I hear about other turbo cars having intercoolers. Has anyone ever fit one to a w123 Mercedes? More power is always better--especially if it is just cooling the incoming air.

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'85 300DT--215,000 miles
'82 300DT--255,000 miles

I'm sure it can be done, these cars have lots of room in the engine compartment. I would think you would have to remove the compressor housing and rotate it so that it points away from the engine. This way, there is room to add an intercooler and the plumbing necessary to send the compressed air into the intake. I've been wanting to do this for a while, but I have been waiting to snag a turbo from a junk yard car (just in case I break something on the original turbo). Have you checked the boost from your turbo? I did the boost adjustment (9 psi before & 11 psi after)and added a boost gage. The extra 2 psi makes a difference. I am sure an intercooler would do the same. Good luck.

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2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

I never heard of anybody installing an intercooler on a W123 TurboDiesel. I don't think it would be all that helpful because intercoolers are only used on cars with relatively high boost tubos like a Porsche 911 Turbo. M-B turbos don't generate large amounts of boost because of the undesireable effect of turbo lag or 'the calm before the storm'.

I'm sure this could be physically accomplished, but there's more to this than simply fashioning the intercooler in place. I don't know the details for this particular car, but I can explain the principal that you need to understand.

There are fundamental differences in "souping up" a gas versus a diesel engine. With a gas engine, you must think of the engine as a pump. The gas and air are mixed together somehow at or before the intake port. The more air/fuel you can pump in, the more horsepower you pump out.

In a diesel engine, there's only one way to get more horsepower, and that is to inject more fuel. You can turn up the amount of fuel injected into the cylinders and make more power. Where the "pumping" comes in with a diesel is pumping in enough air. If you don't pump in enough air, combustion chamber temperatures increase and engine life is decreased. In the gas engine, you decrease combustion chamber temperature by increasing the amount of fuel. Most principals are opposite between these two engine types.

Now, to make use of the intercooler, which provides more and cooler air, you have to "turn up" the injection system somehow. If you're going to do this, you better know where to stop, or you will decrease engine life, possibly to a matter of minutes.

Good luck,

Sounds like it would be alot of work for minimal, or negative, results. It seemed like a good idea. Thanks for the informative replies and opinions.

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'85 300DT--215,000 miles
'82 300DT--255,000 miles

I have one thing to say that will answer all your Questions.
http://www.mosselmanturbo.com/index2.htm
Go to the "intercooler" link
In the upper right corner Click on the down arrow a few times (well atucally you can just put your curser on it)
300D from 143 to 172 hp

[Edited by Subman on 12-31-2000 at 12:22 AM]

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I realy dont think you could put a intercooler an a 617
turbo because if you look at its design and the size of the turbo have you looked at the 1998 1999 300d turbo the intake
and exhaust ports are on opposed sides of the head and the
turbo is a very small turbo to spin up fast compared to the
617 with every thing happin on one side of the head i do belive it would be more problems than its worth just injoy
your 617 in the winter
Clark