Hi everyone.

I looked at a w123 300D 1981 today.

The guy is asking a ridiculous price for it.

But , there is one huge downside.

The transmission seems totally shot.

I'll try to explain the best I can.

I start the car , put it into drive , and it simply stay there , i have to rev it up to (without an rpm gauge) about 2000-2500 rpm before the car simply begin to move.

Once moving , the feeling was like a slipping clutch on a manuel car , the car speed slowly raised as the rpm decreased and it then shifted in 2nd gear pretty smoothly.

Once in second gear , i was pretty much stuck at 50 km/h , as i wouldn't accelerate anymore , even at full throttle the engine simply won't rev anymore.

That was pretty much my test drive...

Soo the questions are :

As bad as my explanation are , do you think the transmission is still good , maybe juste the valve body , or a pump is dead , tell me what you think.

And second question , does every w123 diesel transmission are similar.

By similar i mean , would a late w123 300TD fit on the early 300D ?

Are all w123 diesel transmission identical in shape ( mouting points , shape , drive-shaft output , etc. )

Thanks guy's for your answer.

Sorry for my not soo good english

Gérard.

Check and make sure if theres fluid in the transmission. I filled mine up with the car off, and I had a similar problem. Only then did I realize that the tranny wasnt full of fluid because when I filled it, the car wasnt running. Filled it up, and problem solved.

I looked at the transmission fluid level , it was exactly on the mark , although the car was pointing dowhill a little.

Maybe there is a small amount of fluid missing.

Would , let's say , half a pint , do that to the transmission ?

I sure would begin with the easier solution.

I'll bring some transmission fluid and ask for an other test drive.

Any recommanded fluid for those transmissions ?

If you didn't check the fluid on a level surface with the engine running and the transmission oil in a non frothy state at a temperature of 80 degrees C then the level on the dip stick is more or less meaningless.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Shame on me , totally forgot to look at it while running...

Not really used to automatic transmission.

Thanks for the help guy's.

I'll try to get an other test drive tomorrow.

I will second the trans fluid level. I drained and changed my fluid.....after I was done.....the car wouldn't go into gear....sacred me half to death, but as soon as the fluid got into the torque converter all was well....

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If you check the fluid cold (engine running) it's normal for the fluid level to be up to 10mm below the MIN mark on the dipstick. Don't top off a cold transmission beyond the MIN mark!

My guess is a tranny can be a quart low and not display those slipping symptoms.

Sixto
87 300D

50 km/hr might well be the limit for second gear. If engine revs to the governor limit (4800 RPM?), then its fine. If not, then there's engine problems too.

The transmission is broken.. maybe in an inexpensive way to fix, maybe not. Not transmitting power to the wheels in first gear is one problem. Not shifting out of second is another, unrelated problem. If both are caused by no fluid, then that's a completely different problem (the where'd it go and why's it empty problem).

Get the fluid to the right level. If the transmission then seems to drive normally, then maybe there's just a few simple issues. If not, then factor in a rebuild/swap to your purchase.. maybe you'll luck out and it'll be something easy to fix, but maybe not.

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

I don't know what part of the country you are in, but the trans from a newer than 81 123 will not fit, unless you get the front driveshaft as well, from the donor car.
I have a 722.2 trans that will drop right in, if you want it.
engine not running, car pointed uphill, dipstick on the mark, sounds VERY low to me.
start the engine, and the fluid will disappear.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Thanks a lot for all the answer guy's !

I've called the owner but it didn't answer yet.

Anyone can tell me the transmission code , 722.2 ?

What are the other one that can fit right in there ?

I'll start looking around for a transmission beofre buying the car.

I'm from Québec , Canada.

Gérard.

Jetta P:

722.xxx is the overall code for MB automatic transmissions

Your car is equipped with a 722.1xx, which is in a group of three (722.0, 722.1, 722.2) which share a common case and gear train. The differences are in the valve bodies, clutch packs, servo piston diameters, and band widths. In addition the 722.0, and 722.1 types have a torque converter, while the 722.2 has a simple fluid coupling.

The 722.0 was used with V8 gas engines.
The 722.1 was used with in-line gas and diesel engines.
The 722.2 was used with M130 and M110 gas engines.

Hence, if you were to look for another transmission, it would be of the 722.1 type, as it will have the correct bell housing to bolt to your engine.
A 722.1 from a gas engine could be adapted to your diesel by changing the valve body and vacuum controls, but a transmission from a diesel will make it easier.

Thank you soo much Frank Reiner , that's exactly the kind of complete and detailed answer i needed

Just one last little question about the transmission.

How can i confirm that it's a 722.1xx , is it stamped somewhere on the housing ?

The number is stamped on the trans, on the passenger side it is right where the trans oil pan meets the trans....easy to see if there isn't tons of gunk covering it...

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Just to avoid any misunderstanding, Frank's info is correct, but that transmission model (722.1xx) was used in the early w123 diesels (non turbo). The later turbo models used a different transmission with different controls. It can be adapted but requires other parts changes.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22