Converting SLS mechanical pump to electric
 

I know it's been done. Does anyone have any information on the procedure?

- Can anyone recommend a suitable pump for the job?
- What sort of volume does the new electric pump have to move?
- How much pressure should the pump be able to handle?
- Where is the best place to wire it into the electrical system of the car?

I'm looking at dropping a 300D motor into my 300TD, the way I seem to go through them it would be a hell of a lot easier to be able to drop the ever so plentiful 300D motors in when I need to rather than hunting forever for 300TD motors. Plus I can almost always get the 300D motor for about 1/3 that of a 300TD!

It's been discussed on here in the past, but to my knowledge no one on the forum has done it. I remember someone claiming that it would not be possible to get the kind of horsepower electric motor necessary to produce the high pressures of the system operating on 12 volts. (or something similar to that)
I've always wondered why MB didn't use the power steering pump to power the system.

On my 87 300TD they use whats called the 'tandem pump'... that piggy backs on the power steering pump. 2 for 1 kinda thing. They are still separate oil circuits though.

There is a thread somewhere where somebody had an electric pump mounted on the passenger side fenderwell up under the hood. I'll do a little searching while I have some time.....

Can that pump be retrofitted to a 123TD?? Seems better than an electric one.

that would be awesome if there were a way to retrofit a 124 sls/ps pump onto a 300d motor, but some how I think it sounds too good to be true.:(

I found this photo of an electrical conversion, but can't seem to get any info out of the car owner about the pump, voltage/pressure/volume/manufacture/etc... it's not that he's not willing to communicate, just that he bought the car with the pump installed and doesn't know anything about it really.
However it is a very inspiring photo!

THAT is the pic/setup that I was talking about......

I know this is an old post but anyone every find that pump?

Or convert a 124 ps/sls pump to a 123?

so i have the same type pump now and it KINDA works not too sure how well bu it does....can anyone else help out?

Help out how?? You haven't given us any information really......;)

I would think most any 12v hydraulic power unit would work, provided it's small enough to mount where you need it to. Trouble is that they're usually pretty expensive. Try looking at ebay for man-lift power units, snow plow pumps or lift gate pumps. You may also check out power tilt/trim units from boats.

They would also need to be rated for the always-working SLS. Many 12V pumps only have a duty cycle of a few minutes to an hour.

I didn't realize it runs all the time. I would think a SLS would only adjust to maintain an "average" ride height so that it's not constantly adjusting every time you go over a bump.