Maybe this is a dumb question, but since I'm a newbie, did the w123 cars come with any kind of limited-slip rear differential? I'm considering buying an '81 300TD wagon and this is something I've wondered about. Thx!

They may have.... different differential lubes are specified for each (limited slip VS regular )in my 123 chassis manual...but they really don't say how to determine if YOUR particular car has them..... I changed the differential fluid in my car yesterday.... I assumed I did not have the limited slip....

Someone else jump in and agree or disagree with me on this. The easiest way to tell a standard diff from a limited slip unit is to spin one wheel when both rear wheels are off the ground. On cars with limited slip both wheels will turn in the same direction when spinning one wheel. On a standard diff if you spin one wheel the other spins in the opposite direction. I have always used this test when buying old muscle cars and it's never made an idiot out of me. Now, some of the cars that I've bought .. that's another story

Fritz is right, this is the quickest way to know.

I can't believe that MB never put a limited slip in one of these cars. They are such HORSEPOWER MONSTERS that it's hard to imagine how they could ever get all that power to the ground.

Yeah, yeah, I know, you want it for the snow.

Have a great day,

Who would want limited slip in the snow? I hated my limited slip in the snow when on the highway. (Jeep). It caused me to spin out on more than one occasion. Offroad it was nice to have.

I drove behind some friends with automatic lockers and they were wayyyyy worse in the snow on highway. Scarrryy worse. Not great off road either. Once I got my ARB air activated lockers and could choose either open diff. or locked diff I was MUCH MUCH happier. Way easier to drive in snow with open diff. BTW Lots of curves where I lived at that time.

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My understanding is that lockers lock up hard and fast, and that limited slip allows differential wheel rotation until after the wheel spins a few revolutions. At that point it locks and gives you actual two wheel drive instead of the standard "one wheel wonder".

The limited slip differential in my GMC is smooth and I don't even know its there, unless I'm trying to bust through a big drift on the roads when its great to have three wheels pulling me forward!

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1983 300td 240k (down with bad tranny)
1984 300d 222k (daily driver) "Olive"
1997 GMC K2500 105k (sled dog limo)

"The scenery in ANWR is as spectacular as the Grand Canyon and the wildlife is more impressive."

I know I'm little off topic here AK. But do you have a GM limited slip diff that isn't broken? Those things are so notorious for going to pieces. The one in my wife's Tahoe was replaced with less than 40K on it by the PO and now it just has a regular diff for reliability. I've heard from numerous people saying the same thing.
Anyway, back to the show...

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DJ


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

I was intending to ask about this ages ago..

My 83 300D, spin one wheel by hand, the other spins the same direction, foreward or back, either side. What gives? Does the old trusty method of testing not apply to MB's? I guess I could just go out and lay a patch of rubber and take a look.. Oh, wait.. Nevermind that..

And I had assumed that the rear's with the cooling fins on them were limited slip, such as a euro 280 w123 a friend bought not long ago.

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1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

The USA - version of the Maintenance Manual for Passenger Cars Types 220 D through 600 including model year 1978, printed January 1978 shows that limited slip(positive traction) was available. The picture shows a limited slip diff. for model 116.036. The limited slip diff. can be identified by a name plate on the right of the diff. ( looking from the rear ) up from the drain plug. From the picture it looks to be very obvious and hard to miss. What is not clear is what models it was available on.

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79 240D (no name yet) 203K Miles Maple Yellow
98 2500 4x4 HD Dodge 24 Valve Cummins TD
83 Chevy Van (Dead-Trans. shot)

Hi Lietuviai,

Our 1997 GMC limited slip diff has 98,000 miles without any issues...I don't keep tabs on the GMC like I do with the 300d, but I've not heard of problems with the GMC diff. I have quite a few friends with GM's and most shipped to AK come with the limited slip diff.

I can't wait to lift the rear ends of my 300d's and check for limited slip!

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1983 300td 240k (down with bad tranny)
1984 300d 222k (daily driver) "Olive"
1997 GMC K2500 105k (sled dog limo)

"The scenery in ANWR is as spectacular as the Grand Canyon and the wildlife is more impressive."

116.036 is a 450SEL 6.9.

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Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
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I had my 300DT up off the ground a couple of weeks ago to check the flex discs and I did spin the rear wheels and they spun in opposite directions . I already knew that I had a regular diff when I was in a parked on a grass covered parking lot last year. It had rained and it was very slippery. I had no traction because one wheel was spinning and I ended up needing help to get out of the lot.

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DJ


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

Thats the one! you won't find this model in many junk yards!

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

wolf_walker:
I'm not sure from what others are saying, but if I'm gathering right, none of the US 123's had limited slip. If that's the case, then there may be something wrong with your rearend. It may be something too tight, I know one shadetree hotrodder trick is to shim the pinion bearings tighter than the recommended. This gives a limited slip effect, but will wear down the spider gears, so you lose it after a while and are left with a worn, possibly damaged, rearend. You might try the check again, but this time have somebody hold the other wheel and see if you can get them to turn in opposite directions. I don't know a whole lot about rearends, but on every a car I've worked on the wheels spun freely in the opposite direction (never worked on a limited slip car).
Personally, I plan on having limited slip in any vehicle I plan on driving extensively in the winter. We can get penty of snow up here, and there have been quite a few occasions where I just couldn't quite make it and had to get help, whereas, had I had limited slip, I probably would have had no trouble. I've tried chasing 4x4's in my car in snowy conditions, and in one particular case I can think of, I'm pretty sure I would have had no trouble keeping up if I had a limited slip in my car. A lot of people would probably tell me, if I asked them, to give up and go with a 4x4, but the fact is I get a stange high out of tackling the elements in something that "doesn't belong out there." I do realize there are limits; I just like to push them now and them.

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'64 Ford Fairlane w/approx 238,000 - looks rough, but amazingly reliable if you know how to look after it; I will soon begin work to totally restore and modernize it.
Family vehicles that I lay some claim to:
'78 300D w/approx 350,000 original, '62 Ford F100 4x4, '90 Ford E150 w/171,000 original

I'll check it again, but I'm almost sure they both turned the same direction. I was alone, so no idea if one could hold one wheel while the other turned. Diff has never been opened, 257K miles, I'd think it'd wear looser not tighter? Who knows..

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