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Well its done. I was able to reassemble the unit yesterday and it is working fine.
So to answer my question, it can be done in place. It is possible that it could be done without trimming any of the sound insulation if the tranmission is shifted to the left. I can't verify that but it can definitely be done if you remove some of the insulation. We removed a triangle shaped piece about 2 inches on a side.
The hardest part of this was getting the snap ring out. We fashioned a pusher out of a short piece of copper pipe and washer, bolt and nut. We cut away the sound insulation and used the pusher to push against the transmission tunnel and the cover. That held the cover in the depressed position and and allowed my son to pry out the snap ring. The spring isn't really that strong but you don't have much leverage on your back on a creeper. Getting the old seal or guide out was difficult and not a pretty operation. I stuffed a piece of cloth in the hole to the transmission with some vaseline on it catch the pieces then went at it with a long screwdriver. I eventually gouged it all out.
It went back together more easily than it came apart. The bushing is a little thicker than the seal so it doesn't fit all the way down into the opening that the seal was in. I guess I should say than it bottoms out in the opening but the flange of the bushing (or guide) isn't flush with the opening. Hopefuly it is the right part!!! Anyway it is siliconed in place.
The trickiest part is getting the dogbone (thrust pin) into position. You can't get the piston into postion with the dogbone inserted in it because of clearance issues. I used some cold vaseline to hold the dogbone in position in the transmission with the end of it postioned in the center of the bushing opening. I was able to carefully square up the piston and push it into place.
With the cover cleaned up and a little silicone grease on the edge I was able to push the cover in and get the snap ring in place without much difficulty. The transmission is working great now and the shifts seem to be at reasonable speeds and are nice and smooth.
I'm contemplating whether to do this as a preventive measure on my younger son's 84 300D. It is a euro model and I don't think it has the insulation and the transmission may be a little narrower. Allegedly, it is easier. I think I will at least order the part and have it on hand. I wonder how many transmissions have been overhauled when this was the only thing wrong with them?
How long did it take? I'd guess about 4 to 6 hours spread over several days. That doesn't count the head scratching, analyzing, research, etc. I think I could do the next one in 3 hours plus drying time for the silicone. If I did it for a living and had a lift, you could get it down to 90 - 120 minutes including changing the transmission filter. Maybe less than an hour if you didn't mess with the seal/guide or taking the filter pan off.
I've attached a picture of the old and new parts.
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Tom Savage
Vienna, WV
1984 300D Euro
1995 S320
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