Last weekend I finally got started on my winter project, swapping a 240D 4 speed manual into my wagon. Over the past three years I’ve learned a lot about my wagon doing lots of projects myself (front crank seal, axles, rotors, nitrogen spheres, and the list goes on) and with the threads on this forum I built up the confidence to tackle doing the transmission conversion.

So far I have:
Drained Transmission
Drained Torque Converter
Removed Both Cooler Lines
Disconnected Drive Shaft at Front and Rear
Disconnected Speedo at Transmission
Disconnected Neutral Safety Switch
Disconnected Bowden at Engine
Disconnected Vacuum into Transmission

By my counts I should have 3 or 4 more steps left until taking out the transmission-
1. Remove Transmission dipstick
2. Remove Bowden at Transmission
3. Remove Torque Converter bolts
4. Remove Bell housing bolts

I have a few questions about the final steps.
How do I remove the dipstick?
How does the Bowden cable come off the transmission?
Do I remove the driveshaft before the transmission or after?

What’s going in place of the auto is up for grabs as well. I picked up a 1982 240D with 130k in ROUGH shape but it had the whole transmission for $450. I had already bought a “4 speed conversion kit” from another benz guy with a 1979 240D transmission with 150k.

In an 83 300TD is there a better transmission to install, the 1979 vs 1982 4 speeds I have?

I’m planning to put some new parts with the conversion to make it last. Here’s my list so far-
Master Cylinder
Slave Cylinder
Throwout Bearing
Pilot Bearing
Pressure Bolts
Flywheel Bolts
Transmission Mount
Pressure Plate
Clutch Plate

Finally here’s a few pics. This is one spring I can’t wait for…

Attached Thumbnails

   

I have no suggestions to make, but I'm interested in this as I'd like to put a manual tranny on my '83 300SD. I enjoy driving manual transmissions A whole deal better than automatic ones. Good luck and keep us posted!

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[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

Thanks! I just picked up a Haynes manual that is pretty good but it is very broad on some steps, the oddities I encounter are what i'll put up for anyone else looking to do this.

I have said this before..
but I really need both the Mercedes Factory Shop manual AND the Haynes for a lot of things... the Haynes has better pictures sometimes.... but the FSM has the SERIOUS WARNINGS.... which are often completely missing from the Haynes....and as you said.. it is very general sometimes trying to cover too many models/configurations at one time...
How much could ONE MESS UP cost you compared to having some kind of copy ( love paper myself ) of the FSM ?

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

Looks like you have it laid out pretty good.

To remove the transmission dip stick, remove the bolt at the rear of the intake manifold. at the transmission is a hex bolt that old a clamp or clip. think the bolt is a 5mm. remove that and the stick lifts right out.
it the auto is a good trans, and you want to keep it or sell. clean around the trans before removing the stick to keep dirt from falling in.

the whole project is mostly plug and play. the 240 front driveshaft will have to be cut and ballanced with the rear portion.

the shifter bolts into the same holes as the auto.

the nutral safety switch (NSS) has 4 wires. 2 for start and 2 for back up lights as I remember. think 2 are purple, that is for the start.

Is one of your trans the iron box and the other the one piece aluminium? If so I think each uses a different throw out bearing and master cylinder. In the buy parts tab, the catalog shows 2 different ones.
also the shift rods will be different. either trans will work.

replace the bushings on the shift rods and trans.

look under the shifter assembly, there is a hole for a small rod to keep the shift fingers lined up.
I think I cut t rods 4in and one 3 1/2in and rethreaded them.
Look at how much rod is threaded into the screwon end. mount the rod on the trans., mount the screw on end to the shifter. hold it horizonally, lay the rod on top, then mark the rod with a felt marker to the same length as before, and cut.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Ah, FSM that's a good idea.

Thanks for the help Charmalu. I have a drive shaft from a manual 300TD that i'm planning on using, if that doesn't work I'll have the 240D's drive shaft cut and balanced.

Saturday I'll get that auto out of there and report back.

So was the TD the drive shaft out of, a 617 engine? if so, it should work w/o any cutting. Did you happen to get the 617 flywheel?

The 240 FW will work, but what I have read, the 617 FW will smooth things out, as it is 10# heavier.

That auto trans is heavy, don`y try to strong arm it out. Now the manual trans isn`t bad at all. I`ve pulled 2 out of PNP cars.

You know about getting the manual FW matched balanced to the balance of the auto FW?

when I did the swap on the 300D, my front end came up quite a bit. made the front end wander. I replaced the front springs with 240D front springs.

Now I have a TD front sway bar to install, to correct the softness of the front end when driving on these windy mountain roads. at least you already have the TD bar installed .

Charlie
Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Unfortunately I didn't get the flywheel, I bought a lot of these parts in a "kit" from another MB guy. So, I think I'll get away without cutting the DS and I'll have to use a 240 FW.

Does it matter where I get the FW's balanced? Never done anything like that so I'm not sure if it's imperative I go to a transmission shop or just any local auto place.

Ugh, I heard about the inch raise that happens with the swap. I'll be buying a set of new springs...I wish I would have been in on the last Vogtland group.

Get the FW checked at a hot rod speed shop that understands how to match balance.

Some on here say they are neutral balanced, but it`s a crap shoot.

make sure you mark the auto FW and crank before you remove it so you have a reference point. It should be marked, but make sure. then when the manual FW is matched, just line up the marks.

My front dropped 1 1/4 to 1 1/2, forget which now with the 240 springs.
when I did my swap, I pulled the eng and trans as a unit. did the swap with everything right in front of me. then scrubbed and polished the eng compartment.

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Check out this thread on front springs swapping and cutting.

http://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/request-for-pictures-of-your-lowered-w123-t-568.html

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Sounds like you are doing good things and getting good advice.

One subtilty I benefitted from in my experience with these stick automatic swaps....after marking the flywleen and crank from the motor you are going to be using just check the flywheel from that motor for balance.

3 our of 4 times it will be neutral.

If it is neutral now check the stick flywheel.

3 out of 4 times it will be neutral. If both are neutral you are golden....bolt it on and rest easy you are good to go.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

When I had the speed shop check mine, the guy said the auto was off by 10 gr and the manual by 3 gr.

this thread by GAVINLESLIE made things a little clearer for doing this swap, he lives close by. This is where I realized how light the manual trans is.

www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=206755

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Talking about the flywheels, on the one I got in a 'kit' for a conversion it's decidedly not neutrally balanced.

That being said, I'm planning on going neutral balance on it, as I can't see any balance weights on my my flex plate or the torque converter other than the small adjustment tab welded on, which appears to just be enough to put it to neutral.


Regarding the replacement parts for the clutch and pressure plate, does anyone have a good reference for the parts for the older iron case transmissions?
The trans I got doesn't match up to the descriptions that I'm seeing on the parts applicability lists. For one, my shift levers don't all go up or down, but rather the middle one is down, while the forward and rear are up. (or vise-versa, I can't remember as it's been a couple of months on the back burner...)

__________________
-Josh
Testing the cheap Mercedes axiom, one bolt at a time...

Josh, checkout this thread. here are some pictures of the different transmission Mb used. not all have the shift levers mounted. but might give you an idea of what you have

http://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/manual-transmission-information-t-421.html

Charlie

__________________
there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Charlie,
That's much appreciated, I'll have to compare it to my transmission tomorrow, and hopefully identify what it came out of.

If I can manage to figure that out, it should make it MUCH easier to identify what disk, pressure plate, and throwout bearing are needed!

Thanks again!

__________________
-Josh
Testing the cheap Mercedes axiom, one bolt at a time...