So I am just about ready to put this engine I bought into my 240d. I bought Pilot Bearing 111903221A - FAG - 111-903-221-A-INT | Pelican Parts one of these guys, but it's slightly too big to fit in the end of the crank. I'm worried about damaging the thrust bearing if I try to drive it in with a hammer..

Is there a tool that can help me install it with bolts or something? I think I've heard about people grinding down the outside of the bearing so it fits?

update: i ground down the bearing and it fits nicely. What about the lock washer? is there one that fits? did you guys pay to have someone "make" one? skip it completely?

Put a caliper on the bearing and get the outer diameter measurement. Do the same on the crank? Let us know what the measurements are.

Not sure what the crank diameter is on the SD engine vs the standard om617 of the 300D.

It may be the same size as on the 85 models.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

That's what I'm thinking, Tom. If your crank center is 34mm the 35mm bearing won't fit properly (though with a big enough hammer anything is possible). A coupe of us have reduced the OD by spinning the bearing up on a homemade arbor and CAREFULLY holding it against a grinder. Measure often until you get to 34mm.

Birthday Benz recently has an entry in his build thread showing how he did it. This is a common PITA for OM617 folks like us.

I went looking for a 34mm OD bearing with all the rest of our pilot bearing specs but I didn't find anything - bummer.

Dan

You can use a GM bearing, same ID as benz and smaller OD, them make a bushing for it, but honestly grinding/filing down a slightly larger stock bearing is way easier.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

If you put the bearing on some sort of a shaft so it can rotate and turn it perpendicular to the grinding wheel you can get it to a place where it can be allowed to rotate against the grinder but slowly and lightly. Take care to keep it straight so the ground surface will be a good fit in the crank.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I just held mine in hand (actually wore it sort of like a ring) and worked my way around with a dremel which worked pretty well. Cleaning up any faceting with file work.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

i have also read about someone freezing the bearing before hammering it into place. not sure whether that was the whole solution but it may have been part of it.

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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

Thanks for all the suggestions, friends.

The bearing is about 1/16 inch larger than the space its supposed to fit in. 1 and 5/16" vs 1 and 6/16"

I'm going to look around for ways I can make it smaller. Also there's a bearing shop in my town I'll talk to. I'll report back shortly!

Yes you can drop it in a deep freezer for 10/12 hours and it will shrink to the correct size and go in pretty easy. But it does put a big load on the bearing when it becomes engine operating temperature. It really is not a recommended move, though I did get 25,000 or so miles out of it with no problem and I did not have difficulty in extracting the bearing. You think you bought an 84 engine, but I think it is an 85. The crank hole in the 85 is 1 mm or about .035 smaller. There is no bearing made to fit that hole size and the transmission mainshaft. Period, none, no sense in looking. Bearing sizes are all manufactured to meet set sizes and all manufactures stay with those sizes, no exceptions. So grind it down, or freeze it down and use an engine with the correct size bore in the crank.

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

yea I guess its probably an '85, I was just going off the date on the engine block but they probabbly just made it in '84 and put it in a '85 model. I will find a way to grind it down!

I went through the same situation. I took a hand full of the bearings to a machinist friend of mine.
He held the bearing in his hands and using his thumbs to put a slight drag on the sides.
He used a narrow belt sander, letting the bearing turn slowly. Finally after the third try we got it perfect.

I did all the searching on Google for a 34mm bearing. they just do not make one.
If you find a 34mm, then the other dimensions are wrong.


Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

So I ground it down at my friends house but i got it a tiny bit too small, as it goes in and out without force.

I know it could fall out if I don't get a lock washer (i think thats what its called?) or just replace it and make sure its a tighter fit this time.

I remember seeing someone reference the part number for the lock washer and I found one here on pelican parts, but I lost it.

What should I do?

Well it should fit quite tight or it will make a lot of noise. Didn't you even have a caliper with you to measure it while you were grinding it down?

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

I did but apparently I didn't stop quite in time. I'll just get another one

edit: did they even make a lock washer that fits my '85 engine?
For the people that have made this swap work, did you have someone make a lock washer custom? or did you just skip the lock washer? Idk what to do