I'm torn. I love the car but find myself without the time or $ to fix. If it is the starter, I know it would be an "easy" fix. The flywheel however, is above my pay grade.

I think I'm willing to sell so as to not live with the conflict!

What would you do?

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-cars-sale/374013-1983-300td.html#post3605908

__________________
I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

Pull the starter and visually inspect the flywheel teeth. If you see any broken teeth or teeth that have unusual shapes then you are looking at a new flywheel (flexplate). Also inspect the teeth on the starter drive.

Mr. Whitmore has the idea. Gather enough data to know what you're in for. That engine and trans is NOT that hard to pull (I'd take them out as a pair) and I have a spare flywheel/flex plate on my back-up engine that you can have for cheap. (I'll need to inspect it first but I think it's OK). Also, the ring gear CAN be replaced - there's a thread on it on here someplace. Add heat and let it fall off, heat the new one to reinstall.

The point is that this really isn't THAT hard, about a weekend for me and likely 2 weekends if you haven't done this kind of work before. The car won't be worth much if it doesn't start and run so you would have to sell it for nearly nothing unless you fix it first. And if you fix it you might as well keep it!

Dan

Thanks Dan, Whitmore,

Time is hard to come by. Kids, homesteading, timberframing, work ,etc.

Even repaired, I will probably sell. I was using it as my daily driver and have replaced it. Now it sits on ramps waiting for me to fix it. Last time she was down, she sat for a year before I opened the hood. Just to figure out that I needed to clean the injectors!

__________________
I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

Before you give up, what are the symptoms?

On the other hand, are there any vocational/technical schools (community colleges) or high schools that offer auto shop nearby? This would be a nice project car for basic instruction. The starter can be rebuilt, and if the flex-plate/flywheel has worn teeth, the ring gear can be removed, reversed and re-installed. Let the kids at school have it to work on for a semester & get it back in 90 days (or less) all fixed. Think of it as 'giving back' to the community or 'free labor'. The students would learn how to 'repair' instead of becoming a 'parts installer'.

-just a thought.

The symptoms got progressively worse. The starter was "disengaging" from time to time. Acted like it found a flat spot on the ring gear, but without a noticeable growl. Just sort of a whirring like the starter is not under load. Now I can't even get one revolution without this happening, and no start. When it happens and I try to start again, it almost always "catches" for another turn.
As I understand, these symptoms are caused by a weak plunger or bad teeth.

__________________
I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

Before pulling the starter, I'd make sure the battery and battery cables and ground straps are not corroded, connections are clean and tight including all starter connections, that includes starter mounting bolts (that's how the starter is grounded).

Also inspect the flywheel ring gear tooth by tooth at the torque converter drain access plate. Use a marker on a tooth, advance flywheel with a large screw driver till the marked tooth comes around.

__________________
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

I checked the teeth on the ring gear. They all look like this, none missing. Are these teeth worn too much?

__________________
I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

Video and Pic added

__________________
I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

Your video will not open

I think it should work. Posted as public. I can view it. Hmmm.

Vid basically shows the same view. Are the teeth in the pic good?

__________________
I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

ymm:

The view, being from the rear of the teeth, will usually show intact, unworn teeth.
Is there an inspection cover on the front side of the ring gear/flywheel? It is on the front side that the starter pinion engages, and that wear and damage will be visible.

The starter spinning up without a " I've turned the key while the engine is running grinding sound" is usually a slipping starter drive clutch.

Ring gear teeth wear in specific spots because the engine tends to reliably stop on a compression stroke. ( 2 spots for a 4 , 3 spots for a 6, 4 spots for a 8 ) but is is good practice to check all the way around.

There is an inspection port, but I can not get my eyeballs into the hole to see the teeth. Probe cam would be helpful.

__________________
I could not own any MB without the help from you...fellow forum members.


83 300td 207,XXX

Starter is not that big a pain to replace. I've had to replaced them on just about every w123 I have owned. There are a few tricks, like cutting down a allen wrench, dropping the rear trans mount and having a couple long 1/2 extensions to go over the top of the trans to reach the bolts and using the weight of the car to break free the bolts... but all in all it's a simple job. I've gotten to where I can do it in an hour or so start to finish. There is a nice wright up of the whole job on here somewhere that I followed.