Need Engine Test Stand Inputs

[rs899]

I talked myself into going to the boneyard to pick up a spare OM617.95x in a W126 with 151K miles to use as a backup for my two 617s. I am getting nervous about the attrition rate of these engines as backyard WVO/biodeselers do their noble experiments.

Anyway , I located a promising candidate and will check it over a bit better to see that it has some compression etc.

The yard has a 30 day warranty policy, so I intend to take it home and install it into my 300D parts car (which has no engine or tranny) and crank it up. I also want to keep it in situ and keep starting it occasionally to keep it healthy.

Question is- what is the minimum I need to bolt onto the rear end to get it started? Can I just leave the flex plate on there? Should I bolt up a 240D/manual tranny flywheel? Will the starter shear the back of the adapter plate without a transmission there? Do I really need to tie down the tranny end of the engine to a rear mount?

Anybody done something like this?

Rick