My fuel economy is a consistent 20.85, city highway combined.

OK, I have the opposite problem, I have a 300D (NON-turbo) with a poor acceleration. I would like to increase the ratio, to allow better acceleration. I don't cruise at more than 70 mph, so there is no risk of engine damage due to over revving.
I would also like to keep the Speedo and odometer calibration accurate.
How do MB adjust for the different ratios, effect on the speedo?
If they use different speedo drive gears, are they sold as a set? or a single piece?
How else could they do it?
Is the answer to buy a speedo calibration kit (for rallye cars) and set the cogs to compensate?

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Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.

I have found two 280SE (One 2.8L I-6 and one 4.5L V8) (W108) in a salvage yard. The rear ends are marked 3.92 and 4.08. In my quest for better off the line perfomance I must ask, will these swap into a W123 with little fuss? Next to the 280's there is an '85 300D with the 2.88 rear. I may be willing to pull it and ship it for somebody.

I would love the 2.88, but I'm worried about speedometer calibration. Does anyone know if the speedometer from that 85 300D would drop into my 81 300TD without fuss, and be accurate? My TD seems to have an electric speedo (no cable).

82-300td: Did you note how many miles were on that 300D? My differential already whines like a *****; if I were to get a "new" one it would be nice if I could get a low(er) milage one that would (hopefully) be quiet . How much would it cost to pull & ship?

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'81 300TD Wagon 355k (Miss Diesel)
'83 300SD 180k
'84 500SEL 190k (Parting it out)

3.07 to 2.88 is very little change. The RPM required for 60 mph will now occur at 64. This is probably less than your current speedo error. If You read high like mine does it will probably be more accurate afterwards.
I think the differential that Breckman installed was actually something like 2.67 or 2.46
I think the taller gears would improve my off the line acceleration with more time in first gear. Its pretty useless right now.

My '85 seems to pull nicely up most hills. I would have thought wth the different gearing I would get better fuel economy because of the lower RPM's but I don't seem to get the better MPG's like the other years. I'm thinking it may be because I have a CA model with the OX CAT. Vwbuge converted his CA model 300SD to a fed model but according to him didn't get any improvement in MPG's.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

I believe it was 175K miles. There is also a 76 300D there with the 3.96 that I'm taking for myself.

That's significantly less than mine :-). If you're still willing to pull & ship it, please tell me how much $ it'd be (add whatever you think is fair for handling, of course!) so I can see if I can afford cough it up or not...

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'81 300TD Wagon 355k (Miss Diesel)
'83 300SD 180k
'84 500SEL 190k (Parting it out)

Was the cat recall only for the 603's? I thought it might also affect '85 California models.
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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It covered the 617's as well. My car was included in the recall.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

DieselDieHard: Actually I was refering to the amount of speedometer error that would result. There is no doubt in my mind this would a good thing, if changing from 3.07 to 2.88 or something taller. The only thing that makes me hesitate to try this (other than $$$) would be my transmission. It shifts pretty hard and shudders in second. (some threads I've read here make me think it might be a B2B piston) Once I get the transmission sorted out I hope to do something, A drop-in 85 2.88 is probably easiest but I might try experimenting with something that would actually move third up to something like a passing gear. That may be overly ambitous but it sounds like the numbers the original post was refering to.

Pull & save wants $52 for rear ends but sometimes they have a $30 sale. Being almost solid metal, it will be one heavy SOB to ship so I have no clue what that would cost.

Kerry Edwards met me at the yard and was showing interest in getting it for himself. Seeing how much it might cost overall, I'll see if he wants it first.

LMK if you still want it and I'll keep an eye out for sales.

Make a cheapo pallet from a piece of scrap plywood and a couple of scraps of 2x4. Drill some holes in the appropriate locations and band that punkin' onto the pallet.

Take the whole kit and kaboodle to FedEx freight (not the regular FedEx) and ship it their cheapest way. You can probably get it sent anywhere in the USA for under $125.

Lance,
Keep an eye open for a 2.88 rear end when they have a sale...I'd like to have one in inventory...just for grins.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Does anyone here know how much a differential weighs? If shipping is $100 or less it seems like a good deal to me, I'll take it if Kerry doesn't :-).

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'81 300TD Wagon 355k (Miss Diesel)
'83 300SD 180k
'84 500SEL 190k (Parting it out)

Cr@ppy news everybody.

I went to Pull&Save last saturday to find the 85, along with 8 other cars (including two good 280S 4.5's), had been already been crushed! Its a damn shame. The body, block, head, rear end, transmission (w/85 torque converter) and other '85 specific parts were still good.

I did manage to get the 3.96 rear end from the 76 300D and the EGR "computer" from the 85. I found how to get the four bolts at the top of the pumpkin. There are four rubber plugs in the trunk that give direct access to the 19mm nuts from the top. How to get to it in a TD, I have not the slightest clue.

I have been trying to get a good turbo for my (future) turbo-jet project. I have found a subaru and several crysler turbos. The sub dang near makes me want to cut it off to get it, and the cryslers.... the "engineer" who designed the engine placement needs to be shot. The egnine or the cylinder head must be pulled to remove it.