The last one...
This is a 1983 300d non-turbo. I'm sick of messing around with the automatic transmission so I'm installing my 4-speed.

I got all the flywheel bolts out except for the last one. It rounded off.

Before you get all excited, I've tried vice grips, pipe wrenches and sockets that grip tighter the more you turn.

I thought I had read somewhere that if I cut/grind off the head of the bolt, it will relieve the tension and can be removed much easier.

Has anyone else heard of that? There should be enough room to get a bite on what's left of the bolt that was coming through the flywheel and flexplate.

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1981 300TD "The Green Lantern"
1980 300TD
1983 300D Euro "China Cat"

That's exactly what happened when I ground mine.

Grind the head off. Remove the flywheel and you can probably back it's remains out with your fingers.

I did the same thing as you when I converted my wagon to a manual.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Go here: Headless, post #36

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Thanks for the confirmation guys!

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1981 300TD "The Green Lantern"
1980 300TD
1983 300D Euro "China Cat"

no grinding,,,just get yourself a iriwin extractor set

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

I did the exact same thing when installing a manual in my wagon! I ground the head off and it backed out easily with just fingers.

Good luck on your swap, it'll make your wagon so much fun to drive!

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1983 300TD - 202k with 5 speed Getrag conversion

^ They all know what they are talking about. +1 for grinding the head off. I ground it enough to knock it with a cold chisel and it was finger tight after the head came off.

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1982 300TDT
1991 190D
2022 Metris

it's EXTREMELY difficult to fit an irwin (actually, they just sell the tool...) external extractor in there... I forget how I got my rounded bolt out, but the external socket would not fit.
the heads are only 3mm tall... not much room for the extractor...

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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!

The 4 speed is going in my new 1983 Euro 300D. It came out of another wagon I had. I like having an Auto in my wagon now.

This car's a little more sporty. Here's the car
Torque Converter Questions

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1981 300TD "The Green Lantern"
1980 300TD
1983 300D Euro "China Cat"

i work in tight spots everyday at work so i always figure out way to make things happen

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

Same thing happened to me, wound up having a good welder/neighbor weld a nut on the broken F/W bolt.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

... tight spots are not the problem.

the problem is that the irwin sockets grip the outside edge of the bolts they extract, and the bolt head on the flywheel bolts are only 3mm tall... nothing for the irwin extractor to grip.

__________________
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!