To do a climate control swap, the dash would probably need to be removed on both cars. The entire wire harness would need to be swapped (or just the pertinent wiring). It is a big job to just remove the wire harness, let alone re-installing one. It is doable, but you may just be better off putting the 617 in the 240.

yes I read the writeup in the resources section about swapping to manual climate control. Yikes.
What all is involved with putting the om617 in the 240?
Can't find as much info on that one. I know some people here and on STD have done it.
I would have to swap axles and switch speedos and instrument cluster...
I've heard motor mounts bolt right up...

I have done a couple of swaps from 616 to 617 motors. It is all bolt in. It takes time but not much money if you start with two complete cars.

For myself to do a swap the car swapping to would have to be pretty rust free to make it worth it.

The're gettting harder to find nowadays but they are still out there.;)

I am lucky to be in Southern Arizona, where things only get rusty if you pour water on them and beat them with hammers on a regular basis...
Don't you have to move the trans mount back to accomodate the longer motor and shorten the front drive shaft?
Also, how does one go about match-balancing the flywheel with the flexplate from the existing auto trans?
I read it's better to remove the trans from the car and bolt them together, then put them back in as a unit?
I am working with only hand tools and help from friends. I will have to farm out the balancing, driveshaft shortening, and pilot bearing machining (donor motor is an 85).

If you put the 4 speed in the car along with the 5 cyl engine, yes you will need to do everything that is needed to be done with an auto to manual swap. Driveshaft and shift rods will need to be shortened, pedal assembly and shifter swapped, and maybe the flywheel balanced. Many of these swaps have been done successfully without balancing the flywheel, but you will need to decide for yourself what is best for you. At minimum, I would mark the flywheel on the 4 cyl with the engine at TDC, and install the flywheel on the 5 cyl with it at TDC as well. Doing it this way couldn't hurt, but it is a gamble whenever a swap like this is done. It may not cause any vibration, but then it may rattle your teeth out!

I took a look at the 240d and decided it would be easier to swap the motor into that car instead of the trans and dash into the 300d.
Hopefully will start soon.

Curb Weights
 

I looked up curb weights for both cars, and the 300D Turbo comes in at 3500lbs, the 240D manual comes in at just over 3000lbs.
that seems like quite a difference.
Plus I will be lightening things such as removing back seat, bumpers, no A/C, etc. which adds up to more than the extra 100lbs of the OM617. (I weighed it all)
I expect this should help in the mpg department, especially in city driving.
35mpg would be oh so nice...Plus it will keep me from eyeing that crx down the street so much...:)

The difference in weight is probably the Turbo, the extra cylinder, and the automatic trans. also the sunroof.

Both cars are a w123, so things are pretty much plug and play.

You will need a tranmission X mount from a 240D automatic. It is a wider plate and uses 2 holes on each side to mount to the body, compared to the X mount used with a 240D manual that uses only one mounting hole on each side.

The peddle assy for both cars are the same, except the one with the clutch peddle has a longer shaft for the the peddle to hang on.

You will have to find a Drive Line shop that knows how, or will do the shortening of the shaft. not all shops will or can do the MB shafts. you will need the front 240D shaft and have it shortened.
I had the U-joints changed after I did my swap, so that added an additional cost. should have had the joints replaced at the same time, probably would have been cheaper. they also replaced the center support bearing and replaced the bushings in the ends of the shaft.
when we shortened the shaft the joints seemed ok, just notchy, then later on while chassing down some vibrations etc... the joint seemed loose....go figure...

You will need to make sure the crank is marked and the auto FW before removing it. then have the Manual FW matched balanced to the auto FW. the only place I found around here that could do it was a Hot Rod shop that modifies and builds Hot Rods. most machine shops will balance it, but couldn`t match balance. then have the manual FW marked so you can mount it back on the crank in the same location as the auto FW.

5 spd manual transmissions are around for the W201 and W124, but the starter is on the wrong side for the W123. you could do as Dropnosky did over in STD and do the slice and dice welding project and build a 5-spd.
But if swapping in a manual CC from a 240D into a turbo diesel W123 is too much work, you won`t want to tackle the tran project.

Have fun on your project. If you enjoy the challenge, then it is not work. work is for the things you don`t want to do.

Charlie

Charmalu since you have the '85 4spd, who did you get to machine the pilot bearing? Same shop as the drive line stuff?

Just use the regular pilot bearing, stick it in a very cold freezer overnight, let the flywheel sit in the bright sun till mid morning, get a heavy shop hammer and a heavy duty deep socket like 7/8 or 15/16th. Measure the socket in the bore so that it will go in and will go all the way. Make a mark on the socket so you will know when it is all the way. OK, grab that bearing out of the freezer, keep it cold in gloved hand, get it set in the bore and after about six good swats with that shop hammer it will be in there good, and it works wonderful. I know cause that is how mine went in. If you buy a good bearing you will never have to replace it.

Well I have a replacement engine after the timing chain took out the 85 engine.
I bought a Metric Motors engine, they used an earlier crank when building up the engine. had no issues with the pilot bearing.

When I was doing the swap, I was sweating bullets thinking about what to do with the bearing. when it went right in, what a relief. :)

I was thinking I might have to have a bushing made to pound in. My Datsun PU in my signature, uses a bronz/brass? bushing. I have changed it a couple times when replacing the clutch the past 470K miles.

Charlie

Driving like that you may reach 35. It'll be close.

I would not worry about the extra weight. It will only matter around town and that will be so small it will be tough to measure, IMHO.

A couple fat chicks in the back seat will weigh more than the difference between the two cars. :D

Charlie

Charlie did you pull the trans out and bolt them together then put them in as a unit? I'm still going back and forth about which body to use...

I pulled the engine and trans as one unit, much easier for me, than trying to remove the heavy auto trans while laying on my back.

Then with the engine sitting on the ground, makes it easy to R&R the Fw, add the pilot brng, fw, clutch and transmission.

With the engine removed now is a good time to spiffy up the engine bay and make it all pretty.

If you remove the engine, remove the motor mounts and see if you have cracks around the threaded holes. I had stress cracks around all 4 holes when I removed the engine back on 07. had a welder come over, fixed the cracks then made some plates to strengthen the area.
Not sure what caused this and haven`t heard of anyone else posting this problem. this is just a heads up.


Use the best of the two bodies. the 240 will have the simple manual CC/heat which is a big plus for me. I have the 240 that will roast me out of the car, and give me toasty warm feet. then the 85 has never worked right and is complicated. the windshield is toasty warm, and I have frost bite on my feet.

The manual system can be and has been swapped in before. I believe it is 280ezrider that swapped that system into his 77 208E and got rid of the evil servo setup used back in those years.


Charlie