I am seriously considering swapping the auto transmission for a 5-speed manual. I have have an OM617A motor and am wondering if anyone has done such a switch? I am wondering what is involved in the swap and what transmissions would make good candidates. I was thinking a 711.1XX 5-speed would make a good choice but have no idea what vehicles these came in or where to find one. I just saw it on a list once of Mercedes transmissions and liked the ratios.

Any ideas or help would be great.

Thanks,
Steve

To start with, have you actually located a 5 speed yet? Try and find one before you get your heart set on it.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

The best place to find a 5 speed is across the Atlantic....
Do you speak " Euro" ?

...aren't we all.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I have a 300d 5sp manual euro and would like to swap this tranny into my 300cd...

How do you look for one?
I mean, what exactly would the casting say?
there is a great huge thread here somewhere on this......

__________________
Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)

It won't fit.......I'll do you a big favor and take it off your hands for a fair price....

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

OK so I found a 5-speed tranny a couple of weeks ago and it is on its way over here from Belgium. I got just the one I wanted, a G1/18-5/4.7 with a 4.7:1 first gear and a 0.8:1 fifth.

Now what?

This swap will be going into a 1982 300GD G-wagen with an OM617A engine conversion. I've got some questions for you car owners.
1. Does anyone here have an EPC for the w123 cars? If so, can you look up some parts for me such as the bellhousing, clutch, hydraulic parts, pedels, and shifter parts for the 240D (or whatever other models have a manual).
2. What cars came with manuals (any engine, inc. gassers) so I have some idea of where to go looking for parts?
3. Are the engines in there cars mounted vertically or at a slant? The G-wagen engine mounts vertically and this would make finding a bellhousing easier.

4. Has anyone actually done this conversion in a car? If so, what modifications needed to be done to the engine? Just the flywheel or is there more?
5. Anything else I should know before jumping in?

This tranny is very similar to the 4-speed used in various other MB models with the removable bellhousing, etc (the G1/17) which also came standard on early G-wagens. I am NOT using a Getrag tranny with the one-piece housing I need to make this clear. These trannies won't work behind the turbo engine for very long before they self-destruct and besides they don't have a low enough first gear for use in G-wagen in my opinion (3.87:1 if memory serves). Even the tranny I am swapping will necessitate a ring and pinion swap as well most likely, just part of the conversion I suppose.

Anyway, I am getting off topic. If anyone can help, please speak up I need all of it that I can get.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

What do you want to know that you don't already?

If the trans doesn't come with a bellhousing, that might be tough to find as anyone who has one (or three ) has a transmission that is attached to it and useless without it. Might cost you the price of just buying a unit construction 240D four speed just for its bellhousing, then keep the 4speed for parts as many internals are the same.

You'll need(nc); Flywheel, clutch, PP, release bear, pedal assy, clutch master and slave, hard line in-between, soft line from brake res, shifter assy (make sure you get the switch with it for reverse lights), shift link arms, manual trans crossmember, 240D front driveshaft to have shortened and balanced. Re-wire 4-pin at auto for a clutch safety switch (neutral/park switch) and reverse switch (at shifter.) Check the crank for any indexing marks so you can align the new FW the same (but I have yet to see any indexes on the 617 motors)

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1984 300D Turbo - 4-speed manual conversion, mid-level resto

1983 300D - parts car

1979 300TD Auto - Parts car.

1985 300D Auto - Wrecked/Parts.


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"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". Lewis Carrol

May I inquire how much that puppy was, and do they have more?

__________________
Think Alternative Energy!
300CD '80 (now gone but not forgotten...)