Transferring OM617 turbo engine from W116 into W123 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

kahlil88 · #1 01-13-2014, 10:57 PM

Planning to pull an OM617.950 engine from a 1979 300SD (W116) at the junkyard this weekend to put in my 1983 300D. My car is a Euro with the original N/A engine (OM617.912), but the previous owner installed a Toyota turbo. The car has a 722.315 transmission and the appropriate MW injection pump and NA31X fuel injectors for a turbo. I may remove components attached to the engine that I already have so I need to know what I should keep and what can safely be discarded. More importantly, I need to know if there are any parts that will create complications going from W116 to W123 (if that's even an issue). Definitely ditching the alternator and power steering pump to save money. I'm interested in the non-EGR exhaust/intake manifolds and air filter housing, if they will fit in a W123.

mach4 · #2 01-13-2014, 11:30 PM

Depending on what yard you go to, you should be able to get just about everything (i.e. "complete engine") for one price... which you should do.

My spare engine came with "everything" including glow plug relay, aux water pump, solenoids, down tube, fan, monovalve, linkage, A/C, alternator, air cleaner, hoses, even the oil cooler.

Nothing worse that leaving something you need behind and having to go back to the yard over and over to pick up stuff you thought you wouldn't need. That's when the price really starts to rocket. At the yard I go to a complete diesel engine is $299 (plus core). A turbo alone is about 1/3 that price.

kahlil88 · #3 01-14-2014, 12:36 AM

I'm going to Pick-N-Pull, they're having a 50% off clearance sale for members

I believe attached components are half price but since they're already having a sale I doubt they will make it any cheaper. I suppose it would make selling the old engine easier if I pulled the new one as a whole unit.

panZZer · #4 01-14-2014, 04:28 PM

just because the non turbo motor has a mw pump --that does not mean its suitable for a turbo, almost all the non turbo cars from 81 earlier came here with mw's--but they are not for turbo cars, possibly just adding the alda is all it needs to be set up for turbo. that 78 sd motor is only 108 or 112 hp as opposed to the 82 up motors that were 125

kahlil88 · #5 01-14-2014, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panZZer

just because the non turbo motor has a mw pump --that does not mean its suitable for a turbo, almost all the non turbo cars from 81 earlier came here with mw's--but they are not for turbo cars, possibly just adding the alda is all it needs to be set up for turbo. that 78 sd motor is only 108 or 112 hp as opposed to the 82 up motors that were 125

I will have to double-check the part number. Either way, they don't charge enough for a fuel pump to justify removing it to save money. Would the difference in horsepower effect the transmission? I don't really have a preference for any particular version of the engine, as long as it's designed to handle a turbo.

t walgamuth · #6 01-14-2014, 06:49 PM

Oil filter may be different and interfere with the steering gear?

mach4 · #7 01-14-2014, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Oil filter may be different and interfere with the steering gear?

That would be going the other way. A 123 oil filter will interfere with the SD steering gear but going the other way it's no problem.

The oil lines are different, so he should grab those, including the turbo line (though I was able to rebend the 123 turbo line to work when I put an SD oil filter housing on my 617 out of a 123.)

The oil pressure gauge on the SD is electrical so it might be worth grabbing the gauges out of the SD to see if the electrical one can be mounted in the 123's cluster.

kahlil88 · #8 01-14-2014, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mach4

That would be going the other way. A 123 oil filter will interfere with the SD steering gear but going the other way it's no problem.

The oil lines are different, so he should grab those, including the turbo line (though I was able to rebend the 123 turbo line to work when I put an SD oil filter housing on my 617 out of a 123.)

The oil pressure gauge on the SD is electrical so it might be worth grabbing the gauges out of the SD to see if the electrical one can be mounted in the 123's cluster.

Good to know...is the oil filter housing angled differently or just a different size? I thought only the W126 engines had an electrical pressure gauge?

dude99 · #9 01-14-2014, 07:14 PM

You will need both the engine and transmission from the w116 to make it a painless swap. Mostly because the w116 transmission, as far as I know, uses the control rod setup to control shift points, not the vacuum\bowden cable arrangement found on the later cars. You can swap the bowdencable\vacuum system over to make the other transmission work, its just more effort.

Ether · #10 01-14-2014, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kahlil88

Good to know...is the oil filter housing angled differently or just a different size? I thought only the W126 engines had an electrical pressure gauge?

The oil pressure gauge in the W116 SD is definitely mechanical.

kahlil88 · #11 01-14-2014, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude99

You will need both the engine and transmission from the w116 to make it a painless swap. Mostly because the w116 transmission, as far as I know, uses the control rod setup to control shift points, not the vacuum\bowden cable arrangement found on the later cars. You can swap the bowdencable\vacuum system over to make the other transmission work, its just more effort.

I would prefer to keep the transmission that I have. What is involved in pairing this particular engine/trans combo and migrating the bowden/vacuum system?

If the 300SD engine is more trouble than it's worth, I can wait for the next sale and hope they have a W123 turbo diesel.

mach4 · #12 01-14-2014, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kahlil88

Good to know...is the oil filter housing angled differently or just a different size? I thought only the W126 engines had an electrical pressure gauge?

Sorry, I think I misled you - I was thinking 126. On that the filters are angled different.

ROLLGUY · #13 01-14-2014, 08:53 PM

You should have no problem using the 722.3 trans that is currently in your car. You will need to use the parts on top of the valve cover that hook up to the bowden cable, and not use the mechanism from the SD engine. Everything else should transfer over without any problem. Having the non-EGR manifolds is a bonus. Do you know the condition of the engine you are getting? My bro and I got a turbo engine out of a 116 a few years ago at Pick-A-Part (we put it in his 1981 300D), and it turned out to have a bad head gasket and a cracked head. We replaced the head, but it must have had collapsed rings, as it had a miss and used a lot of oil. You always take your chances when you get an engine at one of those yards. I wish you luck, and hope you get a good one....Rich

kahlil88 · #14 01-14-2014, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

You should have no problem using the 722.3 trans that is currently in your car. You will need to use the parts on top of the valve cover that hook up to the bowden cable, and not use the mechanism from the SD engine. Everything else should transfer over without any problem. Having the non-EGR manifolds is a bonus. Do you know the condition of the engine you are getting? My bro and I got a turbo engine out of a 116 a few years ago at Pick-A-Part (we put it in his 1981 300D), and it turned out to have a bad head gasket and a cracked head. We replaced the head, but it must have had collapsed rings, as it had a miss and used a lot of oil. You always take your chances when you get an engine at one of those yards. I wish you luck, and hope you get a good one....Rich

That's definitely something I considered! There are actually two 1979 300SD at the Windsor yard. I asked one of the employees, who is buying the old Toyota turbo when I go this weekend, to verify if either or both still have engines. Hopefully they don't disappear before I get there. I haven't done enough engine work to spot problems...one of them was front-ended, so I'm hoping that means it was driving until some fool crashed into it.

ROLLGUY · #15 01-14-2014, 10:27 PM

Check out the mileage on the odometer. I also am noticing a high mileage badge on the yellow one. That could be good or bad. Check inside the air cleaner of both engines. If there is a lot of oil inside, and the air cleaner is soaked, that is an indication of blowby.
EDIT: Sorry, I just remembered that you are looking at '79's, so the breather tube may be dumping into the "U" tube (not the online video hosting site

).