Did you notice that the shift rods on yours and the junkyard one are in very different places on the transmission?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Although DV's comment (above) and this response constitute an in-air invasion of the cockpit, it should be noted that although an aluminum case box can be bolted to the intermediate plate that was originally used with an iron case box, there will be nothing to center the aluminum case to the crankshaft. The iron case intermediate plate does not have the dowels that are used to center the aluminum case. However, the aluminum case intermediate plate does have the centering ring that will accept an iron case. The intermediate plates are backwards compatible, but not forward compatible, hence the requirement to use an aluminum case intermediate plate when installing an aluminum case box.

A peculiar comment indeed, inasmuch as there are no shift arms, let alone rods, on the OPs transmission at all!!

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that rebuilding one of these is probably 1500 dollars or more. I suspect you can still buy a reasonably good used transmission for from 200 to 500.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The three rods to which the arms connect exit the lower part of the bolt on cover.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

These rods come out of the top portion of the cover which bolts to the transmission. Not the same location.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The transmission shop I took it to said that it was not rebuildable. I'm not sure if I believe that but I plan on taking the old one and rebuilding it myself one day when I have more time. I usually do all my own mechanic work... I'm just too busy with work and this car has been sitting for too long.

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'76 300D Euro Model 4sp Manual 108k
'83 300D 4sp Manual Conversion

Here is a better picture of the side of a similar transmission. This is not of the actual transmission I'm buying but im pretty sure the arm mounts are the same.



My biggest concern is that the arms on this transmission mount on rectangular posts coming out of the side and my original one has round posts. I am assuming that I can use the junkyard arm and mount to my original linkages.

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'76 300D Euro Model 4sp Manual 108k
'83 300D 4sp Manual Conversion

Ah, now I see the similarity.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Those "rods" to which you refer are the shift shafts.

In your second set of pictures you do indeed refer to shift rods, albeit ones that have been torched off by the wrecking yard.

De shift rod connected to de shift arm, and de shift arm connected to de shift shaft, now heah de word ob de lord.

My apologies if I offended your purist vocabulary.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

adk:

If necessary, the side cover (and its shift arms) from your original box can be installed on the replacement box.
The round shift shafts appeared first in the W114/115 applications, and may have carried over for a while in the W123s.

Thanks a lot Frank. That makes me feel better about driving 2 1/2 hours away to pick up the junkyard transmission.

The transmission shop said it was not rebuildable because of this:



I suppose I might not rebuild this one without finding another rear housing.

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'76 300D Euro Model 4sp Manual 108k
'83 300D 4sp Manual Conversion

I'd say it depends on what is damaged inside. Again, still quite a few of these around to purchase used I think so rebuilding unless you were planning a very long ownership would probably not pencil out.

These transmissions are very very rugged. I did have a synchro ring break on one in its second gear.

Since driving so many high mileage 240ds I have made it my habit to never use my synchromesh except as an incidental usage....IE if coming to a place to turn right I will pull it out of the higher gear (this is around town) and coast to the turn. When the car is at its slowest i slip it into second and putter on around the corner.

The thought of saving the synchromesh will be more likely to come to you if you have to rebuild or replace the second gear synchromesh once. (right, just once).

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Opoen it up and inspect for damage and weld up the hold


You can still get gears, synchros ect: for the 4 speed iron box ones

the 5 speed getrag ones, harder to find parts for.