Anyone know if attempts have been made to use an 81-84 MB Diesel engine in another (non-MB) auto?

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1994 C280 204k miles

the 300turbo

sounds like the perfect replacement engine for a
60-70's american pickup.

don

The cost and complexity of retrofitting a 617 engine is probably not the most cost effective solution for those trucks. Those old trucks were very simple and extremely easy to work on with their original engines. Parts are still widely available for them. Their engines may not have been the most economical but they got the job done and they did last a long time properly maintained. I know an old guy near where I live that's still driving around in his '63 Chevy 1/2 ton truck he bought new. He says the odometer has gone around 5 times and he's still running the same V-8 engine without ever rebuilding it. He's put in three clutches in it over that time though. But that's the only major thing he's done to it.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

kind of like putting a good diamond in a sterling setting.Those old trucks are a perfect match for small block Chevys.............

William Rogers.........

There is a guy over on the Binder Bulletin that has put one in a TravelAll. Sez it's not to great for towing, but he loves the milage!

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FAA Certified A&P Tech
Still lookin' for my diesel! <><

I'm the guy who put the Mercedes diesel in the International. I took a motor/tranny from a 83SD and put it in a 73 International Travelall(suburban). I also added an overdrive unit. Gets about 25mpg. I also boosted up the turbo, installed an intercooler and added propane injection. Its no rocket but I easily maintain 65 on the hwy. Also this winter I had my plow on the front and boy did it push snow. Plowed for 2 days and used 1/2 tank of fuel. Weighs in at 6500lbs with the plow!
I am so impressed with the 617 motor as well as Mercedes in general, that I just bought an 83TD with a blown motor and replaced it with a salvage yard motor. A great car that shortly will be my wifes daily driver.
After working mostly on old International trucks were every bolt fights you, Its nice to work on a perfectly engineered machine where once you crack the bolt loose, you take it out with your fingers. You mechanics know what I mean.
Anyway, I firmly believe that as long as the vehicles engine compt. is big enough the 617 is an awesome motor to install.
PS. The travelall will be running on waste vegatable oil soon (svo)

Mike Moran

I've got a 2.4 diesel in an old Series Land Rover.

Nice Land Rover. The diesel is a deffinate plus. So either of you guys have any install pic's or instructions. I assume there was quite a bit of fabbing word that had to be done.

Stephen

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85 300D 305K miles WVO(105K so far), Mine
82 300SD 235K miles BIO-D, Wifes
96 F250 SC PSD 4X4 285K MILES BIO-D, Ours
89 BRONCO 182K MILES sold
Finally Compression Ignition Only!

What about a late 60's model ford mustang?

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1994 C280 204k miles

The most usual engine I saw in a 60's Mustang was a 2.3L intercooled turbo-charged Ford SVO engine in a '66 Mustang coupe. The installation was done by a professional mechanic whose specialty was Ford products. The guy made it look like a factory job. He also claimed the car had more power than the straight 6 the car originally had, which I had no doubt it did. The 200 C.I.D. 6 was only rated for about 120 HP gross and the SVO four banger was rated at 200+ HP net.
The 617 diesel engine would be too heavy for a Mustang anyway.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Mike you have email. I agreee with Mike about the cudos of this transplant. As most of you know I have this motor transplanted into the yellow beast to shown to in the upper left of this post. It is considered in germany to be the cats meow of transplants into the 404 unimog. 2grand will buy you a kit for the installation. Now if I had that kinda money I would go with a sprinter engine myself lol.

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"If anyone knows other lessons I need to learn, please tell me. I'm tired of learning them the hard way".
by JerryBro

The Glow Plug Wait: This waiting period is a moment of silence to pay honor to Rudolph Diesel. The longer you own your diesel the more honor you will give him". by SD Blue

My normal daily life; either SNAFUed- Situation Normal... All Fouled Up, or FUBARed- Fouled Up Beyond All Repair

62 UNIMOG Camper w/617 Turbo, 85 300SD daily driver- both powered by blended UCO fuels

Just sort of thinking out loud here. But, I always thought a motor from a early 80's 300d turbo diesel would be great in a boat. I'm not talking about a speed boat here but a Grand Banks trawler or similar boat. As long as you used a heat exchanger so the motor would still be fresh water cooled it should last forever

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I'm sick of .sig files

if one could find one of those '67 or later Mustangs which came with a 390 or 428 (not at all rare), the engine weight would not be much different with a 617 turbo at all. The '67 and '68 chassis, however, is much lighter than the '69 and later, so the performance would be best for those two years.

The tough part of putting almost any European motor in an early Ford would be the simple one-piece driveshaft that Fords had in those days -- you're gunna haveta shorten the front part of the M-B driveshaft somewhat and find a way to mount the center bearing to the Ford chassis in such a way that it doesn't transfer every little bit of bearing rumble to the body, where it might resonate a lot, and then graft the shortened Ford shaft in place of the rear part of the M-B driveshaft so that the u-joints have enough flexibility to deal with the many movements of the Ford live axle / leaf spring combination; traction masters would help.

Maybe this would be a good payback for all those Volvo diesels ( 6 cyl. motors built by VW) which are being converted to Ford small block V8s with kits that are available from several manufacturers.

I have always thought that a late 80's Toyota or Nissan with the 617 turbo engine and manual tranny would make a nice little pick up after you beefed up the front suspension of course.

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Jim

I’m actually considering the swap of a junkyard 617 into an older Isuzu Trooper that a freind just gave to me. It has the GM 2.8 V-6 which is completely shot – burnt valve & bad head gasket @ 170,000.

The rationale for the potential swap is that I live in California; the Isuzu cannot be registered here due to the smog requirements / engine problems. Diesels do not require annual smog inspections – so a conversion to a diesel, with the proper documentation, should make a good choice. There’s so much room under the hood, and the Isuzu is such a crude farm-implement type of vehicle anyways, that it seems like a perfect fit. I’ll need to fabricate some mounts, jury-rig the plumbing, and best of all – I get to use my favorite tools: a sledgehammer & lots of duct tape.

I’ll let you know if I decide to Frankenstein this thing during the upcoming summer …


RTH

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Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.