240D Early/Late Starter interchangeability

There is a different part number for an early ('77 to '80) and a late ('81 to '85) 240D/300D starter. I know that in '81 they "souped up" the starter. Question is; are these interchangeable except for their power. I have a newly rebuilt (by Bosch) late model starter on my garage shelf. If the time comes, will this starter bolt on and mesh with the flywheel properly on an early model engine?

------------------
Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 516K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

[stevebfl]

That...is a good question.

MB sells the replacement starter # 003 151 07 01 88 for all years 616 and 617 motors. That number replaces a number of different previous numbers.

Bosch still sells the replacements under 2 numbers SR 61x and SR 67x. The first fits the early years and the last the newer years as per your description. I have used the SR 67x for years for all motors thinking I was using the higher output starter.

Recently we had a 80 model 240D that over two years we put a SR 67x starter on it every six months almost to the day. The problem on each was the starter stayed engaged and the person drove it till it destroyed itself. We got with Bosch as we are a Bosch Service Center and they said at first that the staters were interchangeable. On further research an engineering document was found that indicated that certain of the cores used for SR 61xs would need a machine operation in the mountng area to be interchanged. We replaced the starter ring gear the last time and used the SR 61x and I think its been over six months.

The MB numbers replaces all, so from them one size does fit all.

------------------
Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician

Steve,

Thanks a million, great explanation.

As my starter on the shelf is a late Bosch, I would have probably gone down the road toward a permanently engaged starter drive at one point or another.

You saved me scads of trouble.

Thanks a million,
Larry

Incidentally, had an intermittant hot starting problem on my W123 280E that turned out to be a partly fried starter motor. The motor was apparently a 1.1kW model and too small for the car.

My independent MB mechanic has just fitted a rebuilt 1.8kW motor, the highest power available for the 280E, and now it starts like a dream. Right on the button.

Unfortunately he had to take the exhaust system off to fit the 1.8kW motor in, but it was worth it!


------------------
1977 W123 280E
286,000km