The 240 4-speed works well, however it does seem like a long step between second and third. I spend a lot of time in third at speeds of 30-45mph. Maybe a 5-speed would offer more accommodating ratios in the mid-range. Overdrive may be nice, but 3000-3400 at highway speeds does not seem excessive, as the turbo is spooling nicely. My 300TD seems to be pulling strong at 110+mph, but is limited by rpm. How fast do you want to criuse?
Jacob

At the higher RPM cruising speeds (70-75+ MPH) my '85 with the automatic sounds fairly loud, almost like a lawn mower. It would be nice to have the engine RPM's a bit lower at cruising speed, say around to where the turbo just starts to spool up or where maximum torque is reached. A few extra MPG's wouldn't hurt either.
I guess I'm just used to taking my wife's Tahoe on long trips since it runs 1750 RPM's @ 60 MPH.

__________________
DJ


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

Rode in a buddy's 02 firebird the other day, looking at his cruise rpm at 70mph made me sick..

__________________
One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

I have encountered this question several times;
“How long can one expect the 240 parts (also W123) used to convert a 300 turbo to manual transmission hold up?”
As I have only 3k miles on my conversion, who can speak to the issue of longevity?
Mine is purring along nicely as a daily driver, I like everything about it and I expect it to go on forever.

Well..., I one 716.210 tranny in pieces on the basement floor waiting for parts from Germany to put it back together so I can finally have a fully operational tranny in my car (along with match-balanced flywheel.)

Once I do, then I can gauge the longevity of the 4 speed behind a 617 (though since I now drive this more like a sports car than a luxury sedan, I may be a bad candidate for longevity testing!)

__________________
1984 300D Turbo - 4-speed manual conversion, mid-level resto

1983 300D - parts car

1979 300TD Auto - Parts car.

1985 300D Auto - Wrecked/Parts.


=========================

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". Lewis Carrol

Guys, quit worrying about the longevity of these transmissions. They are solid as the proverbial brick s**thouse...they're significantly better engineered than the Chevy manuals I flogged with my tricked-out 283 as a teenager.

Jeez, after all, these engines only have 125 hp on a really good day. So chill, please...

FWIW, The tranny I'm running right now could be considered "bad' because of the 3-4 vibration. It came from a boneyard car that had been driven into the dirt. Damn, that car didn't even have any rubber left in the center drivehsaft support and there's no telling how long it was driven that way yet, even with the vibration, it's transmission still shifts perfectly, has no whine or other strangeness and I've driven it without hesitation to OKC and back, not to mention to Houston as well as to work and back every day since I finished the install in April.

But, if you insist on worrying, go get a spare transmission 'just in case' the raw torque of the OM617 decides to play havoc with your gear box. Hey, once you have the hang of it, you can swap trannies in 3 hours or less.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Is that from the bottom or out with the engine?

Jeez..., WTF takes you so damn long?? Best time on the clock for me is 1hr, 45mins, wheels off ground to wheels back on!

__________________
1984 300D Turbo - 4-speed manual conversion, mid-level resto

1983 300D - parts car

1979 300TD Auto - Parts car.

1985 300D Auto - Wrecked/Parts.


=========================

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". Lewis Carrol

if you wanna show us all how fast you are...

I have a 1980 300sd parked outside next to my 82 240d... the turbo engine is going into the 240... I could use all the help I can get, and if you're in boulder....I'm on moorhead/table mesa, I'll hold the stopwatch. Grimgaunt said you can't turn down working on the diesels.
-Nate

btw: as someone about to do a similar swap, this thread is the bible.

__________________
'82 240D, 4-speed, 617 turbo engine

Well..., I uh..., no..., uh......., ALRIGHT ALREADY!!!!

PM me.

__________________
1984 300D Turbo - 4-speed manual conversion, mid-level resto

1983 300D - parts car

1979 300TD Auto - Parts car.

1985 300D Auto - Wrecked/Parts.


=========================

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". Lewis Carrol

So, perhaps I'm going for the slowest engine swap ever, but! the SD engine is now happily mounted in the 240d. We did have to use the engine bearing arms from my old engine, and I put in new engine mounts on the body (the old ones were SHOT!). Right now I am going through the arduous process of hybridizing the vacuum system - I realized the p.o. had hooptied the big black/white vacuum valve on my 240 by blocking off selected leads w/ a screw and liquid nails. Cute! So I scavenged the equivalent from the SD, and I'm just trying to make sure I'm hooking up things correctly. The engine runs, but the shut-off doesn't work, so I know the vacuum system needs a little more troubleshooting. I've got the diagrams from both the 240 and the SD, now I just have to translate what's similar. Anywho - Old300 - when you swapped out the differential, what seals did you replace? Where did you buy them? I'm having trouble identifying by name the right seals from either NAPA or OReilly. If anyone has part numbers, that would be super helpful! OK, gotta go. Thanks again!

Hi All,

I found a 5 speed Getrag in the junkyard! I spotted a 83' 300D and thought I might have a look at it. It turned out that it was an import that somebody boated over from Germany.

I quick grabbed all of the parts needed to make the 5 speed conversion happen. So far, its all 100% bolt on.

The only question that I need to ask is will my 240D clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate work on this Getrag? Everything fits the input shaft/spline just fine. I am wondering if I might run into some problems when I finally mate the trannie and engine?

If anyone knows, pass the info on.
Brian

Ok,,, I see a competition brewing....

At the next get together we give a prize for fastest swap out...

they do this at VW get togethers for pulling the engines... like in 30 SECONDS and less....

Maybe by 2008 we can get it accepted as an Olympic Competition...

After all, they have " synchronized diving" ...... LOL

...Of course, my time was in my car that I had already converted and know every nut and bolt in the procedure and what tools to use where.

For an actual conversion from an auto to a manual, it's days, but I like to re-wire everything nice and long-term and make it all look professional and like it came with it.

__________________
1984 300D Turbo - 4-speed manual conversion, mid-level resto

1983 300D - parts car

1979 300TD Auto - Parts car.

1985 300D Auto - Wrecked/Parts.


=========================

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". Lewis Carrol

Tom,
I'm an old guy and need at least two, sometimes three sets of glasses. I have to constantly swap them back and forth to see WTF I'm doing. And then after you wake up from your nap, there's the whole remembering waht you're under the car for in the first place...

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.