After I parked my car, I found a black, dirt encrusted warm part on the driveway that was on the path I had just taken. I have the part number, it's a part for the engine I suppose, since it begins with 617. The whole part number is 617 014 04 33. What is this part and its function? Is it safe to drive without it?
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

I ran a bunch of searches on that part number and got nothing....
what does it look like, what's it made of, etc.
And are you sure the part no. is right?

__________________
"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brillaint blaze
than it should be stifled by dryrot.
I would rather be a superb meteor,
every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time."

-Jack London 1876-1916

1983 300CDT (running WVO since 12/05)
1981 300SD (parts car)

Here's some photos of it.

Attached Thumbnails

   

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

HTOWN--
It looks like the inspection cover on the bell housing-

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Nate Stanley
(Currently Benzless)
1985 F-250 6.9l 170K
2009 SCION XB 36.5K
2003 LS430 78K
2012 Kubota B 2320

Its the inspection plate for accessing the torque converter/flywheel. A new one at the dealer is cheap.

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84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

Thanks ya'll. One thing on the list for tommorow, "Purchase ONE bell housing inspection cover." Is it ok to drive around without it?
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

yes, long term no. it keeps dirt out of that area. are you sure it wont go back in?

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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.

That's the reason it fell out. There are little chunks of it missing.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

I never had one on my car, guess I'll place that in my next parts order. Thanks for making me aware of it.

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

I thought that only happens to British cars.

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Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

Ditto, I too will get one with my next order.

The Fiat 500 I used to have dopped parts along the road on a weekly basis....seriously...sometimes I found them...sometimes I didn't...

My Triumph I use to own never dropped any. I tend to get rid of cars that start to leave a trail of parts.

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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

Anyone know where I can get a bumper sticker for my Healey that says, "The parts falling off this car are of the finest British craftsmanship" ?

Just kidding. I'm not losing any parts at present, but that wasn't the case when I first had it about 15 years ago. I had a boat trailer once that I used to keep a net behind to catch all the parts that vibrated loose. I finally got everything lock-nutted, cottered and lock-tited down and the parts loss stopped.....

Cheers,
Wes

It's always convenient when parts fall off in your driveway so that you know what to go buy. It saves walking back up the road to see what you have to purchase to get it going again.

Good luck,

I went to the dealer today. They didn't have the part in stock, but they should have it in tommorow.
-Joe

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.