I was wondering if some kind soul out there could give me the horsepower rating for the following engine? 1978 Series 123, Model 240D, 147 Cubic Inch, 4 Cylinder. Thanks in advance for any info that you may be able to provide!
Attached photo is said engine (now running) in front of my '83 300D (still running).

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My 1976 240/300D owners manual rates the 240 @ 62 net bhp. This is non turbo

With 62 HP, that should be a really fast four wheel cart considering it's light weight!

If you were to put the later 123, 616 motor on it, it would be even faster, they went all the way up to a whopping 67 HP.

Have a great day,

In about 20 years, when the rest of the 240D rusts away, this is what you'll have left - a running 240D engine!



Ken300D

My 300D is listed at a phenominal 77 hp. People who ride with me are amazed when I tell them. The combination of power and gearing make for a very smooth running auto. I saw an add for a car last night, forgot the brand (American sedan) that boasted 255HP. YIKES!!

In a diesel the HP rating is misleading. The torque peak is typically at a lower RPM, decreasing the HP rating which is a function of torque(force) as related to time.

Have a great day,

primemover,

Are you generating electricity with that engine?

I thought it would be fun to rescue a diesel engine from a junkyard and get it running. The Mercedes engine proved to be the right one, as it took a minimum amount of work to get it going. I am currently testing my 70 cent per gallon homemade biodiesel fuel in this engine. If I come across a used generator head (cheap), I will definitely be able to build a sizeable electrical power plant. Thanks to everyone for your replies!

What do you think the best RPM generator head would be? 3600 or 1800 rpm?

You could get some pretty good wattage with 72 hp too.



Ken300D

Well, a HP is about 750 watts. (Yes, your wife uses a 2HP hair dryer every morning...) So a 616 could produce about 45K watts, not taking into account inefficiencies in converting mechanical energy to electrical. That's enough for 3 modern homes, perhaps 4 if they're not too large.

You want a generator with 1800 rpm speed. Your engine will last much longer. The cheap generators run at 3600 rpms.

The problem I see with hooking a car engine to a generator is getting a governor. Without a governor, the engine will not be able to maintain proper voltage at greater loads, and your lights will dim.

I suppose a cruise control unit could do the job of a governor.