Link for body tag info:
http://home.concepts.nl/~vlimmere/bodytag.htm

717430 is for manual transmission, you can verify with a vin lookup on the Mercedes-Benz Club Russia website.

http://www.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/?lng=eng

This site will provide the info you are looking for and more, make sure you convert the vin and click on the full version box:

e.g. 300E = 1240301 substitute characters 4 thru 10 and replace 999999 with your vin's last six numbers (sequence#)
WDBEA30D8GA999999 = WDB1240301A999999

I have a 1986 16V 5-speed which is a great unit, superbly matched to the car's engine. My other car, a 1994 E420+ begs for a BMW 540i six-speed. I am actively thinking of swapping my perfectly good autobox for the BMW (presumably ZF) unit.

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Charles Cleaver
1975 350SE + 1992 300CE-24 SportLine 5-speed + 2002 SLK320 6-speed + 1974 W114 280
1986 190E 2.3-16 (Decomm rear self-leveling suspension; Euro-code headlamps) sold
2004 Audi S4 6-spd - sold
1969 (2) and 1980 Porsche 911T, S, and SC - alas gone
1987 300SDL - Graf Spee; Euro-code headlamps; 16-inch 8-hole wheels - sold
1994 E420+(E500 suspension/E-code headlamps/PAD chip) sold
1968 250SE 4-speed (NICE car) - long gone
1962 220S 4-speed/column mount - long gone

I have a 1990 190e 2.6 w/ 5-speed manual OD. MUCH better than the auto version for all types of driving IMHO.

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1990 190e 2.6 - The only one I can really call "My Car".

1987 190e 2.3 - The donor car's up and running, only mods are Euros and a Sony headunit. My Dad's runabout now.

1990 300e 2.6 - The parents' ride.

I have a 1991 190e 2.6 w/ 5-speed manual OD, and a son and brother in Huntington Beach, for what that's worth

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5 speed '91 190E 2.6 320,000 mi. (new car, fast, smooth as silk six, couldn't find any more Peugeots)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.5l Turbo Diesel 266,000 mi. (old car, fast for a diesel, had 2 others)
5 speed '01 Jetta V6 (new wifes car, pretty quick)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.2l Turbo Gas 197,000 mi. (wifes car, faster, sadly gone just short of 200k )
5 speed '83 Yamaha 750 Maxim 14,000 mi. (fastest)
0 speed 4' x 8' 1800 lb Harbor Freight utility trailer (only as fast as what's pulling it)

got two mb's with 5 speed manual
1-1984 280sl euro 5 speed with 12500 miles
2-1984 300d wagon 5 speed with 180k miles
a host of 4 speed mostly 220d and 240d, do have a 1982 240d wagon with 4 speed
love that extra work we do to get away from the stop light.

larry perkins

My 1985 190D is going strong with 5-speed and the mini-motor. Has 572K miles. Clutch was replaced @ 292K miles, no tranny repairs that I know of.
I do change tranny fluid at 25K intervals.
Al

Al,

I admire your extreme maintenance measures. I am known on here as an extremist maniac when it comes to engine oil changes and many people tell me that I change it too often, but I have to tell you that changing lubricant in a manual transmission every 25K is EXTREME OVERKILL.

I have one manual transmission car that has gone 533,000 miles with about 4 trans lube changes.

Oil in a transmission lives a very easy life as opposed to an engine where combustion is putting nasty contaminants in the oil constantly.

100,000 mile oil changes in a manual transmission are more than adequate.

Have a great day,

Hi Larry,
Thanks for the input, I totally agree on the tranny and Differential lube schedule (change at 100K miles) that you mentioned if you're using the 70-90or 90-140 weight lube. I do disagree when the tranny is lubed with automatic transmission fluid (in my case the 190D with Dextron).

I also have a '97 Ford pickup with 5-spd manual that is lubed with Dextron.
I also change the tranny fluid in it at 25K mile intervals. The Ford has 196K miles and the 190D has 572K miles. At the 25K mile change intervals the Dextron that comes out is very dark, almost black. My guess is that the frequent fluid changes keep crud from accumulating in the gearbox.

Let's see who can get to 600K miles first, I've got only 28K to go. Again, thanks for the input, I respect your opinions very much
Al

Well, I "know" Glen T. and just recently have been back in contact with him about my quest to get a 5 speed 300E. I'd consider a 190 2.3-16, I suppose, but those are probably going to be pretty dear. I suppose in lieu of that I could always get a E30, but I'd like to stay with M-B. So, if anyone has or would consider selling their 300E, I'm certainly in the market, but I want a driver and not wall/garage art. If I'm successful (and I plan to be, it might just take some time) I want to get the Mercedeshop's Sportline suspension as well. And, of course I will travel/transport for the "right" car...

Thanks,
Tom Reynolds
Sand Springs, OK

84 240D Euro 5 speed, unknown mileage.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Tom, if you don't mind the smaller 190E, have you considered the 2.6 (6-cylinder M103) with a 5-speed and Sportline suspension.

They do exist, and are a delight to drive.

Unfortunately, IMHO, they are even more rare than the 2.3-16v, but fortunately, are usually cheaper!

:-) neil

Mine will be available soon. Certainly not "art". Gets me to work everyday.

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.

I came across this thread while searching for what fluid to place in my transmission (I still have not found a definate answer to this though).
Both of my MBZ are 5 speeds. I will not own a car that is not a manual if I am going to be the primary driver.

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Fantom71 aka Dale
Madison, AL

91 190E 2.6 5 speed 220k miles and this car still scoots!

I use "Redline MTL" just dont use the 90W stuff

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Mercedes recommends Type A Suffix A ATF for the 201 and 124 manuals. Unfortunately this is a long obsolete ATF specification. It had a small quantity of whale oil added to prevent wet clutch chatter and became illegal in the US circa 1970 when whale products were outlawed.

The old clutch type LSD "friction modifier" additive was also whale oil based, and industry went on to develop a synthetic additive to replace the whale oil, which is what is used today as a LSD and ATF friction modifier to prevent clutch chatter.

The current evolution of the old Type A Suffix A ATF spec is Dexron III.

Mercedes also lists SAE 20 non-detergent motor oil as an alternative, but I would not use this unless you are in the tropics.

Redline MTL is a specially formulated synthetic oil designed for manual transmission applications that specifiy ATF. It is rated 70W-75 GL-4. A 70w-75 gear oil is about the same absolute viscosity range as a 10W-20 motor oil.

MTL is what I use.

Larry's use of 10W-30 is probably okay, too. I always thought it best to use specially formulated gear oils in manual transmissions, but last year when I helped a friend change the transaxle oil in his mid-nineties Prelude, I was surprised to find that Honda's recommended oil was 10W-30 motor oil, so that's what we used.

The recommendation for my MR2 transaxle is 75W-90 GL-4 and I use Redline MT 90, which is basically the same as MTL, except for the wider viscosity range.

Duke