My saga of trying to find an automatic transmission for my euro 300d non turbo never ends. My complete part # on left side of transmission case is 123 270 56 01 722 405 02 158713 so that makes it a 722 405 02 A local junk yard has a great deal on a transmission # 123 270 5201 722 401 02 196014 so that makes it a 722 401 02. I have seen the transmission it looks right 6 bolt pan mechanical speedometer and kick down switch. Small cooler line banjo bolts shift linkage looks good. My? Is what the differences are? I think I read some place that that part of the part # has to do with the vacuum modulator and the car it was used in. I would love to by this transmission because the price is good he is 3 miles from my house. But I need information on decoding the part # so I can tell whether or not I can use this transmission I hope it is as simple as changing vacuum modulator. Any info links or help would be greatly appreciated but remember this is a 1985 euro 300d non turbo all the transmission sites I have found only deal with USA models. I would be so happy if I could buy this tomorrow and get it in the bloody car.
Thank you kindly in advance for any help you can give me
Dave Sid San Jose CA

I believe the 722.401 came in the W123 230E/CE/TE which would be gray market cars in the US. The critical interface is the bellhousing to block and I highly doubt they'll match. You don't need to count pan bolts. 99% if not all 722.3xx and 722.4xx transmissions use the same pan, gasket and filter.

I still think you'll be better served by a 722.315 which should be among the easiest to find W123 transmissions.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Ill see if I can find a 722.315 local that I can go look at. The biggest problem I am finding is the junkyards dont use the part # they just say it came out of X car. I use the parts search plases on the internet they all come back saying they have three or 4 when i call though they say no they never made a 300d non turbo and there transmission wont fit. The local junkyard with the 722 401 02 said they thought it came out of a gray market car the bolt pattern did look right everything looks right on the outside of the transmission like mine has a real strange shift linkage set up I have never seen before this was the same but without knowing how to decode the part # I would be taking too big a risk just trying it and seeing if it works.

your right my trans ref says it came out of a 230 te It looked like the bolt pattern and the linkage hoses spedo cable ect will fit. All the 300d non turbo's I see in pick n pull are four bolt pans and the turbo model transmission look way differnt
Dave
Thanks for your help so far

Since I dont have much choice in three weeks of searching I have only been able to find a 5 speed for this car. I am going to pull the transmission tomorrow take it to the wreacker see how they look side by side. The w123 1985 300d 722 405 02 vs the 722.401 that came out of W123 230E/CE/TE gas car. Am I making a major blunder if the case ect are the same and I put a gas trans in a diesel? It is what I Have not thought of that scares me

Part of your frustration comes from identifying your car as an 85 with no turbo. I guess you have to ask when you have someone's attention but you'll make things easier on yourself if you leave it for a separate call. The easy way is to ask for a transmission for an 85 300D. If they say they have one, ask if it'll fit an 84 or an 86 300D. If they say yes, hang up and call the next place. You want to find the yard that has an 85 transmission and knows it won't fit an 84 or 86.

I've been saying a lot that you need a transmission specifically for an 85. The reason I'm a lone voice is that the smart people probably know that it's not a sure thing that a non-US 85 300D has the same oddball interface as US 300Ds. So my conviction is really based on a hunch

BTW, if you need a core, I have a transmission out of an 81 SD that's just taking space in my garage. You're welcome to toss it back at the yard as a core. It might be a good thing to hang on to your 722.405 in case you decide to rebuild it later. BTW, while the transmission I have is off an 81 SD, it's marked as a 722.309 which means it's originally out of a 280E. It was converted to an inductive speedo drive tail housing I guess. The tranny is a couple of exits from SJC.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

A kind man that rebuilds transmissions and is very very knowldgeable told me a 1985 300d turbo transmission would fit for sure. But it has to be out of a california model car either a d or sd but could not be out of a federal car. I thank you very much for your kind offer of the core if the shop will go for it I will take you up on it. It will be great to have the transmission in case there are any problms and so when I can affoard it I can rebuild it. I heard that Mbz transmissions are a lot harder to rebuild than ford chevy but I would like to try it.
Thanks Dave Sid San Jose CA

You want a transmission out of a D, CD or TD but not an SD because the SD uses an inductive speedo drive.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Thanks for the tip on the SD
Dave Sid San jose Ca
PS I am going to start pulling the transmission now the neighbors are going to love me I just changed the motor on my sons 1980 300sd. And my neighbors are snobs well tuff luck to them I keep it neat jack the car down at night.

I took the transmission out of the 300d to day. Brought it to local yard that said they had one that would work for $395 well every thing was right except the starter was on the wrong side. I have found some used 1985 transmission the only year they made that type both places want just over $800 plus shipping for used transmission with 90 day warranty, May be I will just have to go with a 4 speed manual.
Frustrated in San Jose
Dave

Thanks to sixto I have looked closely at the 72.315 there are some modifications that need to be made the big pain in the butt is the transmission cooler lines need to be changed to earlier model 300d. And god do I hate changing those. It is most likely because I just recently had to change an upper oil pan and I tried to do it with the engine in the car because I was told you could, you can’t! And those bolts are a royal pain in the butt to get out. I won’t have the money till the end of next month to buy the stuff. But I wanted to thank every one for there help
Dave San Jose

There is an alternative -

The ultimate DIY - or am I crazy ?

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

That was a great link thank you very much. I have thought about trying that now I may look into it a little better. My major concern is there were bb size chunks of metal in the tranny fluid and it was more silver then red there was so much metal flakes in it. I have a bad transmission out of a w116 I was planning to take apart to learn about them who knows? You have been a great help I really appreciate it.
Dave S San Jose CA

And I have that 722.309 out of an 81 SD if you need more practice.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Well I just finished disassembling a 1979 300sd transmission. I am sure if I had some one to walk me thru the first rebuild I could rebuild them all by my self. I am not confident I could do the first one by my self. I am going to the main library downtown to see if I can get some better documentation. I think I am going to try the older 300d tranny and then see about rebuilding the original transmission It is a neat challenge but I need to get the car on the road.
Dave S San Jose CA