I got 40 mpg in my 1989 300E using diesel engine
 

My beauty is a 1989 MB, chassis W124, originaly a linear 6 cyl 3000cc gasoline engine.

The engine needed a costly repair, as it begun to consume too much oil and other problems.

The option was to swap the engine. I looked for a MB diesel engine, however it would cost more than the car itself if new and wasn´t available as used.

The only suitable engine I found was a Nissan RD28 6 cyl in line, aspirated diesel engine, 2800 cc.

Size is a little bigger than the original engine as is weight also.

I did the following:

1. Hire a mechanic to install the new engine, including the japanese automatic transmission that comes with the engine.
2. Changed the old radiator for a new local one, made of copper.
3. Kept the steel protection below the engine (some adapting work was necessary).
4. Changed the old front shock absorbers for new original Mercedes ones.
5. Adapted an oil cooler for cooling the transmission fluid, after the cooling unit that is inside the water radiator.
6. Adapted a air filter body and air filter.
7. Install a diesel filter.
8. Install a hidraulic fluid recipient.
9. Took out air conditioning system (not necessary here).
10. Hire an electrician to make all the electric work, including all instruments BUT the tachometer.
11. Adapted an ignition module to transform the tach signal from the RD28 engine to drive the MB tachometer.

I think that was it.

The car is running well. It yields 40mpg at a speed of 70 miles/h in the road. It was measured in a 90 miles trip from Santiago to Viña del Mar.

What is still missing to improve yield and performance:

The 4 speed + overdrive transmission is working well, however, is it too "long". Overdrive engages only over 60 miles/h , and the car is slow in up slopes.

Hope this thread is of interest of some members. Will try to attach pictures.

Best to all.

Thats freggin awesome!



Did you keep the MB steering box?

As my favorite machinist would say...."looks like it grew there".

Nice.

Tom W

MB steering box
 

Yes, of course I kept it and is working well as ever.

"As it grew in place"
 

Thank you.

It looks like a very sound install good luck with it.

40 mpg
 

Tks !

Is the Nissan engine new ? If not, what vehicle is that from ? Nice swap !

bump...

What did you have to do to adapt the Nissan transmission to the Mercedes Benz driveshaft?

True Re-Engineering
 

Rudolph would be proud.

Cool. What is the 0-60 approximately?

What color is your interior? Looks gorgeous.

Just glancing through Google it looks like that engine is only available from places other than US.

RD28

After looking a little further this guy may be on to something. Selling Japanese diesel engines for little trucks that are already in the US but may not have been available with them.

Perez

Nice & unique!

:-) neil