1985 300D automatic trans removal - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JimRockford · #1 06-23-2015, 07:52 PM

My '81 300TD Estate, the reverse gear is going (shutters). So right now I have come across a 1985 300D four door with a nice shifting transmission I can have for a song.

As far as I can tell it will fit.

Question: Will it fit? Going into a '81 turbo wagon from a '85 turbo four door.

What will I need to bring with me to get this big sow out of the car? I have done a few '70s GM 350 trans removals. Anything special I should know about?

Mine has a electronic speedo while this one has a cable driven one. I would think the swap for all this "should" be pretty straight forward.

Thanks guys for the help.

DeliveryValve · #2 06-24-2015, 10:16 AM

If the '85 300d is a Federal model, then it will have a 722.315 trans. If it's a Cali model, than it would have a 722.416 trans.

The 722.315 is closes to what you have, 722.303. In most cases, you can swap the electronic speedo tail of the .303 in place of the .315 mechanical speedo tail. But you'll might find the early .303 tail's shape is slightly different, so you may have an issue in sealing.

Also the '85 models came with a higher stall torque converter, which would give you better off the line acceleration. They installed it to compensate for the taller rear end ratio installed only in '85 models (2.88 vs 3.07 of earlier models).

rhodes2010 · #3 06-24-2015, 02:58 PM

Regarding tools for removal.
Like on an American car, if you are trying to do trans only with engine in car, I recommend
a long (24 inch) 1/2 inch drive to get to the top most allen head bolts and a good breaker bar for leverage. (You are going at the top bolts from below).

I have done them this way, but after doing so prefer to pull the motor and trans as a unit when possible.

I found it difficult/impossible to get the top trans bolts out from the top under the hood.
Too close to the firewall.

vstech · #4 06-24-2015, 03:12 PM

if you want it to fit... pull the speedo, and the speedo cable, pull the diff, and you will have a higher fuel economy TD, everything else will be fine... unless it's a cali model 85... then you need the driveshaft also...

vstech · #5 06-24-2015, 03:15 PM

pulling the trans by itself is not extremely difficult, but getting all the bolts out of the TC is important.

I think if you take off the radiator shroud, and pull the fan blade, and throttle linkage, the engine/tranny combo tilts better for an easier drop.

DeliveryValve · #6 06-24-2015, 03:37 PM

[QUOTE=rhodes2010;3490723]...
a long (24 inch) 1/2 inch drive to get to the top most allen head bolts and a good breaker bar for leverage. (You are going at the top bolts from below).

...[/img]. Actually it a regular 6 point 17mm bolt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

if you want it to fit... pull the speedo, and the speedo cable, pull the diff, and you will have a higher fuel economy TD, everything else will be fine... unless it's a cali model 85... then you need the driveshaft also...

Good call, but the .416 driveshaft is the same length as the .315.

JimRockford · #7 06-24-2015, 08:47 PM

Man, you guys rock!

All of this helps.

I have to drive an hour and a half to the city of Chicago to get to it. Rather just load up all my tools, make my day fully open (for any issues that come up), and yank everything I need in one trip.

As far as I know its a non Calif car. The car has the interior gone, glass gone, most of the doors gone. Had a front end fire (engine blanket he claims). I had pulled some parts from his other cars, didnt really take a good look when I was there a few months ago.