Would someone be so kind as to tell me what oil goes in the 4-speed manual tranny that is in my 1973 220 Diesel? The experts at the local dealership could/would not tell me.

Many Thanks!

I do not know about the old MB. Could be gear oil, or ATF. You could also call your local Jiffy Lube as well, under the pretense of wanting service...

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

I believe you're supposed to use 10W or 20W motor oil in your 1973 220D's manual transmission.

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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.

My Haynes manual for the 123 body says to use "type A ATF" in the 4 speed gear box. Not sure if the older cars would use the same oil or not.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I don't think the old gearbox changed much over the years. Mine is doing great with Redline MTL synthetic. Do a search- I think you will find that that may be one of the preferred solutions. Heck, you are probably only going to change it once- why not the best?

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Definitely Redline MTL. Mail order it if you have to.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

I "third" that...."Definitely Redline MTL" It takes less than two qts, go for the best.

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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"

Ford type ATF - MB's have used auto tranny fluid in standard shift gearboxes since about 1960...... a question of needle bearings properly lubed with ultra thin fluid.

Thanks to everyone who posted. I'll get some good quality synthetic ATF for the job.

Ciao!

Well, if that's what you're going to do, then I'd suggest you look up one of the old debates on motor oil vs. gear oil vs. ATF or whatever. ATF is not what it was 30 years ago, and the wrong fluid could ruin your syncros.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

on one that old i would use 10w30. not synthetic, unless you install new seals.

and if the synchros are worn i would step it up to 15w40.

iirc that is the factory recommendation.

tom w

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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.

Our '68 220D had a manual tranny, and the whole 20 years we drove it it had ATF in it. Only replaced the fluid once, about half way thru, in about 1980. So can't be sure what type of ATF was used. The tranny never gave one minutes worth of trouble in all of that time, and was the best stick shift I ever drove.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

that old? '73? '82? What's the difference? We're in 2006. Synthetic is a vast improvement, particularly in cold weather. Synchros perform much better.It will very likely significantly improve the performance and longevity of the box. IMHO. This is a very small investment.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

rs899,

If you were referring to my 1968 and the ATF comments as " that old?", I should have been clearer. I was suggesting that what came in the Tranny was ATF as opposed to some gear oil or engine oil. I would agree that current ATF's available are likely not the same as the ATF of 1968 or '73 etc. and that "Synthetic is a vast improvement, particularly in cold weather."

One of the best features of the '68 was the fact that I did not have to shove it into gear with both feet when it was 5 deg below zero, due to the use of ATF !!

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

My father had a '74 240D, taken care of by a lifelong Mercedes mechanic.

When I met this man, I had my '84 240D .... he told me to use ATF in the tranny, and change it frequently. I am under the impression that he used the same oil in my father's car. I use Castrol Extended Mileage ATF, and change it every 3 oil changes, or 9-10,000 miles. It's not that hard to change.

That said, I'm looking at Red Line MTL as everyone says it makes the box shift better -- and should make it last longer, too. I'll still change it, perhaps every 15000.

One of the guys on here used Mobil 1 10W-30 in his tranny, but he was only able to put 533,000 miles on the car ...