W126 Engine Swap - Toyota 2JZ

[INTJ]

Hello and greetings to all.

Just thought I'd join this site and post some pics of my latest project.

I bought this old W126 fairly cheap (by standards here in Thailand) with the most horrible engine imaginable, a diesel Nissan RD28. It felt like it was producing around 10 horsepower and sounded like a fishing boat.

There is a certain element of "sacrilege" when talking about swapping non MB engines into MB body, which I understand to some extent. Unfortunately here, original MB engines are very expensive and usually tired out. Most RWD vehicles over 15 years old are running a Toyota engine of some sort, the favorite (and cheapest) being the 1JZ-GE (2500 inline 6).

I had originally wanted to swap in a 1UZ (4.0 V8) as used in the Lexus LS400, but there seemed to lack of decent info as to whether this was straightforward. There was talk of having to modify the steering to make it fit, as well as wiring issues.

After looking around, it seemed the best and most straightforward swap was the Toyota 2JZ-GE, an inline 6, 3000cc and normally aspirated. This is the engine used in the non-turbo Supra, making around 220 bhp.

I only picked the car up on Tuesday, we've already got the old engine out, and the new one on the deck ready to rock n' roll.

Any thoughts or comments greatly appreciated.


Regards,


INTJ.

[INTJ]

A few more pics :-

Regards,


INTJ.


.

[wbain5280]

Cool. What do you do about the engine and trans mounts? How about other accessories?

[tvpierce]

Cool project. Toyota is a marvelous engine manufacturer... if their bodies held up as well as their drivetrains, Toyota vehicles would last at least as long as MBs.

That Nissan diesel wasn't the original engine for that car, was it? Is the Nissan N/A or turbo?

Keep us posted on the progress.

jp

[t walgamuth]

na.

you have no doubt noticed that many things are reversed on that engine compared to the mb. so hooking up the alternator for example will require splicing the wires.

are you taking the tranny with it? prob best. then what about odo speedo etc?

looks like a lot of work but prob will work fine once you get itall worked out.

i just realized that you are taking out the nissan engine. so a lot of the reversed stuff will already be reversed.

good luck

tom w

[Richard Wooldridge]

Hi there,
I installed a GM 4.3L V6 into a 123 chassis a few years ago, and it all worked out extremely well. In fact it's been one of the nicest driving cars I've ever owned, and has been totally troublefree for over 70K miles now. The biggest challenge I had was widening the tunnel about two inches so the T700R4 transmission would have clearance. I ended up using a hydraulic jack to widen the tunnel, didn't have to cut any metal as the floor sheet metal folded into a Z which I hammered flat. Thanks to the T700R4's overdrive gear and locking torque converter the car gets great mileage, around 28mpg on the freeway, and over 20 around town. See: http://www.freewebs.com/rwooldridge/mercedes.htm for info.
While you have the old engine out now is the time to check over the front end pieces and make sure there's no slop in the steering! You can adjust the steering gearbox easily now! Also, be sure to provide for clearances on the new engine. I found it was necessary to slightly lower the air cleaner on my project to provide 1/2" of hood clearance. I'm sure that if you do a good job you will be satisfied with the results, as long as the engine fits well. The front crossmember can be a problem on the Merc chassis, and don't forget the drag link goes across right behind the crossmember. Don't forget to turn the steering through the complete range to find the minimum clearance points.
Good luck, and post lots of pix!

I've never heard of a RD28. I know of LD28's, I have one and love it(not in a MB). Then again, you're in a country that eats fried bugs so I guess anything is possible. How much you want for the intake, crankshaft and shipping to 39426 USA? I might be able to use them on a different project. E mail me direct, Thanks.

[INTJ]

Thanks for all the positive comments

I was expecting more "Oh you can't do that to a Merc blah blah".

The whole swap is pretty easy. I have also got a '94 BMW 325i with a Toyota 1JZ-GTE (twin turbo Soarer engine), 280 BHP.

Richard, that is an interesting project there. Incidentally, a couple of years ago I nearly bought a series 3 Jag with the same engine I am putting in the W126. When I drove it, the engine just didn't 'suit the car'. I used to have a Jag S3 with the 5.3 V12 which was lovely, the Toyota engine was too vocal and high revving (IMO).

There will be some issues with odometer etc, I will have to use the rear assembly from Toyota with the original facia.

The RD28 diesel was a JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) engine, I think used in such beasts as the Nissan Laurel. Its a 6 pot non turbo, making as I said earlier about 10 BHP. Credit to Nissan for making a 6 cyl 2800cc engine than makes so little power. I think a turbocharged variant was used in the Nissan Terrano.

I will endeavor to keep this thread updated as things progress.


Regards,


INTJ.

[Hatterasguy]

Wow thats actually a really good idea! The 300SEL that should have been. Kinda seems similer to the M104.

Good luck with it!

[INTJ]

The engine is sitting in the engine bay nicely. Used the original Toyota engine mounts with a bit of modification. I had the camera on the wrong setting, and had to resize the pics so they're no as clear as could be, but hopefully you can see the handywork well enough. Should be getting on to wiring early next week.


Regards,


INTJ.

[suginami]

Nice work.

[didget69]

Originally Posted by Richard Wooldridge

Hi there,
I installed a GM 4.3L V6 into a 123 chassis a few years ago, and it all worked out extremely well. In fact it's been one of the nicest driving cars I've ever owned, and has been totally troublefree for over 70K miles now. The biggest challenge I had was widening the tunnel about two inches so the T700R4 transmission would have clearance. I ended up using a hydraulic jack to widen the tunnel, didn't have to cut any metal as the floor sheet metal folded into a Z which I hammered flat. Thanks to the T700R4's overdrive gear and locking torque converter the car gets great mileage, around 28mpg on the freeway, and over 20 around town. See: http://www.freewebs.com/rwooldridge/mercedes.htm for info.
While you have the old engine out now is the time to check over the front end pieces and make sure there's no slop in the steering! You can adjust the steering gearbox easily now! Also, be sure to provide for clearances on the new engine. I found it was necessary to slightly lower the air cleaner on my project to provide 1/2" of hood clearance. I'm sure that if you do a good job you will be satisfied with the results, as long as the engine fits well. The front crossmember can be a problem on the Merc chassis, and don't forget the drag link goes across right behind the crossmember. Don't forget to turn the steering through the complete range to find the minimum clearance points.
Good luck, and post lots of pix!

GM 200R4 is a better fit in tight trans tunnel -

bnc

[PepeCone]

Hello,

In fact I committed a greater sacrilege, swapping to a Nissan RD28 for my Mercedes 124 year 1989.

I put it together with its own 5 speed automatic gearbox.

The engine runs nice, quiet and fast, so far.

The car is so nice I want to keep it forever . However, the gasoline bills were so high , I didnīt want to keep them.

A new diesel car is expensive here, and there are no one that runs so nice as the Mercedes 124 .

Mercedes diesel engines are very rare and expensive, and the only one available (imported from Germany) is a 1984 engine OM603 (with a lot more noise), while the Nissan I got is a 1996 quiet engine.

Power is not 10 Hp but 92 Hp, which allows me to run very fast. I donīt need more. The 5th gear enters at 100 km/h and the car runs at least to 140 km/h (cannot say for sure the max speed yet, as I havenīt connect the speedometer yet, nor the tachometer) .

Hope you like this note.

Best, Jose, Chile, South America.

[altz]

You should have get a twinturbo 2JZ-GTE
By the way, what is a price for tt 2jz-gte JDM engine around there?( in us dollars)

Anyhow, nice swap
Regards,

Allar

[Oldbeaver]

Hello there!

I just do about the same: a sacrilege !

I put a RD28 diesel engine (1995) with automatic gear into my MB 300E 1989. So far, very good. Smooth, quiet, no vibrations and it has 92 HP.

Yields 9 km/lt in town and up to 14 km/lt out in the highway.

The gear is the original used in Nissan Laurel, with 5 gears. The 5th enters at 105 km/h. So the car runs fast and smooth in high speed.

As it is normally aspirated I hope it will last a long time.

The Toyota engine you mention sounds great too.

The only things I haven't been able to connect so far are the vacuometer and the tachometer. The Nissan engine has a signal output from a magnetic sensor on the distribution case, but I cannot find the cables to the tacho inside the engine compartment. The electrician made them dissapear !

Want to hear more about your Toyota engine experience.

Best,

Me.

Originally Posted by INTJ

Hello and greetings to all.

Just thought I'd join this site and post some pics of my latest project.

I bought this old W126 fairly cheap (by standards here in Thailand) with the most horrible engine imaginable, a diesel Nissan RD28. It felt like it was producing around 10 horsepower and sounded like a fishing boat.

There is a certain element of "sacrilege" when talking about swapping non MB engines into MB body, which I understand to some extent. Unfortunately here, original MB engines are very expensive and usually tired out. Most RWD vehicles over 15 years old are running a Toyota engine of some sort, the favorite (and cheapest) being the 1JZ-GE (2500 inline 6).

I had originally wanted to swap in a 1UZ (4.0 V8) as used in the Lexus LS400, but there seemed to lack of decent info as to whether this was straightforward. There was talk of having to modify the steering to make it fit, as well as wiring issues.

After looking around, it seemed the best and most straightforward swap was the Toyota 2JZ-GE, an inline 6, 3000cc and normally aspirated. This is the engine used in the non-turbo Supra, making around 220 bhp.

I only picked the car up on Tuesday, we've already got the old engine out, and the new one on the deck ready to rock n' roll.

Any thoughts or comments greatly appreciated.


Regards,


INTJ.