Team -

I have pretty much lost hope with the '72 250C's transmission. No matter what I do, the car does not move and the fluid level stays 2 inches above the "full" mark with 3 quarts in the transmission.

My conclusion is that the pump is not working and thus is not filling the converter and that the transmission will have to be replaced. &*%$$#@*!

First question: any ideas?

Second question: what transmission should I look for?

The car has a 130.920 engine in it, which came from a 68-71 280S according to Adsit. Adsit specifies a K4A025 or a K4C025 transmission for this car. The MB CD says it should be a K4C025. For the 72 250C, MB says K4C025, but Adsit says 722.204.

Now to make it more complicated: the 73 280C with the dead engine (but good trans) is sitting next to the 250C in the garage. According to the MB CD, it has a K4C025 trans. According to Adsit it is a 722.202 My thought was to use this trans in the 250C, and then at least I would have one running car. I could then drop a replacement engine and trans in the 280C.

Third question: is this likely to work?

As always, ideas welcome. Hope everyone had a happy Easter.

Chuck

The Trans is a K4C025 and the interchnge is 68-72 250 and 250C, 68-70 230 only. So the bad news is the trans in the 73 will not work in the 72.
Regards,
Bryan

I have a transmission compatibility question for anyone here. I recently acquired a 4 speed manual transmission from a 240D. I don't know if it was from a 115 or 123 body. Can a 240D manual trans be installed in a 1972 114 body, 250 sedan or coupe if I can find the rest of the hardware - pedal, shifter, flywheel, etc?
Thanks in advance,
Mark DiSilvestro
1972-250 & 250C
1971 Audi Super 90 Variant
1967 Sunbeam Alpine
and 2 DKWs!

Chuck,
It looks like you're ready to R + R
a transmission long before I'll be doing mine. That 1969 280S 4 speed parts car is still availible. Are you interested and should I tell the owner anything?
Mark DiSilvestro

I could definitely be interested, especially if it has the floor shift. I will give you a call tonight.

Chuck

The only hope that I can offer on your trans question is that in the section on replacing the fluid in manual transmissions in the 250/280 CD, it shows the same capacity (1.6 pints) for bodies 108, 114, 115, and 123.

Does this mean it will fit? No. But it is mildly encouraging.

My impression is that in these year, MB used the same basic transmission and changed the engine plate to get them to mate to specific engines.

Chuck

Parts Interchange
 

All of the 4, 5 & 6 cylinder engines can swap around the manual transmissions & bell housings. With the exception of the bellhousing for the M189 motor. So, your suggested swap is quite doable. But, you will most probably need a drive shaft (length) and/or rear differential (gear ratio) change too (and why).

As for Automatics, there are 3 issues there:

1. The valve body & modulator being tuned to the motor/fuel source.

2. The drive shaft connection.

3. Torque converter vs fluid coupling.

(and of course, the funny bell housing for the M189).


The 280S, 280SL, "early" 280SE and 300sel 2.8 all had the same transmission.

The "late" 280SE, "late" 250 and 280 all had the same transmission.

The two groups are diffent based on #2 and #3(?)

Thread Resurrection
 

So if I'm reading this right, I can use the transmission out of a '72 280 in my '71 250, right?

I just lost third and fourth gears in my '71, and we have that '72 in the yard where I work. I can get the transmission for under a hundred bucks, so assuming it works, it should be the cheapest way to get my '71 road-worthy again.

If your 71 is a W114 with an M130, then yes. If you 71 is the W114 with an M114 then no. They did the swap mid-year. The vin numbers for the two are different.

Not that I remember them off the top of my head. The smaller one was a W114.011 or .010 I think. The bigger one was the W114.021 or 023? (I think I just rattled off the right numbers for sedan and coupe).

-CTH