Whats the fastest anyone's ever changed out a W123 300D engine solo...
 

My 85 300D has a slightly bad bearing or rod due to an oil loss accident ( my fault, I kinked the breather hose).
You can barely hear it and I have put some 15K on the car up and down mountains and the sound hasnt got any worse, but it still gets on my nerves..so the engine is finally getting swapped this weekend...No I dont have a reliable brother, nor do I have a broad shouldered sister, this is going to be SOLO

Can someone please encourage me and tell me once they did an engine change out in 2.5 hours from start to finish, despit the fact that their right hand was in a sling?
I'm starting to get a weary and I'm 44 now, not 34,,,,,

I did a complete engine swap in one week. But, this was the first time I had ever even really worked on a car. Also I had to transfer everything, Since I swapped in a shortblock. I would think that you could do it within 4-5 hours, Its not too bad, Unless you have to swap the head, the ip, starter, alternator, PS pump, Vacuum pump, water pump, a/c compressor, injectors, and glowplugs like i did.. ;) Have fun, and be sure to post any problems you run into..

well tha actual swapping took...
 

about 4 hours. I had the old engine out and the new one in... 4 hours. Once you know where all the bolts/fasteners are then it's a snap.

Kevin

Sorry..
 

Best I have done is 3.15 hours. :)
Both where full dress engines. :)
That was at work in a service garage with 18 stitches in my numb right hand. :eek:
I drove it in and after my test drive the customer took it on a 5K road trip. :D
:o I forgot the belly pan and put it on after his trip. :o

I pulled the OM616 from the 240D in 5 hours.

I was not on the clock and I was taking my time to enjoy the experiance. :)

i am slow
 

I guess I am real slow first time took me 4 hours out 8 hours in. You will do fine if you dont care about the donor car cut the front clip takes 10 seconds makes pulling donor engine a snap.
Dave S

Not that it is completely related...but interesting

When the brand new bug engine spun its first bearing (crank not stock apparently)
Dad had the engine from in the car, complete, to tore down on the bench, the WHOLE thing...and threw the bearing to me up a flight of stairs in about 45-50min..
course he has done a few...
I just watch and take notes :-p

Ha! I'm probably slower than all of you, but it's a hobby and philosophy for me. Actually lifting the engine/tranny in/out took minutes - first thought here though is, why are you changing the engine? Do you know for sure that there is a serious problem or do you just suspect it from your problems with the breather hose, etc. Maybe better oil and a good engine compartment cleaning will make it more fun to dive into the diagnostics a little deeper - besides, what have you got to lose?

Fastest Engine Swap
The fastest time to switch the engine from one VW Beetle to another, then drive 5 meters (16 ft 5 in) is 1 minute 37 seconds by a team of four mechanics, Stefan Klotz, Ralf Kaelche, Markus Jung, and Stefan Worner, of Kaefer-Station Jung Klotz. They carried out the swift swap in Mulhheim, Germany on January 17, 1999. They were competing against another team to break the record.



go to www.guinnessworldrecords.com and type in "fastest engine swap" in the search, to watch the video..

how many bolts can there be to pull the enine and the tranny ?

How many bolts in there? I take it you haven't had the pleasure of pulling an MB engine yet.
My favorite moment was asking a shop foreman a few years back, he said lotta bolts, lotta bolts in there. He was right you know.

I figured that it would just be the motor mounts, engine shock and the tranny mount. Then all the little gadgets..... correct ?

A/C, Radiator, condensor, oil cooler, flexdisc, shift linkage, etc. (Center crossmember mount insted of shocks on most 240D's)

Remember, don't EVER drain the A/C straight to the atmosphere, unless nobody is watching... :p