W124 diesel auto box
Discussion
Just bought one of these on Ebay (I know, I know....) that apparently needs a new auto box.
Done a fair bit of spannering in the past and have a good friend who's a proper time served mechanic and access to decent workshop facilities/tools so the job itself doesn't scare me too much.
My biggest worry is sourcing a good replacement box that isn't going to go the same way as the current one in short order, as most potential donors have lots of miles.
On the one hand I'm quite excited at having grabbed a motor that I've admired for many a year, on the other a little concerned it could end in tears. I figured if the worst comes to the worst the car will break for a good deal more than I'm paying for it. But I don't wanna break it, I want to bumble around in lazy oil burning luxury for many a year to come.
Anyone here taken a job like this on before? Could reconditioning be a better option than just grabbing the lowest mileage box I can find in a breakers yard? I have the option of dry storing it and waiting for the right box rather than just chucking in the first one I find.
This is the first piece of proper automotive engineering I'll have owned, so as a real pistonhead I'm like a big kid at the moment!
Done a fair bit of spannering in the past and have a good friend who's a proper time served mechanic and access to decent workshop facilities/tools so the job itself doesn't scare me too much.
My biggest worry is sourcing a good replacement box that isn't going to go the same way as the current one in short order, as most potential donors have lots of miles.
On the one hand I'm quite excited at having grabbed a motor that I've admired for many a year, on the other a little concerned it could end in tears. I figured if the worst comes to the worst the car will break for a good deal more than I'm paying for it. But I don't wanna break it, I want to bumble around in lazy oil burning luxury for many a year to come.
Anyone here taken a job like this on before? Could reconditioning be a better option than just grabbing the lowest mileage box I can find in a breakers yard? I have the option of dry storing it and waiting for the right box rather than just chucking in the first one I find.
This is the first piece of proper automotive engineering I'll have owned, so as a real pistonhead I'm like a big kid at the moment!
If it were petrol I would say get a used one as there's always a good chance it'll do you for a bit. But diesels I never see in scrap yards or anything and as you say donors may be mega mileage compared to the petrols which seem to die around 200k miles. However could be worth investigating if the box is different for the diesel vs petrol because you could be surprised.
From what I've gathered so far, the ratios are certainly different but if it's physically interchangable slight ratio differences aside (and of course I'll have to add the rear axle to the equation) then I'm sure I could live with it.
Frantically ferreting info now...there does seem to be a strong largely knowledgeable following for these cars, that's a good start.
Frantically ferreting info now...there does seem to be a strong largely knowledgeable following for these cars, that's a good start.
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