Well ive finally started it. I have a MINT 86 420 SEL with a bad motor. I bought an 82 300 SD in the junkyard with 183 K on the enigine. I'm going to strip the car in the yard and bring everything home and convert the 420 into a diesel. I know it wont be easy but i am set on doing it. I want a 126 long wheel base with the 617 diesel engine. Wish me luck!

Sounds excellent!! The 1986 420SEL had one of the crappiest engines in MB history, now nearly extinct as ALL of em blew their heads.

Good luck with the conversion. If it was me I'd be mostly worried about complicated vacuum lines for heat, doors, etc on the POS 420SEL. Everything else along with 300D ignition switch oughta be piece of cake.

I think you may have a screw loose. That seems like an awful bunch of work. Why don't you just sell what you have and buy an SDL?

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Cool! Good luck. Post pictures along the way.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I would if they ever put the 5cylinder in the SDL i dont want the 6 cylinder

Same here, I don't think I'd want the SDL just because of the 603. I am a 617 man.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

This is the first I've heard of the M117 4.2L V8 being a bad engine. Have any proof?

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

They sure aren't extinct in California. You couldn't throw a glowplug in a parking lot without hitting one here...

Strange, I see more 420SELs around than 560SELs or 300SE/Ls...



You guys that like the 617 need to drive, then you'll want to own a 603 powered car. I love my L.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

There's no problem particular w/ the 420SELs. They do not have the M117s, but rather the small block M116 engines. The 380SELs they replaced had engine problems because they received single row timing chains for a couple of years. Otherwise, the M116 are a long lived as any other Mercedes gasser engine of the time. All the V-8s stretch their chains after a while, and if ignored can lead to broken rails, etc.

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Tjohn

82 300 SD
77 450 SL (gone)

I have nothing against the 603 really... Im sure they drive nice and have lots of power but im so in love with the 617. I know it, know were i can get parts for it. The only thing i long for is self-adjusting valves.

Notorious head benders, thats what they are. MB retooled the head and made it too thin for the 420SEL alone. Common knowledge they rarely see 200k miles without blowing a gasket and bending the heads.

But if somebody is looking for a decent MB body shell with blown engine (uncommon to find) then 420SEL's are the way to go.

I'll hold out for my grandmother's 420SEL then. It has ~280k miles now and will still light up the tires. Good thing her car doesn't know that it is on borrowed time

Good luck with the project. Be sure to post pics.

-Tad

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

I also see a lot of 420's driving around just fine....I doubt its a "bad" engine....I never see 500's/300's or 380's though. 90% of the time its 420's or 560's around here....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Any one know if the rear end in the 86 420 and 82 300 SD are the same? I suspect they are different and need to be changed