replacement for om617

[whelanrob]

Hi
I badly need some more power in my 300GD 1982, w460.
It has a normally aspirated om617
The turbo version, om617a, is very hard to find here in Ireland as they weren't fitted in rhd vehicles.
Possibilities include;
Normally aspirated om603, 6 cyl 12 valve, as in later w463 300gd's, but this doesn't promise a major power hike
Normally aspirated om606, 6 cyl 24 valve, as in '95 e300d, at around 140 bhp this should be more than adequate, but can it fit a Gwagen with relative ease.
Turbo 250, 5 cylinder as in c class cars from mid nineties, (not sure whether available in the states), around 150 bhp.
I think I can get a '95 om606 engine and box from an e class car very cheap, so this is my preferred option at the moment. Does anyone know if it is essentially the same engine as the om603 except for the obvious different heads. Or are there many other differences. Does it incorporate more electronics/technology than the 603. I am hoping that as the om603's can be fitted to G's, that om606's if not too different can be fitted pretty easily too
All advise appreciated
Bob

[hawthorne90250]

Hi
Sorry i cannot help welcome to the forum i am originally from Galway myself.

[whelanrob]

In Clare myself,
I have a sister in LA, I love visiting there

[t walgamuth]

there is a problem with the exhaust and the steering box on rhd?

none of the engines you listed will bolt up where a 617 is i dont think. if you want to go thru an adapter scenario then you can prob use whatever you want. of those the 606 i think is generally the most well regarded for reliability and power out put.

i am assuming that none of the turbo motors willl work because of the steering box.

another possibility is to substitute a rack on your steering and then use the 617 turbo motor which is generally regarded as pretty bulletproof. this might be simpler than adapting a later motor. the later motors use some electronics to run the fuel managment and will require some adapting electrically (this being a weak area for me it is intimidating).

good luck

btw do you all drink green beer all the time in ireland? or just on st paddies day?

tom w

[whelanrob]

thanks Tom,
yes, there seems to be an issue with rhd and exhausts on the turbo version engines, yet I have seen it successfully done by a few individuals, on the net.
My problem is the lack of availability of donors.Turbo 617a's are extremely rare here, otherwise it would be my first choice.
I have a possibility of a cheap om606 normally aspirated but am worried about the complexity
I actually have never seen green beer here, black is the most popular by a mile

[t walgamuth]

the green beer reference is my little joke. in the us all the bars serve green beer on st paddies day. it is not surprising that in ireland you never heard of it!

i dont know how hard it would be to ship a motor over there for you. the 617 turbos are fairly plentiful here. they bolt in where a non turbo went. course a lot of things are different including the exhaust system but that would be the simplist thing considering all that is different with the later motors, i think.

tom w

[whelanrob]

yea a 617 turbo would be great, but the shipping would be a nightmare I would think

[t walgamuth]

but i think you can ship a whole car for 1500 or so, us.

also you might find a sympathetic canadian and that exchange might be simpler since you are both uk (right?)

tom w

[d.delano]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

also you might find a sympathetic canadian and that exchange might be simpler since you are both uk (right?)

tom w

Um... Canada is not part of the UK- it's in North America, on the western side of the Atlantic, if that's what you were asking. The Republic Of Ireland is not part of the UK either. Northern Ireland is.

[t walgamuth]

if i insult. i DO know where canada and ireland are but i am admittedly a bit confused about the meaning of the term uk. i thought it was something like a commonwealth designation. but maybe ireland is not in the commonwealth anymore.

of course the us is not either!

tom w