85 turbo diesel boost - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

edge · #16 07-27-2009, 12:00 AM

Great idea, great swap. I never understood why Daimler didn't drop a diesel in the Wrangler when they owned Chrysler.

rcounts · #17 07-27-2009, 02:03 AM

AWESOME man! That is one slick looking install. The stock trans you mentioned, that is an AX-15, right? Fabbing the adapter plate out of 1/4" plate to hook the tranny and engine together seems pretty straight forward. Even locating the starter seems pretty simple, but how did you adapt the input shaft of the AX-15 manual tranny to the OM617? What clutch components did you use (pressure plate, clutch disk, throw out bearing, & clutch fork)?

yuke · #18 07-27-2009, 08:42 AM

Great looking wrangler with diesel engine.I would,nt mind owning one of them my self.I have an 85 300SD and run it on WVO.

tbomachines · #19 07-27-2009, 08:45 AM

Nice swap, thanks for posting those pictures! How much time/custom work did it take?

vlado · #20 07-27-2009, 06:07 PM

thank you guys
trans is ax-15 i fabbed stock jeep flywheel to fit engine crank and mounted it in there,that way i kept all jeep clutch components even the starter.for input bearing i used ford input bearing as the od is same as mercedes and id i drilled to fit jeep needle bearing inside of it.that way my input shaft sits as it would in jeep (perfect)

as far as custom/fab work i had to make engine mounts and weld to frame,adapter,flywheel,misc. hosses and wires.it took about 3 hard long monts to get this going as i work full time at job than come home and work full time and some overtime.

yuke if you wouldnt mind having one make me an offer i can always make another one.wouldn't it be great if you can have two cars made into one,you could save money on insurance,registration,parking space,inspections,etc + you only have to fill one tank

rcounts · #21 07-27-2009, 07:34 PM

vlado, let me see if I understood correctly.

You used the Jeep AX-15 flywheel and re-drilled the center holes to make it bolt to the OM617 crank - that part makes sense. Did you have to put some kind of spacer (the same thickness as the bellhousing to block adapter plate) between the end of the crankshaft and the flywheel to move the flywheel back enough to clear the adapter?

I'm not understanding what you are saying about the input bearing. Are you talking about the bearing on the input shaft of the transmission? Or are you talking about the pilot bearing in the flywheel where the tip of the transmission input shaft goes? Sorry, but the way you wrote it I'm all confused as to exactly what you're talking about on that part of your explanation...

ImBroke · #22 07-27-2009, 08:10 PM

If the dirty engine in the pic was the one you used, it wasn't an 85 Cali spec motor. I love the swap, they should have had diesels from the factory.

vlado · #23 07-27-2009, 08:37 PM

sorry man humidity fried my brain today at work not input bearing ,its pilot bearing.adapter plate i made is bolted to block,and merc adapter is scrapped so there was no clearence issues as it is only 5/16 plate.no spacer needed at crank to flywheel. i hope this makes sense now.

i am happy that it is not cali engine but i thought that i read somwhere that is cali engine.i dont know enough about these engines so i am learning as i go.hell i didnt even know they had egr valves on those engines till i got it.so what is the difference on cali engine?

rcounts · #24 07-27-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vlado

sorry man humidity fried my brain today at work not input bearing ,its pilot bearing.adapter plate i made is bolted to block,and merc adapter is scrapped so there was no clearence issues as it is only 5/16 plate.no spacer needed at crank to flywheel. i hope this makes sense now.

OK, now I think I get it.

The pilot bearing hole in the OM617 crank was too big for the AX-15 shaft, so you put a Ford BUSHING in it - because it was the right OD - and then you drilled the ID of the bushing out so you could fit the standard pilot bearing (a.k.a. needle bearing) for the AX-15 inside the Ford bushing? Is that right?

And by using 5/16" plate for the adapter and getting rid of the original mercedes trans adapter plate it doesn't set it back too far and the AX-15 input shaft is long enough that it is still inserted far enough into the pilot bearing to provide the needed support for the shaft?

Did you have to have the flywheel re-balanced, or match balanced to the old flex plate? Any issues with vibrations?

Dude, this swap has a LOT of promise for those around here who want to put a 5-speed in their W123. You HAVE to either start making and selling the adapter plates OR post us a CAD drawing for those who want to make one themselves. You'll be a hero!

vlado · #25 07-27-2009, 11:34 PM

well to first 2 questions you are right on money.
i didn't balance flywheel and have no vibrations whatsoever so far,only time will tell.
i am sure there are better 5 sp trans out there that could be put in w123, but is definitly doable.it just depends how far one is willing to go.
i think next one i do will be with 5 speed trans that goes behind 4 cyl jeep engine,so i can see what it does and how it handles diesel. also right now i dont have much use for fifth gear unless i run 85 + mph as it is geard high in fifth, so i have to change gear ratio in rear ends.but i think 4 cyl one should do the trick as 4 cyl run at around 2500-3000 rpm's

rcounts · #26 07-28-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vlado

well to first 2 questions you are right on money.
i didn't balance flywheel and have no vibrations whatsoever so far,only time will tell.
i am sure there are better 5 sp trans out there that could be put in w123, but is definitly doable.it just depends how far one is willing to go.
i think next one i do will be with 5 speed trans that goes behind 4 cyl jeep engine,so i can see what it does and how it handles diesel. also right now i dont have much use for fifth gear unless i run 85 + mph as it is geard high in fifth, so i have to change gear ratio in rear ends.

EXACTLY man! Having originally had the 4.2L I-6 and AX-15 in your YJ, you almost certainly have 3.07 axle gears. Put a set of 3.55 axles in that bad boy and you'll get to use 5th gear at more like 70-75 mph. With a set of 4.10 gears in there you'd be using 5th at 60-65 mph. If you wanted to go really radical you could go with 4.56 or 4.88 gears and then you could upsize your tires AND still be able to use 5th...

In a W123, with the smaller diameter tires, a 3.47 or maybe a 3.69 rear end would probably work best, but even a 3.07 would probably work quite well since the tires are only 25-26 inches in diameter (versus the 30-31 inch diameter tires on your Jeep).

vlado · #27 07-30-2009, 05:18 PM

ok,back to original problem i had.last night i instaled new boost gauge on jeep and test drove it and had 12 psi of boost.so i think this is good but still don't know specs for sure. jeep always ran good and i could hear turbo,but with old gauge i had wasn't showing much.
another thing i wanted to do is remove air cleaner and install one of those cone type filters but not sure what to do with breateher tube from valve cover and drain that goes back to oil pan.any sugjestions or opinions please.

rcounts · #28 07-30-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vlado

ok,back to original problem i had.last night i instaled new boost gauge on jeep and test drove it and had 12 psi of boost.so i think this is good but still don't know specs for sure. jeep always ran good and i could hear turbo,but with old gauge i had wasn't showing much.
another thing i wanted to do is remove air cleaner and install one of those cone type filters but not sure what to do with breateher tube from valve cover and drain that goes back to oil pan.any sugjestions or opinions please.

I'm planning on a cone filter too. My plan for the breather tube is to remove the whole oil vapor separator assembly out of the air cleaner, mount it permanently it on top of the drain tube that goes back to the pan, then run a hose from the vapor output of the separator (the pipe with the 90* elbow on the end that points down into the air cleaner) to a fitting installed in the side of the intake pipe that connects the turbo inlet to the cone filter.

That way you retain the function of the oil vapor separator - putting the oil back into the pan - and you still vent your crankcase gasses back into the intake the way Mercedes intended. I've seen an external separator that came on some of the early NA 240D's - but only in pictures, and I get the impression they are kind of hard to find.