any advise anyone has regarding installing shift linkage, pedals, hydraulic hoses for clutch, shifter in console, drive shaft legnth, etc will be appreciated.

Also, I will be parting out the rest of the 240D so if you need any parts let me know.

http://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...en_75_300d.jpg

Auto Trans Blew in Virginia & had to tow it back to Upstate NY

The Doner Car - Euro-spec 1984 240D
 

http://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...0D_front_a.jpghttp://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr.../84_240D_a.jpghttp://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...D_inside_a.jpg

The Doner Car - Euro-spec 1984 240D

link to my webpage on this conversion w/ larger pics:
http://www.brooklynrail.net/brians_other_transp_projects.html#Diesel_Engine_Rebuild_and_Auto

Balancing flywheel and other parts
 

I heard a lot of feedback about match balancing. Since I was putting new seals, rings and bearings in my 300D motor, I decided to bring everything that could be unbalanced to be zero (neutral) balanced

Crank, flywheel, harmonic balancer, front crank pulley were brought to a machine shop where they were cleaned, measured for tolerances, and balanced (only the crank itself ended up being neutral balanced, everything else needed balancing).

It seems that the flywheel and front crank components may have been oddly (not neutral) balanced (but the crank itself was neutral balanced) - has anyone else found this to be the case on other 300Ds? http://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...nced_parts.jpg

above: balanced / cleaned components - note the shiny new drill holes on the 240D manual flywheel, harmonic balancer and front crank pulley.

All you needed to balance was the flywheel.

When you get it all together I would love to see some performance numbers.

Hey guy keep up the good work with this nice thread !
I believe some member made a good thread oulining such a conversion but for a W123 chassis.

Do an archive search and you may find it.
Fairly detailed and mentioned many tips.

You may need to adjust the linkages based on my poor recollection of this or those thread(s).

http://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...MG_2934_sm.jpghttp://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...MG_2935_sm.jpg

Engine back together and mated with getrag 5 spd

http://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...MG_2938_sm.jpghttp://www.brooklynrail.net/brian/tr...SC00133_sm.jpg

Shifter Installed and Auto 300D Driveshaft lengthened 3in

The shifter rods will need to be shortened, probably.

Nice looking car. Is it that soft pumpkin pie color?

I'm going to do the shift linkages sunday, so I don't know for sure yet, but they seem ok.

The clutch and brake pedal assembly from the 84' 240d wasn't a perfect fit in the w115, I had to bend the brake and clutch pedals to get them where they were supposed to be (the clutch pedal was ontop of the gas pedal before I bent it).

Also had to shim up the transmission to get it up higher, before it was too low and made the engine pitch back so the clutch fan blades scraped against the top part of the fan shroud - Driveshaft is now in!!

I used to have a 76' orangish-tan (pumpkin pie) colored benz before this one - in the nighttime pic it looks like that color, but the otside is actually a desert sand tan sorta color

Neat project. For some reason, I actually prefer the interior space and ride of the 115 to the 123.

Not sure what differential ratio your 300D has but, you might consider installing a 3.07 out of a later 123 to achieve the full benefit of that 5-speed. My TD has a 3.07 and turns a sweet 2350 rpm @ 70 mph in fifth. Lately I've been getting an honest 28-29 mpg on the highway too.


Gotta get my 115 going soon!!!!!

If you're not going to put that passenger side view mirror on your 300D, I'll buy it :)
I'll send you a PM.

It looks like its the same color as my 1975 280 sedan. Its the best of the beiges from that era IMO.

Found this on another website. Were you the one who asked the question?

The answer:

"May be too much work

7 February 2009 - 8:02pm
admin
These are the issues you will be faced with. 1. Driveline with not be correct length. 2. Rear mounting plate won't line up. 3. Shifter and linkage will not line up. 4. Bell housing is different 5. Clutch slave hose may have to be fabricated... As they say, anything is possible but........"


I would love to do this to a w115 240d as well. As someone else mentioned, I too prefer the "feel" (ambiance) of the w115 Chassis. I especially like the way they look with the newer tail lights and euro bumpers. I saw a mint condition black car finished off that way one time, and almost wrecked my car doing double and triple takes looking at it. It had polished Bundts, and the whole combo was stunning. I realize taste is subjective however. Mine had the painted hubcaps like yours, and Michelin whitewall tires. Add hand painted pinstripes, and that was considered the height of taste back in the late 70s/early 80s. (I had my car from 82 - 84.)

I wish you all the best of luck. Looks like you are doing a great job. :)

Did someone say the 280 and 240 had different housings? That is incorrect.

Yep that was me - driveshaft extended 3", Used 300D A/T cross member (had to be shimmed but lined up), the clutch slave hose is a low pressure hose and I just used 5/16" goodyear brand fuel line (it is nitrile lined and should be safe for brake fluid). Shifter lined up perfect & linkage seems right legnth (will let you know next week) , used the 240D adapter plate & had no bellhousing issues

It has been alot of work, but the engine and tranny are in the car now. Hope to have it running next week

It has a tighter turning radius than the w123 and I like the ride and handling better as well. I like the look of the pre 1974 w115s best, but wanted something with a bit more power (settled on the 75' 300d).

Once It's up and running, I'm going to do some junkyard scavanging for the aesthetic stuff and new seatpads

Does anyone know if the pre-1974 w115 bumpers will fit the post-1974 w115s . the later euro bumpers are skinnier (thinner from top to bottom) than the earlier bumpers wondering if there are clearance problems with lights, etc . . . I am going to use w123 seat pads for the bottoms, but need new back pads - anybody know if the back parts of the seatpads are interchangeable between the pre and post 1974 w115s ?

I also posted this as a new thread on this website's vintage mercedes forum : http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/vintage-mercedes-forum/251506-pre-74-post-74-w115-bumper-seatpad-swap-post2188119.html#post2188119

Strangely enough, I never liked the w123 looks inside or out, except for the round a/c vents. I went from a 115 to a 116 to a 126. But I missed having diesel clatter, so I had to buy something and found a 79 240d, cheap, with good interior and mechanical.

For some reason I'm fond of cars with large amber turn indicators on the rear tail lights. I guess because when I was a teenager/young adult, it was just the European cars that came with them. :sunny:

Not quite running yet, but motor, tranny, driveshaft, clutch pedals, shifter etc. are in. May need to trim at least 1 of the shift rods.

Tried to crank it over and heard an off noise coming from the valvecover, took it off and my timing chain had halfway slipped off the sprocket (only on one of the two set of teeth). Pulled the tensioner and that looked OK. It is the original chain and figure it needs replacement due to stretch - has anybody else ever had this problem?

I don't think it could slip off if the tensioner was working even if it was stretched...are you sure you put it back on both sprockets of the crank when you put it together?

[IMG]file:///Users/brian/Desktop/mercedes-related/MB%20engine%20swap/DSC00252.jpg[/IMG][IMG]file:///Users/brian/Desktop/mercedes-related/MB%20engine%20swap/DSC00250.jpg[/IMG]

Pics of motor in, newer spin on fuel filter off a 240D also installed (the original was a canister filter) . Veg oil system also installed (veg filter / heat exchanger mounted on passenger side, inj line heaters and manual valves to switch btw fuel and return lines also installed.

Now I just gotta get the thing running. Timing chain keeps popping halfway off the cam cog- replaced tensioner, gonna replace chain, also gonna take the oil pan back off and see if the timing chain popped halfway off the crank cog. Bizzare and unexpected problem huh? Any timing chain replacement advise would be appreciated

It needs to be heated before it reaches the injection pump, not the injectors.

Check the guide sprocket. 98a in the picture.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...chmentid=68198

Following this. Would that transmission work with a 71 220?

thanks for the diagram I'll check to see if there is play in the guide sprocket, if so that could be the problem. The chain was on the guide sprocket even when halfway off the cam sprocket, and the teeth seem ok, but If it has play or a worn bearing that could be the problem. That would make sense if that was where the problem was. I thought it could be the slide rail (89) initially, figured it could be pushing the chain off (the chain wants to go towards the back of the car) I even tried putting a spacer washer on the bolt that screws the slide rail to the block to improve the clearance, but it didn't help.

Bout the veg system: the heat exchanger (artic fox stainless coolant-fuel heat exchanger), heater fuel filter and looped fuel system add most of the heat - should be close to 160F at the IP. the inj line heaters just add extra heat and therfore reduce the viscocity of the fuel even more (according to the mfg, adding about 40 deg heat), draw less than 10 amps and from past experience make your fuel burn cleaner. Not everybody likes them, and they are a pain to install, but fattywagons, greasekings, & vegrev in CA and some other conversion companies and I've found they work well. Also, they are cheap and draw less amps than other types of electric heat. Should be focusing on getting the car running first, but I allready had all the conversion stuff and It was easiest to install everything together.

I am going to suggest that you put the cam sprocket on backwards... the other options just do not add up.

There is large freedom of movement in the idler gear.

your tensioning rail would have to be severely bent or incredibly worn with deep, deep grooves to derail the chain.

but if you put the sprocket on backwards.. it explains the jumps more precisely.

edit: the deeper recess of the sprocket goes towards the camshaft.

Solved the timing belt problem -
cam sprocket was backwards. Also replace the tensioner and re- timed the engine.

Then I tried to start it - it sounded good but wouldn't turn over . . . Then realized the IP was supposed to be timed to 24 deg - instead it was timed at zero. took out the oil filter and IP, gonna put it back together tomorrow night and try again.

Thanks for the advise, much appreciated

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/...fdd0e93fd7.jpg

engine in & it runs now that the pump is timed to 24 deg. veg oil system shown on left - Silicone tape around the vac line where it touches hot stuff (thermostat housing / valve cover)

Engine seems a little tilted to back, but transmission is jacked up as high as it can be - the getrag may be a bit higher than the A/T or w115 4 speed. Hope this won't be a problem, since I don't know how to fix it if it is.

wiring for A/T to MT (5 spd) conversion
 

I don't see any electronics on the Getrag MT. So the question is what to do with the wires? Neutral safety switch wires to Clutch switch? Brake switch? If so where is the clutch? Is it on the pedal assembly somewhere or is it floor mounted and one of those things I forgot to pull?

Also shift linkages in - all cut in the straight sections (shortened) and mig welded. Only the shortest linkage had to be bent slightly to clear the flex disk better

still havent connected my wires after putting in my 4 speed but i believe you need to connect the neutral safty wires to the shifter reverse switch button...but im unsure of witch order havent gotten around to tinkering with that..

No you don't want to do that. Just tape them off.

then what makes the reverse lights turn on when your in reverse without the neutral safety?

TomJ posted this on another thread:

"Use the conn/harness from the auto trans (conns at center console low on drivers side) and re-solder for a clutch safety switch (I used a brake light switch from the same vehicle for the clutch) and wire that to the neutral safety. The back-up switch will mount in the bracket on the manual shifter assy . . ."

Drove car for first time today - have some problems
 

I drove the car for the first time today. The brakes / clutch are not bled so I couldn't shift it while running, but I started and ran it in first gear

Some problems I also realized and could use some tech advise with:

Leaking oil from rear main seal (should have started it on an engine stand first)

Pedal assembly from the 84 240D places the pedals in odd places (too close to the gas pedal) - gonna use a pedal assembly from a w115 240D and install a new clutch master cylinder with that

Thanks - B

Engine has to come out to fix.

Ouch.
Won't say anything it rub it in. I'd feed it oil and run it in, generate a list of 'while you're in there's'. Pulling it a 3rd time for something else would just suck.

Bite the bullet and do it. Nothing more shameful than leaving puddles where you park...

Only take a couple days.. all the hard work is done..