The tail plate change will give you a mechanical speedo output at the tailshaft, into which you can install the speedo cable in your 300D.

I would leave the turbo on and modify or fabricate linkages as needed.

Edit: or better yet use a manual transmission.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

In my opinion it is best that you keep the turbo and use the 722.3 transmission. The 722.1 is too weak. Adding the trans vacuum system is not too difficult.
As noted earlier, the tail can removed and replaced with one from a 300d if you want a mechanical speedometer.


This would be a lot easier than changing out IPs and cams.


The other option if you don't want to swap out tails, is to find an '82 300TD with an electronic speedometer and use that setup. You will have to swap diffs to a 3.07 for it to be accurate. Which I would do anyways as the 3.46 gearing is too low.



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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

What gearbox did they use in the 116 diesels? V8's were mated to "four bolt" 'boxes in the seventies, right?

Just askin'.

Jay.

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On the road, currently:
'83 300D (German spec.) 168k mi. - - Wolfgang (tucked snugly away for the winter!)
'87 300D 375k mi. - finally went over to "The Dark Side"
'87 300TD 225k mi.
Cannondale 66cm CAAD5 w/Campy/Jamis Aurora
Hujsak Custom Fixie/Landshark Track Shark Custom/Ahearne Custom 29'er

Where do you live in Washington? I'm in Kirkland, and have a 722.3 tranny out of a 83 300d parts car i bought a while ago.

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1981 300TD 4 speed manual
Euro bumpers, zender valance and skirts, H&R springs, billy HD's, leveled sls, real AMG Pentas 16x8 et11, vdo boost/egt gauges intergrated into ash tray, eurolights, led 3rd brake light

The 116 diesels came with the 722.1 but at higher torque capacity 180 lb/ft vs 145lb/ft for the NA 300D. 116 diesels have been known to shear off the front pump splines because of the weaker design.

The V8s are different animal. It is a 722.0 trans with a torque rating of 290 lb/ft.




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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

I have the trans that came out of the same car that the engine came out of. it is a 83 300SD.
So, I can change the part shown above, then the speedo will work, the vacuum will work, as it is all related to the engine and trans. The bowden cable is still there also.
I can change over the filter housing so the mechanical oil gauge works.
So the kick down switch will need to be changed to fit the newer trans. Anything I am missing?
I have all the throttle linkage from the SD if that would help somehow. I will have to start that before putting the engine in.

So now the question is how to fab up a throttle?

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside

sill trying to decide what to do here.
Is it possible to remove the main bearing caps, and get the crank up far enough on the NA engine to get the rear main seal changed. And not change the timing, or dammage the front seal?
Then install new main, and rod bearings?
then use the NA engine as it was originally. Liked the car's performance before. Just tired of the huge oil leak. And hope that the compression issue is related to the PO's WVO set up.

Monday I plan on removing the fly wheel, and make sure that this leak is comming from the main, and not a crack or plug.

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside