I have a complete 300SD donor car with a really ugly body. I am considering purchasing a 350SD with a (shocker) blown motor. I believe that it can be done with the donor car that I have. It is currently one of my drivers. The 350SD has an immaculate body. The 300SD has a solid drivetrain but a worn suspension and, as I mentioned before, an ugly body. I believe the vehicle has over 400,000 miles on it. (odo died at about 330,000 before I got it and I have owned it for two years) Given the fact that they are both 126 can I take the parts needed from the 300SD to the 350SD as I go? I appreciate all constructive replies. Thanks.

First, there is no 350 SD that I know of, only the 350 SDL. Is your donor a 300SDL with a 6 cyl 603, or a 300SD with a 5 cyl 617?

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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

Hhhm I was pretty sure that there was such a thing as a 350 SD.... I could be wrong. For discussions sake I will assume that we are talking about a 350SDL. (I could have sworn it said SD on the back tag) The donor car is a 5cyl. 1984 300SD.

this is the type of vehicle I am talking about. (of course not the actual one.)

http://austin.craigslist.org/car/663318564.html

There was a W126 350SD, actually.

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition, "Tiffany," - Black/Black Cloth - 75K miles, Jetta #6; my faithful, turbocharged, BBS-adorned sled

SOLD 3/08 1981 Mercedes Benz 300D, "Elise" - Astral Silver/Black M.B. Tex - 217K miles - I miss her everyday; the best-built car I've owned

I think that was the one that was only sold as a 1990 MY? one of those later models either the 350SD or the 350SDL was only sold for one year. the other was sold in 90 & 91.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

As far as the conversion goes, its pretty straight forward I think, you will have to ditch alot of the electronics from the 350 motor, It will bolt in with the exception of one of the engine shock mounts, (it will be on the wrong side for your 84 300 sd. If you swap engine and trans together it will work ok.

Problem could arrive when emissions finds out you put an older engine into a newer car, however if that is not a concern, the actually time to do the sway should be about a weekend.


you shouldnt run into many issue, since you have both cars.

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1984 Euro 300SDC, (4spd standard)
1986 Toyota Landcruiser Diesel HJ60 5spd X2

Gone but not forgotten (some sold, some stripped)
1983 300 SD, 1985 300 SD, 1983 240D, 1986 300 SDL, 1985 300 SDL, 1983 300 D, 1984 300 D, 1985 300SD, 1987 300 SDL, 1983 300 SD, 1985 300 TD Euro, 1983 380SEC, 1990 300 D, 1987 300D, 1982 300D, 1982 300D, 1994 E420, 1987 300 TD, 1987 300 D, 1984 300 D

Agreed. The 350SD was only offered in 1990. The SDL was offered in both 1990 and 1991

You mean the 350.

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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.

Actually according to Wikipedia, the 350SD was only available in '91.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W126

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

The Worldpac parts catalog agrees with this statement.

Then of course in 1992 they started calling them 300SD again but put the 350 engine in. That's the one that has baffled me more than any other naming issue.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Might be one of those name recognition things again. Someone looking for a replacement to their then 10 year old 126 300SD would feel more confident buying a new version of their beloved 300SD, instead of a "different" 350SD. Could also be that they changed over to the 140 in 92.

They did the same thing with the 300D 2.5T. Instead of calling it the 250DT like they do in the rest of the world, they were banking on the 123 300D's name reputation in the US to sell more cars. 250D also probably looked too similar to 240D which was the low end model for years. By this time the 190D/E had taken over that position, and they might have thought us stupid Americans would get confused

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Dale

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1...MG_2277sig.jpg

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo -155k
2000 E430 - 103k
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel 4x4 - 11k
2014 VW Passat TDI SE - 7k Bro's Diesel
2006 E320 CDI - 128k Pop's Benz

Pre-glow - A moment of silence in honor of Rudolph Diesel

A 617 in a later sdl is a very attractive car to me.

Heck I even have a spare 617 turbo lurking in my basement garage!

How hard could it be to find a nice 350sdl with a bad motor?

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.

Yep..........thanks...........no mind left anymore..........

So the consensus would be that it would not be a catastrophic failure? Emissions are not a problem in my state as Diesels are emissions exempt. How about the ignition switch? Will the 350 harness hook up to it?