I have a newer 240d engine (1996) that I am trying to put into my 1978 240d. I have found differences that I have been able to work around as far as positioning of different components. I am having problems with the wiring harness and glow plug system...will the Bosh kit# 0250201901 remedy my wiring problems? I am having a tough time finding answers for this. Also if anyone else knows of any other problems I may run into further down the line I would love a "heads up"....thanks.

edit: I forgot if it matters the car is a euro that its going into...

Where did you find a 1996 240D engine? I assume it's an OM616?

I purchased (om616) it from a gentlemen who had an '82 that he babied. He totaled the car and had the engine in storage hoping to transplant it. The shop he was keeping it at told him it was time to go so he sold it to me for a VERY reasonable price. I had just inherited my 240d (78) and it has only 99k miles on it, but the engine overheated and my (friend) mechanic told me to just buy this one versus a rebuild. So we get into it and realize some positioning differences that we've worked through, but the wiring is different. I have been doing A LOT of reading on this forum and feel confident I just need to buy the glow plug kit and it should solve my problems...but I'm concerned there might be bigger problems ahead that I am unaware of.

Just looking for a little advice...

If it was me I'd treat the new engine like a longblock. Use manifolds and throttle linkage from the '78, especially without having the entire '82 car for doing a side-by-side. The newer engine has an EGR complete with wiring harness, vacuum lines and sensors of its own. No such nonsense built into the '78 240D. And firewall throttle linkage on the recipient car is entirely different from what the '82 engine is designed to accomodate. Yes, deffinitely treat it like a longblock and use manifolds and linkage components from the recipient car. You will probly have to plug the oil separator sump pipe hole on the '82 engine too. The '78 valve cover breather pipe mainlines direct to the intake on earlier manifold setups.

And then when you've got the '82 longblock installed with components and hookups to fit the '78 recipient car, the bosch glow plug upgrade kit will be the last of your worries - probly the easiest part of the entire operation.

Thanks for the tips and the heads up. This is turning out to be a lot more than we expected. Now I'm wondering if I should just have the other engine rebuilt and sell the new one.

it sounds as if the dog is right on.

dont be discouraged all that he listed can be done in a day i would think.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yeah, it's not that big a deal - more like common sense and a day's work especially if you've got help.

Gotta be a little bit suspicious of rebuilds as opposed to original Stuttgart build even if it's already got 150k+ miles. For example, nobody who rebuilds the MB engine ballances the pistons and flywheel to perfectly match the crankshaft.

And dont be scared even if you've never done an engine swap before. On the 240D you can turn most of the bell housing bolts from reaching over the fender. Hell, the 4cyl 240D engine in the w123 chassis is such a piece of cake you could probly do the entire swap with a come-along from a tree branch. The engine bay is huge - designed to carry 6 cyl 280 twincam fuel injected engines.

Meanwhile it's just the engine and not the tranny, right?? This is important because MB changed 4-spd shifter linkage all the way to the gear shift knob when they went to single/combined gear box and bell housing units somewhere around '82-'83. In short, trannies from around '83 compared with earlier versions are NOT interchangable without going all the way to the shifter inside the car, a royal pain in the ass.

Wow thanks guys for the encouragement and suggestions I will talk with my mechanic bud tomorrow who is doing most of the job. The problem is he doesn't work on diesels and is doing this with me as a favor. He got nervous when he started looking at the hook ups and how they were different. I am going to pass on this info from you guys to see what else he needs.

The donor engine has a tranny still attached, but apparently the tail shaft housing was broken in the accident. I wasn't sure if I was going to try and use it or not. I do believe there was a tranny swap done once upon a time. I know where that tranny came from or if it was from a MBZ dealer, I will have to look into it. The car has literally been parked and not moved for 15 years as it was my grandma's and she got too old to drive it and I just inherited it.

Is there anywhere you guys would suggest I go to find diagrams or manuals that could help this journey on its way?

Thanks again for the help!!!!!