I went to pull out the engine after work --- 82 SD300 --- everything unhooked, engine puller hooked up, including a tilting engine bar. and guess what... impossible to pull engine with the tranny still attached. Man I swear I need to get rid of that damn Haynes manual. As it is for a W123 anyway. Well shower time now and pull the tranny tomorrow.

I thought the easiest way to change the tranny was to pull the engine and tranny the same time..

Oh, no wait you're right!
I only pull these out in 1 piece. Why do you say impossible?
Have you removed the radiator, condensor, and radiator support?
One of the easier motors to pull, lots of space.
Gilly

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Gilly, yes radiator, condensor, crossbar under the car, motor mount bracket. tie rods and steering dampner still in place. I'll try again if you all say it is possible, maybe I was not getting it flat enough as I had let the back of the tranny drop down. Man I was just ready to get out the torch.

Well, no wait a second here. You say that stuff is all in place?
Most of that stuff should be removed, not "in place". 'Specially the radiator, radiator support, and condensor. I believe the drag link (you called steering damper) needs to be removed as well. Tie rods wouldn't matter. Good luck removing the engine cross member--"just zing those cross member bolts right out of there".
The only concern I have is that if you are doing this at home, I assume the car will be sitting on it's wheels. In the shop, we have the car on the hoist about a foot or two. I'm not sure how this would work out on the ground. The trans is supported with a floor jack, it is lowered to give the proper angle. I also assume the trans support is removed, and also the driveshaft?
It still seems like less work to do it one piece rather than leave the transmission in place, maybe that's the only way to do it at home without a lift and floorjack.
Gilly

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JB, Never did an SD, but on my 300D, it came out in one unit, but I needed help to push the trans down and generally move the whole thing around. Where I made my mistake was that I didn't remove the AC condencer. Good luck,

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Gilly, I reread my post from last night. I had ment to say all that stuff HAD been removed except the steering stuff. Guess I was a little tired. Will go at it here again in an hour or so

Gilly-- what did you mean by the "good luck comment" the 6 bolts came right out no problem...also radiator support does not come out. it is a welded on piece

jb:

Engine/transmission will need to go to about 45 degrees to come out. I'd not attempt this without a helper, and you will need to push the car away from the hoist rather than move the hoist, unless you are using an overhead crane -- much easier and safer. The engine will be almost up to the top of the hood coming out, so make sure you have the hoist as close to the valve cover as you can (MB recommends slings under the rear and over the "arms" of the engine mounts). The tranny will need to graze the ground. Open the hood straight up, and if you are nervous, I'd take the grille off, just in case. Watch the steering damper, it is very easy to catch the bottom of the bell housing on it. Also, don't forget the kickdown solenoid wire, we did and it hung up the operation for a while!

The basic manouver is as follows: remove all attachments, then lift until the motor comes off the mounts (the car will come up 4-6 inches or so). While continuing to lift, move very slightly forward and tilt tranny down to clear the firewall -- lift and tilt with very little forward motion until the engine is at about 45 degrees and the oil pan will clear the radiator support. Move engine/transmission forward (0r better, push the car back!) until the front oil pan is clear of radiator support, then tilt engine back down until the tranny clears the radiator support. Push car out of the way, and lower engine/transmission before moving the hoist. Don't try to push the hoist around with the engine up in the air, you risk knocking it over, very very dangerous.

Quite a sight, and impossible if you don't have 10 ft of overhead. We pulled the 75 300D on the drive, then moved indoors -- the garage ceiling was too low to permit the hoist to go up far enough!

The W123 is MUCH easier than the W115 -- only about a quarter inch of space between the firewall and head on the 75 -- no way you could take the engine and tranny out separate and re-install them (which is why the top two tranny to engine bolts were missing!).

Good luck! And drain the tranny or find something to plug the speedo cable hole properly, or you will have transmission fluid everywhere!

Peter

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Whether you leave the transmission on the engine or under the car, the radiator should come out. If for no other reason than to prevent damage. It's a five minute job to get it out of the way so it will be safe. MB radiators aren't cheap.

Personally I prefer to leave the transmission in place because I would rather work overhead and minimize the work under the car. I have a walking beam and chain hoist running down the middle of my shop, so pulling and stabbing engines by myself is not difficult. Good thing too, since I rarely have the luxury of a helper.

Keep working at it and you'll get past it.

Have a great day,

came out no problem in about 1 hour...the problem I was having was that I should have started out picking it up flat, pulling forward 4 inches then lower the tranny to the suggested 45 degree angle. I had tried to begin with the angle shot. live and learn...thanks for all the help...do you all think the tranny should just be reused as is or is it time to overhaul while it is out...con a guy get a tranny master kit for a resonable price.

If the transmission was working well before you took everything apart, I would replace the front seal and reuse it.

Good luck,

jb:
The crossmember I meant is the one that goes across the frame right under the engine, on a Diesel right behind the lower oil pan, it doesn't come out. You must mean that one bolted in support.
'Long as you got it out, that's the important thing.
Sorry about the confusion on the radiator support. Some come out, some don't, must confused it for a different type. Sure would have been easy if the thing unbolted, that's for sure!
Gilly

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10-4 Gilly--- I thank you all for the encouragement. everything on the engine looks in excellent condition. But I still need to find the right tool for the head bolts. I am hoping to make this a quick ring, bearing and head job then back into the car. Time will tell. Sometimes when I go to do a tune up on a car it turns out to be a complete body off restore. I know, I know...too much time on my hands...I need to find a hobby.