'80 300D engine and tranny swap - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

herbct01 · #1 10-06-2002, 05:03 PM

I have picked up an '80 300D to use as a parts car for mine. This car has 178K and the engine sounds and runs good with good power. The tranny feels solid.
My car uses oil and the tranny slips after having the fluid changed. I want to do the swap myself.
I have replaced an engine before (in a Subaru and I know that doesn't count) but the Haynes manual is not to explicit nor is the MB engine manual for this car.
I welcome comments on this as a DIY project, special tools needed, available manuals, precautions I should take, should I job out the tranny swap since I do not have a lift at home and anything else anyone would like to share.
I am also told by a front end guy that the steering box on my car is gone because the car does not have "memory" when driving. How difficult is it to swap sterring boxes.
Thanks

kerry · #2 10-06-2002, 05:30 PM

If you've changed an engine before I don't think you'd run into any big problems. From what I have read, you can easily remove the engine and tranny as complete units. It would be helpful to use one of the adjustable devices that can alter the angle of the engine and tranny as you remove them.

Ridge · #3 10-06-2002, 06:28 PM

Before you go to the trouble of changing steering boxes, try adjusting it.

All you need to do is loosen the big lock nut on top of the box and then screw the set screw upwards to tighten up the steering.

Remember the screw must unscrew to tighten. Do it a half turn at a time and lock it down each time. Then take it around the block to test. If you tighten it too much, it won't return to center after you round a corner, so be careful!!!

Ben
www.reproduce100s.com

engatwork · #4 10-06-2002, 06:49 PM

It is a pretty straightforward job that if you have done a Suburu engine you should be able to do without alot of trouble. Take plenty of pictures and "tag" the lines/hoses.

Stevo · #5 10-06-2002, 10:40 PM

engatwork and kerry edwards are right, I think. You should not have a problem if you've done it on something else. I used the Haynes manual pulling a 240d engine and I had never done it, so if you get one of those adjustable devices you wont have any trouble.

herbct01 · #6 10-12-2002, 09:08 PM

Thanks for the tips. I picked up my parts car today and hopefully I will tackle the swap in a couple of weeks. I guess I have to lower the tranny to an angle where it will come up out of the engine bay with the engine. Do I need to remove anything in front besides the radiator, like the fan and/or water pump, ps pump, etc.?
What parts should I salvage off the old engine and what should I replace on the engine before reinstalling it? The old engine runs okay but it uses oil and does not have the power the replacement engine does.
I tried the steering box adjustment going one full turn out. There was no change or it may seem to have gotten worse. Should I go the other way?
Thanks

Ridge · #7 10-13-2002, 02:11 AM

herbct01,

If one full turn didn't work try another half turn or so. Unscrewing tightens the steering, not in!!!

It's quicker to pull the engine and tranny as a unit. Once the radiaote is out everything comes out pretty easy. Don't remove the power steering from the car, just tyake it off the engine and lay it to one side and wire it down so it can't move.

If the tranny that you're removing is n auto, put some modeling clay in the banjo bolt holes and screw them back into the tranny so it won't leak as you pull it out of the car.

Ben

leathermang · #8 10-13-2002, 01:57 PM

I think it would be best to drain the trans oil first... on most cars... once you take out the driveshaft and then point the back of the trans down.. it will leak out the rear... maybe it does not on MB's... but it won't leak out for sure if you have drained it.....

Herb... I do not want you to take this as any slight towards my confidance in your abilities... I am sure you can do this.... and I hope without getting hurt... but I would like to mention some things.

Since I am also a Subaru owner, and have swapped engines... I think you are correct to feel that that does not count on this question... after pulling my pushrod 1800 sube engine I picked it up and carried it about 10 feet to get it to the other car.... it weighs less than 200 lbs in that condition... a far cry from your cast iron 5 cyl block with trans attached....

You said you do not have a lift " at home" .. does this mean you are not going to do it at home... or that you will be borrowing a lift to do this ?... Also, your hoist equipment has not been discussed...

It is much nicer to take the engine and trans out together IF YOU CAN REASONABLY DO IT THAT WAY.

However, that entails having the car high enough that you can get under it to loosen the proper items... and then having it low enough that you can take out the engine and trans at a fairly steep angle...

The potential problem comes from several items..Some cherry picker type engine pullers are not designed for the amount of weight At the distance from the cylinder which you need... or if you are using an A Frame, the distance that the chain hoist hangs down below the A Frame plus the engine angle changer (can't think of its name) under the may not allow you to get the engine with the trans still on it completely out of the car...
If you pull it out and need to change the angle as you pull it forward it can get very tricky safety wise....
So, before you commit to doing this with the engine and trans together I hope you will do lots of measureing,,and ask someone with experience to actually look at your facilities .....
If you are going to rent equipment... then consider doing it in two stages... lift and place the car on solid jackstands , then rent a transmission jack and pull the trans...This will greatly decrease the amount of ceiling height which you need to do this swap...

wheelguru · #9 10-13-2002, 08:48 PM

Go for it. I had only pulled engines from bugs (talk about easy)and done a rabbit clutch job before I did exactly what you are thinking about (well half really, it got cold before I could do the reinstall, but I am sure I could have completed it if the winter had held off). I used a cherry picker, when I started pulling the engine and tranny up, it tipped toward the tranny. I had to crawl into the engine compartment and lift the tranny up the last 3 inches so it would come out of the car while my neighbor pulled the hoist backwards. I used the mercedes manual and this forum, it was all I needed. If you have done a Subaru you can do this, it is just heavier. You will want a helper to jockey it back into place, but getting them out should be mainly one person.
I didn't see where you live, but if it is where it is cold and you don't have a block heater, while the engine is out would be the time to install it. New engine and tranny mounts too. Depending on your time frame I would consider front end work with the engine out of the way, I would have done the ball joints if I had thought about it, duh. - the good car sat empty for long enough. -Andy