What I did FYI

Since I did not know what to do,
I started by pulling the console out, and disconnecting everything hooked to it. I unscrewed the washer on the outside of the dash, pulled the switch up and looked it over, as well as possible in the dark area under the dash, unable to get it to work, i unscrewed screws to the wires on each side of the switch, i unscrewed the cable out of the key area, i pulled the metal piece which is piece of metal which goes around where the cable and the switch join, and the pin which goes thru both, i took the switch in on the kitchen table and looked it over, cleaned it up, put some WD40 on each end of it, i took the cable, and loosened the other end above the fuel injector pump, after getting the cable i ordered from MB (they sent me one from chicago, actually for a 123 body, but they said it would work $50), i found i could get the cable moving up and down, i put some WD40 at the top where the sleeve is at the top of the cable, the 3 way starter switch and cable seemed not at easy to move as i would like but they moved. i cleaned off the area at the bottom of the cable where it connects to the fuel injector pump, i did notice a small crack on the engine side of the oblong sliding end of the rubber piece. So each of the pieces seemed to be operational. I noticed there was a heck of a bend in cable at the top, but it seemed to still work. I put it all back together, and it still didn't work, so I took it off again. Then i thought about the cable, it has a piece at the bottom which holds the sleeve in place, and the cable slides thru it. I thought the cable was suppose to pull thru the end piece of the starter switch, and the end of sleeve of the cable would be stopped by the end of the starter switch. Then i concluded that the end of sleeve at the top needed to actually be in the end of the starter switch. So i lost the screw that holds the the cable in, and went to a hardware store on bought a new nut and bolt about the same size. I had a heck of a time getting the end of the cable sleeve back into the end of the starter switch, especially since it is bent at the top area, finally using pliers i could pushed together the top end of the cable sleeve into the end of the starter switch, managed to get the little nut and bolt to hold it in into the end of the starter switch and tightened it up, i found it not wanting to move well so i loosened it back up a bit, i put the starter switch back into the dash, put to label piece over it (pull) and screwed the washer back on the end of the starter switch, i put the key cable back into the key piece, and played with both ends of the adjustments until it seemed to be working properly, then put the stuff on the back of the console piece as well as i could remember, put a new knob back on the outside of the starter switch, pushed the cable in all the way, went under the hood and pulled the cable sleeve down, till the fuel injection pump was straight down, and tightened the screw that holds in in place. I tightened the cable back up on the red wire to the battery.
And altho I believe i did a lot of unnecessary steps, and altho i still do not totally understand how that switch works, like the clasp around the joining pin, like why is it slotted?, and the key cable, it seems to tighten a metal piece which comes down on the cable end of the starter switch, and if things are too tight things don't work.

Now, the cable-3 way starter switch-key switch, all work, and the car starts up, and it pulls very easy. It seems to be sticking out a bit more, but its working.

The main problem was the sleeve to the cable must of come out of the end of the starter switch, and it needed to be in the end of the starter switch.

Headaches, its fairly difficult to get your arms into the little space to work behind the console area, and tools, and put your arms thru or around the steering wheel. And its a real small area to get your hands in behind the
console area and hook up the wires and cables to the back of the console.

Complications: I knocked out one of bulbs to the console trying to hook it up, so I still have to go back in there again. I do not think i have the blue black wires hooked up to the console correctly, think the other stuff it in the right connections. The lights on the right side speedometer side don't work. Maybe the connections in the back the blue and black wire. Also i suspect oil is coming from somewhere as my tennis shoes and bottoms of jeans look like they are covered with oil. I might of knocked something loose trying to connect everything back up. It was dark out, so i will check it out in daylight and try to find the bulb that fell out, and figure how the blue and black wire connect.

But what i like about the whole thing is that i fixed the problem myself. I did not have to take it to anyone and pay them some outrageous amount, I felt like I have some control over my own car. Even with the current high price of diesel, its still a 4 cylinder, instead of a 6 or 8. I still like and prefer this old car.

Perhaps this could help others who might experience the same, or related problems with the starter switch.

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1975 Yellow 240D 4spd 115
1974 Tan 240D auto 115
1976 Blue/orig white 300D auto 115 parts car