Something broke in the clutch on the way home 82 300TD Euro, 4spd iron box manual transmission, daily driver, 136,xxx on it.

The clutch won't disengage, so I kill the motor/start in 2nd when I need to stop. The syncros were not working well, which improved with a change of Dexron III ATF in the transmission, up/down without the clutch is workable until the fluid heats up, then less so.

Receiver/slave cylinder is new from the classic center at the end of april, so ~5000 miles on it.

Sender/master cylinder is probably original- peeling paint on it. There fluid in the shared reservoir with the brakes, the hose doesn't seem obstructed.

It pushes fluid if the bleeder is open. If the bleeder is closed, I hear a little noise, but I don't hear plunger of the reciever hitting the yoke of the clutch like usual. I don't feel this or the end of free play in the pedal either.

I think the lining is probably at marginal thickness, It seems to slip a tiny bit, but at 85HP, not a problem.

Sender and reciever both are coming the mail today, knock wood. 1 Day shipping at the place that rocks is the only place I checked with affordable hurry up shipping, though the classic center seems not to gouge on that either. I'm going to swap the new sender in as soon as I can, bleed it and cross my fingers.

If that doesn't fix it, what do peoples thoughts and experience suggest next? There's no working space in the transmission tunnel, so pulling the motor/trans would be required to separate them and peek inside and check the yoke.

Swapping the receiver means lifting the car, dropping the trans support and using a bunch of extensions and a crow's foot. By comparison, this can be done on a 240D without lifting it and maybe a single extension.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Well mine did the same thing about two years ago. I switched engines in the 240D and put in a 617 Turbo. The old clutch didn't last to long. A spring breaks and the rest is history. But it isn't a really big job to re new the clutch though it does cost a bit and don't forget to pull the flywheel and get it machined, (by someone who knows how to do it right). Pulling that trans from under the car is not bad except there are a couple big studs that are a little trouble to get on, but all it takes is a little good thinking and a little time. The transmission is easy enough for one man to manhandle in or out. When you get that transmission out, you should try to drain it and flush it out and be careful about shifting that thing without the clutch. When your synchros are shot it is impossible to shift. I think I would fill it with diesel fuel, shake it up and slosh it around with the drain plug facing the ground. Then pull the plug on it and see how much bronze you can shake out of it. There is a transmission oil made for these manuals transmissions with bronze gears and synchros. That is what I use and the transmission with 250,000 plus miles on it shifts like new. I think what I used was a special oil for bronze by Pennsoil.

__________________
Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

A few things.

The master cylinder likely worn out, change that first.

The slave cylinder will leak externally if bad, don't bother changing it unless leaking.

The syncros are small cone clutches designed to bring the clutch disc / input shaft to the same speed as the selected gear. When you are shifting with out a clutch, the syncros are trying to bring the engine to speed. They are not designed to do that and will grind then fail in the long term.

Shifting without a clutch is possible, it requires the engine to run a bit higher than normal RPM so you don't lose ground speed, off throttle / in neutral before the drive line loads up on coast, wait for the engine RPM to drop, slip into the next gear as the engine is coming down then back on the throttle.

None of this is fast and it requires a deft touch, do it wrong and the trans will be damaged in the long term. A standard shift lever isn't same as a automatics shift lever.

I agree, sounds like clutch master.

__________________
[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.

I you end up pulling the Flywheel besure there is a mark on it and the Crankshaft showing what position the Flywheel attaches to the crank. If you cannot find it be sure to mark it yourself before you remove it from the crank.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel