300TD Manual Question
 

I just sent an e-mail to a man selling a parts off of a 300TD Turbo with a 4-speed manual. I asked how it is that it is a 4-speed 300TD wagon in the US. Here is his reply:
Does this make sense? I thought that all home-market 300TDs came with automatics. How could I tell whether the flywheel is correct?

Get the VIN and run it through the Russian vin site to see if it is original.

Highly doubt it's original.

Thank you for the quick responses! I have three questions:

1) What is the "Russian VIN site"?
2) How can I tell 300D and 240D flywheels apart?
3) Are there any other 300D-specific parts for a manual transmission swap? Would the driveshaft and rear differential (rear differential for accurate speedo) be good parts to get? Anything else (if this pans out...)?

This thread has some pictures and info on the flywheels.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/286387-300d-flywheel-worth-2.html


I hope this works translated it from Russian.

Google Translate

click on "all about Mercedes Benz" and the Vin link will be there.

Charlie

It is not original, unless it is a N/A 300TD. The description of the seller doesn't really claim it is an original though.

the only way to know if the flywheel is correct for a 300 motor is to inspect it. the 300 flywheel will have an approximately 2" lip around the pressure plate. the 240 flywheel is nearly flat.

either the original seller or someone before him, installed the 4 speed, or the turbo... not MB... ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!

Sorry to disagree but the 240 has a very deep lip on the edge too. The 300d flywheel though is deeper.

...see pics.

There are two concrete ways to tell which is which:
1. the 240 will weigh about 28#, the 300d about 38#.
2. The 300d flywheel will have a part number beginning with 617......

The year of the wagon will determine the question about the diff. If it is a NA car it would have come with the 346 diff, a turbo the 307 or if an 85 the 288. If you have the turbo car you'll probably want the 307 or 288 diff. If you plan to do a lot of towing you might want the 346.

Hmm. the flywheel I got with my 240 4 speed was nearly a flat plate. it did have a lip, but it was only like 10mm or so... interesting...

Tom, the left picture is of a 300D and a 300GD FW.

This pic if from the FSM.




http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...flywheelsa.jpg

Charlie

Sounds like you got a 110 flywheel.?

no, the 616 drawing in the description above looks pretty much like my flywheel... about a 10mm lip around the clutch surface.

Here is a pic of a 300D FW>

the measurement from the back edge of the Ring gear to the top of edge of the 240D is 2 1/4" the 300D is 3".

Notice the edge on this 617 fw is chamfored. the 616 is flat.
There is a definate difference in weight between the two.


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...h-img_0220.jpg

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...h-img_0221.jpg

Charlie

__________________

Hmmm...
I can't wait to pull my transmission back out and discover the issue between reality and my memory...

OK, so the 300D flywheel can be identified by part number... sounds good. Should I take the driveshaft, too (provided that I have the money)? Or is it easier/cheaper to have it milled? Ihear that TomJ does that + plus balancing for $50.00.

Oh, and here is the seller on the originality of the setup: