My odometer no longer works. What other models have a speedometer that will work in my wagon? Will a 300E work? Will I have to change the face so that it indicates the correct speed (most read 160mph..mine only goes to 140mph)? There is a Mercedes salvage yard near by, but no wagons.....I believe the diff is geared diff than a sedan. Ideas?

Thanks

No. speedo's are matched to the rear diff used. Your 300d has a 2.65 rear diff. 300e's range from 3.07-3.17 to even 3.69, IIRC.

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

You can use an E320 speedometer from '94 or '95. They have different shift-point marks and a different top-end, but the same 2.65:1 gearing was used. You can also use an '87 300D sedan speedometer on your 300TD, same.

I have one of each, might be talked out of the E320 one, PM me if you're interested.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

why not repair it?

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

I did run down to the Mercedes salvage yard and they had one out of a 87 300d sedan. Seems to be accurate, $50 for the complete cluster. Need to find one of those mobile speed display trailers that the police park and make a few passes. I may send my orig out to be repaired.....I love spare parts. Thanks for the help

GPS will do the same thing.

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

Seven or eight years ago there was a guy (from Virginia maybe??) who sold replacement gears for pretty much everything VDO made. I remember spending like $8 or less for what i needed to repair mine. Anybody remember those threads??

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Earl McLain
'02 C230 Kompressor
'89 560 SEL "Frau BlueCar" (retired April 2004)

I've just epoxied mine when they slip. I haven't seen a broken gear yet on a 124, the gear just slides sideways on the shaft so that it doesn't engage the worm gear, a dot of epoxy and slide it back works great.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Same VDO mechanism in my Audi, same repair, same great results

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

Where do you think I perfected my method? VDO mechanical odometers are all the same it seems, even the ones in the Prevost fail.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Hehe, fair enough My friends 93 VW Fox did have a split gear, a nice crack running through the gear which connected the trip to the odo. I guess Brazilian VDO stuff is different because the whole thing was slightly different then the German VDO instruments I'd been hoarding.

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

I think my first quattro failed around 110,000, then two used ones failed, eventually I repaired the original and it stayed fine through 200k miles. Same car that brought my daughter home from the hospital was still around for her to drive in her teens, then her boyfriend, then his uncle, ...

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Welcome to the forum!
you've got a rare vehicle of sorts.
it's actually called a 300TD... some call it a TDT or TDt... either way only a few thousand were made, so treat it with respect.
post some pictures of her, and we'll add it to the 87 TD thread we have over on the Diesel Discussion forum. (I have two of them myself)
I'm going to move this thread over to the diesel side for continuity, and more results!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I want to try this because my odo is shot too. I'm not sure what is meant by the worm gear. Is that the name I should be looking for in the manual or is it called something else?

I guess I don't need to say what my technical level is

Thanks for any clarification anyone can offer.

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k. darkman
1987 300D Turbo 200k

I grabbed this speedo out of a gasser and had it calibrated at the local VDO shop (Palo Alto Speedometer) and its deadnuts on.
It exactly agrees with GPS at all speeds up to 80 (I haven't really opened the blue bomb up for a while)
Never mind the low indicated mileage. I have a correction factor I use to get real mileage, adding something like 210K. Blew one guys mind when he saw it though! Looking at the car one would never guess it was anything more

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!