Hi,
I have two W123 sedans, one a wrecked '84 Euro grey market, NA engine, 5 speed Getrag, crank windows, tow hitch, etc. Before the car was wrecked I had done the job of replacing the clutch (broken pressure plate spring), and had had to search for the correct parts.
The other one is a U.S. market '85 turbo sedan with Otto matic trans & turbo.
Question 1) I asked the local driveline builder how they'd address getting the engine balance right, and they said that if I brought both the flexplate/torque converter and the Flywheel and clutch assembly, that they just balance the flywheel assembly to match the flexplate assembly, and that would work. It sounds logical. Does this make sense? The company:
www.butler-macmaster.com/
has a good reputation around here.

Question 2) The transmission nameplate reads: Original Mercedes Benz
Teil Nr: 123 260 2001
Aggregat Nr. /80 024716 (the "7" may be a "Z")

Before the car got wrecked, the transmission was making a funny "clanking" noise only while in neutral with the clutch ENGAGED. It sounds kind of like a bad throw out bearing, except that with the clutch engaged the bearing isn't turning... I've been told that the problem is something about a shaft that runs in a bored bushing in the aluminum case, and that the fix is to bore it out and install a bearing.
Is anyone familiar with this gearbox or this problem?
Are parts available? either from Mercedes or Getrag?
Can anyone recommend a transmission guy who's familiar with these?
My plan is to take the car off the road this winter, and I wouldn't be in a screeching hurry to turn the job around.

Question #3: I hate the U.S. car's "not so Smart" climate control, and have toyed with transplanting the manual rig out of the Euro car. I've been warned that this involves tearing the whole dashboard out, and is a pain in the neck. Anyone done it?

Thanks for any advice.

Yep, a noise heard in neutral with the clutch pedal up and clutch engaged, is comibg from the input shaft bearing. In that case, the whole clutch assembly is turning together, as well as the input shaft. The throwout bearing does not spin.

Disengaging the clutch at a stop causes the throwout bearing and pilot bearing to spin, but it stops the clutch disc and input shaft from spinning.

Unless the noise is very bad and very loud, don't worry. My 717.410 kind of sounds like a sewing machine whirring when the input shaft spins at idle in neutral. I'm not worried.

__________________
'84 190D 2.2 5MT (Red/Palomino) Current car. Love it!
'85 190D 2.2 Auto *Cali* (Blue/Blue) *sold*
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Thanks for that response. I got a comment from a German gear guy who said that this was a common problem in some version of the Porsche 944, which also had a Getrag 5-speed. After replacing the transmissions under warranty for a while, they stopped, saying that the transmission made that noise, and get used to it, because it will be making that noise for roughly forever.
On the other hand, I have the transmission out and in hand. if I were going to do something with it, now would be the time.

Unlikely the trans will last long behind the 300td. I would get a rebuild job done with the longest warranty you can find.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Winmutt, I thought that MB made turbo 5 cyls for the European market, and assumed that they offered them with gearboxes. Was I wrong? Did they not hold up? I only have anecdotal evidence, but when I was running the NA 300D, we used to go to work at an average speed of 100 mph (middle of the winter, middle of the night, Augusta Maine to Yarmouth) Maine, and the gearbox held up all right, except for the odd clanking at idle. And the gearbox has 260,000 miles on it, and the car only 100, so I'm hoping to put another 200,000 on the gearbox before I'm done.

Howdy,

I am looking for the clutch kit for my five speed. Have you sourced one? I want to swap out the tranny since I never really had an effective 2nd gear. During the swap, I want to replace the clutch, et cet.

I clocked over 100 MPH a little while ago. I bet your differential was howling. I have a 2:65LSD, and I cannot imagine the stock 3:69 (or anything in that ballpark) would have fun hitting triple digits. Congrats on hitting 100+ ... for a NA.

Please post what you find out about a clutch kit ...

I think this gear box can handle the torque. They are rated for 270 nm. Gl275

The rattle is the reverse idler bushing bearing most likely. Chances are the input shaft will be not worn. If you search international forums you will see that many people have tried to remedy this problem to no avail.
I brought mine to a repair shop and was lucky to get out the door for under $500. Just for the input shaft bearing. That did nothing to the side to side play in the input shaft. You wont get out the door very easily under 1k for a simple overhaul and that may still not remedy the issue.
The entire transmission could be brought into specifications as far as clearances and end play go. That requires complete tear down and rebuild.

__________________

Chris
84 280sl
82 300d euro

i have a manual A/C airbox here (thanks DeliveryValve!) but no mojo to install it yet. looks like a significant job.

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

Where did you get that number?

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Winmut, I'm not sure if the question you were asking was where I found the part # on the gearbox. It was on a tag attached to the gearbox. So I guess it's a Mercedes, not a Getrag, part #.
Or maybe you were asking where C. Doner got the torque capacity. I don't know.

[QUOTE=greazzer;3391154]Howdy,

I am looking for the clutch kit for my five speed. Have you sourced one? I want to swap out the tranny since I never really had an effective 2nd gear. During the swap, I want to replace the clutch, et cet.

I bought the clutch, pressure plate, and master cylinder from a mail order place somewhere in the U.S. But that was ten years ago, and lord knows where the paper has gone. I mainly remember doing it in a poorly heated shop, with the car on ramps, and it was a very miserable job. The most interesting part was that there was one bolt that could only be removed/installed with an assembly of about three feet of socket extensions and two universal joints. Great design!!
Have you tried Mercedes?

By the way, while looking for the name of the parts seller in my digital files, I came up with this response from a Porsche specialist.

What you are describing is a Reverse Idler Gear - also know as an Idler Gear or Auxiliary Gear.
It's a common problem with Getrag Transmission. Among BMWs, the 260, 240 and 280 and 250
all share this same problem. From the factory, there is a shaft in the Tranny, that supports the
Reverse Idler Gear and it is NOT shimmed properly against the case (too much clearance.)
Somewhere after 125,000 to 150,000 miles and/or without regular oil changes, the rattle develops.
To fix it (in a BMWanyway), the entire transmission must be disassembled and reshimmed. Your
transmission won't break or prevent you from getting home but it is annoying.

This thread may have some info/answers you are looking for:

Manual transmission rebuild


Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Can anyone tell me where to look for the Getrag model and serial number on my 5-speed? My guess is that the tag number: "Teil nr. 123-260-2001 aggregate /80 024 716
is a Mercedes, not a Getrag number, and I'd like to know what Getrag model it is, so I'd know if it's a 411, or 700, or what?
Thanks
SEO

It is a getrag manufactured for Benz. I was wondering where he got the TQ number.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42