6-speed conversion
Important: The following information is based on personal assessments and experiences and has been compiled to the best of our knowledge and belief. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information.
First of all, it is important to know which engine you have in order to select the right gearbox for the 6-speed conversion.
In the W202, depending on the engine, there are two different flange patterns between the engine and the gearbox, for each of which different 6-speed manual gearboxes are possible:
1. For in-line engines: pear shape (inclined towards the passenger side). Possible gearboxes: 716.654, 716.655, 716.657 and others
2. For V-engines: Round shape. Possible gearboxes: 716.653, 711.670 and others
There are numerous other models that can also be used. In general, it is important or advantageous if the gearshift mechanism is controlled by a single lever and not, as in the 716.648, with an additional Bowden cable for selecting the gearshift gate. There are also gearboxes from more modern in-line engines that also have the pear flange, but this is not inclined to the side and is therefore not suitable for conversion.
Clutch:
The original flywheel and clutch components of the W202 engines can in principle be used, as the release bearing of the 6-speed manual transmission covers the same range of motion. An upgrade flywheel and clutch kit with the original trigger system is available for purchase in our shop. This kit can be used with 5 or 6-speed transmissions and on all W202 engines.
Transmission mount:
The 6-speed gearboxes are logically longer than a 5-speed manual gearbox and also require a different gearbox mount, which is usually installed on the automatic gearboxes in the W202. A matching retaining plate is required, which you can also purchase in our shop for the R4 & R5 engines as well as the R6 engines. The V-engines, on the other hand, have a different position of the gearbox mount. We are currently developing a plug & play solution for this as well.
Transmission tunnel:
All of the gearboxes mentioned, except for the bulky 711.670, fit easily into the gearbox tunnel of the W202. Only the fork on the back, into which the frame of the gearshift mechanism is hooked, requires a little more space than is available. This can be regulated by slightly driving out the gearbox tunnel or the fork on the gearbox can be removed if not needed (depending on the selection of the shifter).
Shifting mechanism:
This issue is one of the crucial points that determines the quality of the conversion. With skill, very good solutions can be made from original 6-speed shift gates from the W211, W203, W204 and others. However, this is time-consuming and usually requires cutting out the gear lever opening in the cardan tunnel, which is then irreversible. With the short shifter from our range, you can easily overcome this hurdle. No cutting into the bodywork and no tinkering with the shift mechanism. Install, adjust and start switching.
Drive train:
Many of the gearboxes mentioned above (110mm) do not match the original cardan shaft (100mm) in terms of bolt circle diameter. However, the output flanges can be replaced relatively easily and the gearbox can be converted to the desired bolt circle diameter. If the original drive train is to be used as far as possible, the cardan shaft must be adjusted in length. There are professional companies that offer such services.
If the differential is also upgraded to a larger one, the bolt circle diameter of 110mm can be maintained from the gearbox to the differential. In this case, there is a cardan shaft of the appropriate length from the W203.
Electrics:
To ensure the correct connection of the reversing light, we offer a reversing light connection kit in our shop. You can find further details on the subject of electrics in the product description.