Should be a nice set-up. I worked for UPS for 30 years and "Bang Shifted" alot of NP435's. That is a TOUGH trans.It is also very easy to rebuild. It is also an easy trans to clutchless shift if you have to. I had an old 1970 Ford powered UPS package car for 3 years on a route I had and used to shift it all the time without the clutch...Up or Down shift. The same trans was in it when it went to the CRUSHER in 1996!

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My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

Willard, the NP435 transmission I’ve adapted to the 240D Mercedes bell housing came out of a 1-ton Chevy pickup. I was shocked to find that the input shaft on the NP435 was exactly the right length and the OD end fit the ID of the Mercedes pilot bearing perfectly with no modifications.

I’ve already removed the original flywheel/torque converter from the engine and if I remember correctly there is a small mark indented in both the crank and flywheel where they line up. It’s been a while since I worked on this rig so some of these things are kind of fuzzy.

Lance, you said “The turbo does not use vacuum for fuel control, it uses boost pressure”. Is the boost pressure coming from the manifold? I’m welding the 300D firewall and floor pan into my 56’ Willys body and wondering if there a control module for this under the hood.

I’ve attached a picture of the NP435 transmission adapted to the 240D bell housing on my 300D turbo engine. This transmission and the 205 transfer case are the ones of choice for most 4 wheelers. The ease of adapting this with no transmission modifications is pretty slick!

[IMG] [/IMG]

Attached Thumbnails

 

All you basically need to make it work is a pressure line going from the intake manifold to the ALDA on the injection pump.

If you want the overboost protection system to work properly, use the stock overboost valve (found on the firewall by the brake booster), supply it with a fused positive power source and connect the negative side to the switch on the intake manifold. If boost goes past 16psi, the switch will complete the circuit, vent boost signal to the ALDA and reduce fuel to non-turbo levels until boost comes down.

The flywheel mark is not mechanically marked anyplace you can see with the fw on the crank. We found a very faint mating mark on th emating surfaces of the crank and flywheel on my 84 280e.

It seems most of the cranks and flywheels are neutrally balanced, in my experience about 75%, but the factory service manual specifies match balanceing when replacing flywheels because a certain percentage are balanced crank and flywheel together.

I suggest checking the fw from the engine that you are using for balance. If it is neutral you just need to be sure the one you put on the engine is neutral too.

don't skip this step....if you happen to have one that is not neutrally balanced and you install a neutral fw it will shake your teeth out!

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.

use [IMG]your url here [/IMG]


And thanks for the info on the NP435 that is a good thing to know.

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Implanting a OM617.951 into a Old Series Land Rover.

Thanks for the info on the over boost protection system. It’s going be a bit before I need to figure this out, as I'm still working on getting the rig to a rolling chassis stage. I’m in process right now of boxing in the frame using frame rails from another Willys, with top and bottom rail flanges cut off.

Once this is done I’ll get my 2-1/2” spring hangers welded on and mount the axels. I’m using an 8 lug narrowed Corporate 14 Bolt in the rear with disk brakes. The front is a narrowed Dana 44, also with 8 lugs and disk brakes. I’ve got military HUMVEE bead locks going on it with 35” tires.

If the heavier 300 flywheel gives me more torque off the line, I think I’m going start looking for one. With heavy duty 1-ton axels and 35” tires I agree that the beefier the better. Last weekend we did a 15 mile trail that took 8 hours to run and I rarely ever got out of 1st gear. Torque is good!

Tom you said “It seems most of the cranks and flywheels are neutrally balanced”. What does this mean and how do I know if it is or isn’t? Is this something I need to know that’s different from what the other folks are saying about “Match Balancing” the new flywheel off the old flywheel?

Hey MB300, I'm glad I stumbled on this thread....I've been looking for you after reading a post on another board. I'm doing something very simillar to you in a truck I'm building right now. I like the look of your adapter and am going to do something simillar.

I'm using a NP435 out of a Ford for the low first gear. I've got an early 240D bellhousing and depending on the length of the input shafts I may just add a plate like you did or I may have to cut the back of the bellhousing out and make a plate to weld in there. I'm using a Ford NP435 which has a low-ratio first gear (6:68) but has a shorter input shaft then your Chevy box. The whole mess is going in an old Land Rover and a friend makes an adapter to mate the NP435 to the Land Rover transfer case. Should be a solid combo when it's done.

I also make an adapter plate to mate the 616/617 to a Land Rover tranny. I've got a 616 in the Land Rover I have now. http://www.seriestrek.com

If anyone else is interested in doing this, I'm going to start producing adapter plates that will mount the more common Ford NP435 to a 616/617 using a common bellhousing. This bellhousing will be too large to use in my Land Rover but will be perfect of guys wanting this engine in a Jeep/International/Blazer, etc. I'm leaving for vacation on Saturday (driving my old Land Rover to Caniapiscau!) so it'll be a while before these adapters are ready. Expect them sometime in late August or September.

Jim

Jim:

I’m starting to run into more and more people either working on this adaptation, or thinking about it. When I started my project several years ago, I just thought it made a lot of sense, but I’d never heard of anyone else doing it. I have multiple car projects going that I bounce back and forth on, depending on boredom levels. This one has been sitting half done with no attention until just recently and I’m pretty much back on this project exclusively.

The NP435 was made by New Process from 1964 to 1993 and are found primarily in Ford trucks from 1966 to 1992 and Dodge trucks from 1964 to 1993. They also had limited distribution in GM & Chevy trucks from 1968-1972. The difference between the various truck makes is the gear ratio and the input shaft length and number of splines. Most hardcore 4X4 guys use this transmission in concert with the equally rugged NP205 transfer case.

I understanding both the Ford and Chevy NP435s have 10 spline input shafts that stick out from the front face of the transmission 6-1/2". I’m not sure if the diameter is the same. The Dodge is a 23 spline with an 8-3/8" shaft. With the shortage of used Chevy NP435s, the Ford one is probably the one to base a production adapter on, particularly with the longer shaft needed for the 240D bell housing, but I don’t think it fits the Mercedes pilot bearing.

This is nothing a new pilot bearing won’t fix! My NP205 is a divorced transfer case and while rebuilding the NP435 I’m going to convert it to a married case to give me less of an angle on the drive shaft, which is pretty short. Out of 18 cars I current own, 11 are vintage / classic Mercedes, the others are fairly unique 4x4 trucks, which include two 40’s Dodge Power Wagons, 58’ Chevy NAPCO 1-ton, several Willys Utility Wagons and others.

I belong to other forums related to these trucks and you find a lot of interest the 300D engine, particularly in the vintage Dodge Power Wagon community. Most diesel conversions use the Cummings and they’re looking for alternatives. With many good used 300D engines available, I would suspect a guy could make a pretty good living building a business to supply conversion kits to these enthusiasts, much in the same way Novak and Advance Adapters have.

I’ve been reluctant to spend much time and money on my project for lack of anywhere to go for technical help, but with the great support from folks in this forum, the weekend gear head could get all the tech support he’d ever need. I’ve been a member here less than a week and learned more about my conversion I ever dreamed possible. You’ve all given me renewed interest in getting it done and on the road again and I really want to thank you guys!

MB300se65

What specific questions do you have? It is all the same concept, but if you get lucky and have a neutrally balanced crank on your engine and a neutrally balanced fw available you can skip the match balancing. Just checking for neutrality is much simpler. My machinist can just bolt it onto his crank balancer and give it a spin. If it is neutral or not will be determined in a matter of seconds.

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.

Guess who made the adapter for my Rover (MercedesRover ) This is a great looking product and if he makes one for the Ford NP435 this will also be a fantastic product. Jim is very helpful on the whole thing as well.
Have a great drive in Canada Jim.

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Implanting a OM617.951 into a Old Series Land Rover.

Hi Jim,

An adapter to a readily available 5 speed that would fit the tunnel of the W123 would really interest me.

So would an adapter to put the 617 motor on a TH700 tranny.

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Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

Like MB300 has said, the Ford/Dodge version of the NP435 is the most common and the one everyone uses.

Here are my plans:

1) I’m going to make an adapter similar to MB300’s that will utilize an early 240D bell housing, use the Mercedes flywheel, pressure plate that throw-out mechanism. It will consist of the adapter and a custom pilot shaft bushing. I’ll be using this adapter for my purposes as I’m limited for room in the transmission tunnel of the Land Rover I’m building.

2) I’m also going to make an adapter that will replace the aluminum plate that bolts between the Mercedes engine and transmission. This plate will match a particular Jeep bell housing made for the optional T176 transmission in the years between ’80 and ’86. The T176 tranny has the same bolt pattern as the NP435. This will eliminate the need to locate a 240D bell housing in favor of the more common Jeep one. It will use the Mercedes flywheel and pressure plate but the more common (to US trucks) mechanical throw-out mechanism or an aftermarket hydraulic system. It will consist of the adapter plate and a custom pilot shaft bushing. This Jeep bell housing is rather large at almost 18” in diameter and is probably too big for some applications, but for the Jeep, International, Blazer guys it will be fine.

From the NP435 the choice of transfer cases is almost unlimited. The trannys are cheap and plentiful, have great ratios and one of the strongest units you can buy.

I’m not sure what clutch disk will be used yet. On the first truck I built with a 616 engine and Land Rover transmission the Rover input shaft fit the Mercedes clutch disk after two strokes with a file to the deep side of the splines on the disc.

I have 617 engine, a 240D flywheel, 240D bell housing, Jeep bell housing and an NP435 sitting here in front of me. Now, I’m all hot on working on this truck I’m building and have got the design plans started for these adapters.

Here’s the trouble…I’m leaving Saturday for an expedition to Caniapiscau in northern Quebec with my old Land Rover and will be gone for the month of July. I will be out of email and computer range for almost all of that time. It’ll be August or September before I get these things made.

If you’re curious, there’s a picture below of where I’m going. We’re taking the Route-Du-Nord up to Radisson and then the Trans-Taiga out to Caniapiscau. It’ll be about 4000 miles, over 1000 miles on gravel roads. My wife and I are doing the trip solo and I have all confidence in the little 616 engine!

I’ll be around until Saturday so I’ll check back on this threat before we leave.

I’m excited about this conversion and I think it’s just what people have been looking for. Good news for us off-roaders but bad news for the Mercedes purists as more uses are found for these great engines.

Jim

I’m still a bit unsure what naturally balanced means. Is this a flywheel that came out of the original manufacturing process already in-balance, without ever needing any additional post balancing adjustments? Lance, you said “The heavier 300 flywheel gives more torque off the line” and with the type of driving this rig is going to be used for torque is good!

What years and European Mercedes models offered the 300D with a stick shift and where would I go in these forums to find a good used one? Also, can someone tell me what the outside diameter is of the clutch friction plate is for this flywheel? I’m concerned the 8” 240D one is going to disintegrate under abusive conditions and the bigger the better!

Jim, it sounds like you and I have been pursuing a very similar path to make this conversion work for off-road vehicles. Welding the 300D firewall and front floor plan into my Willys body is going to allow me to transfer everything under the hood in the Mercedes to my truck, so when my hood is open it should look identical to the engine compartment of the 300D.

Many of the guys I run trail with have awesome rigs chassis and interior wise, but put old beat up bodies on them so the trail rash won’t destroy them cosmetically. One in particular I like is a 60’s vintage Chevy truck that looks like it should be heading for the crusher, but the chassis and drive train are all state of the art heavy duty 1-ton Chevy with a Corvette engine.

Its pretty funny to watch some kid at a gas station open the hood to check the oil and watch his hair get blown back when he sees the engine and compartment, which is almost 100% chrome. I’m planning on keeping my Willys primer red, with all polished aluminum and chromed steel in the engine compartment and adapt a late model Mercedes ML interior into it.

Do I understand correctly the Land Rover you’re taking on this trip has the 616 engine in it? If so, you may want to consider taking lots of pictures and submitting a written article of the trip to Petersen’s 4X4 Magazine. They’ve contacted me in the past to do an article on this conversion, which I’m not ready to do, but they could potentially pay for your excursion.

Jerry (aka MB300se65)

"Neutrally" balanced means a flywheel that has an equal weight all the way around. In other words, one side of the flywheel isn't heavier than the opposite side to compensate for the rest of the rotating mass. A good many of these flywheels are neutral but some aren't, so you can't count on it. Don't bother trying to find a Euro 617 manual flywheel...Find yourself a 616 manual flywheel and take that and the automatic flywheel off your engine to a speed shop and have them match the 616 flywheel to the balance of the 617. If you've marked the 617 auto flywheel before you removed it, Bob's yer uncle. You're done. You have a manual-shift flywheel balanced to your engine.

And yes, you are understanding me correctly. The Land Rover I drive is powered by a 616 engine. I did the conversion in 1999 and have been driving it around ever since. It did a "Border to Border" trip in the Rockies back in 2000 and in '05 we took it up to Newfoundland and Labrador. It's proven to be very reliable and fuel efficient as well. It gets 25mpg at top speed and a good deal better driving the slow roads.

I submitted and had published an article about the Labrador trip to Land Rover Monthy which was published both in their North American edition as well as the edition sold world-wide. Here's a link to the article: http://www.seriestrek.com/LRM%20Article.html

We are leaving Saturday for Caniapiscau in the same truck. It's as remote of a place you can drive to in North America and I'm not worried a bit about this little truck and it's great engine. I plan on writting another article for submission to a new magazine called Overland Journal. With any luck that will get published as well.

Here's a picture of the truck on the Trans-Labrador Highway.



jim

ok no idea how MB does it with balance
but GM uses a small weight on the flex-plate [ring gear thing] on unbalanced
motors
and never ever has a tork-converter balanced or position sencitive
they just line up the bolts without worrying where as they all are "Neutrally" balanced
so yes the tork-converter acts as a weight =flywheel but is never part of the balance

so see if the ring gear = flex-plate has added bits or drilled balance [removed]
and do the new flywheel to match and you should be good to go

btw many racers use aftermarket flywheels custom made to their spec
for about $300 to 500 us D if the euro MB part is cheaper fine use it
if not custom maybe the way to go
that also can be used to make up space for adpters thickness
or a nonstock trans or clutch

the above riff is based on hotrod swaps of chevy V8's into darn near every kind of car
and fiero swaps with auto only GM motors swaped in to manual cars needing custom flywheels like the buick 3800 supercharged v6 motor or the caddy northstar V8 dohc 4v