Saving a '70 220D: It needs a new clutch (cost?) and who knows what else

[The220D]

I'm considering saving a 1970 220 D/8 (115.110) from the unkind fate of sitting to rot under my father's barn. Its a neat old car, not too much rust, etc. The engine was rebult in 2001, after which my father drove it for a year or so. Its been sitting ever since.

I rescued it about 2 months ago and having been driving it ever since. I've replaced the leaking fuel line, replaced the belts, and had the oil changed. Shifting from 2nd to 3rd has become an ordeal, so I took it to a guy who works on old mercedes. He tells me I need a new clutch, and that it will run $1300!

So, #1 is it worth trying to save the car, #2 what should a new clutch cost me, and #3 what else should I have checked out?

Many thanks for the help!

[aircap]

Dude, I've seen clutches like this -- brand new -- on eBay recently for around $250-300. Get a buddy, some beers and a medium-size jar of curse words and you can swap it yourself.

[Mike D]

By shifting between 2nd and 3rd is an ordeal, do you mean the gears grind or it is hard to physically shift the lever?

Does the tranny shift smoothly when you match engine speed to road speed?

Does the clutch slip? Is it hard to get into 1st gear sitting still?

I'm asking all these questions because a common failure is the synchro gears in the tranny. Clutch failure is pretty unusual.

My wife is driving a '72 250C which I installed an engine/trans unit I pulled from her old '71 220. I bought the original car in '95 and it STILL has the original clutch in it. I had to change the transmission because the synchros went bad. The clutch lasted through two sons driving the car to high school and is still going strong.

[The220D]

It is physically hard to shift the lever. Its almost like it gets stuck in no-man's-land.

It doesn't happen every time, or even every day.

The clutch doesn't seem to slip, and its easy to get into 1st gear.

What is "the synchros" going bad? And isn't a new tranny going to cost more than a clutch?

[Mike D]

Synchro's is short for synchronizer gears. I'm too lazy to type all that out.

Synchronizers are bronze rings which are cut to match the ends of the actual gears. They are tapered on the outside edges which enables the shifting forks to "slip" the hardened metal gears and allows them to mesh smoothly or synchronize the speed of the input shaft to the main shaft when you change the gearing. Yeah, yeah, I know, more than you wanted to know but you asked.

I bought an old rust bucket for $150, pulled the tranny and crushed the car.

If you go the crusher route, pull the clutch pedal mounting bracket and all the related hardware. You can sell that stuff for usually at least as much as you paid for the car. It is what is needed to do an automatic to 4 speed conversion.

[ctaylor738]

How about getting under the car and checking the shifter bushings? They are used where the rods connect to the linkage and to the trans shift arms.

[300SDog]

Column or floor shift? Either way it makes sense to work from outside in - start with checking the linkage for play and bad bushings, bleed clutch hydraulics too. Porous clutch hydraulic lines and/or worn out slave cyl produce the same symptoms you've described. Would be surprised to learn the engine had been rebuilt but the clutch not touched. And sometimes fresh tranny fluid alone immensely improves shifting performance. In fact what you're describing sounds alot like 80-90 wt gear oil in the tranny. Oughta be red Type F ford ATF never 80wt gear oil.

An excellent rescue, the 220D 4-spd. Nothing you do to improve the car will be a waste of time, big ticket item the 114/115 sedans.

[t walgamuth]

the last two posts are right on.

check your linkages first!

from your description it is almost certainly not the clutch.

better consider getting a new mechanic.

tom w

[The220D]

Keep the advice coming - I need it! This is my first Mercedes and my first diesel.

ctaylor738 - thanks for the tip. i've not worked on a car this old before, but I have the 3-inch thick service manual so I'll see what I can learn.

240Dog- its a floor shift 4 speed. i don't believe the clutch was rebuilt/replaced when my father had the engine rebuilt in '01, but I'll find out. I haven't checked the tranny fluid, much less replaced it. I took the car to a guy who works on old mercedes at the recommendation of a neighbor. I'm not convinced the guy knew what he was doing as I was surprised to hear the bad clutch diagnosis when I haven't noticed a bit of slippage.

The more tips ya'll can offer the better. Thanks in advance.

[Mike D]

Don't write off your local mechanic just yet. Most of the people on this board are speaking from experience but we can't physically see or touch the car. He MIGHT be wrong on this one but it doesn't mean he doesn't know what he is doing.

Hmmm, a split infinitive AND the use of a double negative contraction! My old English teachers are just a'spinning in their graves!

[Diesel Josh]

For your hard shifting, after checking the linkages, I would be suspect of the clutch master cylinder and/or the slave cylinder. Both parts are pretty cheap and usually available at advance auto, autozone, etc.

I cut my mechanics teeth on a 71 220d with a 4 speed which I drove all through high school and a good bit of college until it was hit. Obviously not a lot of power, but a fun car and you get the ride of a /8. Just be careful in the turns as the rear seems to always want to go in the ditch.

Like any other MB diesel, change the oil, adjust the valves, and make sure it doesn't run hot.

[Towel Rail]

Originally Posted by Mike D

Don't write off your local mechanic just yet. Most of the people on this board are speaking from experience but we can't physically see or touch the car. He MIGHT be wrong on this one but it doesn't mean he doesn't know what he is doing.

Hmmm, a split infinitive AND the use of a double negative contraction! My old English teachers are just a'spinning in their graves!

Sometimes it's fun to not follow the rules.

BTW, this thread needs pics of the "savee"!

- Scott

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by Mike D

Don't write off your local mechanic just yet. Most of the people on this board are speaking from experience but we can't physically see or touch the car. He MIGHT be wrong on this one but it doesn't mean he doesn't know what he is doing.

Hmmm, a split infinitive AND the use of a double negative contraction! My old English teachers are just a'spinning in their graves!

I might have been too judgmental.

Tom W