I sold a 240d to a good friend about a year ago, he does my computer work and I help him with his car. He called my yesterday saying something was wrong with the tranny. I towed it to my place and when I lifted it up I discovered a hole in, what the shop manual calls the "front transmission housing cover". Its actually at the rear of the tranny where the output flange plugs in. I would assume something came adrift inside. Anyone have any ideas as to rebuilding, finding a used tranny or what could have caused this? The car was not sold with any guarantees but of course I feel I need to fix it.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

So you think the hole was made from the inside ?
What is the material at the hole made of ?

Greg...The holes about 1/2 dia and right through the bottom of case, its not in the lowest part of the case where one might think something could have been able to hit it as in road trash or driving over a big rock. ...I knew that manual would come in handy.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Pics please

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

If hole is on bottom there is a chance car hit a loose piece of leaf spring or something simular. Does not always damage the obvious places.Also if he drove it with no oil till symptoms started you may have to replace the transmission. Really not enough description of whats going on. Perhaps you should ask a few questions of your friend? May really help you. Another thought is to jack up one wheel and go through the gears to see what is still functional. Since you had to tow it to your place you may already have some knowledge of the damage already. What was his complaint when he called you?

My initial reaction would be to plug the hole with epoxy and fiberglass, fill up the tranny with oil and see what happens. If the hole was caused from the outside, it might be a simple fix.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I talked to him a couple of days ago and he said something was making a strange noise intermediately and I told him to bring it around when he got a chance. When it went out I guess there were some "god arrfull grinding and clanking going on" He stopped, looked under there and tranny fluid was running out. (dripping when I arrived). I put Amsoil syn ATF in it before he got the car and the tranny didnt leak. I think it didnt get hit from the outside but I guess it could have.
My TDs in my shop right now, maybe I will push it out and get this tranny pulled. I wonder, if theres not too much damage in there, are parts available other than the normal rebuild parts, By his discription of the noises sounds like toast to me. I'm thinking "used tranny" and I look into the broken one later So this is not something that has happened too too many folks, something breaks inside and comes out the case?

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Your updated description is much better. Sounds in general like a used transmission is the easiest, cheapest, and best solution. Even buying any major internal part would probably cost more. It eliminates the chance of something sprung inside from the loading when breakage occured not being detected. Even the transmission cases have been known to distort from the intense loads imposed ocasionally when internal breakage occurs.

ditto. a used one can probably be had for 300 to 400 from a salvage yard. i fyou can get lucky you might buy a whole car for the same or less and have lots of parts. the stick trans is very durable. i have had three or five of them with over 250,000 miles and no trouble. i did have one that caused trouble and replaced it as noted above with a used one i think from aurora salvage in i believe oregon or washington state. good luck.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I found a used one for $200.00 and if I find any clues as to why this happened I'll post an update.

Thanks for all the input

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Even if it had a guarantee, after one year it would not be valid (esp for an old Benz). You do need to look after good friends though. Even so, he should spring for the parts and the beer!

"he should spring for the parts and the beer!"

Oh ya, we just got back from a day in the big city (Seattle) and he indeed spring for parts, ferry fares and beer .He is quite grateful that I am fixing it but then again when my computer craps out, hes over here getten that up and running.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

That sounds like a symbiotic relationship.
Excellent choice of friends. Got any friends with plumbing, bricklaying or electrical experience?

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Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.

I bet a tooth broke off and got wedged between the case and gearset....and the case being the weakest link is what gave.

I had something Simulare about 15 years ago with my 1970 Triumph GT6+ hears a nast noise and vibration and drove on it 3 days till I had time to get it on a lift.....as the car was going up I saw a hole in ther rear of the differential case I could put my hand into. That differential is the type that has the third member drop out of the front like a Ford 9" or a toyota but thateintire case is a casting.

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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

"Got any friends with plumbing, bricklaying or electrical experience?"

LOL...I can do all that, at least well enough to for my own projects, but computer stuff, thats a different story and one becomes so dependent on these damn machines .

boneheaddoctor....interesting, your symptoms sound smaller with your Triumph, probably wont be able to tell anything when I look inside but I'll hava look.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"