Name that part, please
 

'85 300D Turbo, Underhood. driver side front, looks like a rectangular box with an attached cylinder, made by VDO the part number I believe starts with 008 rest is too damaged to read. It has an electrical connection to a black rectangular box on the drivers side fender front and a linkage to the throttle control.

what is this part and what does it do in the car

thanks

pic plz

sounds like the actuator for the cruise control to me, but yes a picture sure would help a lot.

Hah I knew it I knew it I knew it !!!!!!!!!!! then probably this thingie ticking like a chronograph and my cruise control not working is related.

how hard / easy is to rebuild this unit ? is their failure a common problem on 85 300D's ? Is it a year specific item or all 617.952 engines have the same part ? any finesse needed while removing it so something doesn't break ?

do a search for cruise control problems,
 

they don't often fail, more likely the control module under the dash has some bad contacts. search for solder cruise control. there is also a thread somewhere with a link to a webpage with detailed instructions for testing out all the components of the cruise control.
John

Although sometimes the CC actuator draws too many amperes from the CC amplifier and fries the amplifier, making the owner think it was the amplifier all along. Owner replaces/resolders/rebuilds amp, same thing happens a few miles down the road, owner gets pissed, curses MB.