Living up here in New Hampshire, the body of my '84 TD has gotten pretty soft. I have found a Southern low mileage '80 TD and am wondering if the turbo motor will drop into the non-turbo body? Also wondering if the turbocharger can be adapted to the non-turo engine? Thanks for any advice

go for it. I'd swap the motor and trans as a unit.

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1987 300TDT
1981 VW MKI Caddy 1.6 diesel, waiting on engine swap
1983 D-50 Power Ram 4x4 "Mitsubishi" 2.3 turbo diesel
assorted gas powered crap and motorcycles

RIP: 1984 300TDT, 1982 300TDT, 1984 190D 2.2, 1992 300D 2.5, 1987 300TDT, 1982 Maxima LD28, 1983 Maxima LD28, Isuzu C223 P'ups X3, 1983 Holiday Rambler 6.2 Banks turbo diesel, 1984 Winnebago LeSharo 2.1 TD, 1985 Allegro 6.5

Are the transmissions and rear ends the same? My '84 TD has 115k more on it than the '80 and my transmission is getting tired.

the trannies are probably the same. There might be a little difference with the adjustments due to the turbo/non turbo thing...but that's just a guess.

You can probably interchange them w/o any problems.

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1987 300TDT
1981 VW MKI Caddy 1.6 diesel, waiting on engine swap
1983 D-50 Power Ram 4x4 "Mitsubishi" 2.3 turbo diesel
assorted gas powered crap and motorcycles

RIP: 1984 300TDT, 1982 300TDT, 1984 190D 2.2, 1992 300D 2.5, 1987 300TDT, 1982 Maxima LD28, 1983 Maxima LD28, Isuzu C223 P'ups X3, 1983 Holiday Rambler 6.2 Banks turbo diesel, 1984 Winnebago LeSharo 2.1 TD, 1985 Allegro 6.5

Keep the turbo with the turbo engine-the N/A has a weaker bottom end and no oil cooled pistons-it might not be able to take the boost.

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1982 300DT 190K (Diesel Purge + synthetic oil=smoothness at last!!!)
2004 Ford E-350 6.0 L PSD 227K
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 SRW HO Cummins 4X4 48RE 42K (brute force tow vehicle)
2005 Scion xB wife's rolling pop can
1993 GMC Sierra C3500 6.2 142K

This should be as easy as it gets. Park cars side by side, remove NA engine and tranny from the 1980 wagon, remove turbo motor and tranny from 1984TD and install in 1980 body. Swap any parts necessary from the 84 to the 80 as you need them. You will have all the parts you need right there. Yes, this is a bit of work but the only easier way is to pay someone to do it. RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

Actually, having owned both a turbo 617 and a non-turbo, I believe that the trannies are NOT the same. Oddly enough, the tranny in my 1982 turbodiesel was the same as that in my 1989 300SE gasser; but the tranny in my 1979 non-turbo wagon is a different unit entirely. For everyday use, by the way, I, for one, prefer the non-turbo.

Joe B.

Like I said, swap the engine AND tranny as a unit. RT

__________________
When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

what is better about the na?

Whatcha gonna do with the NA motor from the 80? I haven't been able to use my wagon since August.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I wouldn't be doing the transplant until the spring. I can't get two vehicles side by side in my repair bay and it's currently 5 degrees outside (It did get up to 20 degrees earlier today). If I get the car, I will give the N/A a try to see how it handles the hills around here.

You absolutely MUST swap the complete exhaust line too. You will need to remove (cold chisel) the turbo accelerator drive from the firewall, then tack weld or sheet metal screw it to the '80 firewall. BTDT
Then if you are ambitious you can swap the turbo tach driver module off the driver side fenderwell, over to the NA, then the instrument cluster to be able to have a tach. BTDT. A swapover like this can become a career!
Cruise control is a nightmare, leave that out of the swap unless you are a genius and an ace mechanic!
1971 220 (gas) 4-spd manual 106441
1979 300TD w/ ’85 turbo engine 296650 (SWAPOVER TOOK THREE YEARS)
1983 300D 243280
1985 300TD 223470
1987 300D 262300 on original #14 head and what a runner!!!!!!!!!

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

He's right, the trannies are not the same. I have both wagons. I use the 80 as my daily driver also, and like it very much. Anyone with just a turbo usually thinks the turbo's are so much better.....but they aren't; they're different.