I rebuilt mine 300d turbo not that difficult. Just replaced the brushes and cleaned it up, has been working fine two years

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Removing the starter is simple on the non turbo...

Remove the air cleaner and battery tray.

This will give you the opportunity to both replace the start and clean any rust up in that area.

Use a 10mm allen wrench on the top bolt, slide a 10mm box wrench over the allen and then use that to break it free.

The 78 came with a lower power starter, order a rebuilt one from a 1982 or above turbo car.

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Its much much easier to do the job from underneath. on the NA.

Check it. Per FSM i do believe.

raise and support the front

disconnect the battery leads

working from underneath, first disconnect the cables from the starter, use like 18'' of extensions to reach up along the passenger side of the transmission to get on the heads of the starter bolts with the hex driver.

turn the wheels all the way to the left and care fully work the starter out between the frame and the steering arms.

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Current fleet
2006 E320 CDI
1992 300D - 5speed manual swapped

former members
1984 300D "Blues Mobile"

1978 300CD "El Toro"

So the car has started numerous times now without having to be spanked. Carquest will sell me a remanufactured unit for 149, or a new one with lifetime warranty for 300

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1978 300D

If your starter is an original genuine Bosch, you are better off getting it rebuilt locally by a reputable Bosch authorized electric shop rather than take a chance with a rebuilt or a new unit with lifetime warranty from Carquest, which may not have the highest quality parts in it. Maybe all your's need are new carbon brushes, bushings (sleeve bearings), a cleaning and lube.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Again don't have this starter rebuilt, as mercedes and bosch has had these starters discontinued. If you don't want to get a lifetime 100$ starter for oreilly auto or another auto zoo. Go to the junk yard and pull one from a 1982 or newer turbo car....I have life times on both my cars, and have had no issues...the one on my euro has been on it for over 5 years..

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Are you saying not to pull and rebuild my existing starter but instead to get a lifetime warranty one?

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1978 300D

the rebuilt unit i installed on my friends 240D was from oreillys and admittedly looked to be really high quality. rebuilt in USA. i think it was $90

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1981 NA 300D 310k miles

True, but it depends if his has been replaced before. It may already have an updated starter in it.

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2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

Do you have a part number of the older lower power starter?

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

That's okay. The car that it's going in has been discontinued as well.

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

I just put a new rebuilt starter on my 300cd about 8 months ago, as I was changing to a 4 speed.Thought it made sense that I put on a "new"one, as I had pulled the engine.

That starter just went out on me last week(drove the car maybe 10 times). It was from O'reillys, life-time replacement(I always get the lifetime on alts and starters).

On a turbo, you have to get at it from the bottom. You have to remove the down pipe on the exhaust.. It took me about 30 mins to get it off (caveat! my exhaust bolts had already been removed before).

If memory serves, you'll need:
12 mm socket and wrench for exhaust bolts (yours could be 13mm)the bolts are 13mm the nuts are 12mm
10 mm to remove front bracket of starter
10 mm allen socket to remove bolts(2) from trans side into starter
17 mm socket to remove wire from batt to starter
mine had a phillps head screw for the small wire
universal joint and 10" and a 6" extensions

Of course disconnect the battery first. Remove the wires to the starter before you begin to take it off.

EDIT
OK I replaced my starter a few days ago and the starter went on in about 20 mins. but Ill be damned if the exhaust didnt fight me all the way!! It took like an 1hr and a half to get that back on. I kept dropping the nuts and the bracket attached to the trans refused to line up with the down pipe. Servers me right, next time I won't humble-brag about how long it takes me to fix something.

OPs car is om617na

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Current fleet
2006 E320 CDI
1992 300D - 5speed manual swapped

former members
1984 300D "Blues Mobile"

1978 300CD "El Toro"

I do, I started a thread about it looking for info but never got any responses.

Bosch 0 001 362 047

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My 85 300D has the same 362 series starter, which has the highest torque of all Bosch starters.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked