1991 190E Gas to diesel conversion - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

murphus · #1 03-01-2016, 12:21 PM

I have a lovely 1988 190D, 2.5. Fabulous car, runs perfectly. Engine is strong as an Ox, transmission has been rebuilt as has most of the rear multi-link suspension. Unfortunately, the chassis is rusting horribly and i don't think it will last much longer. I've just found a 1991 190E. Nice car, bad engine, very little rust. Has anyone swapped a diesel into a gas chassis? My biggest concerns would be wiring and dash components. I would expect the actual engine/transmission swap to be pretty straight-forward, a wholesale exchange of parts. Thoughts?

GregMN · #2 03-01-2016, 02:25 PM

I swapped a 2.2 D into a 2.6 gas. The diesel went deer hunting. Didn't work out well for either.
It was very straight forward.

It took 3 days:
1: pull the drive train out of the diesel
2: pull the drive train out of the gasser. (I installed the gas transmission onto the diesel engine since the body was set up for an auto and the diesel was a manual. I didn't want to mess around putting the 3rd pedal in the gas body.)
3: install the diesel engine and trans unit into the gas body. Start it up and drive.

Take the diesel exhaust over to the new body.
Remove the gas fuel pump under the back seat so the muffler will fit.
Label all the wires as you remove them from the gas engine so you know what went to what sensors.

It was running and driving at the end of the 3rd day.
I spent the rest of the week tidying up and figuring what part of the gas engine's wiring was not needed and cutting it out and tossing it.

benzguy300 · #3 03-01-2016, 06:19 PM

GregMN how did you wire the glow plug relay ? Is your car shutting off at the switch? Is your tachometer working? Did you swapped diffentials ?

GregMN · #4 03-01-2016, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benzguy300

GregMN how did you wire the glow plug relay ? Is your car shutting off at the switch? Is your tachometer working? Did you swapped diffentials ?

Tap the glow plug relay to a power source that come on with the key.
I used a pair of electric vacuum switches to control the flow of vacuum to the shut off valve. The switches can be harvested from the gas motor.
I did not get the tach working, I didn't try. I did get the cruise control to work.
I did not swap the diff. The only thing I brought over was the engine. From the trans. on back was original to the gas car.