I'm looking at an 84 230E (nonUS) for sale. The tranny makes unnerving thumps and clunks when decelerating. Would the auto trans out of a similar vintage US 190E work in the W123? Are there other trannies to consider?

Thanks,
Sixto
78 450SEL
91 300SE

The tranny in the 230E is a 722.401. The tranny in a 190E 2.3 is a 722.411. Externally they are about identical. I would say that they would interchange. It is concievable that the output flanges could be different, but they should be changable one to the other.

Thats the kind of stuff I like to see posted here, at least once in a while. Parts swapping either out of necessity or to upgrade. Thanks Steve for sharing what knowlege you have reqarding this situation.

Steve,

That is excellent news.

Thanks,
Sixto
78 450SEL
91 300SE

Are you sure it's not just the flex disks? They can make noises like this too.

I suppose it could be the flex disks, but the thumps and clunks accompany (or are accompanied by) downshifts.

I'd take a chance that the car needs flex disks since they're easy and cheap to replace. A tranny is a different matter, and a real complication for a nonUS car.

Thanks,
Sixto
78 450SEL
91 300SE

I'd at least check the disks first. The front one on mine was in pretty poor shape and it did create "clunks" that sounded as if they could have come from the tranny. My rear flex disk is "aftermarket" and creates a similar type of clunk (on downshifts as it turns out) that also could be interpreted as a worn or loose rear-end. The independent shop I use says that they've rarely had to work on the transmissions even though they shift so hard.

Besides a visual check of integrity and trying to move the drive shaft relative to the output shaft, how do I check the flex disks?

Sixto
78 450SEL
91 300SE

Jackup the car rear wheels off the gound. Put the car in nuetral and turn the driveshat back and forth with as much force as you can by hand. You may need a helper to find out where the "clunk" is on the drivetrain. If you can't duplicate it by doing this,them ny best bet would be in the transmission mount, rear subframe mounts, differential mount,of in the links in the rear suspension.