Hi Larry,
Thanks for the input, I totally agree on the tranny and Differential lube schedule (change at 100K miles) that you mentioned if you're using the 70-90or 90-140 weight lube. I do disagree when the tranny is lubed with automatic transmission fluid (in my case the 190D with Dextron).

I also have a '97 Ford pickup with 5-spd manual that is lubed with Dextron.
I also change the tranny fluid in it at 25K mile intervals. The Ford has 196K miles and the 190D has 572K miles. At the 25K mile change intervals the Dextron that comes out is very dark, almost black. My guess is that the frequent fluid changes keep crud from accumulating in the gearbox.

Let's see who can get to 600K miles first, I've got only 28K to go. Again, thanks for the input, I respect your opinions very much
Al

Well, I "know" Glen T. and just recently have been back in contact with him about my quest to get a 5 speed 300E. I'd consider a 190 2.3-16, I suppose, but those are probably going to be pretty dear. I suppose in lieu of that I could always get a E30, but I'd like to stay with M-B. So, if anyone has or would consider selling their 300E, I'm certainly in the market, but I want a driver and not wall/garage art. If I'm successful (and I plan to be, it might just take some time) I want to get the Mercedeshop's Sportline suspension as well. And, of course I will travel/transport for the "right" car...

Thanks,
Tom Reynolds
Sand Springs, OK

84 240D Euro 5 speed, unknown mileage.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Tom, if you don't mind the smaller 190E, have you considered the 2.6 (6-cylinder M103) with a 5-speed and Sportline suspension.

They do exist, and are a delight to drive.

Unfortunately, IMHO, they are even more rare than the 2.3-16v, but fortunately, are usually cheaper!

:-) neil

Mine will be available soon. Certainly not "art". Gets me to work everyday.

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.

I came across this thread while searching for what fluid to place in my transmission (I still have not found a definate answer to this though).
Both of my MBZ are 5 speeds. I will not own a car that is not a manual if I am going to be the primary driver.

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Fantom71 aka Dale
Madison, AL

91 190E 2.6 5 speed 220k miles and this car still scoots!

I use "Redline MTL" just dont use the 90W stuff

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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"

I wrote in this thread five years ago that I was in love with my five speed 300E. The car now has 288,000 miles and is in mechanically excellent condition. It has taken a good bit of work to keep it that way, but it is mechanically pristine.

The car now, however, is suffering a little cosmetically. I hit a deer a few years ago on the right side of the car will drifting sideways trying to miss it. I straightened it up, but with the sunlight on it just right, you can tell there was damage.

The paint is really chipped on the front and the lower part of the front plastic bumper is torn up some.

I have gone through a number of shock and swaybar combinations but now have stock front bar, rear 500E bar and Bilsteins all around. I have later model eight hole wheels but still only 195/65-15's. The car drives WONDERFULLY on my winding country roads.

The car STILL has the original clutch and transmission that have never been removed for any reason. I have run Mobil One 10W30 in the transmission since I've owned it and it still shifts perfectly with no leaks.

To update my feeling for this car since posting five years ago, I am STILL in love with this car. In those five years I have gone through a six speed, 2001 C240 that I loved to drive as much as this car, but it had all sorts of technology problems and I got rid of it. The 300E has kept its place though. Kind of like the old horse standing around watching the young one come and go and then be the favorite again.

I drove the old 300E well over 2,000 miles on vacation up into the mountains last October and it did GREAT. It was fun to drive in the mountains and on the highway and gave me an average of 29.36 MPG for the trip.

I told my wife yesterday that if I won the lottery I would have this car professionally redone cosmetically, but would not touch it mechanically except to keep it in top mechanical shape.

Long live the 5 speed 124 cars.

Have a great day,

Mercedes recommends Type A Suffix A ATF for the 201 and 124 manuals. Unfortunately this is a long obsolete ATF specification. It had a small quantity of whale oil added to prevent wet clutch chatter and became illegal in the US circa 1970 when whale products were outlawed.

The old clutch type LSD "friction modifier" additive was also whale oil based, and industry went on to develop a synthetic additive to replace the whale oil, which is what is used today as a LSD and ATF friction modifier to prevent clutch chatter.

The current evolution of the old Type A Suffix A ATF spec is Dexron III.

Mercedes also lists SAE 20 non-detergent motor oil as an alternative, but I would not use this unless you are in the tropics.

Redline MTL is a specially formulated synthetic oil designed for manual transmission applications that specifiy ATF. It is rated 70W-75 GL-4. A 70w-75 gear oil is about the same absolute viscosity range as a 10W-20 motor oil.

MTL is what I use.

Larry's use of 10W-30 is probably okay, too. I always thought it best to use specially formulated gear oils in manual transmissions, but last year when I helped a friend change the transaxle oil in his mid-nineties Prelude, I was surprised to find that Honda's recommended oil was 10W-30 motor oil, so that's what we used.

The recommendation for my MR2 transaxle is 75W-90 GL-4 and I use Redline MT 90, which is basically the same as MTL, except for the wider viscosity range.

Duke

Larry...I went back where I posted a couple pages after the "beginning" and I didn't realize you were talking 126 & 190, anyway I still love my Euro 5 spd 240D, haven put many miles on it as I drive the wifes "79" unless I do a road trip. It was well taken of before it got it with only 89K on the clock. I changed out the interior (you what) except the headliner. The cloth seats were a pale greenish/yellow and no MB tex on the outer panels also the dash had a little crack. I found a beautiful (blown eng) w123 "parts car" with a pristine Pallameno interior and an uncracked dash. So I swapped.
This is still only a 240 but with the suspension in good shape (Bilsteins all around) and her 67 HP running fine, shes a nice car to drive and I wouldn't trade her for anything. I really appreciate a nice SD, or the "luxury" feel of the bigger and newer 126s and if I could find a manual, Euro one, I sure wouldn't turn it. Do they have manual heating & windows?
Sorry to hear about your "dear incounter", we have that problem, all country roads here too.

Phil, you better check in, I know your out there.

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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"

No, I don't have a 126 or a 190. I have an 88 124, 300E with a manual transmission. This is a US car. There were about 700 300E 5 speeds brought to the US by MBUSA in the 1986 model year and 300 more in the 1988 model year.

One of my 240D's, I don't remember which specified 10W30 motor oil for the transmission. I think it was my 77, but I'm not sure. My 84 Euro 240D still has the original transmission and has never been opened, still in great shape. It has 533,000 miles and has had 10W30 motor oil since about the 100,000 mile mark. My 300E has had 10W30 motor oil since about the 80,000 mile mark and the trans is still perfect.

Dexron will lubricate a manual transmission just fine. The only problem with it is that since the eighties ATF has changed in formula such that it will attack many of the seal materials of the eighties. This shows up more often in the power steering systems of the eighties.

The much newer cars will work okay with ATF because they have seal material that was developed/selected with this fluid in mind.

Have a great day,

I have a question as long as there may be a few "Euro" folks around. How would I go about getting rebuild parts for a 5 speed? The one I swapped into my "79" ("80" rebuilt eng) came from a "82" Euro 240d and has a few miles on it. Its not as "smooth" as my "85"'s 5 spd, and it will pop out of first, going down a steep driveway. It does not grind going into any gears tho. I wouldn't trust myself to do a tranny but I'd like too start thinking about the job........ My "low mileage", "85". is really sweet to shift.

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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"

Sorry, didnt read your post right. (had a picture in my mind of a 124 when I wrote 126 ) I did'nt know any MBs were imported with manuals.
I did'nt mantion lub oil anyway

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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"

Still in love with my 5-speed-- enough to know that without a garage and the proper time/cash to put into it, it's time to sell.

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Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

Stevo,

Any MB dealer can get euro car parts. The problem is finding a parts man with a good attitude that wants to mess with it. There used to be the most outstanding parts man in the world at my MB dealer, and he would go to all lengths to get anything I needed. Unfortunately he came up with health problems and retired.

The only other MB parts man with that kind of attitude that I know of would be Phil at Fastlane. I know he has the desire to get what you need as long as he has the same access. I would call him at the Fastlane number and ask him.

Good luck,