Does anyone know how much in required to drop a 603.971 in a '90s 300D? I am considering dropping a '93 300SD engine in a '93 300D, ... do the engine mounts line up? Is the transmission (other than the speedometer pickup) going to mount? Actually thinking about it, I have a spare '87 300D transmission in the garage, so that's a non-issue.

I'm sure I'll need heavier front springs (or pads), not sure on the radiator, A/C & PS pump can stay with the car (if the lines are long enough), I'll figure out the vacuum and convert to a pressure-wastegate anyway but ELR should work (or not?). I know that I'll need to use a 603.960 sump with the oil level lowered and ribs cut inside to clear windage tray (at least pretty sure, or will the .971 pan clear?), oil filter housing looks the same between .960 and .971, ... exhaust will need to be adapted to the .971 turbo location anyway. Any other thoughts? Does the '93 300D already have an R-134a with parallel condenser?

Looks fun so far. I have a bunch of spare OM603.960 stuff laying around (including short-block) that could help, and '87 300D, '94/5 E320, 300E springs are plentiful used.

It'd probably be a great time to adapt a 722.6 transmission also if it can work with the .971 RPM range.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I don't have answers to most of your questions, but the 90-93 300D uses a 722.4, so that .3 in your garage would be preferable.

The radiators are different part numbers, but the water outlets are obviously in the same place on all 60X motors so I don't see why you couldn't keep your old rad.

I have an 87 300D, a 92 300D 2.5, and an 87 200TD 2.0. The 60X in the 124 all sits about the same place relative to the firewall, the motor just gets closer to the radiator.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Hmm. It looks like I can get a 722.605 from a '97 E320 pretty cheap also, is that the same output flange location (= no custom driveshaft)?

Both '93s drive well, so I'll be able to sell the engine and transmission from the '93 to help fund the project. I think I'll want the overdrive transmission though because I want to get better mileage than the '93 does now, with lots of torque and extra power on tap. I do love how the .97x engines come out of the hole, ... just not sure how hard I can push it.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I put a W124 603 into my W126.

The 603 block is tapped for 2 different motor mount locations. There is a forward and rearward location. One is used in the W126 and one in the W124. They use the same motor mounts, just in different locations on the block.

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Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

Also, how would I chase down the engine history? I have called my local M-B dealer, he found warranty info on a replacement I.P., but nothing else (wasn't serviced there). The car has a reman engine in it and the PO does not know any history beyond his 6years of ownership.

I was under the belief that there is a shared database for service but unless it was warranty (according to the Svc. Dept.) the service database was not shared between dealers before 2008.

Ideas? Suggestions?

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Are you sure the '93 diff has the same flange size as the '87? IIRC 722.4 cars have smaller flanges at both ends.

FWIW, .133 and .128 have different encapsulation panel louver configurations.

Hack the 3.5 badge from a 280SE 3.5 or 300SEL 3.5 to make the '93 a 300D 3.5 turbo.

Sixto
83 300SD

Thinking of using my 350SDL badge to make a proper 350D Turbo.
If the .4 trans is a smaller flange, I should be able to swap flanges to keep the driveshaft and diff in the car.
Wont have an encapsulation panel anyway, but the louvered panel is a good catch.
Commentz on oil pan? The 3.5s have the lower oil level and no side pan, ...

The .4 trans and .3 are different flanges... . No idea on the .6...
I bet the spline is the same, so, swapping isn't an issue... And I've successfully swapped front and rear driveshaft sections for a matchup...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Sweet, thanks. I have a 2.65:1 LSD with small flanges, so swapping the .4 flange/yoke into the .3 (or .6) will allow me to use this also, ... I'm hoping that I'll need it when I'm finished. To avoid scope creep, I will possibly just put the .3 transmission in, look at upgrading after I have a chance to source a good .6 and all of the necessary control/mount/driveshaft/linkage, ... otherwise I believe that I have all of the parts here.

Any other fit issues? It sounds like (at this point) the '93 300D has the engine and transmission mounting points in the same position as the ''87 300D?

Ballpark, does anyone know what a running '93 602 turbo and 722.3 are worth? Being a '93 it would have the later head, so that's probably worth something by itself. Car has over 300k on the clock.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff