I feel like I have seen this in a thread before, but no amount of searching has yielded the answer. I am doing a transmission swap and have the manual transmission installed in my car and am getting ready to put in the driveshaft. I bought an entire manual setup from another forum member including the correct driveshaft for a five cylinder car. The only problem is the driveshaft halves were not marked for alignment when they were removed from the donor vehicle. I feel like I have heard there is a factory mark and indeed one half has two "fingers" molded in a and the other half has a single "finger" that seem like they could point to one another in some sort of perfect world of driveshaft balance. The boot that covers the splines at the center support bearing is also torn in two with half remaining on each shaft and trying to align the tears in the boot also seems to point to the fact that the "fingers" may be some sort of factory indication for correct driveshaft alignment. Please see the pictures below and let me know what you think. I am trying to avoid any annoying vibrations at all costs.
Thanks,

Shane

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1985 Euro 300TD Turbo

What it saying is that before the date certain [08/'82] the "Marks" MAY have been on the Shaft Halves,
BUT it also may not have anything to do with the actual balancing.
AND if yours is that old, please mark the halves before dis-assembly.

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

Hi,
Thanks for the response. That is definitely the answer I was seeking. Unfortunately I did not remove the DS from the donor vehicle and it was not marked before disassembly. I guess I will need to figure out the build date of the donor vehicle. I do have the VIN. Is there a way to use the VIN to get the build date?
Thanks,

Shane

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1985 Euro 300TD Turbo

I don`t know on the Euro, by my 85 has a silver plate rivited to the drivers side "B" piller. there will be a stamp something like 9/84 or something like that. that is the build date.

While it is out is a good time to replace the rubber sleve and center support bearing and rubber part. also check the "U" joint for any slop.

I just had the one in the 240 done, "U" joint, center support and the centering sleves in each end of the shafts, and all balanced. $300.

Not sure on any marks on the shafts for alignment.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works