I need to pull my motor on my '79 300SD and swap it with a motor from a '82 300SD. Is it easier to pull the transmission with the motor, or separate and just pull the motor. I'm using a cherry picker with a leveler. Also, what bolts do I have to loosen, besides the bell housing bolts, to separate them apart. Thanks for any info!

 

There is a plastic oval plug near the rear of the engine. If you remove it, you have access to the torque converter bolts. There are three sets of two bolts (six total), They require a 13mm socket. There is a bolt in the bottom of each motor mount. They require a 6mm allen head. If you remove those, the motor mount arms will lift right off the pads. You will also have to remove the starter bolts, they go through the trans and into the starter. They require a 10mm allen head. And of course the bell housing bolts. If the trans is good, I would leave it in the car, it's easier to pull just the engine.

Hope this helps,
John

 

That does help, a lot! I've pulled, and rebuilt, several transverse mounted motors but this is my first MB diesel. I'll get to it tomorrow again...

 

my sugestion is to leave transmission mounted to the engine raise front of car on jack stands, now adjust your leverler so the front of engine is all the way up trans down remove engine all at same time done many when putting replacement engine back in mount your transmission to your new engine, saves lots of time turning engine over and working under car,less work ..