This post also shows as a reply to another post. Apologies.

I am working at getting the engine out of my 1980 300D.
Finding it tough to get at two top trans to engine bolts.
Used long extension from underneath, tried dropping the rear
of trans to get at bolts.
Now I am considering taking out the engine and trans as a unit.

Can anyone tell me what works best, I am trying not to add an
unneeded effort.

Thanks folks,
Bob

"what works best,"

Take engine and tranny out togather

__________________


1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Agreed.

I learned the hard way.

just disconnect the drive shaft from the transmission and pull the both of them out together.


wont start for anything! 1985 300SD

I read your replies and with confidence returned to the shop.

In this car I left the AC heat exchanger(AC radiator) in, so it limited
my forward space. I left the pulleys and power steering pump, AC compressor, and alternator on also, further limiting my forward space.
I just could not get the angle needed to pull the two together.
It is a short transmission too, shouldn't have needed much.

I ended up getting at the top two trans bolts from underneath and dropping the trans, gently.

Engine is now out.

My concern is that I have a replacement trans and engine to put in and
am not sure I can get them in as a single unit. Maybe I just need to set
the balance point on the lifting chain to leave the trans hanging low
and then it will work.

I am doing this with a cherry picker style engine hoist (as opposed to a
chain hoist), and at ground level (car sits on concrete, with standard
clearance underneath - no advantage of it being raised).

Any more comments are appreciated. I'll be finishing this tomorrow.

Then... it is on to a rebuild of the normally aspirated 300D engine.

The engine/tranny combo will need to be at around 45 degrees (tranny end down) and you may have to have the front tires of the car up off the ground a little to prevent the tail shaft of the tranny from hitting the ground. You do have a load leveler for the lift don't you?

__________________
Jim

Check this out: I Need Help With An Engine Change!!!

Jim's advice is right on, he's been there. And now that he has that cushy new workshop, he rarely comes out to deliver his sage advice.

__________________
'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Bajaman and myself pulled too of them this fall and re-installed one. Works well to pull the engine transmission together and leave the AC condensor and engine accessories on. We had the front on jackstands, tires about 8" off the floor. Re-install worked very well the same way.

__________________
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!

Maybe I'm missing something here but some Euro autos I have pulled the engine-tranny combos out of have been made easier by jacking the rear of the car up and lowering the front as much as possible. Then with a cherry picker type lift the assembled engine-tranny will ease right in. This changes the angle the combo has to be in to clear the A/C components.
But.........I did get a very nice Scotch for Xmas and it makes me forget things
Al

You need tranny socket extensions that are about 3 feet long. I bought some from Norther or Harbor Freight some years ago.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

Okay, the replacement 5 cylinder enigne and trans are in.
What I learned:

1. Bought the $20 load leveler (2 ton) from Harbor Freight Tools.
Very good advice. But... should have put the cranking handle
toward the rear of car. Somehow I thought that I should put the
cranking handle that changes angle toward the front.
This interfered with the cherry picker boom.
Next time I will keep it to the rear.

2. I got enough clearance over the front, then angled my way into the trans
tunnel. But I did put a floor jack under the rear end and lift it.
This brought the front end down a little more and then raised the trans
tunnel. It seemed to make it easier.

The engine is now in and the trans is supported.
Most of the vacuum lines fell into place. I have the MB shop manual
to guide me through the few stragglers.

I did use a 1981 300D engine as the donor. A few things were different
but I think it will be okay. I used the valve cover and intake/exhaust
manifolds from the original 1980. The 1980 has no EGR system.

So. A few more hours work hooking it all back up and I'll be driving diesel,
again.

Thanks to everyone.

I've pulled them both ways and it's really six of one and a half dozen of the other. That said, I prefer pulling the engine and leaving the transmission. It will clear with accessories in place.

The top rear trans bolts just require patience, and a handful of universal joints and extensions. Getting your tongue worked around into the correct corner of your mouth for those two bolts is also necessary.

As Jim says, if bringing both out together you have to have them at an angle steeper than a surfacing submarine.

Good luck,