Anybody think a 4.6 engine tranny and possibly rear end out of a crown vic donor car would be a viable low cost swap into a 1980 300D W123 chassis?

I don't know of anybody doing it but I think it will probably fit in front. The rear end though will be a mish mash.. I'd plan on keeping the benz diff. They last forever and are very strong.

Swapping in a turbo 5 cylinder diesel would be a lot simpler though and probably not any more expensive and would be sellable when complete.

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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'll withhold my opinions on cramming a Ford lump in a Mercedes, however I'd expect the costs associated with all the custom fabrication and special parts to outweigh the cost of a used replacement engine, even if you got the Ford engine for free.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Yep,Tooling the components ,measuring ,and cutting will keep you up at night .If you have a shop and alot air tools ,start a list of these to do the job , it becomes alot more as a foreseeable undergoing than just plop and bolt.Fun project and if cost is not a factor.Alot of 4.6 s to go after if future parts are needed.

I'd seriously question the 4.6. The issue is that these engines are WIDE and therefore tough to fit in an engine bay made for an inline engine. Now, CAN it be done - sure if you have enough time and money. Give the time and money thing, anything will fit into anything - I once saw where some idiot crammed a 5 cylinder Mercedes Diesel into an S-10 pickup......

Dan

You'd have better luck with the ye olde Windsor pushrod 5.0 . They're much smaller than the 4.6, you'll go through hell putting the 4.6 in.

Here's a size comparison of the 4.6 vs the 5.0, the 4.6 is actually wider by about 4 inches at the valve cover than the old 7.3L 460, insane how big it is.



My source

http://forums.corral.net/forums/lounge/1081264-picture-4-6-vs-5-0-a.html

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I have my doubts. The 4.6 barely fits widthwise in the engine bay of a panther body, you have to lift the engine to do valve cover gaskets.

The other question would be, why? The 4.6 with 2 valve heads is reliable, to an extent, intake manifolds like to fail, but it's a pig of an engine, especially mated to the 4R7xx transmission (it's better with the J-mod but still not a great transmission IMO). It has poor torque and poor peak HP and that transmission is a poorly sorted 4-speed (it really needs another gear). There are other V8 drivetrains you could swap in for not much more money (1UZ (later ones have more power and 5 speed auto), M119 (later ones have 5-speed auto), M113 (came with 5 speed auto)) though I would never expect an engine swap of such magnitude to be either cheap or easy.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

How about a 606 in the 300D body instead....

The older pushrod small block fords would slot into the benz nicely and would weigh less than a benz motor. I don't know about the cross member though....might be a problem.

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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.

The 302 / 351 Ford motor has a front oil pump so making a front sump pan is easy.

I think a 420 or a 560 would be an easier upgrade, and its been done so info is out there

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2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold