Hey guys I have a question for your esteemed knowledgebase. I have access to an 81 300D normally aspirated with a blown engine, as well as an 83 300TD with a blown transmission. It is my understanding that I cannot use the normally aspirated tranny with the turbo engine, it being a completely different engine (30% more power, bigger bearings, etc.) It would further be my understanding that the turbo tranny is built for the turbo and the normally aspirated tranny won't hold up to the extra strain.

Is this right or am I totally offbase here? Could I use the normal tranny with the turbo engine? I haven't even looked at the bolt pattern yet to see if they are the same or not.

Many thanks!
Jeff

I believe that it will be fine. However, I suggest that you don't drag off too many GTO's, as the screaming and smell of burnt rubber will offend the GTO drivers.
Marry them up and take it easy. The tranny will take what you can dish out, it is the same as the one in the 280 petrol engine, which has more HP than the turbo diesel.

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Tony from West Oz.
Fatmobile 3 84 300D 295kkm Silver grey/Blue int. 2 tank WVO - Recipient of TurboDesel engine.
Josephine '82 300D 390kkm White/Palamino int.
Elizabeth '81 280E, sporting a '79 300D engine.
Lucille '87 W124 300D non-turbo 6 cylinder OM603, Pearl Grey with light grey interior


Various parts cars including 280E, 230C & 300D in various states of disassembly.

Had this discsussion with a MB trans rebuilder. He said these transmissions coming from the 123's and 126's whether turbo or not are all the same transmissions for the most part. There are some things that do vary, like the neutral switches and the speedometer that can be electric or cable. Most of the external parts can be swapped, not sure about the speedo setup. He said it could, but did not tell me how.

I'm amazed at how MB stuff bolts up and away you go.

I believe there is a difference between functionality and perfection. As for getting a car to go from point A to point B, I've married the manual with the 300 turbo and find it amazing. This would be a further stretch than what you are considering.

On another tranny issue (different car), we are about to do what you are. Non-turbo tranny from a euro 300 auto to a 300DT.

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

There are also differences between functionality and reliability. And there are some exceptions in the diesels as far as transmission compatibility, notably the '84, '85 transmissions, which are not as long lived as the previous transmission.
My '79 300TD was retrofitted to use a 300SD trans, the six bolt pan style that is ultra reliable, coupled to an SD 3.07 differential (that was a bit trying however!) I recall the tail piece (yoke) on the transmission had to be changed to fit the drive shaft. Stuffing an '85 engine in it was a lot of work but now its running and super strong.

Its too bad we don't have a lot of 5-speed transmissions here in the states, or I'd swap one into my '87 300D turbo (would that ever make it fly!?!) There is a W124 on eBay with a 5-speed. Too bad its located in Europe O/W I'd buy it (its cheap at that price but the cost to ship it over would make it prohibitive unless one owned a shipping line and lived on the East coast!) see: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9855&item=2475052924&rd=1
Oh well, I can dream.
DDH

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!