Car is a 1984 300SD. My odometer crapped out about 2 weeks ago. The trip started slipping and catching and then stopped alltogether (the trip odo drives the main odo - so that stopped turning as well). Everything else guage wise works. Odometer failure from what I have read is fairly common. Usually the gear spins on the shaft, or one or all of the three gears break.

After pulling the guage cluster and then pulling the speedo, my gears looked intact. Unfortunately the speedo / Odo looks to be more electronic than other versions (which can be fixed fairly easily as documented on this site).

So I'm going to send the unit off for repair. I'm thinking of sending the entire guage pod cluster as I'm worried about how to package the speedo needle if I send just that guage. Keeping the speedo in the cluster seems the best way to protect the instruments.

Of course the question is - would you drive a car without guages for up to two weeks waiting on the repaired unit to come back??? I'm 99% sure you can physically do it. Car is otherwise up to snuff (new oil cooler lines, water pump, etc.) As I type this.... it is pretty nuts no matter how well maintained... hmmmm

__________________
~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net

Go to a junkyard and buy a cluster to use while your driving around, Anything from a W126 will work somewhat.

If the car started to loose oil or overheat, you would never know till it was all over.

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1984 Euro 300SDC, (4spd standard)
1986 Toyota Landcruiser Diesel HJ60 5spd X2

Gone but not forgotten (some sold, some stripped)
1983 300 SD, 1985 300 SD, 1983 240D, 1986 300 SDL, 1985 300 SDL, 1983 300 D, 1984 300 D, 1985 300SD, 1987 300 SDL, 1983 300 SD, 1985 300 TD Euro, 1983 380SEC, 1990 300 D, 1987 300D, 1982 300D, 1982 300D, 1994 E420, 1987 300 TD, 1987 300 D, 1984 300 D

I agree with getting a backup cluster from a junk yard. Even if it doesn't hurt anything, that big hole in your dash would be a bit distracting. Plus I wouldn't want to get pulled over with no cluster.

__________________
Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

hmmmm - or better yet borrow!

anyone in dallas area willing to loan a 126 guage cluster out for a few weeks from one of their parts cars for a 12 pack of there favorite brew???

I even have the nifty spiffy MB tool to pull the cluster

__________________
~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net

I did that once, just bought the whole unit from the local junkyard. It was a POS of course, but it worked temporarily.

I have one to loan you......... .....but you have to deliver the beer and pick up the cluster.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I have a 126 loaner - In fact it's still packed from R Leo's loan.

__________________
BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

TX76513 - I guess since it is packed I'll take you up on your offer (thank you for your generous offer daw_two)

do you want me to PM you my address?

do you have a paypal account so that I can send you shipping / packing / beer costs?

__________________
~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net

is the oil pressure gauge mechanical or does it have a sender? if its mechanical... better plug the line somehow.

__________________
Cheers,
Robert

All SD's use the electrical gauges (W126).

Sorry Shell, I'm a W123 guy. I can't imagine the Hitman wouldn't have about 5 extras laying around. You might PM him as he's local..........

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Yeah us 126 people are pretty high tech. No tubes of hot pressurized oil in the dash for us!

We have a 123 though....and its always on the back of my mind when I am driving it that warm oil will come drooling out of the dash onto my feet.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

that very experience is what prompted me to post

__________________
Cheers,
Robert

I believe there's one at the ranch you can use.

Whiskey Dan - thanks for your offer. You are probably the best bet since you are local (ish) to me.

I sent you a PM just now. Let me know how best to coordinate a pickup (and delivery of your favorite 12 pack that you can enjoy while your part is loaned out). This weekend it probably best for me since I don't get off work until 6 during the week.

I've got the MB tool, so it should take less than 5 min to pull the cluster and disconnect it.

__________________
~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net