Go to the junk yard and scavenge the metal ball ends off an older 617-engined 123 or 126 linkage. Note some are right hand and some left hand threaded. The plastic ones they started using on the 603 are cr*p.

The cruise actuator is the metal can that says BOSCH on it, it is behind the injection pump on the left side of the engine below and in front of the oil filter. Very hard to see with the intake in the way. The electrical cable snakes back to the firewall where it plugs into a connector near the glow plug relay and joins the main harness running along the fender.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech